Andrew McKnight Folk Concert

Andrew McKnight is returning to Bristol after too long an absence. The talented musician and “story tender” has strong Bristol roots despite his many years living in Virginia. His family members and time spent in Bristol have inspired several of his most popular songs. His last visit and concert included the dedication of a new gravestone at West Cemetery in memory of his veteran of the Civil War ancestor, Aretas Culver, whose story inspired a very moving song. Since permanently leaving his corporate environmental engineering career in 1996, award-winning folk/Americana artist Andrew McKnight’s musical journey has traced nearly a million miles of blue highways, and earned him a wealth of critical acclaim and enthusiastic fans for his captivating performances and ten recordings.

Andrew’s solo performances are powerful and entertaining one-man theater, delivered with warmth and down-home comfort. He weaves his finely-crafted songs and nimble flatpicking together with humorous stories and poetic drama, while the musical soundscape traverses influences from Appalachia, spooky slide and jazzy blues, feisty anthems, and rustic folk. His shows are as likely to include humorous songs written with kindergartners as some of his powerful collaborations with combat veterans coping with PTSD.

His latest album and book Treasures in My Chest adds a dynamic new element to his show, introducing a cast of spellbinding songs and stories drawn from his own recent journeys into family history. From placing you in the footsteps of his doomed Civil War ancestor Aretas Culver, to finding sparks of hope in the long winter nights on the shores of mid-1800s County Down, his vision, voice and pen have created a mesmerizing sweet spot deeply familiar to anyone who’s wondered, “who am I and where did I come from?”

Andrew has performed at many prestigious venues like the Kennedy Center, the International Storytelling Center and the Atlanta Olympics, has been part of the Rocky Mountain, South Florida, Boston and Delmarva Folk Festival lineups, and a guest on NPR’s “Art of the Song” and “River City Folk” shows. He is a gifted workshop leader, an engaging speaker, and a longtime endorsing artist for Elixir Strings and Fairbuilt Guitars.

Suggested $20 donation, but no one will be turned away

Organized by: Andrew McKnight and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 851 Stafford Avenue, Bristol. Event location: Good Shepherd Episcopal Church.