The Church of The Lost Souls: Billy McLaughlin & SimpleGifts w. special guest, Kathleen Johnson
Sunday, February 28, 2021
3:45 pm Doors/4:30 pm Show
$29 Advance/$39 At The Door
All Ages
In-person seating will follow state pandemic guidelines; patrons must be masked and practice social distancing. This performance will also be made available as a "pay what you wish” livestream here and also at BillyMcLaughlin.com.
Ticket purchases are final and non-refundable.
It’s not really a church. And you don’t have to be lost or found to attend or tune in.
But this new weekly concert series hopes to raise spirits and share the love of live music.
Performed by award-winning composer & guitarist Billy McLaughlin and his band SimpleGifts, and including a mid-concert set by special guest, powerhouse vocalist extraordinaire Kathleen Johnson. Featuring an eclectic mix of originals and classic covers, capped off with a Q&A between Billy and the week’s special guest.
"As a kid, my first chance to play guitar was Sundays at my church. Problem was,
the music director kept telling us [that] the songs we really wanted to play were not allowed,” says award-winning composer & guitarist, Billy McLaughlin. “After all these years I thought it would be fun to share whatever feels right [and] that could send people into Mondays with a good feeling!"
The ‘message’ of The Church of The Lost Souls is the music, which will range from McLaughlin's new guitar and vocal compositions to favorite older work from his expansive catalog, to more universal fare that may include everything from classic artists like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bob Marley, The Beatles, Sly and the Family Stone — along with current favorites in contemporary music.
Billy McLaughlin has been changing people’s idea of what an acoustic guitar can sound like since the 1980’s. He is recognized as an innovative performer and composer who embraces the advantages of acoustic guitar amplification, unorthodox techniques and altered tunings while celebrating a gift for melody. His enormous yet fluid acoustic guitar tone has carried him around the world, to Billboard’s Top-Ten Chart and most recently through a devastating medical disorder called focal dystonia. McLaughlin has had to re-learn the guitar left-handed and is in the early stages of what might be described as ‘one of the great musical-comeback stories of all time.” His story is the subject of an award-winning documentary film called Changing Keys – Billy McLaughlin and the Mysteries of Dystonia.
“…you may swear Billy McLaughlin is two of the greatest acoustic guitarists you’ve ever heard.” — Pittsburgh Post Gazette
“… it’s amazing that such an extensive sound comes from one instrument.”
— Chicago Sun Times
Joining McLaughlin will be his signature band, SimpleGifts, featuring versatile singers Kathleen Johnson, Karen Paurus, Amy Courts, and Celtic multi-instrumentalist Laura MacKenzie.
Vocalist Kathleen Johnson is lead vocalist for “BKS” and “UNIVERSOUL”, founder of “Musicians4musicians” and co-founder of “Raisingthebar, an Artist’s loft” — a mentoring workshop that found its roots at the legendary club, Arnellia’s, considered the ‘Apollo of St. Paul.’ She has performed at countless venues and studios including Paisley Park with local bands, national and international artists such as Prince, Alexander O’Neal, Tevin Cambell, Jordin Sparks, Billy McLaughlin, The Petersons, and The Steeles. She is a featured artist who gives of her time and gift freely and generously to many special community events, fundraisers. More about Kathleen here.