National Recording Artists Headline Muncie Three Trails Music Series

Muncie Three Trails Music Series at Canan Commons. Photo provided.Muncie Three Trails Music Series at Canan Commons. Photo provided.

By: Richard Zeigler—

 Muncie, IN—The Muncie Three Trails Music Series announced its 2018 lineup in a celebration at the Muncie Music Center on May 3, 2018. The series will once again feature four critically acclaimed national recording artists who will perform in a series of four FREE concerts at Canan Commons in downtown Muncie. All shows begin at 7 PM. Complete information on the series and all artists, including songs and videos, can be found at www.munciethreetrails.com.

Balsam Range

Celebrated bluegrass group Balsam Range will kick things off on Friday, July 13th. Balsam Range is one of the most decorated bluegrass groups in the world, with eight International Bluegrass Music Association nominations in 2017 alone, including winning the award for Album of the Year and being nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Song of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, and Instrumental Group of the Year. Indianapolis’ Flatland Harmony Experiment will open the show.

The Campbell Brothers

Internationally acclaimed Sacred Steel Gospel group The Campbell Brothers will perform on Saturday, July 28th. Their music is called “Sacred Steel Gospel” because steel guitars are the primary instrument in this style of African-American gospel music. They have performed everywhere from the Kennedy Center to the Hollywood Bowl as well as numerous overseas venues. Their excellence has been well recognized with numerous blues and gospel music nominations and awards, as well as Chuck Campbell receiving a National Heritage Fellowship Award for his Sacred Steel playing. The Freetown Village Singers from the Madame Walker Theatre in Indianapolis will open the show.

The Secret Sisters

New West recording artists The Secret Sisters will grace the Canan Commons stage on Saturday, September 1st. The Secret Sisters have shared stages with the likes of Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, and Paul Simon, and their 2017 release, You Don’t Own Me Anymore, received a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. Drawing from the well of sibling duo groups, their sisterly harmonies sit at the center of their folk/country songs. Opening will be modern folk duo Von Strantz.

Flor de Toloache

All-female Mariachi band Flor de Toloache will bring their world music stylings to Canan Commons on Thursday, September 20thto close the Three Trails season. Flor De Toloache are pioneers in updating Mariachi music for contemporary audiences and their live performances have garnered lavish praise from publications such as Rolling Stone, Billboard, New Yorker, GQ, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Their self-titled debut album was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2015 for best Ranchero/Mariachi album, and their second release, Las Caras Lindas, won that award last year. Two dance troupes, Anderson Ballet Folklorico from Anderson, IN and Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos from Indianapolis will open the show with a variety of traditional Mexican dances.

The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership between Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Rick Zeigler, series founder and organizer. The mission of the series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” — The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music.”