Topic: The Cantrells

Harvest Dance to be held at Customs House Museum

November 15, 2009 |

The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is hosting a Contra dance in the galleries on November 20th. Acclaimed musicians The Cantrells will provide the music and Susan Kevra will be the caller of the event. The evening will begin at 7 pm with a half hour of instruction. Dancing will go until 9 pm.

Al and Emily Cantrell

Contra dance refers to several partnered folk dance styles, in which couples dance in two facing lines. A caller guides new and experienced dancers through a variety of dances. A dancer and his or her partner dance a series of figures, or moves, with each other and with another couple for a short period of time. They then repeat the same figures with the next couple. In the late 17th century, English country dances were introduced to French court dancing. The merging of the two styles resulted in contra dance. Eventually, it was westernized in the United States, giving way to the popular square dance. «Read the rest of this article»

Folk, fiddling and down-home music

November 19, 2007 |

In an intimate setting at the Customs House Museum Saturday night, The Cantrells delivered a toe-tapping concert performance of many of their unique blend of folk, fiddling and down-home music.

While the audience was small, enthusiasm for these performers was deservedly huge. The repertoire ranged from a rendition of Fats Waller’s Honeysuckle Rose to a striking cover of Autumn Leaves, from a step in Appalachian Spring to This Quilt, a story song of a quilt and the “threads of time.”

Al and Emily Cantrell

Al and Emily Cantrell (above), simply dressed (but with a splash of glittery buttons on Emily’s dress) did what they do best: make music. No back up bands, no yards high stacks of speakers, just a guitar, a fiddle, mandolin, guitar and great voices. Nothing else was needed. «Read the rest of this article»

Cantrells in concert at Customs House

November 15, 2007 |

The Cantrells, who were featured in the Robert Redford film, A River Runs Through It (pictured left), will bring their unique blend of music and song to the Customs House Museum Saturday, November 17 for a free workshop at 3 p.m. and a concert performance at 7 p.m. Concert tickets are $5.00.

The Cantrells will share explore Tennessee’s history of fiddling, share stories and play classic Tennessee tunes during the workshop, which does not require musical experience, just a love of the sound and the songs.

Al and Emily Cantrell cast a magical spell with their airy, joyful acoustic songs. Emily uses her voice as an instrument on soaring vocals like a country Joni Mitchell, while AL plays off her Martin guitar with spirited fiddling and a dazzling mandolin technique–his music weaves through her words as if the two were locked in an intuitive dance. «Read the rest of this article»

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