CARTHAGE — New England Celtic Arts will present Don Roy, Maine’s “dean of Franco-American fiddling,” and his band at Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center on Sunday, June 24.
The musical duo of Roy, a champion fiddler with depth in many styles of fiddling, and his wife, Cindy Roy, has long entertained audiences in southern Maine and beyond.
Hailing from roots deep in the Maritimes and Quebec, Roy’s musical passion lies with the French-Canadian tradition, followed closely by Celtic music. He has been a member of many successful groups, including bluegrass, Irish and French; and has directed the Maine French Fiddlers for its duration.
Roy received fellowship awards from the state in 1994 and in 2001 for excellence in traditional music. His CD “Thanks for the Lift” earned a nomination for the National Heritage Award.
Cindy, also a member of the former Maine French Fiddlers, is well known for her step dancing piano accompaniment, considered to be among the best in New England. Augmented by her rhythmic feet, she adds her own brand of liveliness to the band’s music.
Fellow band member Jay Young, who plays upright bass, began playing folk music on a 12-string guitar in the 1960s. He slid into playing electric guitar in a blues band influenced by the Chicago-blues style and then in a series of rock ‘n roll bands. He started playing electric bass in a country band in the 1970s. He also started playing upright bass in the 1970s with a church choir and soon joined a bluegrass band.
Young has accompanied Don and Cindy Roy for many years in a variety of bands, including the Maine French Fiddlers.
The Don Roy Trio has performed at the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Merkin Concert Hall and The Barns at Wolf Trap. The group has made two appearances with Garrison Keillor and has performed twice at the National Folk Festival.
The concert will begin at 7 p.m. A preshow jam is slated to begin at 6:15 p.m. Skye Theater is at 2 Highland Drive off Winter Hill Road and U.S. Route 2. For tickets, $15 at the door, call 562-4445 or visit or www.necelticarts.com.
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