A gift to our Members

by Ramona LaBarre

On Friday, March 22, a close-knit group of friends gathered to celebrate Godfrey Daniels’ 37th anniversary in our annual Spring event, our members-only concert, with our special guest artist, Bill Miller. We began these members-only concerts a few years ago, to give back to our members, a small token of all they have given to Godfrey’s over our lifetime of financial support.

below: Ramona LaBarre and Cyndi Reichard  Photo by Joe Ledva

We often are asked, “Do we have to be a member to attend your concerts?” The answer is No (with the exception of our annual event) – Godfrey’s is not a private club. Godfrey’s is open to the public and welcomes audience members of all ages and musical interests, every time the doors are open. Our supporting membership program was started in the very early 1980s, in order to support our 501 (c) (3) non-profit status. We’re supported by membership in the same way public television and public radio are. And membership has its privileges.

Two years ago for our milestone 35th anniversary, our own John Gorka joined us in the celebration. We held a silent raffle, kicked off our annual Martin Guitar raffle, unveiled an anniversary hand-thrown collectible mug by Sommerville Pottery, and our annual celebration was for the first time ever, held off-premises, at Trinity Episcopal Church on Market Street, one mile from Godfrey’s. The venue is a perfect fit – Mother Laura and her husband Dave Howell, along with Trinity’s social worker Marcie Lightwood, are long-time friends of Godfrey’s; and the congregation at the church and our own audience at Godfrey’s overlap in great numbers.

Our founder Dave Fry is our honorable Master of Ceremonies each spring. Dave is fond of reminding us all of the magic that happens in the room at Godfrey’s, between the artist and audience. While our annual Spring event has found a warm home at the church, the magic exists there as well, where the gathering consists of 100% of our supporting members. The community and joy are palpable. People know one another, not only from their visits to Godfrey’s, but from all over our arts-rich community. Notable community members such as Beall Fowler, Jodi Duckett & Wally Trimble, the music-loving Finelli Clan, Bill Stanford, and Loly Reynolds, to name just a few, were present this year.

top left: Wally Trimble and Jodi Duckett chat with Dave Fry; top right: Jack Murray, Pat Finelli, Wanda Finelli, Terry Mutchler; bottom left: several items in the silent raffle; Rosalie Fry and Loly Reynolds  (photos by Dina Hall)

Dave Fry’s opening set was full of humor, seriousness, and gratitude, honoring our members and uniting every one in the room. He is our consummate entertainer, well-known, successful in his music career, and well-loved in our community. Following Dave, Bill’s show was reverent, as appropriate to the room. He has a long-standing history in Bethlehem, not only in concert appearances at Godfrey’s and other venues, but also back to his ancestry, some of whom are buried in Nisky Hill Cemetery.

Photo by Joe Ledva

Bill mixed his Native-American based original songs and his powerful vocals with his haunting flute music, and did some covers that still resonate with his philosophy. And his storytelling was a large part of his show, along with many compliments about feeling remarkable kinship with Godfrey’s and the Lehigh Valley in general. Bill also reflected on his first visit to Godfrey’s, when he opened for John Hartford for $60, eventually going out on tour with John, becoming close friends with him and the many friends of John on the folk circuit. Bill closed out his set with an invitation to Dave Fry to join him ‘for some rock’n’roll’ – and they covered J.J. Cale’s ‘Call Me the Breeze’ with much visible delight and powerful guitar licks. We know that was an honor for Dave, as it was for all of his friends there in the room.

The celebration could not have been better; and as is often the case with Godfrey Daniels shows, they really do just keep getting better as the years roll on by.

Dave’s Night Out at Godfrey Daniels

by Dina Hall

We’re embarking on a new project. Dave’s Night Out: A unique evening of stories, songs and banter amongst an eclectic trio of road musicians assembled by – you guessed it – Dave Fry.

Dave will invite two other professional players and friends to share Godfrey’s stage with him, sharing songs and stories of what makes them tick, what tickles them and their life as a musician.

Part jam, part interview, part audience interaction – an opportunity to get to know the musicians, how they craft their art, and hear some spontaneous acoustic music and humor shared amongst new friends.

 

So, mark your calendar and check our web site often.

Dave’s Night Out
Last Wednesday of each month
7:30 pm $10.50

Bringing the Past into the Future

by Dave Fry

I was asked to present a workshop at an East Coast Archive Convention held here in Bethlehem in 2010. These were heavy academic folks – Smithsonian, the Guthrie family, Moravian College, Martin Guitar, etc. and I was scheduled to share a session with the Philadelphia Folk Festival.  I felt like I would be the freshman at a senior prom.  But, the Philly Folk Fest rep couldn’t make it, so I stepped up with a Power Point presentation about all that Godfrey’s has accumulated over 35 years. It turned out to be the rebirth of the Godfrey Daniels Archives committee – Me.

With that, I faced piles of videotapes, DAT tapes, posters, newsprint, monthly Gazettes, Gene Mater caricatures, performer photos, and more.  So, I’ve been sorting a lot of print material, photos, posters, etc. and continue to come across some amazing items. Stay tuned to the blog!

