PUTNEY-The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents Vermont native indie-soul singer-songwriter Myra Flynn, on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 6 p.m., at Cooper Field on Sand Hill Road.
"Flynn spends her career embracing dichotomy," say organizers: Half-Irish and half-African American, her original songs "blend soulful vocals with a lyrical delivery that doesn't let one get too comfortable."
"Myra has been on her way to building a national name for herself. As a regular at the Flynn's Jazz Festival, Myra's name is getting around for anyone interested in soul, funk, R&B, and beyond," Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts, said in a news release. "Myra's range as an artist is a model for how Vermont artists can tackle a national stage. Her presence as part of the series is an opportunity to ensure that southern Vermont knows the power and presence of Myra Flynn."
Flynn says she spent her Vermont childhood clad in leopard print and platform shoes, singing and dancing atop anything that looked remotely like a stage. These days, not much has changed. She has since shared stages with performers such as Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), Mike Gordon (Phish), Gabrielle Gordon (Natalie Merchant), Rayvon, Anaïs Mitchell, and Lee "Scratch" Perry.
Crooked Measures, her 2009 debut album, earned Flynn a solid spot in the singer-songwriter circuit as well as much deserved media recognition. Her latest album, Shadow Work, was released last summer.
Margaret Grayson of Seven Days describes it as "five songs deeply concerned with relationships of all kinds." She continues, "Flynn, who splits her time between Vermont and Los Angeles, sings of mothers and daughters, romantic relationships gone wrong, and the people who get us through the hardest times. She considers big questions about how a person ought to be in the world, but she conducts her case studies on the most intimate of stages. In certain moments, she questions herself, wondering if she's doing enough for the people she loves; other times, she offers full-throated declarations of her own worth in the world. The same song can hold both sentiments, and Flynn's ability to capture complicated, conflicting emotions in her lyrics swept me away."
Flynn tackles topics that others shy away from in both her music and in her journalism career. She says that motherhood has left her no more time to be self-conscious, and there is no room for shyness. She finds a new strength, independence and inspiration in her daughter, Avalon, and her husband Phil.
She describes her podcast with Vermont Public, "Homegoings," as a "righteous space for art and race. It's a show that invites listeners to be a fly on the wall, privy to candid and genuine conversations about race."
More recently, Flynn has created a jewelry line made from recycled piano parts and has partnered with Shelburne Vineyard to create a namesake wine: Flynn. Her motto regarding next steps and fame is: "If you're doing it, you've already made it."
Tickets for the concert are $20 in advance, $25 at the gate. Kids under 12 get in free. Advance tickets are available online at nextstagearts.org. For more information, call 802-387-0102.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.