Tag: featured

He’s BACK! Albert Cummings — Sunday September 11, 2022 at 7pm — #LiveAtTheLyric!

Albert Cummings Returns to the Lyric with his newest and tenth album—
TEN!
Re-Re-Rescheduled to Sunday September 11 at 7PM

The blues is best served up live, with an enthusiastic audience and a killin’ band, and that’s exactly what guitarist Albert Cummings does[…]. Cummings effortlessly shifts from chimney subdued stylings to raucous roadhouse raunch to soaring yet stinging lead lines, driving his audience to frenzy in all the right places.” – Guitar Edge Magazine

From full on, straight ahead hard-edged to mellow-without-being-prissy, Blues-rock guitar with lyrical mastery is headed back, in all its glory, with local favorite The Hedley Lamar Band opening, to the historic Lyric Theater, as Harrison, Arkansas enjoys “TEN” on Sunday, September 11 at 7:00 PM, for which tickets are now available.

Rave reviews are hitting for TEN. “The opening track is pure Cummings blues/rock power. With Ten, it’s not so much the blending of genres that speaks the loudest but it’s the songs themselves…With powerful vocals and harmonies, Albert proves his talent…Albert Cummings gets a 10 on Ten.” – Rock and Blues Muse

Entertaining audiences from his phenomenal guitar work to his incredibly impassioned lyrics and overall songwriting prowess – one thing has certainly become clear about Albert Cummings’s music: he is far more than simply just the guitarist or the bluesman he’s often painted as by fans and the media alike. He offers the complete package.

Albert Cummings
Albert Cummings, Live at the Lyric, 9/11/22 @ 7pm

Though undoubtedly a masterful guitar player who burst onto the blues-rock scene in the early 2000s and almost immediately began gaining praise in that realm, his latest live release “Live at the ‘62 Center” and his new studio album, “TEN,” further portray not only his versatility as singer/songwriter and live performer but as an artist first and foremost.

While generally performing live as a trio, the true spontaneity and creative spirit of these albums show Albert’s mastery of the whole art form, as he put together a newly formed version of his usual trio that afternoon of the October 2016 recording, along with keyboards and backing vocals that hint at just how massive Albert’s talent for composition and improvisation really is. With longtime friend and Grammy Winner Jim Gaines behind the soundboard, what comes through in both sight and sound is an incredible journey into the live performance world and true artistry of one of today’s most seasoned musicians.

“His muscular guitar work is simply outstanding. He’s a great blues singer as well, with passion for the tunes inherent in his full-throttle approach.”

– Rock and Blues Muse on Live at the ‘62 Center

Like many greats before him who’ve been painted into a corner as merely great blues players, or guitar players, or singers, Cummings seeks to rise above these labels and be praised for the devotion to his overall craft as a true musician. In artist terms, he’s sought to be known for ‘the overall pallet of his music’, rather than one specific color. From greats like Eric Clapton to the more recent stylings of John Mayer, his artistic integrity has allowed him to focus on the big picture, writing songs from the heart rather than catering to his specifics strengths as a singer, guitarist, or bandleader (all of which he does impeccably, however!).

His musical journey began when young Albert first picked up a guitar – learning the requisite three chords from his father, but later switched over to banjo at the age of 12 after becoming a bluegrass fan. After hearing the early recordings of Stevie Ray Vaughan, he was impressed by the sheer virtuosity of the artist, and following his first chance to see him live while in college in Boston he returned to the guitar with a new outlook and resolve.

“He attacks his axe with unbridled ferocity and deep soulfulness… his depth and expression are matched only by his terrifying technique and tone.”

– Guitar One

The whiz-kid carpenter began his ascent to masterful blues rock guitarist at age 27, with his first public performance on guitar. As he continued to grow in his newfound passion, he landed on the Northeast blues circuit with his first band Swamp Yankee. Then, in 1998, after walking into a Northeast Blues Society open jam, Cummings won the right to compete in the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge the following year. By 2000, his debut single “The Long Way” was released to rave reviews, and began opening new doors for the artist. Bluesprint magazine said it was “a barrage of guitar pyrotechnics that calls to mind a grand mix of the styles of past masters like Albert King, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Hendrix.”

