By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation or postponement of numerous events and activities in 2020 and 2021.
That included the Lyrics on the Lawn concert series hosted by the Otsego District Library.
But the program made its return last summer. And this year, Lyrics on the Lawn is bigger than ever.
As there are five Thursday in August, the library will welcome five musical acts to its lawn for free, family-friendly concerts, beginning with the Otsego Jazz Ensemble on Thursday, Aug. 3.
“We have an awesome lineup this year,” Otsego District Library director Andrea Estelle said.
In addition to the Otsego Jazz Ensemble, that lineup includes Elvis and Friends on Aug. 10, Blueback on Aug. 17, Moxie Strings on Aug. 24 and Erin Zindle and the Ragbirds on Aug. 31.
All shows begin at 7 p.m. Attendees are reminded to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.
Free popcorn will be available for all five concerts, with the Friends of the Library selling cold bottled water for $1. Some performers will have CDs and/or merchandise available for purchase.
Donations to the library will also be accepted and appreciated.
The first three concerts in the series are sponsored by Friends of the Library.
Here, now, is a closer look at this year’s performers:
Otsego Jazz Ensemble (jazz/big band)
These local musicians perform music from the big-band era. The ensemble includes five saxes, four trombones, four trumpets and a full rhythm section.
“You don’t want to miss the performance of these top-notch musicians as we kick off our ninth annual Lyrics on the Lawn,” read a release from the library.
Elvis and Friends (Ron Short)
The 2022 movie “Elvis” was a hit with audiences. And now you can hear several of “The King’s” most popular songs as performer by Ron Short.
The performance will include costume changes, and Short’s wife performing as June Carter.
In addition to Elvis, Short has performed as Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Country Legends, James Bond (Ron Bond) and more.
Blueback (Blues/Americana)
Blueback is a quartet that plays in the Kalamazoo area. They perform the full range of Americana music including blues, country, folk, jump, swing and roots rock music.
“The mood of the evening is fun when Blueback performs, so be sure to come check them out,” said the library release.
Moxie Strings (feel-good melodies/rock influenced)
Coming all the way from Nashville, Moxie Strings is celebrating their newest album “Live & Plugged In” debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Charts.
Hailed by The Grand Rapids Press as “top-notch, instrumental wizardry,” Moxie Strings offer listeners the unique opportunity to experience some of the world’s best-known instruments through an electric, innovative lens.
Diana Ladio and Alison Lynn make up Moxie Strings. Lynn performs on a newly-invented, electric cello, and Ladio performs on a contemporary 5-string violin. Both use a variety of audio effects pedals.
Moxie Strings compose the majority of their pieces and arrange melodies from many countries, resulting in a genre-blurring blend of ear-catching, mainstream melodies and foot-stomping, rock-influenced rhythms.
The band’s polished, high-energy show continues to redefine strings’ role in contemporary music, and offers audience members a diverse, fun, musical experience.
Moxie Strings have released five albums.
Erin Zindle and the Ragbirds (folk rock)
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Erin Zindle comes to ODL from Ann Arbor
Erin Zindle and the Ragbirds is a four-piece, female-led, folk-rock-world fusion. Group members describe their music as “infectious global groove”.
The musical roots of this group are complex. Gypsy, Middle Eastern, Americana, rock, and Latin influences are included, with all stirred with a Celtic fiddler’s bow.
In live performances, the band incorporates variations on traditional African drum pieces, as members trade their instrument for a hand drum. The songs carry a positive message and include both pop hooks and improvised solos.
The Ragbirds make use of numerous traditional folk instruments, blending them with modern sounds to create an infectious world groove rooted in the traditions of many cultures and eras. The group has released five full-length studio albums, two live records and one single, all of which are self-produced and independently released.
The group’s latest album, “The Threshold & The Hearth,” was released March 25, 2016 via Rock Ridge Music.
“Don’t miss out on the groove as Erin Zindle and the Ragbirds put on the grand finale of Lyrics on the Lawn 2023,” said the library’s release.