Événement

Michelle Malone in Concert

Somewhere between Lucinda Williams and Shelby Lynne comes Michelle Malone alternating between soulful ballads and rowdy, riffy blasters. ROLLING STONE

Touring in support of her just-released collection of new songs, talented folk/blues/rock artist Michelle Malone performs a benefit for Durham's space for homeless/needy assistance, the non-denominational Urban Ministries of Durham. This special, solo acoustic show takes place Friday, November 16, at 7 PM in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street, in downtown Durham.

Michelle Malone was born to perform. Her mom, talented pop/gospel vocalist Karyn Folmar Malone, let her tag along to shows and Michelle soaked it up. The Atlanta native considered med school while an undergrad at Agnes Scott College; deciding instead to play musicand pay her dues, sometimes calling the street home as she honed her craft.

The hard work paid off and the singer/songwriter/rock'n'roller/folk'n'blues/guitar great hit Atlanta's favorite live music haunts and soon found herself opening and headlining gigs throughout Atlanta and mid-Atlantic bars and clubs. Living a paraphrased line by one of her inspirations, Tina Turner, Michelle never did anything nice and easy. Michelle bit the major label lure and, despite promises broken, indulgences extended and excesses expected, Michelle continued creating solid songs, introspective, energetic and impressive forays into bluesy rock and tasty pop nuggets.

Michelle escaped the star making machinery and released several indie releases (the reflective pop of For You Not For Them, the sassy jazzy A Swingin' Christmas in the Attic, and hard rocking Redemption Dream with Band de Soleil). Major label level interest came again in the form of industry vet Walter Yetnikoff's highly-hyped, yet short-lived, VelVel records. Faring better than others signed to the label, Michelle's pop/rock-oriented Beneath the Devil Moon (featuring one of her most requested songs, My Green Thumb) was released and worked just before the label dissolved. Michelle returned to her independent roots with the rootsy rocker Homegrown.

But that's all last century. This century sees a newly invigorated, content Michelle Malone. Grown up but still growing, Michelle's absorbed the musical heritage of her home in the South. Nicknamed "Moanin' Malone" by blues guitarist Albert King, this talented troubadour channels the greats of Blues and Americana. Mix Bonnie Raitt's best vocals and slide licks with the best catchy pop appeal of Sheryl Crow and you'll get close to Michelle's sound.

Long a fighter for social justice, Michelle puts action into her words. Besides playing benefits and drawing attention to worthy causes, Michelle has traveled to Chiapas, Mexico, to witness the struggle of the Zapatistas; ran the Paris marathon for the Leukemia Society; biked eight weeks with Team Earth Challenge from Georgia to Nevada in protest of nuclear waste dumping at Yucca Mountain.

Michelle's earned critical claim in hundreds of national reviews and dozens of "Best Of" lists. Besides her recent appearance on the Grammy ballot, Michelle's many awards include four-time best album (Atlanta magazine), two-time best acoustic guitarist (Creative Loafing, IAC), and five-time female vocalist of the year (Creative Loafing). She's written, recorded and toured with Kristen Hall (Sugarland), Indigo Girls, John Mayer and Shawn Mullins, and performed with a range of top namesincluding Marsha Ball, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, Shawn Colvin, Little Feat, Albert King, Chris Whitley, Johnny Winter and ZZ Top.

Michelle's live show is not to be missedshe can make the biggest venues seem as cozy as a camp fire, and an intimate venue feel like the center of the universe. And Friday evening, November 16, promises an evening full of memorable music, talented guitar and harp, exceptional vocals and entertaining stories culled from tour veteran Michelle Malone.

Refreshments (including beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks) will also be available. Parking is free and monitored. This is a Strings Attached Production; all profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham. Advance tickets are on sale now for $15 ($8 for youth; childcare available). Call 919-682-5708 for more information.

ABOUT URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM

The mission of Urban Ministries of Durham is to provide food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to neighbors in need. Every night, UMD provides emergency shelter for up to 150 persons without homes. Every day it serves 350-400 meals to hungry people. An additional 350-400 persons receive groceries for in-home preparation every month. And UMD's clothing closet provides clothes to 180-220 each month. Through its vision as a faith-based service organization recognized for excellence in serving the emergency needs of poor people, Urban Ministries of Durham strives to create a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment that affirms the dignity of its guests, donors, volunteers, and staff. For more information, visit www.umdurham.org.

Urban Ministries of Durham: www.umdurham.org
Michelle Malone www.michellemalone.com or www.myspace.com/michellemalonemusic
Strings Attached/St. Philip's: www.stphilipsdurham.org

Jonah Kendall, Rector, Saint Philip's Episcopal Church
919-682-5708, jonahkendall@stphilipsdurham.org
Rebekah Radisch, Strings Attached, St. Philip's Episcopal Church
919-201-1183, StringsAttachedDurham@gmail.com

A Strings Attached Production (ASAP)