Hickory Ridge welcomes one of the best songwriters you’ve never heard of, James Curley, to their stage on Saturday, October the 18th at 7:00 pm at the historic Ellisville Opera House in Ellisville, IL. Dubbed Chicago's 'Singular Songwriter' Curley performs original compositions and compelling cover versions of contemporary and traditional Folk and Americana songs.
James Curley began writing songs in the mid 1970s in his native Philadelphia, influenced mainly by trips to the Philadelphia Folk Festival. He traveled across the country eventually landing in Chicago in the early 80s. Taking a hiatus from music from 1987 until 1997 to raise a family and start a small business, James took up songwriting with earnest again, and released his first CD - Tom's Cafe - in 2002. He has released two others since then most recently, There Used To Be a Train .
James Curley sees the world through various lenses - evolutionary theory, Buddhist principles, South Philly street smarts, 6 decades of living in America, literary leanings, musical curiosity and writes songs that reflect the information coming through those lenses.
The Hickory Ridge Concert Series is hosted by singer-songwriter Chris Vallillo. Concerts are usually (but not always) held on the 3rd Saturday of the month and begin at 7:00 p.m. with the doors opening at 6:00 p.m. The Ellisville Opera House is a second story venue however they do now have an elevator and is air conditioned. Coffee, drinks, and a variety of desserts are available during intermission. There is an admission charge of $10.00 per adults with children under 12 free. Hickory Ridge Concerts is supported in part by WIUM 91.3 FM, your source for NPR programming, local news and a variety of music, the Two Rivers Arts Council, and the Doris and Ken Kolb Foundation. Follow Hickory Ridge Concerts on facebook, or on the website, www.hickoryridgeconcerts. com.
