All About the Song

Emmy Lou Harris and the Red Dirt Boys will be performing at the Door County Auditorium on June 26.

“I started as a folk singer, a Joan Baez wannabe,” says Emmylou Harris, the iconic 12-time Grammy Award winner who will perform at the Door Community Auditorium on June 26 at 7 pm.

“Every performance is special,” says Harris, who will play with her renowned backing band, the Red Dirt Boys, presenting new material as well as beloved Harris classics.

“I hope the songs resonate for people,” she adds, admitting that her music’s “universal themes [are] kinda dark, but still resonate for me.”

The strength of Harris’ crystalline voice, along with her prodigious skills in writing and collecting songs, have made her an icon in the world of folk and country music. In her prolific 40 years on the roots music scene, Harris has collaborated with such luminaries as Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and one of her idols, Joan Baez.

“It’s been wonderful to do collaborations,” says Harris. “Each voice is like an instrument with it’s own, different style.”

Some of the best advice about performing she received from one of her collaborators, Johnny Cash. “Always dress in black…so much easier to pack for the road,” she says. “Johnny Cash had the right idea.”

Her advice to aspiring musicians: “Sounds cliché, but don’t let anybody tell you that you don’t know what you are doing.”

In the last decade Harris has gained admiration for her eloquently straightforward songwriting and for her incomparably expressive singing. Harris’ live performances (including the expert backing of the Red Dirt Boys) provide ideal showcases for these diverse talents.

The evening also features an appearance by Minnesota-based indie-rock band The Pines. Rolling Stone writer David Fricke calls The Pines’ music “quietly gripping.” The Pines have shared the stage with acts like Bon Iver, Iris DeMent, and Mason Jennings.

Cynthia Stiehl, A Friend of the Auditorium (in celebration of the YMCA), and Alexander’s are sponsors of this concert.

Tickets for the concert range from $45 – $68. For tickets, call 920.868.2728, visit http://www.dcauditorium.org, or stop by the DCA box office, located on Highway 42 in Fish Creek, open Monday – Friday from 12 – 5 pm.