FARMINGTON — Music familiar to many Mainers will fill the North Church, 118 High St., at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 5, as the Farmington Historical Society continues its concert series with Maine’s own Don LeBlanc family taking stage.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for a pie social and jam session. Anyone interested in joining the jam session need only bring an instrument. Children participating will get free admission to the performance.
For more than 25 years the three generations LeBlanc family of Livermore Falls has been playing Franco-American music at festivals throughout New England, and Canada. It all started in around the kitchen table in Acworth, New Hampshire, in 1986. Don was playing his guitar and the kids were singing. Don thought this could develop into something, so he started to teach everyone how to play an instrument.
The family moved to Maine in 1989 and began to practice playing and singing. Don joined the Franco-American band L’Orchestre C’est Si Bon and was playing at festivals. Linda loved to sing French songs and started to teach the kids to sing in French.
The family has now grown and life is taking its course. Two years ago, the family decided it might be time to stop because Kevin (vocals and harmonica), Jim (vocals and guitar) have military careers and family obligations and Jeremy’s (guitar) boys are very busy with sports. Jackie (percussion and vocal harmony) is attending UMA for a nursing career and busy with family obligations also.
Well, the family is still being asked to play, so they decided to keep it going. Don and Linda both say, “We will never stop playing and singing. It will be harder to get everyone together, but, we will always have music in our life.”
La Famille LeBlanc still has three generations on stage and is joined by friends and musicians.
Dad, Don, has been playing fiddle and guitar since the age of 14. He directs the band and does all the booking. He also taught all the kids to play an instrument. Mom, Linda, sings traditional French songs and is the front for the band and keeps the band hopping.
Daughter Jackie, sings, plays percussion and gets the audience involved with dancing. Her son, Chris, joined the band at 12 years old and plays guitar, bass and sings harmony. Chris, whose music is his career, plays multiple instruments.
Pat Libby Sr. joined the family band as bass player in 2017. He has been playing guitar since age 5 and also sings. He started his own Bluegrass band, “Shilo Creek” in 2005 and turned to country music in 2012.
Also joining the group this year is Naomi Patrie on drums. “Na” is from the Rumford area and has been playing drums since the age of 14. She also sings and plays guitar.
Tickets are $15 for the general population, $10 for high school and college students and $5 for elementary students. Preschoolers as well as any student participating in the jam session are free.
To reserve tickets, call 207-778-2006.
From left, Chris Floyd, Jackie Floyd, Naomi Patrie (on drums), Linda LeBlanc, Pat Libby Sr. and Don LeBlanc.
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