Event

Larry Wilder and Bellows & Squawk

Larry Wilder brings hope and joy to audiences through Americana music.
-- Bill Furman, CEO The Greenbrier Companies, Portland, OR

Larry has brought his heart and passion for Americana music to over 2000 audiences on three continents. Magnetic, fast-paced entertainment with electrifying banjo, guitar and vocals, Larry is a National Yodeling Champion. Larry has opened for Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Lily Tomlin and Pete Seeger. Join the thousands who have felt right at home with Larry. You'll be singing along! As a musicologist and curator of American music, Larry brings fascinating stories behind the artists and songs remind us how we are all part of the great music of America!

Bellows & Squawk: Blackface Minstrelsy and the American Popular Song
Bellows & Squawk will explore the pervasive influence of minstrelsy on American music and entertainment in general. They will present popular songs written from 1848 to 1912, showing how minstrelsy is intertwined with the evolution of the popular song in America, including parts of a presentation they gave at Reed College in January, 2018. Among their artistic influences Bellows & Squawk count Mickey Katz, Spike Jones, Slim Gaillard, Ethel Merman, Sophie Tucker, Bert Williams, Count Basie, George Burns, and Gracie Allen.