PREVIOUS CONCERTS 2005

2006 Concerts, 2005 Concerts, 2004 Concerts

Claudia Russell

Claudia Russell & The Fish Creek Ramblers entertained a most appreciative audience for over two hours on November 20, 2005, to close out the Coffee House Concerts Series' second season. Claudia's husband Bruce Kaplan along with Eric Lewis and Andy Ratliff make up the Fish Creek Ramblers. The evening's program ranged from music of the Smoky Mountains to Smokey Robinson, and a lot in between, just as promised. Claudia & Bruce also appeared live the night before on WEVL's Soul Stew program, hosted by Brett Fleming. A big Coffee House thanks to Claudia & Co. for coming all the way from Berkeley, CA to play for us, and to Brett for the great WEVL hospitality.

Shemekia Copeland

Shemekia Copeland absolutely, positively delivered on the promise to be the wildest, most-likely-to-get-you-up-outta-your-seat evening we've seen yet. Over 90 minutes of non-stop Shemekia. At times fun, funny, fast, slow, loud, louder, soul-searching, man-trashing, stand up and be proud Shemekia. Who would have had it any other way? Sholanda's House of Beau-Tay, When A Woman's Had Enough, Who Stole My Radio?, and many, many other Shemekia favorites had the crowd running to keep up with this girl. Bassist Kevin Jenkins, Guitarist Art Neilson, Drummer Damon DueWhite and Keyboardist Jeremy Baum, aka "The Band" didn't miss a beat and provided superlative accompaniment to that big 'ol voice of Shemekia's.

When ya' coming back, Shemekia?

The Coffee House Crew	The band with a couple of CHC youth

Sid Selvidge

Sunday night, September 18, 2005, Sid Selvidge once again graced the Coffee House stage, reprising his 2004 appearance that got our series off to such a great start. Sid's 2005 show was better than ever, and as one old-timer in the audience was overheard to say, "He's still got it!" Songs, funny stories of musicians long since passed, and more songs, it all made for a delightful evening. Way to go, Sid!

Cathie Ryan

Cathie Ryan, Greg Anderson, and Sara Milonovich, aka the Cathie Ryan Band, mesmerized an audience that tested the capacity limits of the Coffee House on Sunday, July 31, 2005. All the press we had read prior to the show was true: crystal-pure voice, full, rich backup and harmonies, a show full of humor, with stories of real Irishwomen one minute and moving songs of longing and sadness the next. One audience member lamented the melancholy brought on by some of the songs sung in Gaelic, "… I don't even know what the words meant, but I could tell they were about something very, very sad…" And before we knew it the CRB was back into a 90mph reel that had the audience clapping with the beat and trying to keep up! Cathie was evidently moved by the warm reception she received - she borrowed a camera and snapped a photo of the audience from her spot on stage! This one will go down in the Coffee House history books as one of the best ever. How could we make it any better? We're already talking with her about coming back next year!

Eric Taylor

Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Eric Taylor played a Memphis stage for the first time on Sunday, May 15, to the delight of a warm and welcoming Memphis audience. He brought along his trusty sidekick, Susan Lindfors, who serves as agent, manager, awesome backup harmony singer, and girlfriend. A surprise for the Coffee House audience was found in Jack Harris, 18-year-old aspiring songwriter from Builth Wells, Wales, who's been traveling with Eric & Susan this year. Jack's opening was arranged about a month before the concert, and was met with much enthusiastic appreciation. His gracious giddiness about actually getting to play and sing in MEMPHIS, was contagious. He's a gifted, talented musician who makes it all look so easy... certainly the mark of a real pro. Best wishes to Jack as he makes his debut as a finalist at the 2005 Kerrville Folk Festival later this month!

Lucy Kaplansky

Lucy Kaplansky thrilled an early-March crowd with favorite after favorite, showing that motherhood has only made her voice warmer and sweeter. She pulled a fast one when she opened with a dead-pan version of George Jones' hit, "She Thinks I Still Care." The audience had to do a quick mental double-take to be sure they were really at a Lucy Kaplansky concert! But with a wink from Lucy, the audience realized the joke was on them. She later confessed to being a country-singer masquerading as a folkie, when she started in on Johnny Cash's hit, "Ring Of Fire." She must have momentarily forgotten where she was, because even though she invited the crowd to sing along, she said she was really surprised that everyone seemed to know all the words! She's still got the fire inside, and showed it when she sang what she called, "my only really angry song," which was "Turn The Lights Back On." She talked about her adopted daughter from China, Molly, and sang the song she wrote for her, "This Is Home Tonight" while fighting back tears. Several children at Holy Communion made a huge banner that was taped on the wall behind the stage, and read, in 20-inch tall red letters, "Lucy, This Is Home Tonight!" She ended the concert by telling the audience what a wonderful series they have to partake of here, and begging to come back again.

Alvin Youngblood Hart

Alvin Youngblood Hart opened our 2005 season on January 30, to a SOLD OUT crowd of Memphis blues fans. He was in quite the talkative mood that night, and his fans know what a rare treat that is! Must have been something in the coffee! If you ever get the chance to hear the story behind his song, Ouachita Run, don't miss it! It's hilarious! The crowd was treated to that and many other stories about the people who inspired the songs he wrote, and some fascinating stories about the songs he sang that were written by other blues greats. Brown Burnett covered the show for memphismojo.com and wrote a review that was very complimentary of the Coffee House Concerts Series, and of course, of Alvin. Brown later was overheard to say he's probably Alvin's biggest fan. Alvin's wife, Heidi, and son, Reuben, joined him at the concert, and all were welcomed warmly into the Coffee House clan.