Published in the July 12, 2018 edition
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — The Friends of the Flint Memorial Library is launching a new venture, the Performing Artist Series, to raise funds for the numerous library programs supported by the group.
Set to launch this fall with an inaugural concert on Saturday, October 6 by The Twangtown Paramours, the Performing Artist Series will be offered in addition to the monthly North Reading Community Coffeehouse/Open Mic nights.
Coffeehouse founder Art Grossman has organized the coffeehouse series for the past two years, which he said has been “successful by its own right in providing a wonderful environment for people to perform as well as a great evening’s entertainment while raising money for the Library by donations and the sale of refreshments.”
Inspired by the success of the Coffeehouses and the continuing demand to offer a variety of programming for audiences of all ages and interests through the Friends of the Library, Grossman conceived of the idea for the Performing Artist Series (PAS), which was heartily endorsed by the other members.
READING COOPERATIVE BANK gave a $1,250 donation to the Friends of the Flint Memorial Library to help launch the new Performing Artist Series which will feature professional performers. Front row, from left: Art Grossman, Jean Osborn, Pat McKenna, Shanna Cahalane (RCB VP & Marketing Director); back row, from left: Lorraine Sheehan, Karen Vitale, Adrienne Callahan and Marci Bailey. (Courtesy Photo)
“This is a project that I thought up and presented to the FOL and fortunately convinced them to go forward with it,” he said. “The hope is that by bringing in professional musicians several times a year, more money will be raised than we are able to do via the Coffeehouse/Open Mic alone.”
Tickets will not be sold for PAS performances. Instead, the library policy of funding the events by suggested donations will be followed, he said, with a portion of the donations benefiting the musicians and a portion going toward the Friends of the Library. The suggested donation will be $15.
Therefore, Grossman said, the sponsorships are crucial because “we will be able to ensure that the musicians receive appropriate compensation for their work and the Friends of the Library receive additional funds to continue to support the increasing number of quality programs run by the library.”
Unless otherwise specified, all performances will be held in the Activity Room of the Flint Memorial Library at 147 Park St.
“The Activity Room at the library can comfortably and legally hold about 100 people. If we happen to have an artist perform where we are quite certain that we will need a larger venue, we will find a larger venue in town,” Grossman said, adding that while it is a “problem I would love to have,” he does not anticipate that being the case “anytime soon.”
“We initially plan on having two concerts in 2018 and four to six in 2019, and hopefully about six each year after that,” added Grossman, who is also a member of the Friends.
Sponsorships sought
The next step was lining up corporate sponsorships to help support the PAS.
“The Savings Bank’s North Reading branch, headquartered in Wakefield, agreed to sponsor the new program with a generous $250 commitment,” Grossman said.
“The next corporate sponsorship for the series was presented to the Friends on Monday by Ms. Shanna Cahalane of the Reading Cooperative Bank in the amount of $1,250. Their generosity and support will go a long way toward helping get this program up and running,” added Grossman.
Friends members have been in contact with other potential local sponsors and they are actively soliciting new sponsors. “We are asking for a sponsorship that will cover the first three years of the program so we do not have to go back to potential sponsors on an annual basis,” he explained.
Any organization that would like to participate may contact Grossman at abgrossman1@gmail.com or 617-592-4398.
Inaugural performers
“I spend a lot of time listening to music and performing. I am actively always looking for talent,” Grossman said. While attending a house concert he found The Twangtown Paramours, which is comprised of the husband and wife duo of Mike T. Lewis and MaryBeth Zamer, and decided they would be a great inaugural act for the PAS.
Based in Nashville, their music has been described as “Sophisticated Americana,” and is a hybrid of the Nashville and Austin music scenes. Nationwide performers, they are currently working on their third album. They were finalists three times in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk contest in 2011, 2013 and 2016. They have opened for such artists as Joe Ely, Claire Lynch, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Carrie Newcomer, and Kim and Reggie Harris.
After relocating to Nashville from Washington, D.C., Zamer continued her career working as a demo singer and background vocalist for several new country artists.
Lewis had a No. 1 pop hit in South Korea called “A Heartbeat Away” that sold 800,000 units. Since 2000, he has owned and operated a recording studio in Nashville and has had a few background roles as a songwriter, studio engineer and roadie on the network television show “Nashville,” which airs on ABC.
The second PAS show on November 3 will feature a local group, The Squeezebox Stompers, a six-piece Boston area band that performs Cajun, Zydeco, blues and Americana music throughout New England. Over the past 25 years they have won numerous music awards. They were also rated Reverbnation’s No. 1 folk band in Boston.
Grossman said he was contacted by Ralph Tufo, a member of that group, and after listening to them a few times he decided to book them. In June they performed at the Linden Tree Coffeehouse in Wakefield.