Albert Cummings
Albert Cummings, Live at the Lyric, September 11, 2022, 7pm

His first big opportunity came in the form of a chance to work with Double Trouble, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rhythm section. So taken with Albert’s fire and passion were bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton that they volunteered to play on and produce his solo debut recording, 2003’s self-released From the Heart. Recorded in Austin, Texas, it featured Cummings fronting Double Trouble (including Reese Winans) in their first recording project since Stevie Ray’s passing. Having begun his musical journey in part due to Vaughan’s inspiration, it seemed Cummings’ passion had brought him full-circle.

Cummings’ soulful and explosive approach to blues and rock then caught the attention of Blind Pig Records (Muddy Waters, Jimmy Vivino, Elvin Bishop), which signed him to a multi-album deal. On his label debut, True to Yourself, released in 2004, Cummings was again joined by bassist Tommy Shannon. Recorded by producer extraordinaire Jim Gaines (Santana, Stevie Ray, Buddy Guy), the all-original release showcased Albert’s rapidly developing songwriting chops and deeply emotional vocals as well as stunning guitar pyrotechnics, fully showcasing his well-rounded talents.

 “a barrage of guitar pyrotechnics that calls to mind a grand mix of the styles of past masters like Albert King, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Hendrix. – Bluesprint Magazine

Soon tours and shows with blues legends B.B. King, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy and others brought Albert’s music to a much larger audience.

His second release, Working Man (2006), also produced by Jim Gaines, furthered a growing focus and maturity both in Albert’s stinging, incisive guitar work as well as in his fluently idiomatic songwriting, leading Billboard Magazine to exclaim “This recording is the calling card of a star who has arrived”

2008 saw Albert’s first live album “Feel So Good,” recorded at the historic Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts which has hosted everyone from Will Rogers to Al Jolson. The audience was so enthralled and supportive they became part of the performance in a way that’s rarely heard. As AllMusic put it, “It sounds like it was one hell of a party that night.” Music Connection also called it “one of the best live albums recorded in a long time.”

Albert Cummings
Albert Cummings, Live at the Lyric, 9/11/22 @ 7pm

As he continued to grow, playing with the likes of legends from B.B. King (who called dubbed him “a great guitarist”), Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, and many more – Cummings built on not only his all-around songwriting and musicianship but his guitar playing skill as well. Using his knowledge to give back to fellow guitarists wanting to advance in their craft, he released the instructional DVD “Working Man Blues Guitar” in 2011. His next album, 2012’s self-released “No Regrets” followed as a return to his true musical roots, poignantly capturing the core of his influences and displaying the impact that R&B, Rock, Soul, Country, and the Blues have had on both his playing and writing. It debuted at #1 on iTunes music charts in the USA, Canada, and France.

Now, as he continues writing and performing, relentlessly devoting effort to his craft, Cummings is ready to continue on his ever expansive musical journey in support of his new album, “Ten,” scheduled with opener local band The Hedley Lamar Band at the historic Lyric Theater on the Harrison, Arkansas square for Sunday, September 11 at 7:00PM. Tickets are now available.

tickets

Become a Patron of the Arts!

Membership time!

It’s time to renew your membership in the OAC (or become a member) at Join.TheLyric.org!

It’s a New Season

History has taught us that the most vibrant societies are produced by giving, not by taking, and especially the most vibrant are those that have a thriving and active Arts community, which has always been a matter of patronage. In a time when many are still struggling, some may think the Arts a luxury, something only those with extra time and money on their hands may partake of. Often, people feel that it’s too lofty a pursuit for communities based in farms and factories and retirees. But both history and statistics tell us that these contentions are untrue: the Arts are what help us survive.

