‘At Home Concert Series’ videos posted on division’s YouTube channel
On Nov. 16, 2020, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs posted, on its YouTube channel, the final segment of the “At Home Concert Series” which featured 16 performances by local musicians who were video-recorded between April 24 and Sept. 1, 2020 in the warm acoustics of four division-owned historic properties across the state.
The “At Home Concert Series” was created to provide safe cultural experiences for people in keeping with the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. It is a partnership between the division and the Delaware Friends of Folk, a Dover-based nonprofit that supports folk music and folk musicians on the Delmarva peninsula and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
Commenting on the series, John Kidd, president of the Friends of Folk’s board of directors, wrote that “Many of the musicians … are dependent on playing out several times a week if not more. The Covid-19 pandemic forced them to cancel essentially all their shows in the spring and summer. … HCA [Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs] Director Tim Slavin contacted us and suggested a series of videos featuring local out-of-work artists performing inside HCA’s historic places, with the division providing a professional videographer and a small stipend for the artists. Having presented acoustic music for over 25 years, Friends of Folk was familiar with the wide range of talent available in Delaware and the series fell together rather quickly. We are pleased to help showcase Delaware talent in Delaware’s historic places.”
Recorded and processed by Ed Larrivee of the division’s Collections, Affiliates, Research and Exhibits (CARE) Team, each video begins with an introduction by Kidd who served as master of ceremonies for the entire series. Following is a complete list of performances.
At Home Concert Series
Mike Miller at The Old State House on April 24, 2020. Singer/guitarist
Joey Fulkerson at The Old State House on May 5, 2020. Acoustic blues and folk
Sol Knopf at The Old State House on May 7, 2020. Singer/songwriter
Greg Ellingsworth at The Old State House on May 19, 2020. Singer/songwriter
Vince Torres at The Old State House on May 21, 2020. Singer/songwriter
The Honey Badgers at The Old State House on May 26, 2020. Folk/Americana duo
Jim Rezac at The Old State House on May 28, 2020. Singer/songwriter
Crabmeat Thompson at the New Castle Court House Museum on June 9, 2020. Blues and folk
Phyllis Chapell and Steve Jewett at the New Castle Court House Museum on June 9, 2020. Jazz, folk, pop and world music
Bruce Anthony and Sam Nobles at Buena Vista on June 11, 2020. Jazz
E. Shawn Qaissaunee and Sam Nobles at Buena Vista on June 11, 2020. Jazz
John Flynn at Buena Vista on June 18, 2020. Singer/songwriter
Bryan Scar at the Zwaanendael Museum on July 21, 2020. Folk/Americana
Cathy Jane and Adam Clifton at the Zwaanendael Museum on July 21, 2020. Acoustic folk
Ed Shockley and Ritchie Rubini at the Zwaanendael Museum on Aug. 11, 2020. Original music inspired by rhythm and blues
Paul Cullen at the Zwaanendael Museum on Sept. 1, 2020. Latin/jazz guitar and vocals
The “At Home Concert Series” is not the only collaboration between the division and the Friends of Folk. Annually since 2014, the division has worked with the First State Heritage Park and the Friends of Folk to present “The Old State House Concert Series,” a set of free live performances held in The Old State House on the second Friday of each month between October and March. Go to the following for the 2020–2021 series schedule.