05-15-2007: Coastal Cohorts in Concert, June 28-30

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2007

Contact:  Sally Steele, Development Director NCCF

Or

 Karen Amspacher, Executive Director CSWM

Phone: NCCF: 252-393-8185

CSWM: 252-728-1500

The COASTAL COHORTS

Don Dixon, Bland Simpson, & Jim Wann

IN CONCERT

Performing Songs from

KING MACKEREL & THE BLUES ARE RUNNING

And Their New CD WILD PONIES!

The Crystal Coast Civic Center, Morehead City, NC

June 28-30, 2007

Evening performances and Saturday matinee

Morehead City, NC  – The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center and the North Carolina Coastal Federation will present The COASTAL COHORTS (Don Dixon, Bland Simpson, & Jim Wann) in concert, performing songs from their popular coastal show KING MACKEREL & THE BLUES ARE RUNNING as well as from their new CD release WILD PONIES, More Songs from the Carolina Coast.

            Don Dixon, of the renowned rock band Arrogance, is a well-known, celebrated singer-songwriter (his 9^th and latest solo CD is The Entire Combustible World in One Small Room) and record producer – he produced Wild Ponies, and other credits include Hootie and the Blowfish, Marti Jones, James McMurtry, REM, The Smithereens, and many more.  Bland Simpson, of the Tony Award-winning Red Clay Ramblers, is director of UNC Chapel Hill’s Creative Writing Program; author of the books Into the Sound Country and Ghost Ship of Diamond Shoals; and collaborator on the musicals Diamond Studs (w/ Jim Wann) and Kudzu (w/ Jack Herrick and Doug Marlette).  Jim Wann, principal author/composer of the Broadway hit Pump Boys & Dinettes (Tony and Drama Desk Nominee for Best Musical and Best Music on Broadway, Olivier Nominee for Best Musical in London, and longest running musical in Chicago theatre history), has recorded the Pardon My Southern Accent series; he is currently hosting the television show Farmer’s Almanac TV, now running nationwide over PBS.

            Clive Barnes of The New York Post called the Cohorts “a pure, salt-watered delight,” and Mary Cornatzer of The News & Observer said their show King Mackerel was “a musical Valentine to coastal life,” adding:  “ . . . the songs deal with things anybody who’s ever been to the coast can identify with—pier fishing, joy riding on the strand, hurricanes, living on the sound side.”

            Wild Ponies, on the Creekmore label (http://www.jimwann.com/themusic.asp),

is the Coastal Cohorts’ first recording venture since releasing the Original Cast Recording of King Mackerel (also produced by Dixon) in the spring of 1996.  As on the earlier record, they are joined on Wild Ponies by drummer/percussionist Jim Brock of Charlotte.

For PHOTOS please link to:  http://www.redclayramblers.com/bland/mackerel.htm

            The Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening shows begin at 8 pm with a Saturday matinee at 3 pm.   Tickets are $20 General Admission, $15 for CSWM and NCCF members.  The Crystal Coast Civic Center is located at 3505Arendell Street in Morehead City, NC. For tickets call the Museum at 252-728-1500.

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