The real good news to come out of that workshop at the Hotel Bethlehem was my introduction to the archivists at Lehigh University. Together, we’ll be able to take the Godfrey Daniels’ archives up to Lehigh for safe storage and future internet access for historical study.

The folks at Lehigh are interested in Godfrey’s archives on several levels beyond the club’s 37-year history. The collection reflects on the folk circuit locally and nationally, a recent chunk of the revival of Bethlehem’s SouthSide and the arts scene on Fourth St., and the Lehigh Valley at large – plus pictures of Cindy and me and Jade. 

 

I finished up my presentation by singing John Gorka’s How Legends are Made – playing my Godfrey’s Edition Martin guitar.  It was one of the best set closers I’ve ever done in front of 20 people.

Where the road stops and the song begins

by Dave Fry

photo by Joe Ledva Photography

I was reminded tonight, after chatting with Bill Staines as he changed his strings before a full house show, how integrated the road warriors on the folk circuit are with the local musicians at each stop on the road. Bill was curious as to how my gigging and recording were going. As I talked about my gigs and new CD project, I looked over at nearly one half of Godfrey’s front counter covered with Bill’s CDs and books, and reflected how small my world is compared to Bill’s literal millions of road miles, thousands of concerts, and immense circle of talented performers. And yet we have a commonality that is real and meaningful. And I have recognized this phenomenon dating back to visits from the Red Clay Ramblers, Utah Phillips and others here at Godfrey’s over three and a half decades.

Yes, we are both part of the larger folk family. And though the scale is radically different, we still are basically playing for a roomful of people, trying to connect, entertain and create community. The traveling pros do recognize this, and most realize that we’re in the same ‘trade’, as Utah would say, and it binds us at a very deep level. The road can take us three blocks away or to Alaska, but we’re all on it together.

Beyond Fall and Welcoming Winter

by Ramona LaBarre

This edition is coming to you from colorful October Light – arrays of golds, yellows, reds, from bright to subdued – all of it inspiring and setting the stage for the Season of Giving.

This year, in the spirit of the 75^th anniversary of Bethlehem being named the “Christmas City,” we are decorating in a traditional theme of ‘White Christmas’ for the holiday. Also on Monday, December 10, our own Dave Fry will deliver his Gift of Song at the door of the Goundie House on Main Street at 5:30, as part of the Live Advent Calendar. We are thrilled to be part of these community celebrations – and don’t forget Luminaria night on December 8. Visit NewBethanyMinistries.org and click on Events for details on how to light up your holiday in our community.

As a not-for-profit, membership-supported, volunteer-staffed listening room, in all of her 36+ years of presenting, Godfrey’s relies entirely on gifts to remain in operation. These are financial gifts from members, foundations and individuals, gifts of time from volunteers, gifts of trade from community partners.  In return, Godfrey’s provides a uniquely intimate space for the experience of live performance, primarily music, and also home to the Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild and expanding to include improv-comedy as one of our monthly ‘Jams’.

Like having a concert in your living room. Up close and personal with the artists.  Long a social gathering place for audience members, who come not only to hear the music, but also to interact with community neighbors and friends – and the artists. Beyond the performance, countless are the connections that have been made inside the space of Godfrey Daniels. Friends and married couples met at Godfrey Daniels. Classmates reconnect after 30 years. Even pen-pal relationships with the artists spring from meeting face-to-face.  The kinds of gifts that no monetary value can be placed on – that is the magic of our venue.

In this season of giving, we’re inspired by Garnet Rogers, who asks his concert attendees to bring cans or boxes of food for a local food bank. At any of our other concerts, we are collecting for the soup kitchen at Trinity Episcopal Church, where we hold our members-only concerts in March. More than food, they are in need of personal items such as shampoo, soaps, deodorant, shaving supplies, and new, unopened packages of socks. Feel free to bring any of these items with you when you come for a concert – we have a box especially for these small gifts. Lastly, in the spirit of collecting gifts, Godfrey’s is a drop-off location for Toys on First Friday December 7. We’ll have a box for toys, so please do bring in a toy, unwrapped, to share with a less fortunate child.

This March, our members-only concert will feature Bill Miller – not too early to make your reservations. This is our annual gift to our supporting members.

It’s reciprocal, folks – in order to continue to bring you the best in live music here in the Lehigh Valley, the gifts of your attendance, your membership, and/or your volunteer time hold much value.

In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”

Our best to you for the holiday season ~ and we’d love to see your smiling faces often.

