Grammer sings swan song for winter concert series

Sunday night saw the last of this season's Sisters Folk Festival Winter Concert Series as Tracy Grammer performed to an enthusiastic house. A little more than 200 fans attended the performance.

Grammer performed solo in Sisters, as she has turned a corner in her career.

"I have always performed before with others; of course, Dave (Carter, in whose honor the folk festival's annual songwriting contest is named) and I worked together. Then after his death in 2002, I didn't feel like performing alone, and it wasn't until now that I felt I could give an honest and authentic performance on my own," she said.

Grammer is not new to Sisters having performed here previously with Dave Carter on the various stages of the Sisters Folk Festival. The duo achieved international acclaim with their "postmodern, mythic Americana" sound featuring Carter's lyrics.

The death of Carter in 2002 brought about a sense of purpose for Grammer.

"We need to keep his music alive. It was always my mission that the world hear and know the poetry and vision and wonderful mystical magic of David Carter," she said.

Grammer has since toured twice with Joan Baez and has been traveling internationally since 2003 with songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jim Henry. Grammer continues to pay homage to Carter and his spirit while playing her own songs and interpreting songs by both popular and more obscure composers.

Music is a sacred language to Grammer.

"I feel that the most important thing is to be honest in my music. The stage is like a sacred altar, and I can't go there to perform if it isn't an honest and authentic performance. It needs to be honest for everyone; even the audience has a part in it. It (performing) is an enormous privilege, and I don't take it lightly," she said.

"We all communicate in different ways, but for me the way I communicate the best is through my music. It is not just my singing but also my body and how it moves. The instruments are a part of the language, and even the audience is a part of the message," said Grammer.

The end of the concert Sunday night signaled the end of the folk festival's winter season.

"We are in a period of transition as we prepare for 'My Own 2 Hands' which is only about five weeks away. Then, the focus will shift to the festival. It is going to be a good year. We have some really good acts signed up," said Brad Tisdel, executive director of the Sisters Folk Festival.

The festival staff have been hard at work preparing for this summer's event.

"We already have 10 or so acts booked for the folk festival and have been working on it since October," said Tisdel.

Keeping with the theme of quality musical experiences that has been the constant hallmark of the Sisters Folk Festival, internationally acclaimed musicians will again perform this year.

"We have confirmed on Tim O'Brien who is a fantastic icon in acoustic music," said Tisdel. "We also have the The Wailin' Jennys - not Waylon Jennings - an absolutely fantastic Canadian act."

Soon this year's schedule will be set and the complete list of performers will be available on the folk festival Web site: http://www.sistersfolkfestival.com.