The Memphis Acoustic Music Association is a non-profit organization that promotes the preservation and performance of acoustic and folk music. National touring musicians at our concerts play everything from blues and old time music to traditional folk, contemporary folk, Celtic, and acoustic guitar. Our concerts are wheelchair-accessible and welcome all music lovers regardless of creed or ethnic origin.
Show your support of our concert series by becoming a member of MAMA.
A 1 year membership is only $20. Fill out the Membership form below and send a $20 check to MAMA, at: The Memphis Acoustic Music Association P.O. Box 42024 Memphis TN 38174-2024 Welcome to MAMA’s new website. Nice, huh? It has a new look and lots of new functions. We are still working on it, but you can now post reviews or comments, get maps to the concert venue and to the bi-monthly song circle, and perhaps find a photo of yourself in the photo gallery. Soon we will have a newsletter about past and future performers as well as other folk-oriented music in our area. While you are exploring the new website, we hope you'll take a few minutes to fill out our survey--many decisions about performers, ticket price, venues, etc. will be influenced by what you tell us. Follow this link to the survey: http://zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AYSCSTLRW The survey will end on Oct 25. MAMA has an extraordinary fall/winter concert series lined up: Spencer Bohren (Sept 11); L'Esprit Creole (Oct 2); Sid Selvidge and Amy Speace (Nov 6); Nora Jane Struthers Band, winner of Telluride Bluegrass Festival's Best New Band award (Dec 4); and acoustic guitarist Bill Mize (Jan 15). In addition to these public concerts, we have two house concerts featuring musicians from Ireland and Scotland: Michael Black (of Ireland's most famous musical family) on Oct 27 and Sarah McQuaid (Scottish musician with a voice reminiscent of June Tabor's) on Nov 9. We are greatly indebted to Rhonda Test and Nancy Chase for hosting these concerts. If you've been a MAMA follower for a while, you've noticed that our concert schedule has been a bit slimmer lately. That is partly because MAMA is run by busy volunteers, but it is also because of funding. Generous grants from ArtsMemphis have been instrumental in our operations for several years, and we hope our current application is approved for 2010-11. You may be wondering how you can help. There are several ways: join MAMA as a dues-paying member (only $20); join Tennesseans for the Arts (TFTA http://www.tn4arts.org); next time you renew your car registration, select one of the Arts-related tags at the TFTA website, and don’t forget—fill out the survey! It would help in a big way if you underwrite a concert ($200) or partially underwrite a concert ($100). We'll include your business logo on our publicity if you wish. We are a small organization in a city overflowing with music and music history, but word has gotten out in the arts community that MAMA offers something special. Channel 3, WEVL, and WKNO have all hosted MAMA performers, and Beale Street Caravan has broadcast three of our shows worldwide. GPAC is offering MAMA members a 10% discount on tickets to the Judy Collins show on Oct 16 . And be sure to look for the MAMA stage on Saturday, Oct 23, at RiverArts Fest on Main Street and hear some of MAMA's best musicians. MAMA not only provides entertainment, but we also give back to the community. Many of our volunteers are educators, and one of our greatest joys is taking our performers to schools. Not only do they perform, but sometimes they also teach--about the music, the history, the instruments. Spencer Bohren has introduced thousands of Memphis City Schools students to American roots music. For his work in schools throughout the country, Spencer received this year’s Keeping the Blues Alive in Education award from the Blues Foundation. The Memphis College of Art brought in Spencer as part of its Visiting Artists series to perform and to conduct a workshop for its art education majors and area art teachers. Others we have taken to school are Incendio (a Latin fusion guitar trio who will return Oct 10 to the Levitt Shell), Sid Selvidge, and England's poetic original, Les Barker. If you have some ideas about how this might happen at a school you’re interested in, let MAMA know. As you can see, MAMA entertains, MAMA educates, MAMA keeps the music alive. And remember—you can help. Support MAMA by becoming a member for only $20. Come to a concert—you won’t be disappointed. And complete the survey so that we know how best to bring you great music! |
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