Award-winning singer/songwriter/musician Barry Cloyd returns to Fulton County as part of the 2018-19 SRC Community Chorus season on Sunday, February 10 to present the engaging mini-concert The River’s Song: The Importance of Our Midwestern Rivers at First Christian Church in Canton.  Show time is 3 p.m.  Guest performers include John Davis, Colin Davis, Bob Juraco, and Alex Smith.  Reservations ($10) may now be made by calling 649-6260.

Cloyd is a Midwestern-based, full-time, touring singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who performs more than 125 various shows per year.  In addition to his energetic concert schedule, Barry has been the resident stringed instrumentalist/vocalist on The Spirit of Peoria Paddlewheel Riverboat for the last 18 years.  Barry is also a recording artist with 10 CDs to his credit, and his all-original Southland won the award for best Americana album in 2016, resulting in his tracks “Spirit Dance” and “Know this River” being placed on radio stations in more than 45 countries worldwide.  He has shared the stage and recorded with many stars of the blues and Americana music worlds, including band members of Buddy Guy’s Band, The Byrds, Stephen Stills, EmmyLou Harris, The Oak Ridge Boys, John Denver, and Dan Fogelberg.  Barry has also created and toured dozens of edu-tainment programs, which focus on history through music.

The original concert presentation, The River’s Song, takes the audience backwards through time to the days when the rivers of the Midwest were major highways for the first peoples, the Illiniwek Nation, from which our state gets its name.  From there, the concert moves on to the coming of the Europeans and the changes brought by them.

“The development of river travel while Illinois was still the Wild West helped to build this nation.  Several characters, both brave and notorious, are highlighted in the concert, along with many of the songs that accompanied early Illinoisans into the future of our great state,” says Cloyd.  “The River’s Song features French Voyageur songs, riverboat banjo tunes, Lincoln-era music, and original songs telling the tale of how vital our Midwestern rivers have been in our past and to our future.”

“The SRC Community Chorus originated in 2005 and has grown to include over 100 singers, musicians, and technicians,” says Carol Davis, Artistic Director.  “We have raised funds to establish five, $10,000, named, endowed scholarships and are self-funded through ticket sales.  A sixth named, endowed scholarship has been established through the SRC Foundation in memory of Vicki Murphy, mother of founding chorus member Chad Murphy.  Funds from the 2018-19 Chorus season will be dedicated to this scholarship.”

The 2018-19 season continues in June with the Tony Award-winning musical Guys and Dolls.  Visit www.src.edu/foundation/Pages/chorus.aspx, like us on Facebook, or contact Carol Davis by emailing cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.

SRC Community Chorus