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.

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The Cantrells in the Robert Redford film "A River Runs Through It"

The Cantrells have been touring their original folk and bluegrass music in concerts and festivals since 1985. They have recorded CD’s with Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas and Mark Schatz of Nickel Creek. Emily and Al were hand-picked by Robert Redford for his film A River Runs Through It. Previously, the Cantrells instructed a workshop at the Customs House on the history of Tennessee music.

Susan Kevra began calling and teaching traditional dances in 1991. She has worked throughout America and across the Atlantic. She is a member of the English Country Dance Band and author of “Trip to Phan Reel” and “The Country of Marriage.” Susan resides in Nashville, where she teaches at Vanderbilt University.

The Customs House Museum’s Harvest dance is funded in part from a Tennessee Arts Commission grant. Ticket prices are $25 for couples and $15 for individuals. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the door on the night of the dance. The Customs House Museum is located at 200 South Second Street in historic downtown Clarksville. Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Saturday and 1 pm to 5 pm on Sundays. Admissions for entry are $5 adults, $4 Senior citizens, $2 college students, $1 ages 6 – 18, and free under age 6.

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.

From the first chords the audience was caught up in the music, evidenced by tapping fingers and toes, bobbing heads, all keeping time to the music.

Emily’s deep rich voice holds an earthy beauty and sultry strength destined for the kinds of songs she writes and sings, story songs of lost coal miners, lost loves, family traditions — some with wit and whimsy (as in the story of being married three times) and others poignant (as in the letter from a lost Sago miner).

Al Cantrell is a master fiddler; whether shining in a solo or accompanying his wife, his fingers stretch the limits of the bow as it flies over the strings. There is an ease of movement and sound that tells us playing this music is what he was born to do.

As they shift between instruments and styles of music, they offer a gentle sense of humor and a bit of background on their lives and their music. In the intimacy of the small concert hall, it became a conversation of sorts between performers and listeners.

The Cantrells, who appeared in Robert Redford’s acclaimed film, A River Runs Through It, have traveled extensively, culling old songs and creating new ones from the American landscape. The lyrics speak to us and the chords they strum echo the chords in our hearts.

Their CDs include Dancing With the Miller’s Daughter, Under a Southern Moon and The Heart Wants What It Wants.

For more information on the Cantrells or to get information about their music and CDs, visit their web site at http://thecantrellsmusic.tripod.com. There music is also available on Apple’s iTunes music service.

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.

The duo puts a pop spin on acoustic folk and bluegrass music, with occasional detours into Celtic, western swing and traditional American tunes.

The Cantrells have been featured on Mountain Stage, Riders Radio Theater, Folk Sampler, E-Town, and River city Folk as well as numerous other nationally-syndicated radio programs. Their four critically acclaimed albums are on radio playlists worldwide and include the talents of Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien and Riders in the Sky. Robert Redford hand-picked them to play old-time music on-screen in his hit movie A River Runs Through It.

For more information, or to obtain tickets for this performance, conatact the Customs House at 931-648-5780. the Customs House is located at 200 S. Second Street in downtown Clarksville.