The very nature of the Arts is to be both welcoming and challenging, to bring you in and to lift you up…and in a time of upheaval and widespread dissatisfaction, isn’t that exactly what you want to encourage and support? The Lyric and the OAC’s Member Organizations provide a place full of experiences that put all of the noise of this world’s discontent aside, a place that welcomes you into a moment where you neither have to be consumed with the woes of the world, real and imagined—or even what you’re going to make for supper, or find on your next day at work. For all of the ‘escapism’ that television promised, it is no match for joining with the rest of your community in a place where all that divides us is set aside and a team of volunteers seeks to be their best selves and to help us, at least for a few hours, to be ours.

This is what membership in the OAC promotes, so please consider becoming part of a community that truly builds community…that welcomes, educates, enjoys, and feasts on those things in our culture that build better people, stronger communities, and the general promotion of love and joy: please join the Ozark Arts Council today!

Below, you can find the perks that come from being an OAC member (with some fun new swag!), but we also want to hear from YOU! What would YOU like to see as a perk from being an OAC member? Email info@ozarkartscouncil.org and let our Executive Director know!

Some OAC Membership Perks

* Early Bird Ticket Sales: For most events, we are able to offer tickets to our members between a few hours and a few days before they go on sale to the general public, so you have a better chance of getting your favorite seat.
* No Ticketing or Card Fees: We consider your investment in the OAC as what provides us the ability to have ticketing and card processing in the first place, so we give you a code to eliminate fees when you purchase online (and enter the code for you if you purchase them in advance in person or over the phone).
* Super Popcorn Discount and Collectible Bucket: While we are introducing a new giant size popcorn for anyone to save on popcorn (and on trips to the concessions stand!) on a per-event basis, we are also introducing a refillable and reusable bucket with our logo and our theme for the year on it. Buy a popcorn for all of the year’s events in advance!
* Special Merchandise Offers and Discounts: Promotional and event mugs, shirts, window clings (and who knows what else?!) are being developed to help you help the Lyric to thrive and to allow you to remember and celebrate fun times at the Lyric once you return home.
* Season Passes (and Discounts): All our members have been able to buy Season Passes to productions by the Theatre Company of the Ozarks…and now we’re adding Northark Drama and HHS Theatre Productions, as well! Members who join at the $100 level or above also get discounts on season passes, with discounts growing along with membership donations.
* The Arts Investor Appreciation Pass: Take the lead in providing plays, concerts, or both by making a Membership donation that helps us keep booking artists and paying rights and royalties, and we will provide you free passes that allow you to come and check on your investment. A Theatre Investor ($500) receives a code for two free tickets to every play in our season! A Concert Investor ($750) receives a code for two seats at every concert we produce. An All the Arts Investor ($1,200) receives two tickets for every concert and every play we put on!
* Please Note: There may be some events that we do not produce, those that are via a rental arrangement by an outside organization or that are a fundraiser for another nonprofit. We keep these to a bare minimum…and if we can work out a contract with them to get you seated for free, we will do so, and we will let you know in advance. Examples of such events: the recent Buffalo River documentary; the Ozark Rape Crisis Center’s lip sync battle; the Ozarks Dynacom Five Star Talent Contest.

Almost, Maine, January 26–28 at 7pm, January 29 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

The Theatre Co. of the Ozarks and
the Ozark Arts Council Present:

January 26–28 at 7pm, January 29 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

 

The Theatre Co. of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council present Almost, Main performed at the Historic 1929 Lyric Theater January 26–28 at 7:00pm and January 29 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for children, when bought in advance; prices rise $3 if purchased at the door—$11 for children, $13 for seniors and students, and $15 for adults.

Welcome to Almost, Maine, a place that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States. It’s almost in Canada. And it’s not quite a town, because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it almost doesn’t exist. One cold, clear, winter night, as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost, Maine, find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend—almost—in this delightful midwinter night’s dream.