Good neighbors and great community spirit

by Ramona LaBarre

photos by Rob Hopkins

Recently, the stars aligned and Mr. Don Cunningham brought his Associates to Godfrey’s stage for a night of fun music and community spirit. Songs were covered, relationships renewed, and many folks were in the house for the first time. A milestone in Godfrey’s history, as Dave Fry’s Proclamation for the event attests:

 

Proclamation
Saturday, September 15, 2012

Whereas, Godfrey Daniels has enjoyed the good company of Lehigh County for 37 years, though safely located in neighboring Northampton County,
And, whereas, Lehigh County celebrates 200 years, and Allentown celebrates its 250th Anniversary this month,
And, whereas, the Lehigh Valley has enjoyed and benefited from the political career of Don Cunningham as Bethlehem’s mayor, Lehigh County Executive, Harrisburg lackey and now as another suit and tie job somewhere around here.
Whereas, Godfrey Daniels remains committed in presenting the finest in home-made Lehigh Valley blues, R&B, and good old American Rock and Roll.
Whereas, individuals in Don’s band  ‘Associates’ has accumulated at least 250 years of playing low dives, bars, and festivals in the Lehigh Valley, providing much needed employment to said musicians.
Whereas, Godfrey’s found it had an open date in mid-September that had to be filled, and Don has decided to play a Martin guitar occasionally.
Godfrey’s presents for the first time on this historic stage, in conjunction with the Lehigh County Bicentennial Celebration, Cunningham and Associates in concert.

New season, new blog, newsletter

by Ramona LaBarre

We always welcome September and Back-to-Godfrey’s, and getting back to our routine.  This, our 37^th season, brings some new names, and some changes, along with our old favorites.

Hopefully you all got out to a festival or two during the break.  We gathered at Liederplatz for Godfrey Daniels Day once again, where we held the drawing for our annual Martin Guitar raffle. Many friends joined us for the music of Dave Fry, Mike Cross, Girls Guns & Glory, and the Bob Malone Band – all Godfrey’s favorites.  Also featured were our Best of Open Mike artists:  Rachel Schachter, Elena Gambino, Known By Their Limping, and Kwesi Kankam. This year’s raffle winners are: Grand Prize, Rosie Resteter; second prize Little Martin, Vince Ferrara; and the third prize, a supply of Martin Acoustic guitar strings, Ernest Zullo. Congratulations to our winners, and huge thanks to all who supported our raffle this year.

Area festivals continue into the autumn season. Godfrey’s is running the Acoustic Stage at the second annual Veg-Fest (downtownbethlehemassociation.com/calendar/vegfest),  held on the greenway between Third and Fourth Streets (behind Godfrey’s and east to Touchstone Theatre). We will be featuring some great music all afternoon by more select area artists. We’re looking forward to the 25^th annual Celtic Classic (celticfest.org), with the annual Celtic Classic preview at Godfrey’s with Graham Wright of The Glengarry Bhoys.

Right up the hill from Fourth Street, it’s back-to-school at Lehigh University, and we’re proud to announce an official collaboration of the musical kind. Lehigh’s Music Box club students bring their monthly meetings to our room, where we will present workshops on different facets of performance and the business. We also have scheduled a LU Music Box showcase from our stage, every third Thursday of the month.  Our founders, Dave Fry and Cindy Dinsmore, are Lehigh alums.  Cindy’s father, the late George Dinsmore was a professor at Lehigh, and influential in the roots of the organization, and we think he’d be tickled pink at these developments.

For many of us who have been involved in running Godfrey’s for all these years, this partnership is truly a dream come true.

Along with our usual suspects, there are some new artists on the horizon: Cunningham & Associates, Mike Farris, Amy Black, Amelia White, and Chris Trapper. We also welcome some old friends who haven’t been seen in our parts for quite a while: The Rev. Billy C. Wirtz; Bob Franke; banjo genius Stephen Wade & Band (with a new book and a new album); David Massengill; and Chris Smither.

We’re adding some comedy to our Monthly Jams – so check the web site for those details.

Introduce a friend to the magic of a concert in our intimate space, or come meet some new friends – sign up to volunteer for a show.  You’ll be glad you did!

The Best of Open Mike

by Dave Fry

Sunday, August 12, was Godfrey’s Day at Musikfest, our annual palette of folk, blues, country and more at Liederplatz in the Sun Inn Courtyard. It routinely features our Best of Open Mike, spotlighting four acts that regularly appear at our Open Mike throughout the year. The four selected acts this year were Elena Gambino, Kwesi Kankam, Rachael Marie, and the Irish trio Known by Their Limping. Each act performed a three song set on the Liederplatz stage – with full sound and an appreciative audience of Godfrey’s supporters.

Godfrey Daniels Best of Open Mike performers backstage at Liederplatz. Left to right: Elena Gambino, Dave Reber, Rachel Marie, Rick Weaver, Kwesi Kankam, Terry Hartzell

I was particularly intrigued by Elena’s reaction, “This is so cool!” I’ve become somewhat used to the lights, sound and staging, but she reminded me of what it was like for me the first time. She loved playing to a large audience, getting professional attention from the sound crew, and hearing her voice and guitar through a big sound system. And her joy didn’t stop after she got off the stage, hanging out with the other performers and finally coming back up for one final bow at the end of the Best of Open Mike session.

It’s a rarefied experience and one that never goes away, and how that feeling makes you want to do it again, and again, and again. And it makes me proud that Godfrey’s continues its mission to develop our community’s musicians, not only with our jams, sessions and Open Mike events, but to give them performance opportunities like a slot on the big stage at Musikfest.