Collenbrook United Church News

Collenbrook United Church News

Food, Folk Music, & fun

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Third Time’s the Charm! We are pleased to be able to re-schedule John Flynn
on Saturday, March 6!

Please RSVP — Sign up at the church or send an email to:
fortissimofolkmusic@gmail.com

Fortissimo Folk Music and Collenbrook United Church will partner to present an evening of music, food, and fellowship on January 30, 2010, featuring local favorite, singer-songwriter John Flynn*. All are welcome – bring your friends and neighbors and join us! The evening begins with a pot luck supper at 5:30 PM. Bring a main dish, side dish, or dessert to share. We’ll have soft drinks as well as coffee and tea. John’s show will follow dinner. A free-will donation will be collected for our artist -- $15 per person is suggested. John will also have his CDs available for sale. Dessert will be served during the intermission of John’s show, and the concert will be followed by an informal song circle so bring instruments and voices and tunes to share, too! The evening will be held in the Carl and Mary Lou Grimm Fellowship Hall in Collenbrook United Church at 5290 Township Line Road, Drexel Hill, PA. Find directions here. Alcohol and smoking are not permitted. Fortissimo and Collenbrook last partnered to present a benefit for New York City Fire and Police Personnel following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.

* For more information about John Flynn, see his website: http://www.johnflynn.net
… from the biography on John’s website:
“John Flynn sings from the heart. His powerful songs of humanity and hope are deeply rooted in the traditions of Woody Guthrie and Phil Ochs. John paints vivid, lasting images with words and music, drawn from a palette of awareness, irony, humor, and compassion.
“A socially driven singer/songwriter not afraid of writing about the shadows, John allows us the space to come to our own conclusions. His songs speak to our common shared humanity. Thank-you notes left on his websites come from both soldiers and anti-war advocates. “John’s artistic journey has taken him from Temple University, where he earned a degree in Political Science, to Nashville’s Music Row as a songwriter, to award-winning children’s recording artist and performer, to social justice activist. John is truly an American troubadour.
“John has shared the stage with some of the greats of our time, Willie Nelson, Arlo Guthrie, Kris Kristofferson, to name a few. Arlo invited John to join his Train to New Orleans tour post-Hurricane Katrina, and Kris Kristofferson has not only sung on two of John’s CDs, but has given John previously unrecorded material to use. Sonny Ochs, the sister of the late great songwriter, Phil Ochs, has made John one of the mainstays of her Phil Ochs Song Nights that tours nationally. John walks his talk. When off the road, he leads a prison discussion group, is very involved with Camp Dreamcatcher, a safe haven for children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, and is an advocate for wider understanding and treatment of PTSD suffered by our returning war veterans. “He lives in Delaware with his wife, four children, and their exuberant German Shepherd. In addition to concerts and festivals he presents special programs on songwriting and Prison Ministry. John also performs popular school assembly programs, workshops and family concerts. John continues to tour extensively. With nothing but an old Martin D-28 and harmonica for accompaniment, his compelling songs, strong voice, and open-hearted approach to his audiences are turning strangers into believers, and believers into friends.

Featured Performer — John Flynn

A Manatee Sneezed on Me

Do We Do