?Minton Sparks & Friends? a crowd pleaser
Joining Sparks on-stage Saturday, April 14 are Tim Carroll, Elizabeth Cook, Rodney Crowell and Will Kimbrough in a living room show featuring poetry and song. Wrapping up the series with Sparks will be Nanci Griffith on Saturday, May 12.
Appetizers at 6:30 p.m. and a reception with the artists after the show, compliments of White Trash Cafe, are included in the price of the ticket. Cabaret seating, ideal for taking drinks into the theater, is available.
“Minton is an incredible talent who has developed a following in Nashville and nationwide and collaborates with some of the finest musicians in our city. Johnson Theater is the perfect setting for their sound and style. Audiences can see how much the artists enjoy and appreciate working together,” said Kathleen O?Brien, TPAC?s president and chief executive officer. “We’re all excited about the ongoing success of this cutting-edge, groundbreaking series. There’s nothing else like it in Nashville.”
Backing Sparks on-stage at TPAC is John Jackson, who toured with Lucinda Williams and Shelby Lynne and played with Bob Dylan for seven years, recently appearing in the musical tribute ?The Times They Are A Changin?? on Broadway.
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith is hailed by Rolling Stone as “The Queen of Folkabilly.” During her career, spanning nearly 30 years, Griffith has reached millions of fans with her distinctive blend of country, folk and pop music, and songs such as “From A Distance” and “Love At The Five And Dime.” Her latest release, ?Ruby’s Torch,? is a collection of intimate torch songs, some penned by her own musical heroes, including Tom Waits, Jimmy Webb and Michael Johnson.
Often compared to leading contemporary Southern writers, Minton Sparks is a writer, poet and storyteller backed by musicians as she paints vivid pictures of people and places in the South with her words. Playing to sold-out crowds at Nashville night spots, and nationwide at universities, clubs, songwriters series and festivals, she has recorded three CDs and a DVD and has been featured on internationally syndicated radio.
Sparks? latest endeavor is the release of her book ?Desperate Ransom: Setting Her Family Tree,? which will be released April 10 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and WestBow Press as the first of a four-book deal.
The guest artist lineup is subject to change without notice.
Minton Sparks & Friends @ TPAC: Smokin? Word is recommended for mature audiences. Tickets, including appetizers and desserts, are $25 for standard reserved seats and $30 for cabaret tables. For tickets, visit the TPAC Box Office (Downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in The Mall at Green Hills), online at www.tpac.org, or any Ticketmaster outlet, including area Kroger locations and Macy?s. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 615/255-ARTS (2787).