“ALMOST, MAINE is a series of nine amiably absurdist vignettes about love, with a touch of good-natured magic realism…witty, romantic, unsentimental. A beautifully structured play, with nifty surprise endings (most but not all of them happy).” —NY Times. “Sweet, poignant, and witty. Nearly perfect. ALMOST, MAINE’s charm is real. [It] packs wit, earns its laughs and, like love, surprises you.” —NY Daily News. “Mega-hit ALMOST, MAINE lands somewhere between Norman Rockwell and Our Town. Unabashedly unhip. There is no pretense of an edge here—the show offers a sweetness and decency that’s become rare at the theater. At this point, it’s a welcome breath of fresh air.” —New York Post.

Join us at The Lyric for Almost, Maine, January 26–28 at 7:00PM, January 29 at 2:00PM #LiveAtTheLyric. Tickets on sale SOON for OAC Members! Tickets for non-OAC Members to open shortly after. Become an OAC Member at Join.TheLyric.org!

 

OAC Ticketing Link

White Christmas, December 1–3 at 7pm, December 4 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

NorthArk Drama, HHS Theatre Troupe 2715, and
the Ozark Arts Council Present:

December 1–3 at 7pm, December 4 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

 

NorthArk Drama, HHS Theatre Troupe 2715, and The Ozark Arts Council present White Christmas performed at the Historic 1929 Lyric Theater December 1–3 at 7:00pm and December 4 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for children, when bought in advance; prices rise $3 if purchased at the door—$11 for children, $13 for seniors and students, and $15 for adults.

Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former army commander. With a dazzling score featuring well-known standards including “Blue Skies,” “I Love A Piano,” “How Deep Is the Ocean” and the perennial title song, White Christmas is an uplifting musical that will get you in the holiday spirit.

Join us at The Lyric for White Christmas, December 1–3 at 7:00PM, December 4 at 2:00PM #LiveAtTheLyric. Tickets on sale SOON for OAC Members! Tickets for non-OAC Members to open shortly after. Become an OAC Member at Join.TheLyric.org!

 

OAC Ticketing Link

Wait Until Dark, September 29–30, October 1 at 7pm, October 2 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

AUDITION INFO CLICK HERE

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and
the Ozark Arts Council Present:

September 29–30, October 1 at 7pm, October 2 at 2pm! #LiveAtTheLyric!

AUDITION INFO CLICK HERE

 

The Theatre Company of the Ozarks and The Ozark Arts Council present Wait Until Dark performed at the Historic 1929 Lyric Theater September 29–30, October 1 at 7:00PM and October 2 at 2:00PM. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $8 for children, when bought in advance; prices rise $3 if purchased at the door—$11 for children, $13 for seniors and students, and $15 for adults.

A sinister con man, Roat, and two ex-convicts, Mike and Carlino, are about to meet their match. They have traced the location of a mysterious doll, which they are much interested in, to the Greenwich Village apartment of Sam Hendrix and his blind wife, Susy. Sam had apparently been persuaded by a strange woman to transport the doll across the Canadian border, not knowing that sewn inside were several grams of heroin. When the woman is murdered the situation becomes more urgent. The con man and his ex-convicts, through a cleverly constructed deception, convince Susy that the police have implicated Sam in the woman’s murder, and the doll, which she believes is the key to his innocence, is evidence. She refuses to reveal its location, and with the help of a young neighbor, figures out she is the victim of a bizarre charade. But when Roat kills his associates, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues between the two. Susy knows the only way to play fair is by her rules, so when darkness falls she turns off all the lights leaving both of them to maneuver in the dark until the game ends.

Join us at The Lyric for Wait Until Dark, September 29–30, October 1 at 7:00PM, October 2 at 2:00PM #LiveAtTheLyric. Tickets on sale SOON for OAC Members! Tickets for non-OAC Members to open shortly after. Become an OAC Member at Join.TheLyric.org!

 

OAC Ticketing Link