River of Song: A Musical Celebration of California's Life-Giving Waters
SEE EVENT DETAILSRiver of Song
On Sunday, August 18, Laurie Lewis will be joined by some of the East Bay’s finest acoustic musicians for the Third Annual “River of Song: A Musical Celebration of California’s Life-Giving Waters,” a special concert to benefit California river conservation. It will be held at The Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance (see https://www.thefreight.org) and $40 at the door.
California rivers have long been an integral part of Grammy-winning bluegrass musician Laurie Lewis’ world: “Our bodies are composed of about 60% water. And 90% of our Bay Area water comes from the high Sierra Nevada Mountains. For me, it has become a calling to try and do what I can to protect these free-flowing rivers and help insure that all beings, human and otherwise, have access to good drinking water.” For over 25 years, she has been sharing her love of rivers with others through her music and rafting trips. Lately, she has upped her involvement with rivers by attending the River Advocacy Training School, through Friends of the River.
Musicians performing in River of Song include Laurie Lewis, Eric & Suzy Thompson with Thompsonia and the Evie Ladin Band with Erik Pearson and Lisa Berman, featuring songs about water and rivers in styles ranging from bluegrass to folk to blues.
The “River of Song” benefit concert was initiated by Suzy Thompson, who performs with husband Eric and daughter Allegra under the name Thompsonia. “Up in the Sierras, there’s a spring-fed pond where we love to swim. Eric and I have gone there every summer for over 40 years to make music with friends and commune with nature. The way that pond changes from year to year, depending on rainfall, always drives home to me how precious our California water is. With Laurie’s deep love for California’s rivers, it was a natural to get her involved with putting together this benefit show.”
Proceeds from “River of Song” will benefit Friends of the River, which works to protect and restore rivers across the state, and the Foothill Conservancy, a Jackson-based, grassroots, nonprofit organization with a special focus on the Sierra Nevada’s upper Mokelumne River. The Mokelumne provides 90 percent of the water for the East Bay Municipal Utility District. The organizations will have representatives at the event to provide information about current threats to our state’s rivers as well as efforts to protect them.
“We were thrilled when Laurie contacted us about this concert,” said Foothill Conservancy President Katherine Evatt. “Our organization has worked for the Mokelumne River for nearly 30 years, and our efforts to protect the river help protect the East Bay’s water quality. We’re excited to have the opportunity to meet East Bay water consumers and talk about the wild and scenic river that sustains East Bay communities.”
Friends of the River Engagement Coordinator Toby Briggs adds, “River of Song is an exceptional evening that builds our community and awareness about the issues our state and federal rivers face in the coming year. Thank you to the musicians who are amplifying the message about protecting our rivers by sharing their talent!”
River of Song
On Sunday, August 18, Laurie Lewis will be joined by some of the East Bay’s finest acoustic musicians for the Third Annual “River of Song: A Musical Celebration of California’s Life-Giving Waters,” a special concert to benefit California river conservation. It will be held at The Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance (see https://www.thefreight.org) and $40 at the door.
California rivers have long been an integral part of Grammy-winning bluegrass musician Laurie Lewis’ world: “Our bodies are composed of about 60% water. And 90% of our Bay Area water comes from the high Sierra Nevada Mountains. For me, it has become a calling to try and do what I can to protect these free-flowing rivers and help insure that all beings, human and otherwise, have access to good drinking water.” For over 25 years, she has been sharing her love of rivers with others through her music and rafting trips. Lately, she has upped her involvement with rivers by attending the River Advocacy Training School, through Friends of the River.
Musicians performing in River of Song include Laurie Lewis, Eric & Suzy Thompson with Thompsonia and the Evie Ladin Band with Erik Pearson and Lisa Berman, featuring songs about water and rivers in styles ranging from bluegrass to folk to blues.
The “River of Song” benefit concert was initiated by Suzy Thompson, who performs with husband Eric and daughter Allegra under the name Thompsonia. “Up in the Sierras, there’s a spring-fed pond where we love to swim. Eric and I have gone there every summer for over 40 years to make music with friends and commune with nature. The way that pond changes from year to year, depending on rainfall, always drives home to me how precious our California water is. With Laurie’s deep love for California’s rivers, it was a natural to get her involved with putting together this benefit show.”
Proceeds from “River of Song” will benefit Friends of the River, which works to protect and restore rivers across the state, and the Foothill Conservancy, a Jackson-based, grassroots, nonprofit organization with a special focus on the Sierra Nevada’s upper Mokelumne River. The Mokelumne provides 90 percent of the water for the East Bay Municipal Utility District. The organizations will have representatives at the event to provide information about current threats to our state’s rivers as well as efforts to protect them.
“We were thrilled when Laurie contacted us about this concert,” said Foothill Conservancy President Katherine Evatt. “Our organization has worked for the Mokelumne River for nearly 30 years, and our efforts to protect the river help protect the East Bay’s water quality. We’re excited to have the opportunity to meet East Bay water consumers and talk about the wild and scenic river that sustains East Bay communities.”
Friends of the River Engagement Coordinator Toby Briggs adds, “River of Song is an exceptional evening that builds our community and awareness about the issues our state and federal rivers face in the coming year. Thank you to the musicians who are amplifying the message about protecting our rivers by sharing their talent!”
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