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• John Sheldon will join at December 2 Song & Story Swap
• Dec. 9 Montague Open Mic will feature Paul Kaplan

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Renowned Songwriter-guitarist John Sheldon will join Dec. 2 Song & Story Swap

Please come share in an evening of music and stories at the Pioneer Valley Folklore Society Song & Story Swap.

The featured performer at the Dec. 2 Song & Story Swap will be renowned songwriter and guitarist John Sheldon.

John Sheldon is in his 50th year of writing songs, composing music and performing his unique style of electric and acoustic guitar. Performing credits include a stint when he was 17 as the lead guitarist for Van Morrison, songwriter for James TaylorR, a member of the Sixties’ psychedelic jazz rock band The Bead Game (whose drummer was Jim Hodder, later of Steely Dan), and touring with Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor.

John has performed for five decades as a solo performer, as the lead singer-songwriter with his own rock band, Blue Streak, and in collaboration with other musicians and theater artists. John co-founded a new musical and spoken word collaboration, DO IT NOW, with percussionist Tony Vacca and beat poet laureate Paul Richmond. Recently, he has performed with internationally acclaimed Senegalese talking drum master Massamba Diop.

Since 1978, John has released 13 CDs of his own music. In recent years, he has created several theatrical monolog pieces for the stage to share his autobiographical journey through music and the creative muse.

THE RED GUITAR features John Sheldon sharing his musical coming-of-age journey through Rock-and-Roll and the Sixties. The piece performed to sell-out audiences and a five-star review by the Scotland Herald and other publications during multi-week runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2016 and 2018.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to enjoy a musical performer of international stature in the intimate setting of the First Church in Amherst.

This month’s opening round theme is Inner Journeys

The December 2 Song & Story Swap is being held in person at First Church, 165 Main St. in Amherst, Mass., at 7pm. Parking is available in the lot behind the church.

Looking ahead to next month, the January 6, 2023 Song & Story Swap will present celbrated folksingers and song leaders Annie Patterspon and Peter Blood.

The Song & Story Swap is held on the first Saturday of each month, excepting July and August, and is organized by the Pioneer Valley Folklore Society. Visit the Folklore Society website at pvfs.us.

The Song & Story Swap is open to the public, free of charge with donations accepted ($5 - $10 is suggested).

People of all ages gather to share stories and songs that are traditional, newly written, or of personal experiences. You can tell, sing, or lead everyone in singing, or request a song or story. Listeners are welcome.

For information contact Paul Kaplan, (413)-687-5002 or visit https://pvfs.us.

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Dec. 9 Montague Open Mic to feature Paul Kaplan

This month's Montague Common Hall Open Mic Night on December 9 will feature longtime PVFS Song & Story Swap host Paul Kaplan. Paul is recently returned from a several week performance tour of Denmark and England.

The event will take plane on December 9, 6:30-9:30pm at the Mntague Common Hall, 34 Main Street in Montague, Mass. Signup starts at 6:15pm.

BYO food and beverage. Masks are optional. Voluntary donations are welcomed.

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