WCBC

June 2nd, 2019 by WCBC Radio

With a heavy weekend of festivals and activities throughout the area, the Downtown Development Commission would like to announce that the June Burgmeier’s Hauling Discover Downtown Cumberland will extend to a three-evening event of live music on The McCoury Family Stage slated as “Heritage Days After Hours” beginning on Friday evening at 6 PM through Sunday evening at 9 PM.  The music provided on the McCoury stage is free community music sponsored by private and corporate donations from individuals and businesses in the area.  

Kicking off the three-day series on Friday evening at 6 PM is Garrett County’s own local award-winning gospel bluegrass legend, Lorretta Hummel with her band Country Grass.  Born and raised in the Appalachian hills of Western Maryland, Ms. Hummel first picked up a guitar at 14 years old, and throughout the hardships of her life, she would often pick up her acoustic guitar and sing songs of faith that would give her comfort and courage.  It wasn’t until her children were raised that she decided to focus her faith and energy on writing, recording and performing her own original Country, Bluegrass and Gospel music that she had grew to love.   Throughout the years, Loretta has traveled extensively sharing her music throughout the East Coast, Kentucky, Nashville and Branson, Missouri.   To date, she has been honored with many Country Gospel Music Association Eastern Division Awards including Bluegrass Artist of the Year for 2015, 2016 & 2018; Female Vocalist of the Year for 2014 & 2017; Lyricist of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 & 2018; and Yodeler of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2018.   “My philosophy in life is that we should use the talents that God has given us. We should do the best we can in whatever we do. For what we put into life, we get out of life.  I believe that we should teach our children self-worth and confidence.  I find that most everything that we do in life is by faith, courage and perseverance.  I love life itself when I can bring happiness to other people.  I believe in opening my heart so that others will see the sun shine” says Ms. Hummel.

The Frostburg based bluegrass band, Day Old News, will continue Friday’s music from 8 – 10 PM on the McCoury Stage.   Day Old News grew its roots from the old-time, bluegrass, and Americana folk sounds that surround them in the Appalachian Mountains of Western Maryland and they can be heard playing throughout Western Maryland and the West Virginia panhandle. The band is a collaboration of Jeremie Hamilton, Tom Bond, and Sam Lauver.

Heritage Days After Hours will continue on Saturday June 8th at 4 PM with Ian Robinson’s band Black Guy Fawkes on the McCoury Stage.  Ian Robinson AKA "Black Guy Fawkes" is a singer/songwriter and guitarist from Baltimore Maryland. Using the catchy punk hooks from Green Day, the theatrics of My Chemical Romance and the straight-forward heartfelt lyrics of Frank Turner, Black Guy Fawkes makes music that is intimate yet theatrical. "I wanted to write music that reflected my life growing up as well as make something intimate enough for a big crowd but big enough for a smaller crowd at the same time”, says Robinson. His music inspires people to know that there is a better tomorrow.

At 6 PM on Saturday, Maryland native and former lead of the band Pasadena, Joey Harkum and The Joey Harkum Band will take over the McCoury stage until 9 PM with their Baltimore, Annapolis and Ocean City, Maryland sound.  Straight from a rigorous Winter and Spring tour throughout the country and St. Thomas, Joey and his band have spent the last year traveling and touring from coast to coast.  With a tropical Americana sound, the Joey Harkum Band will delight the community with their upbeat, fun-loving music that takes the listener to images of sitting along the boardwalk at the beach.    “I love coming to Cumberland, and I have family in Oldtown that I love to see when I come play” says Harkum of his Cumberland tour date.    Joey will leave in August to support Irish singer songwriter, Keith Harkinn on his U.S./ Canada leg of his world tour.   For more information on the Joey Harkum Band visit www.joeyharkum.com or to catch him on tour with Keith visit www.keithharkin.com

The Discover Downtown Cumberland music for Heritage Days After Hours will conclude on Sunday evening, June 9th, with the first of a monthly summer-long open-air open mic night series “Sundays on the Square” with host Jason McDonald.   All local and regional musicians are invited and welcome to attend and participate.  Sign-ups will be available at the beginning of each event.    Sundays on the Square are scheduled for June 9th, June 30th, July 28th, August 18th and September 29th.   Jason McDonald is a local singer/songwriter who plays all over the area and who was recently displaced by the Verso plant closure.   All affected former co-workers of Verso are invited to come attend and enjoy an evening of music led by Jason. 

“With all of the activities in the area this weekend, we wanted to create a great lineup of evening music in Downtown to give residents a reason to stay downtown and enjoy our cafes, bars and restaurants.  Or just to stroll and enjoy the evening air and great architecture. This will be a great weekend just to stay in Cumberland and enjoy our neighbors, families and friends”  says Dave Love, Chair of the Discover Downtown Cumberland Committee and DDC board member.

Burgmeier’s Hauling Discover Downtown Cumberland is the DDC’s year-round monthly entertainment program in Downtown Cumberland with each month taking on a mini-festival theme over a 1-3 day period and works with other local events and promotions entities to encourage use and awareness of the Downtown Cumberland area.   The McCoury Family Stage is managed by the Downtown Development Commission through City Hall and is available for use by any local musician, band or organization with proper notice by contacting Mikayla Dodge at Mikayla.Dodge@cumberlandmd.gov  

“We are starting to see a lot of busking in Downtown Cumberland and we love it and I get calls and emails all the time from groups wanting to use the stage.  All people need to do is contact me first to make sure that the stage is available and that their event doesn’t conflict with any of the music planned by our neighboring restaurants and groups.  We love and welcome the growing music scene and culture in Cumberland, and we want to do anything we can do to help” says Dodge, the Executive Director of the DDC and Downtown Manager. “as far as busking on the pedestrian mall; as long as musicians follow the rules of conduct in downtown and don’t interfere with other events taking place,  they are more than welcome to come entertain our pedestrians and patio diners any time that they want.”, she continues. 

For more information on this or other downtown area events, visit the events calendar at www.mdmountainside.com or follow downtown on Facebook at www.facebook.com/historicdowntowncumberland or www.facebook.com/themccouryfamilystage