Country/Bluegrass Concerts, 2004 - 2007
The Country/Bluegrass Concerts at Immanuel were a continuation from a former concert series in the Redland. Of course, for the Immanuel Singers, it was a brand new enterprise and a unique experience: no citywide, large production concerts had ever emanated from that church. But for MR, Jan, Diane, John Flynt, Lou Rose, Peggy Hunt, Patty Pluto, Adelaide Gonzalez, and other guest singers who came to join us for concerts at Immanuel, it was a revival of what happened down in the Redland that had ended three years earlier. Eight Country/Bluegrasses were presented in the 11 years at RCC. The Redland Singers presented one, and four more were produced at Immanuel.
For a look at the complete list of medleys of songs, go to Country/Bluegrass photos.
Here are selections from three Country/Bluegrass Concerts, beginning with the very first production concert at Immanuel in the fall of '04. It was the first of seven during the four short years, and it was the first ever at
this church with the Immanuel choir, now under the direction of Michael Roy with Diane at the piano. This continued the series C/B concerts started at Redlands Community Church in 1993.
The Western Medley: a sprawling medley of songs about the wild west, cowboys and the frontier.
Sea Songs Medley: an eclectic medley of sea chanteys and sailing songs. It goes from the very recognizable to the obscure and rare song.
The Immanuel Singers' last concert was a Country/Bluegrass in the fall of 2007. It was a vast idiomatic tour de force with three diverse medleys providing the swan song: Mountain Music, Country and Southern Rock Medley, and the chorally intricate Chariots.
Below are general concert/recital entries. Every Country/Bluegrass Concert had several instrumental pieces by the bluegrass band, and selected songs within the genres of mountain and rural church gospel, Americana and folk music.
God Promised to Take His Children Out of Bondage (arr. MR): This classic Southern Gospel song was sung by the Immanuel vocal group. In that MR sang the lead in this song, there was no delineating SG bass in play. MR remedied this by taking the concert cut and overdubbing the
bass vocals into the mix. For the full fascinating story (trust me) on Southern Gospel music, and exactly what it is and where it originated, and to hear other songs in this idiom by MR and his singers, click on the button below.
The nautical wear marks this package as the Sea Songs Medley, which was full of chanteys and other seafaring music, to wit: Santiano; Wreak of the Edmund Fitzgerald; Calypso, Bullgine Run; Sloop John B; Orinoco Flow; Shenendoah, and Gilligan's Island Theme.
A concert poster for the 2005 Country/Bluegrass. These were put in churches, stores, malls, universities, and community centers from Homestead to all over South Miami, Kendall, Pinecrest, and Coral Gables. ------>
