| |
You may think about Irish music only around St. Patrick's Day, but on Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library, music lovers are in for an Emerald Isle treat in the form of singer Michael Black, a member of the legendry musical Black Family from Dublin.
"Although Michael has made his home in San Francisco , he tours frequently," said Dana Morrow, Director of Outreach Services, "and we are fortunate to have him perform for us."
Armed with a tenor voice, and accompanied by banjo, guitar and base mandolin, Black will perform Irish ballads. As he told Metro Library magazine, "I'm a devil for singing bad romantic songs, so I'll sing a lot of tragic heartbreaking farewell songs."
"Black's family heritage includes his mother and father, Patty and Kevin Black. Patty performed at ballrooms and dance parties in and around Dublin in the 1930s and 1940s, and father Kevin, an accomplished musician, played mandolin, banjo, fiddle, accordion, flute and bagpipes," said Morrow. "So it's obvious where Michael inherited his abundant talent."
Black has performed with his brothers, Shay and Martin at the Milwaukee Irish Fest, the largest of its kind in the world, and has toured solo performing at various Celtic Music and Arts Festivals in California , Maine , Utah , Texas , and Pennsylvania .
This free program at the Ronald J. Norick Library, 300 Park Avenue , is co-sponsored by Irish Arts Oklahoma. The Metropolitan Library System of Oklahoma County includes 12 libraries and five extension libraries. Libraries include Belle Isle, Capitol Hill, Ralph Ellison, Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library and Southern Oaks in Oklahoma City, as well as Bethany, Choctaw, Del City, Edmond, Midwest City, Village and Warr Acres. Extensions are located in the communities of Harrah, Jones, Luther and Nicoma Park and include Wright Library in Oklahoma City . You can also reach us at www.metrolibrary.org.
|