Sat. August 12th, 2023, 1-2:30 p.m.
McBride Studio, 640 KS-177, Matfield Green, KS 66862
A national performer and composer, musician Lem Sheppard will intersperse cowboy songs, blues and original songs with discussion of early Black settlement and music in the Flint Hills while accompanying himself on guitar. Sheppard has performed throughout the U.S., from the Kennedy Center to blues festivals, night clubs and schools. He has composed music for PBS and his own recordings.
Going beyond the music, Sheppard’s scholarly research is a fount of African-American traditional music and folklore and is presented with energy and humor. He has pioneered research into the largely overlooked roles of Black Kansas musicians in community music in places like Dunlap, Osage City, Wamego, Manhattan, Eureka, El Dorado and Junction City. This research informs the conversation during his performance.
There will be an informal gathering after the event at Diana Werts’ art studio (the old Hitchin Post bar at 201 S Reed) where we can continue the conversation, jam a little, and enjoy refreshments. Just drive to the south end of Matfield Green and park behind the dark red & metal building on the east side of the road.