Enjoy a night out with family and friends.  The lineup for this summer is as follows:

June 10:           Bryant Jones.  Bryant began his keyboarding career playing as a kid in the 1950's.  He was influenced by his Dad, the Moody Blues, Keith Jarrett, Earl Hines, Claude Debussy, and the Beatles.  Bryant's music is eclectic and he enjoys playing impromptu keyboard tunes, depending on his venue.

June 17:           Michael Galvin.  Michael has studied with many of the finest classical guitarists over the last 25 years, such as Ricardo Iznaola, Masalto, and William Kann-Engizner.  His repertoire includes Spanish, Baroque, Classical and South American pieces.  Here is your chance to hear one of Manitou's favorite performers on the library lawn.

June 24:           Mike Nelson.  Guitarist Mike frequently plays his blues, honky-tonk, and Western swing music in numerous venues around the Colorado Springs area, including Manitou Springs.  Don't miss this chance to see him perform live in the great outdoors.

July 1:               Jake Loggins.  Loggins is a true natural at what he does, and the way he entertains.  This guitarist's flavor of music is absolutely derived from the blues, and that's pretty much where it stays.  His major influence was his dad, Lobo Loggins, and Jake says,"I have always loved the way he says what he has to say on the guitar.  I have listened to my dad, I literally believe, since I was born, and it never gets old to me."  Jake has been an avid member of his musical community and is always willing to give back to the people that have given him such a warm reception. 

July 8:               Bud Ford, Jr.   Born and raised in Manitou Springs, Ford is a second generation dulcimer player, spending most of his life around the instrument from an early age.  Through the advent of improved technology adapted into the traditional Mountain Dulcimer, Ford brings an amazing new sound to a traditional American folk instrument.  Well-versed in all the Appalchian standards, Ford has taken a can-do attitude to adapting most music to fit the dulcimer, and nothing excites him more than taking the instrument out of its traditional context and taking it to the next level.  He brings that eclectic sound to the next level whether playing acoustical blues, classical, or jazz.  This is a show not to be missed.

July 15:             Vanessa Singer.  Singer was born into music.  Her father, Hank Singer, is a long time Nashville session musician, and she has been raised right in the middle of it all.  At the age of 10, she began performing live around Nashville and Leiper's Fork, Tennessee and Colorado, sharing the stage with some of the most talented and well known musicians in Nashville.  When she was 11, she recorded her first CD.   She has played at The Ryman in Nashville at the request of the legendary George Jones, and opened shows for him when she was 12, 14, and in May of 2008.  At the age of 14, she went on her first national tour playing twin fiddles with her father on tour with Lee Ann Womack.  In December of 2007, Singer performed for ten days at The Broadmoor as part of Suzy Bogguss' Colorado Christmas show.   Now 16, Singer has recorded her second CD, singing, playing fiddle and guitar. 

July22:              Djembe Djunkies.   You may ask, what is a djembe? It "is a skin covered hand drum, shaped like a large goblet and meant to be played with bare hands.  According to the Bamana people in Mali, the name of the djembe comes directly from the saying 'Anke dje, anke be' which literally translates to 'everyone gather together', and defines the drum's purpose.  'Dje' is the verb for 'gather' in Bamanakan, and 'be' translates as 'everyone' in Bamanakan."  (Wikipedia) Local Manitoids will recognize the sounds of the Djembe Djunkies who regularly play Thursday evenings in Memorial Park during the summer months; this will be their first appearance in the Library Lawn Concert series.  Playing traditional West African sounds on djembes, this group of musicians will include audience participation, allowing others to try out various instruments to help make for a wonderful musical experience.  Don't miss out on the fun.

July 29:             The Mitguards.   Deb and Chris Mitguards' musical style, a hybrid of American roots music that includes traditional folk, country, swing, and bluegrass, makes their sound powerful and distinct.  Chris plays acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals.  Deb plays mandolin and vocals.  The Mitguards bring a unique and non-traditional perspective to folk music, combining sharp, insightful lyrics with haunting melodies and flawless harmonies.  Roots-based Americana takes on a new, Southwestern air in the Mitguards' talented hands and voices.

August 5:          The Storys.   Due to inclement weather, this concert was cancelled.  The concert was rescheduled for September 2, 2008, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

August 12:         Grant Sabin.  Due to inclement weather, this concert was cancelled.  The concert was rescheduled for September 9, 2008, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

August 19:          Jesse Cotton Stone (information will follow)

August 26:          Michael Reese.  Over the years, Reese has played blues, rock, country, funk, and jazz in over seventy bands.  His musical style has been influenced by Tommy Gallagher, Kim Stone, Bobby Gentile, Bryant Jones, Tim Costello, Tommy Bolin, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Frank Zappa.  He has opened for greats like Johnny Winter, John Mellencamp, Alice Cooper, Huey Lewis, and Steve Morse.  He has played with Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake and Palmer), Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac) and Mitch Mitchell of the Jim Hendrix Experience.  He has won the "Best Guitarist for the Year" in 1995 at the Los Angeles Music Awards for his work on his first solo CD, "Dragonflyer".  He has worked on national commercials, feature film scores, and Discovery Channel documentaries.

September 2:       The Storys, aka Bill Duryea and Nancy Norman, entertain people of all ages with guitar and voice harmonies.  Their blend of styles brings a lively and full sound to some favorite classic rock, soft country, American folk, Bill's originals and some sweet old tunes - with little bits of song history in between.  They are based in Colorado Springs and play a variety of venues in Manitou and Colorado Springs.

September 9:       Grant Sabin.   Grant plays guitar, harmonica, bass drum, hat, lapslide, banjo, and trumpet, and plays blues, gospel and folk tunes.  His music has been influenced by John-Alex Mason, Jim Adams Band, Howlin' Wolf, Taj Mahal, Led Zeppelin, BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, The Who, Bob Marley, The Doors, Steve Miller Band, Allman Brothers, James Brown, The Rollign Stones and John Coltrane.