St. Thomas Episcopal Church

The Beth Coleman Band will be performing a traditional bluegrass concert outdoors in the gardens of St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Please bring your lawn chairs and blankets.

The Beth Coleman band has been attracting a diverse and extremely loyal following. The band features Bruce Rupert (Mandolin), Mike Terris (Dobro and Banjo) EC Moore (Upright Bass) Marty Smith (Fiddle) Tim Sheetz (Acoustic guitar) and Beth Coleman (Vocals).

Bluegrass music roots are claimed to be from immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland (particularly the Scotch-Irish immigrants in Appalachia), and African-Americans, particularly through genres such as jazz and blues. In bluegrass, as in some forms of jazz, one or more instruments each takes its turn playing the melody and improvising around it, while the others perform accompaniment; this is especially typified in tunes called breakdowns. Bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe characterized the genre: "Scotch bagpipes and ole-time fiddlin'. It's Methodist and Holiness and Baptist. It's blues and jazz, and it has a high lonesome sound. It's plain music that tells a good story. It's played from my heart to your heart, and it will touch you. Bluegrass is music that matters.

The Beth Coleman band will be performing civil war era songs, gospel music and some original compositions at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 98 Sky Manor Road, Pittstown NJ. $15 per adult donation benefits the support of St. Thomas Church. Children under 18 are admitted free. Refreshments and home baked goods will be provided by St. Thomas' members at intermission.

Call 908-399-5117 for more information or visit www.stthomasepc.org or www.thebethcolemanband.net.