“Richard Johnston: Hill Country Troubadour,” the award-winning documentary by Center for Public Television & Radio producer/director Max Shores, will be shown at the 7th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival in Huntsville, Alabama at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 4th. Shores will be in attendance and will answer questions after the screening.
Presentation of this University of Alabama documentary is just a part of the two-day festival which will begin on Friday, June 3rd at 6:00 p.m. with a free performance by cigar box guitar musicians, Hymn for Her. Following the documentary screening on Saturday there will be performances by Pat, John and Uncle Chuck Nickel, Microwave Dave, John Lowe, Seven Hills Stomp, Nadaband and Earl Williams. Bill Jehle’s Cigar Box Guitar Museum will be on display as well as demonstrations of various hand crafted instruments. The admission charge for the Saturday events will be $15.00.
Richard Johnston is a Memphis musician who is inspired by the music of the hill country of north Mississippi. He and John Lowe worked together to create a unique cigar box guitar which allows a musician to play both bass guitar and lead guitar simultaneously. It was through Johnston that Shores learned of the annual CBG event in Huntsville which ultimately became the subject of his documentary, “Songs Inside The Box.”
The 7th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival will take place in the Flying Monkey Arts Center located at Lowe Mill. The address is 2211 Seminole Drive Southwest Huntsville, AL 35805.
Here is a schedule of events during the festival:
6/3 – Friday – Hymn for Her, Admission FREE Concerts on the Dock (6pm – 9pm)
6/4 – Saturday – Artist Market 2nd floor, handcrafted instruments and more… (Noon – 4pm)
Demonstrations: How to Build a Cigar Box Guitar with John Nickel (1pm & 3pm)
1st floor studios : Nickel Cigar Box Guitar
Workshops:
12:30 & 2pm – “Build a One- String CBG with Steve Webb
1st floor classroom – $30. materials & tools provided questions or registration: backpocketcrafts@yahoo.com
1:30 & 2:30pm – “Learn to Play a Cigar Box Guitar” with Pat Nickel
1st floor lounge near Nickel’s CBG Studio
Jam Sessions: 1st floor lounge area / 2nd floor connector / on the dock
Special Guest, Max Shores, documentary filmmaker
“Songs Inside the Box” and “Hill Country Troubadour”
2nd floor Film Co-op / Don Tingle studio near theater
Flymo Theater Extravaganza – Saturday – 4th (4pm – 12am)
4pm – “Hill Country Troubadour” film screening, Admission $5
“Live” Cigar Box Guitar Music ’till midnight, Admission $10
6pm – Pat Nickel
7pm – Seven Hills Stomp
8pm – Microwave Dave
9pm – John Lowe
10pm – Earl Williams
11pm – Nadaband
For more information:
Richard Johnston: Hill Country Troubadour
Songs Inside The Box
Hymn for Her
