World Famous Grassholes Photo by Lindsay Raymondjack
Poland Spring Preservation Society’s Sunset Concert series will take place at 6:30 p.m. Mondays at The Gazebo at Poland Springs Resort, at 640 Main St. in Poland Springs.
The lineup will feature: July 19, Christie Ray Trio; July 26, Ernie Gagne; Aug. 2, Sruli Dresdner; Aug. 9, Anni Clark; Aug. 16, Cobblestone; Aug. 23, Cilnatro; Aug. 30, Grassholes; and Sept. 17-19 Heritage weekend The Sunset Concert Series may be relocated due to weather.
Christie Ray Trio: Christie Ray is an emerging New England singer-songwriter, based out of New Gloucester. Drawing from her own experiences and the stories of life that she sees happening all around her, she has that rare ability to weave lyrics into stories that feel like they were written from the soundtrack of our own life. Her catchy melodies and memorable lyrical-hooks, will have you singing along, as if you already knew the songs. Though her sets focus on songs from her upcoming album “Night Life,” she’ll also put her own spin on cover songs from artists such as Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, Miranda Lambert, Queen, Tom Petty, Patsy Cline, Blondie and many more. Christie will be accompanied by Andrew Pelletier on percussion and backup vocals, along with Sean Finn on bass guitar.
Ernie and Scott Gagné are a father and son duo from Lewiston. They’ve been performing together for a couple of years. Ernie is a 6th-grade teacher at St. Dominic Academy in Auburn. Scott spent the last couple of years in Nashville before COVID, where he was the lead guitarist for Bucky Covington and also accompanied upcoming country music star Cassidy Daniels, where the pair opened a couple of shows for Willie Nelson.
Rabbi Sruli and Lisa are international Jewish music personalities who perform Klezmer, Hasidic, and Israeli music. Their programs are joyous and interactive and they get everyone from Babies to Bubblies singing, clapping, laughing, and dancing in the aisles. They play the clarinet, violin, accordion, drum, bass, recorder, banjo, ukulele, nose-flute, kazarp, and musical saw — some simultaneously — and have been featured on PBS-TV and National Public Radio. Rabbi Sruli Dresdner and Lisa Mayer have headlined at world music festivals from Poland to Germany to Israel to Canada and perform across the United States at festivals, theaters, synagogues and schools. The New York Times called their music “tuneful and sprightly” and The Los Angeles Times called Sruli and Lisa “superb musicians!”
Maine native Anni Clark traveled full time for 23 years with her 6- and 12-string guitars, her own songs, and her passion for connecting with audiences of all ages. With seven albums and numerous songwriting, vocal and performance awards under her belt, she chose to work with behaviorally challenged students for 12 years, retiring from the field of education in 2016. In November 2019, her video “I’m With You Greta” was screened at the International Environmental Film Festival in Barcelona, Spain, and won “Best Folk Video” in the Music Video Portland ME Awards in January, 2020. When the COVID-19 pandemic dictated that her LIVE shows be put on hold, Clark went to work co-producing her first full studio album in 18 years. Titled “Will It Ever Be the Same”, the 12 tracks on her new album touch on themes of love, loss, transition, hope, social distance and the need to find closeness. Her gift for spotting the silver lining even amidst chaos shines through on this new release. Blending folk, pop & blues to share her stories, Anni hits a home run sure to please longtime supporters and new fans alike.
The Cobblestones are made up of vocalist Carolyn Costanzi, guitarist/vocalist Michael Plourde, percussionist Mark Plourde and Tony Simmons, bassist. We are often joined by pianist/vocalist Danielle Tran. We are from Norway, Harpswell and Gorham Maine. Our music is an eclectic collection that is best described as Americana with acoustic rock and classic favorites in the mix. Our set lists include many favorites old and new but we avoid songs often covered by other bands. We feature passionate vocals, finger picking guitar, and tight harmonies. Originals are being introduced as of 2017.
Cilantro Earl Bigelow, a seasoned musician, first picked up a guitar when he was 11. At 15 he was playing grange halls in the small towns of Maine. After going to college in Boson and a host stint playing music in NYC, he returned to Richmond to hit the country circuit where he met Carl Schlick. Margot Frost is a singer/songwriter who has been performing since the late 70s, appearing primarily in Boston and surrounding areas. Having dropped out of the music scene for several years to pursue other interests, she moved to Maine in 2004 and reignited her career. As a songwriter and acoustic guitarist, Frost is writing, recording, and performing in a variety of venues with many other local musicians.
Base player Elna Joseph joined the band Cilantro in September, 2013. Her earlier musical experiences were classical, bluegrass and folk styles on guitar. She transitions to bass guitar to play in the Main Cajun Band, Jimmy & the Jumbol’ayuhs with husband, Jim Joseph, an accordion and fiddle player. Carl Schlick started drumming in 1963, receiving instruction from the highly respected Dick Demers of Auburn. After a stint in the Army, Carl came home hungry to play drums again and was soon recruited by the country band Linda With Feelings where he met Earl Bigelow successfully playing the country circuit for several years.
Bigelow and Schlick’s friendship continued throughout this period and in 2012 they again joined up to make music. Randy Dyer started playing saxophone in the fourth grade and continued to play throughout high school, but then pursued other interests.
The Grassholes are a five-piece bluegrass band playing in the traditional style” all-acoustic, one mic, and a heck of a lot of fun. Featuring fast-paced originals, sweet-sounding traditional numbers, and creative takes on popular tunes in the bluegrass style, the Grassholes’ song list is various and textured. You never know what a set might contain. Currently the band features the Bangor Symphony’s Heather Kahill on Fiddle, UMaine-Augusta music school graduate Flann O’Brien on bass, Sam Pfeifle (formerly of indie rock trio Brenda Walsh) on guitar and vocals, WMPG radio host Merrill Marsh (P.S.P.S. Board Member) on guitar and vocals, and the one and only Field Rider (yes, that’s his real name) on five-string banjo.
Admission will cost $5, proceeds from the concerts will benefit the Poland Spring Preservation Society and their mission to preserve and the Maine State Building and The All Souls Chapel Concerts.
For more information, visit polandspringps.org.
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