Local group The Rain Crows will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Graham Auditorium at Washington State Community College in Marietta.
Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Those who want to reserve seat passes in advance for the concert should contact series director Tanya Wilder by email at twilder@wscc.edu or by phone at 374.8716, Ext. 2107.
The concert is the sixth program of the year in the 13th annual Evergreen Arts and Humanities Series at WSCC.
The Rain Crows came together during the summer two years ago after a couple longtime local bandmates had a chance pairing with other musicians from across the state. Bill Thompson III and Julie Zickefoose had played together for several years as founding members of the long-running southeast Ohio band, The Swinging Orangutans.
In 2010 after retiring from the Orangutans, Thompson and Zickefoose recruited experienced bassist Craig Gibbs to join them on their next music-making venture. After a chance jam session, singer/pianist Wendy Eller joined the three.
Despite the geographic challenge of living in separate points of the Buckeye State, the members of The Rain Crows share an affinity for the music they play and for the creative process that goes into writing their original songs.
"We've all performed professionally for years and are excited to be able to keep music in our lives and share with others," said Thompson. "Playing with like-minded souls, well - there's nothing like it."
The Rain Crows' concert will also debut the group's first CD, "Looks Like Rain," which was recorded and produced at Moviesound Studio in Parkersburg and features 16 original songs.
"One of the best things about our area is that we are blessed to have such talent as Bill Thompson III, Julie Zickefoose, Craig Gibbs, Wendy Eller, and the other musicians they bring together as The Rain Crows," said Wilder. "The originality and diverse styles of this group, along with their fine musicianship, will make for an amazing concert. I really hope folks will come out to support The Rain Crows. They're local, they're accomplished performers, and the concert's free."
The Evergreen Arts and Humanities Series is funded in part by the Artsbridge United Arts Fund. In addition, this project is supported in part by the Ohio River Border Initiative, a joint project of the Ohio Arts Council and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.
