Cranberry Coffeehouse presents…
DAN DUGGAN & PEGGY LYNN
16 FEBRUARY 2019 @ 7:30 PM
DOORS @ 7:00 PM
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION — 183 Riverside Dr, Binghamton, NY
$8 SUGGESTED DONATION
The combined artistry of Peggy Lynn and Dan Duggan provides an evening of beautiful singing and fiery instrumentals, ranging from sublime loveliness to freewheeling good fun. Dan Duggan and Peggy Lynn are celebrating ten years of marriage and fifteen years of performing together. With a newly released album titled Esperance, named for their farm in Red Creek, New York, they showcase a few of their favorite genres: distinctive original songs, acoustic jazz standards, and instrumentals, both poignant and driving. Peggy’s talent for moving lyrics and Dan’s knack for unique, tasteful arrangements make this recording a fitting culmination of their composing and performing experience.
Peggy Lynn, singer, songwriter, and educator, brings an infectious enthusiasm to all her endeavors. Peggy ranges from folksy to blues with equal ease, alone or harmonizing with others. With a sultry, yet powerful alto voice, Peggy gives a clear message of the passion underlying her songs. While her style and range give meaning and emotion to all her work, her most powerful message is for the contributions and burdens of women.
Peggy believes there needs to be a female role added to the record of Adirondack history. She co-authored Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women in the Adirondacks with Sandra Weber. Bringing these stories to the public stage in her program, “Mountain Women Can Be Heroes,” Peggy celebrates, through song and story, the comical, amazing and poignant experiences of Adirondack women as the unsung heroes. Peggy’s most recent solo recording is an anthology of her ballads of North Country women titled Adirondack Woman. To inform her understanding of women’s issues and historical context, Peggy returned to college and received a BS in Women’s Studies and a Master’s degree in American and Women’s History.
With an AAS Degree in Forestry, and a keen understanding and deep appreciation of the subject, Peggy has written songs and developed a memorable Arts in Education program using simple catchy melodies and scientific concepts to build the environmental awareness and interest in learning. The recordings Bio Songs ~ Signs of Life and Close to the Sun offer songs to demystify nature as science for children of all ages.
Peggy continues to draw inspiration from nature, teaching, mentoring, performing, listening and collaborating. Becoming a grandmother has been a thrill and pleasure which brings new perspectives and ideas. Peggy likes to say, “Every moment is a potential song idea, so be careful what you say in front of a woman with a microphone!”
Dan Duggan, nationally touring performer and teacher, is rapidly being acknowledged as one of the finest dulcimer players and composers in the country. As recipient of the prestigious National Hammered Dulcimer Championship, Dan’s accomplishment, though based on technical merit, is even more considerable as he is the first winner to have performed all original compositions.
Although pioneering innovative compositional work for the dulcimer, Dan’s renditions of traditional Irish and American tunes reflect his study and understanding of their original context. Whether re-creating 18th century harp pieces or vibrant 19th century dance tunes, Dan has engaged audiences nationwide in an excursion of musical styles and moods.
Dan has recorded four albums of original compositions, First Frost, Last of May, Seasons of Change, and Trillium Lane, as well as three albums of traditional holiday music Christmas Morn, Winters Eve, and All Through The Night, and a family album of original songs written with children in schools throughout New York, entitled The Pieces of our Life. Pieces of Our Life received a 1998 Parents Choice award. Selections of Dan’s recordings, highly acclaimed by top critics in the traditional music field, have been aired on National Public Radio during daily broadcasts of Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Dan’s dulcimer work can also be heard on Paul Simon‘s Grammy nominated CD, You’re The One, released in October of 2000.
In addition to maintaining an active touring and teaching schedule, Dan is currently at work on several new projects. He has designed and marketed a hammered dulcimer unique with its extended range of notes , full sound, and lightweight portability. A book of Dan’s original compositions for dulcimer and guitar, as well as book of original children’s songs, is soon to be released.
One of Dan’s main objectives is to bring traditional music and instrumentation to audiences unfamiliar with this genre of music. Through his innovative blending of traditional instrumentation with creative musical format, Dan is indeed accomplishing his goal.
The Cranberry Coffeehouse has been a fixture in the musical life of upstate New York for forty-six years (yes, 46!), and has been a frequent stop for performers of varied acoustic genres. It is one of the longest continuously-running venues for traditional folk and acoustic music in the Binghamton area. The setting is humble, but comfortable, and the energy, exuberance, and beauty of the performances are long remembered. Primarily a venue for traditional folk music, the Cranberry also enjoys other types of acoustically-based music.
We put the “folk” back in Folk music! The Cranberry Coffeehouse encourages musicians, vocalists, story-tellers, and dancers of all ages and skill levels to share their talents during the “Middle Set”. Middle set performances are each limited to five minutes.
The Cranberry Coffeehouse is located at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 183 Riverside Drive, Binghamton, NY 13905. Unless otherwise specified, performances start at 7:30 p.m., with a $10 suggested donation at the door.
For more information, visit www.cranberrycoffeehouse.org.