CONCERTS

Robert Anderson
Saturday, May 10th 8PM-$12
Fingerstyle Guitarist, Robert Anderson, was born in Maryville, Tennessee. The influence of Atkins
fingerstyle guitar playing becomes readily apparent when Robert begins to play. Many experts in the field
have likened Robert’s tone and technique, truly to that of Mr. Atkins. He entered Home of The Legends
International Thumb and Fingerstyle Guitar Contest in Kentucky in August 2000 and took first place for the
championship in the thumb and fingerstyle class, as well as the open style division. A short while later,
Robert’s life long dream finally came true! He met some of Chet’s family, and they asked Robert if he would
like to come to Nashville to meet Chet and play for him. He could hardly believe this was happening!
Anderson went to Nashville, and he wondered if he would actually be able to play for the maestro, Mr.
Guitar himself. He did not know how Chet would react to the east Tennessee native from the Smoky
Mountains, but Chet just smiled and listened as Robert played for him, applauding every so often. In addition
to Chet Atkins, Roberts other musical tastes are Django Reinhardt, Lenny Breau, Jerry Reed, Les Paul, Earl
Klugh, and one of the founding fathers of thumb and fingerstyle guitar, Merle Travis. This will be Robert’s
second show here at FPM. www.robertanderson.biz


Special Wednesday Night Preview Concert
Michael Thomas
Wednesday, May 14th
8PM- $2
Front Porch Music is pleased to welcome Michael Thomas from Key West Florida, in a special intimate solo
pre-concert dress rehearsal for his upcoming full band show at the Memorial Opera house on Sunday, May
18th.  Michael Thomas recently completed a CD with long time Valparaiso area musician Bill Day Sr. His
music can be described as adult contemporary 40’s –50’s era pop with a tropical flair.


Michael Smith
Friday, May 16th 8PM- $10
Michael Smith is a veteran songwriter whose name may be unfamiliar but whose songs are almost
universally known. Michael Smith has been singing and writing since the early 1960's. More than 30
performers have recorded his rich and challenging songs. The list includes Jimmy Buffet, Steve Goodman,
Suzy Bogguss, Jerry Jeff Walker, Liam Clancy, Gordon Bok, The Four Freshman, Spanky and Our Gang,
Small Potatoes, Anne Hills and many others. But until he received critical acclaim for the music he
composed for Steppenwolf Theater's 1988 production of The Grapes of Wrath, Michael, unlike his many
great songs, remained relatively unknown. It was after The Grapes of Wrath moved to Broadway and
received Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Director that Michael became something of an overnight
success - however, he was anything but. He had already put in 20 years of dues paying on the folk club
circuit, his travels extending from Florida to the Midwest to California.


The Oxcart Ramblers
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!!
Saturday, May 17th 8PM - $10
Keeping old-time music traditions alive, the Oxcart Ramblers pay homage to their musical inspirations.  The
Carter Family, The Skillet Lickers, Tommy Jarrell, The New Lost City Ramblers, Kyle Creed, and Woody
Guthrie are among the many old-time musicians too numerous to name.  The Oxcart quintet is composed of
Ryan Francis, a.k.a. Cousin Buster on resonator guitar and harmonica, Bill Wilkie (who is a teacher at Front
Porch Music) on fiddle and banjo. (You might have heard Cousin Buster and Bill Wilke in the band called
BIG FOOT and Wilke as part of The TAR HEELS.)  Chuck Detmar on mandolin, Brian Conner on guitar
and lap dulcimer, and Mark Koranda on banjo, complete the band.  The Oxcart Ramblers provide raw and
earthy authenticity of this long ago music and will have your feet tapping and thirsting for more.  They
guarantee it.  Take a step back in time; come listen to the Oxcart Ramblers.



Richard Smith and Julie Adams
Saturday, May 24th 8 PM - $15
“He is one of the world’s greatest guitarists.” Muriel
Anderson
Richard Smith was born in England in 1971. One day, at the age of five, Richard was watching his father
fingerpick “Down South Blues” (an Atkins-Travis recording) on his guitar. The boy begged his dad to show
him how to play it, and finally he did. Despite the fact that Richard is left-handed and his dad’s right-handed
guitar was not designed for tiny hands, by the end of that day, Richard learned and played both the chords
and the melody. Within no time, the toddler outstripped his dad’s six-string prowess and it was clear to all
who saw or heard him play that Richard was one of those rare phenomena -- a child prodigy. There seems
to be no limit to Richard’s ability to quickly master whatever guitar style captures his fancy. The complex
styles of many guitar greats including Django Reinhardt, Les Paul, and Lenny Breau have proved to be no
impediment to his voracious musical appetite. Julie Adams is one of the most diverse cellists on the music
scene today. Raised in Dayton, Ohio, and classically trained at the Interlochen Center for the Arts and the
Cincinnati Conservatory. Julie has also branched into folk music, playing with well-known fingerstyle
guitarist, Muriel Anderson. Julie and Muriel toured extensively throughout the US and released a CD titled
"Theme for Two Friends". Julie is also a Nashville session player and has been featured on a wide range of
projects from top ten albums to major film scores. Richard & Julia are truly soul mates - in life and in music!


Michael Kelsey
Saturday, June 7th
8PM - $12
Kelsey pounds, pings, stings, pops, and pulls music out of every part of his instrument or anything else an
arm's length or foot kick away in a funky, rhythmic style he calls progressive/aggressive acoustic guitar.
Guitar wizard/singer songwriter/performance artist/entertainer all in a one-man-band package, Kelsey
performs music for the eyes and ears. A native of Lafayette, Indiana, Michael Kelsey cut his musical teeth
on electric lead and bass guitars in a variety of cover bands from progressive jazz to rock. After placing as a
finalist in a Guitar Player Magazine's national competition, he switched from electric to acoustic guitar to
take advantage of the broader variety of sounds, moods and nuances available from this instrument that
could increase the dimensions of his music. In 2004 the music store chain Guitar Center held its
"Guitarmageddon" Guitar competition. After three months of searching through 3000 guitar players to find
the nation's best-unsigned guitarist, the judges selected Michael as the winner. Michael has toured nationally
as the opening act for Blind Melon and Dishwalla. He has opened shows for such notables as Adrian Legg,
Tim Reynolds, Cowboy Junkies, The Bodeans and John Wesley Harding. After performing an opening set
for folk artist David Wilcox, David described Kelsey's show as 'Cirque Du Soleil' on acoustic guitar." www.
michaelkelsey.com



All dates and information are subject to change.
Please call before making your plans