Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Remembering Dick Cerri, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (College Park MD), 9/27/2014


Dick Cerri, who hosted the Music Americana program on Washington radio stations for more than 30 years, died in October of 2013. The World Folk Music Association, which Cerri co-founded with Tom Paxton, put together a concert featuring many of Dick’s favorite performers – Paxton, Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul & Mary), Jonathan Edwards (“Sunshine”), Bill Danoff (best known for co-writing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Afternoon Delight”), and many others. In addition to the musical performances, the show also featured spoken tributes by Dick’s daughter and granddaughter and several local radio personalities (including Robert Aubry Davis and Mary Cliff). The show started shortly after 7:00 and went well past 11:00, not surprising given the large roster of performers.

Folk-comedy trio Modern Man started things off on the right foot with “Folk Music in the Nude” (yes, there really is an annual clothing-optional folk festival in Paw Paw WV) and “Like a River”. Maine folk duos Schooner Fare and Squid Jiggers did nice back-to-back sets to start off the post-intermission portion of the show. For me, however, the clear show-stopper was a great vocal rendition of “Brother Can You Spare a Dime” by Chad Mitchell of the Chad Mitchell Trio.

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