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Home , Arlo Guthrie

CAL PERFORMANCES PRESENTS ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Friday, April 23, 2010, 8pm o l k m u s i c i c o n a r l o g u t h r i e is a legendary features nine tracks, including an epic 28-min- Zellerbach Hall Fartist who shares timeless stories and unfor- ute tale as well as three previously gettable classic songs as he carries on the Guthrie unrecorded songs. Family legacy. With his singular voice as both a When not at home in Washington, Arlo Guthrie singer-songwriter and social commentator, he has Massachusetts, hanging out with family and maintained a dedicated fan base that spans the friends, Arlo tours the world. “Guthrie Family globe. A celebrated figure in American music, Arlo Rides Again” marks the second North American connects with communities far and wide leaving tour featuring Arlo on stage with his children and a lasting impression of hope and inspiration. His grandkids; in 2006, they traveled together in the artistic ventures help bridge an often divided world “Guthrie Family Legacy Tour.” Arlo comments, through his powerful spirit of song, and his in- “It’s really fun and an adventure to hit the road as imitable musical ingenuity forges to new creative a family. We get to travel together to all these won- heights as he perseveres through the times. derful cities. My parents always had a dream of do- Arlo Guthrie left the major record label system ing this, but they never had the chance to pursue it. in 1983 to fully embrace life as an independent art- We’ve always been family oriented, and it’s a great ist, bringing his thriving career into the hands of a excuse to get everybody out of the house.” family-run business with the launch of his own la- In 2005, as part of a Guthrie Foundation spon- bel, Rising Son Records. Currently operated by his sored tour, the family rode the Amtrak City of two daughters, Annie and Cathy Guthrie, Rising News Orleans train from Chicago to New Orleans, Son debuted with the release of Arlo’s Someday stopping along the way to perform benefit con- (1986). Since its inception, Rising Son has served certs. Arlo Guthrie & Friends’ “Ridin’ on the City as a family label housing Arlo’s complete catalogue of New Orleans” has raised more than $140,000 in as well as albums by & Arlo Guthrie, cash and garnered hundreds of replacement instru- Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Abe Guthrie ments for musicians suffering in the aftermath of and his band Xavier, Folk Uke (Cathy Guthrie Hurricane Katrina. and Amy Nelson, daughter of ), plus Arlo’s ambitions have always included vari- the soundtrack to Hard Travelin’ ous community projects in addition to his artis- and a tribute CD to the influential player, tic pursuits. In 1991, he purchased the old Trinity Derroll Adams. Church near Stockbridge, Massachusetts, which In Times Like These (2007), one of Rising Son’s is now home to The Guthrie Center, named for most recent releases, features Arlo alongside the his parents, and The Guthrie Foundation. The University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra. The Guthrie Center is a not-for-profit interfaith church Guthrie Family Rides Again album marks the culmination of his work with foundation dedicated to providing a wide range 27 different symphony orchestras and more than of local and international services. The Guthrie with 40 live concerts. His show at Boston Symphony Foundation is a separate not-for-profit educational Arlo Guthrie guitar, vocals Hall, conducted by Keith Lockhart, was recorded organization that addresses issues such as the en- and aired on PBS’s Evening at Pops. In 2001, the vironment, health care, cultural preservation and Abe Guthrie keyboards, vocals Fourth of July celebration with the Boston Pops educational exchange. Cathy Guthrie guitar, vocals was broadcast live by A&E. A compelling collec- “Guthrie Family Rides Again” features three Annie Guthrie guitar, vocals tion of original songs and select American classics generations of Guthries, including Arlo’s son Abe, performed by Arlo and a full orchestra, In Times who has contributed keyboards and backing vo- Sarah Lee Guthrie guitar, vocals Like These was released on vinyl in fall 2009. cals to his father’s live shows since the 1980s. His Johnny Irion guitar, vocals In celebration of the 40th anniversary of daughters, Cathy, Annie and Sarah Lee Guthrie, …and the kids , Rising Son released Arlo Guthrie: all of whom have their own bustling music careers, Tales of ’69. Recorded just prior to Woodstock, will sing and accompany on acoustic guitars. Sarah the recently discovered lost tape highlights Arlo Lee’s musical partner and husband, Johnny Irion, Presented in association with the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse. live in concert in Long Island, New York, and leads songs and lends his stalwart guitar playing. Cal Performances’ 2009–2010 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo.

