LOVELL — Folk artists Kathy Bennett and Thom Perkins, with multi-instrumentalist Taylor Whiteside, are the featured performers at the Lovell Brick Church for Performing Arts at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 11.
Known as Bennett & Perkins, the duo has crafted a solid repertoire of original tunes known for their tight harmonies and masterful guitar work, and will be joined by Whiteside on fiddle and mandolin. The two are well known on the New England folk circuit and are frequently featured on New Hampshire Public Radio’s “The Folk Show.” Whiteside is also well known in folk circles, having toured with the Shaw Brothers and the Brandywine Singers.
Folk artists Bennet and Perkins perform at the Lovell Brick Church July 11.
The music of Bennett & Perkins is an exercise in storytelling with many of their songs set in the greater Conway area, their home base. The two state that their songs share “lost loves, lost lives and real life adventure, coupled with haunting harmonies and memorable arrangement of vocals and guitar.” Whether it’s a song about traveling to Cape Breton to a country dance or a love story between a man and his long-lost wife, their songs evoke a strong emotional response from the audience.
The two have recorded two albums, “House on Fire,” produced by Tom Dean and featuring Joyce Anderson and Tom Yoder, and “The Kitchen Music Sessions,” produced by Davey Armstrong of the locally popular duo Dennis & Davey.
The group will perform an eclectic blend of original music and their own arrangements of a variety of works by songwriters around the world. They seek out arrangements that highlight their distinctive vocal and instrumental talents. While folk is a cornerstone influence, their music borrows from genres ranging from Americana, singer-songwriter, roots, bluegrass and blues.
Perkins began playing guitar at age 8 and was playing country fairs and coffeehouses from Connecticut to California in the 1960s. His guitar playing is influenced by blues and ragtime and is often compared to Richard Thompson and Jim Kweskin. Over the years, he has shared the stage with the likes of Pete Seeger, Jonathan Edwards, Bill Morrissey and David Francey.
Bennett is a classically trained vocalist who also began playing guitar as a child. Before relocating to the North Country in 2002, she performed at coffeehouses and clubs in the Boston area and has opened for artists, including Martin Sexton. Bennett engages the audience with her at once gutsy and lacy vocals.
The Brick Church is now air-conditioned. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets may be purchased at the door.
For more information, call 207-925-1500 or go to the BCPA Facebook page or website at www.lovellbrickchurch.org.
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