News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sisters welcomed back some old friends and met some new ones Saturday night, March 14, as the second Sisters Starry Nights concert played to a sold-out crowd at Sisters High School.
Kim Carnes and Greg Barnhill were primed for their return engagement, and offered up a high energy set that moved from peak to peak touching on Barnhill's "Walkaway Joe" and "House of Love" and Carne's "Don't Fall in Love With a Dreamer," and "Bette Davis Eyes."
Country artist Mark Collie quickly established a rapport with the audience, spinning yarns to set the context for his songs, which ranged from hits such as "Even the Man in the Moon is Crying" and "Shame, Shame, Shame," to "The Mummified Hand," inspired by a gypsy Collie met while entertaining U.S. troops in Bosnia.
Keyboardist Tim Lauer, multi-instrumentalist Billy Panda and David Ellingson provided crack accompaniment for the singers, with the kind of interplay that comes from long experience and a real feel for the music.
The tone of the evening was set early on, with a well-received set from Sisters singer-songwriter Brad Tisdel.
Tisdel, backed by Joe Leonardi on bass, Ted Brainard on guitar mandolin and dobro and Jo Booser on fiddle and flute, won the crowd with his original material, "Quilt of Carolina," and "Never Let Go of Your Heart," which seemed uniquely suited to the spirit of the program.
"I was really trying to set a positive, upbeat tone," Tisdel said.
An educator and children's advocate as well as a musician and songwriter, Tisdel brought together Sisters Middle School students who worked with Tisdel in the middle school retreat "In Search of Heroes."
Keyboardist Amber Randall, guitarist Justin Little and vocalists Jesaca Leonardi and Kristen Lamoreaux joined Tisdel on his songs "The Hero Within" and "See the Light," which brought the crowd to its feet in a standing ovation.
The participation of the students was evidence of the value the benefit concert series offers to budding musicians, aside from its ability to raise funds for the Sisters Schools Foundation.
The students were clearly exhilarated by the experience of performing before a large, attentive and enthusiastic audience.
Amber Randall, who has been playing keyboard for about three years, was delighted with her taste of big-time performance.
"She's hooked now," Greg Barnhill said backstage.
"Yes I am," Randall responded.
Performing at Sisters Starry Nights seems to affirm possibilities for the students.
"I want to graduate high school, go to college and become a professional singer," said Jesaca Leonardi. "That's my dream."
Sisters Starry Nights performers continued their memorial to Nicolette Larson, who died suddenly last year. Local writer and recording artist Phillipe "Frenchy" Mallen wrote and produced a CD in tribute to Larson, which will continue to be available at Sisters Starry Nights performances. The proceeds will go to a fund benefiting Larson's daughter Elsie May.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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