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The youngest generation of Guthrie kids join the Block, Bobby Sweet, Folk Uke (Cathy Guthrie self-titled debut CD, which has earned them a cult fun on select songs. and Amy Nelson’s band), Johnny Irion, Sarah Lee following. Their vocal harmonies and melodies are Along with Arlo’s standards, these concerts Guthrie, David Grover and many others. Against sweet and contagious, and their lyrics are explicit. spotlight a selection of unpublished Woody Guthrie his will and better judgment, Abe has also found lyrics recently put to music by such distinguished himself performing with his sisters, Cathy, Annie Sarah Lee Guthrie (guitar, vocals) was two years artists as Billy Bragg, Wilco, Eliza Gilkyson, Janis and Sarah Lee, as the G Babes. This unique fam- old when she made her singing debut as part of a Ian, Wenzel, and others. ily ensemble can be heard each year at the Woody children’s chorus on Arlo’s 1981 album, Power of To commemorate Arlo and his family’s imprint Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah, Oklahoma. Love. Although she grew up within a celebrated on American culture and ongoing social and musi- music family, it wasn’t until after graduating high cal influence, the Guthrie Family was featured in Annie Guthrie (guitar, vocals) runs the family re- school that Sarah Lee discovered her love for mak- the November 2007 issue of Vanity Fair as part of cord label Rising Son Records and is Arlo’s person- ing music. After tour managing for her father while the “Music Portfolio Series on Folk Legends,” a se- al manager. Behind the scenes, she has been hon- he emceed the Further Festival in 1997, and subse- ries featuring leaders in different musical genres. ing her own songwriting skills. As a single mother quently moving to Los Angeles and meeting her of two, she has been able to draw from real life songwriter-guitarist husband, Johnny Irion (gui- If you have attended an Arlo Guthrie concert in experiences. As Woody says, “you can only write tar, vocals), Sarah Lee’s path would forever change. the past 20 years, it is likely you have seen Abe what you see,” and she has taken that to heart writ- Sarah Lee and Johnny Irion have worked Guthrie (keyboard, vocals)’s great smile, and heard ing songs that tell it like it is. Another facet of the together as musical partners for more than a de- his adept and tasteful keyboard accompaniment Guthrie Family keeping tradition alive and well in cade. In 2005, the duo released an essential collec- along with his powerful supporting vocals. In a re- the vein of Johnny Cash and the Carter Family, tion of unadorned American roots songs on their cent interview Arlo said of his son, “Abe is a great Annie has her hands full but has still found the critically acclaimed debut release, Exploration. A musician and covers the bass for me, and whatever time to write a sackful of inspiring songs. follow-up to their simultaneously released 2001 else I need.” It is rare to see an Arlo show without solo records, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny’s Unity Abe by his side. A natural musical talent, Abe at Cathy Guthrie (guitar, vocals) always knew she Lodge, Exploration has received top accolades from age three traded another neighborhood boy his Big would be in the music business but never thought both U.S. and international publications. Johnny Wheel for a keyboard. At age 11, he was kicked she would be a musician. In some ways, she could also recently put out a second solo recording, out of a piano lesson for playing rock music. Abe’s be considered the Guthrie radical. Right after high Ex Tempore. first paying job at 15 was as ’s school, she moved to San Diego, California, to at- Last year, Sarah Lee and Johnny released guitar tech. tend college, then spent several years pretending to two new projects, including Sarah Lee Guthrie Abe started performing professionally with be normal working at various normal jobs, although & Family’s Go Waggalo (Smithsonian Folkways) his father in the early 1980s, playing transforma- she just didn’t feel normal. In June 1996, her dad and Folksong, a live HD DVD capturing their tive keyboard solos during his father’s concerts called her and asked her to come home and help unforgettable Valentine’s Day 2008 show at Tales with Shenandoah. Displaying his sense of humor, run the family business, and she accepted. Cathy from the Tavern at The Maverick Saloon in Santa Abe would occasionally show up on stage wear- came home and dove head first into the shallow Ynez, California. ing spikes and chains. In the 1980s, he founded end of the business, learning as much as Sarah Lee and Johnny’s music reflects the en- Xavier with fellow bandmates Randy Cormier and any Guthrie could in six months—maybe a little during tradition of age-old Timothy Sears. Over the years, various forms of bit more. She then moved to Los Angeles, where while embracing a fresh, poignant and up-to-date Xavier have backed up Arlo on the road. Their first she set up a satellite office while her sister Annie an- outlook on our often-turbulent times. At once full-length CD, Full Circle, was released on Rising chored the main office in Massachusetts. Together, timely and timeless, their energetic country rock Son Records in 2000, and Xavier is currently at they run Rising Son Records as well as the affili- and down-home, back-porch ballads touch upon work on a follow-up album. ated companies that sustain the “family business.” contemporary social issues, and offer insights on A multifaceted artist, Abe Guthrie has dem- In 2000, Cathy paired up with Amy Nelson an unsettled world amidst the sanctuary of a last- onstrated his versatility by having a hand in many (daughter of Willie) to form Folk Uke. With Amy ing, loving relationship. It is music portraying a music projects worldwide. His varied roles have on guitar and Cathy on ukulele, they began writ- coming of age of two vital and distinctive artists, ranged from performance and studio musician, en- ing songs and playing for friends. In no time, they each naturally bringing out the best artistry in gineer, producer, graphic artist and of course, Arlo’s were getting offers for shows and they couldn’t be- the other. right-hand man onstage and off. Abe has recently lieve it. They weren’t very good, but they were fun- worked with such artists as David Bromberg, Rory ny and quite charming. In 2005, they released their

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