On June 29, the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford will host a musical concert as Grammy award winner Dom Flemons performs a selection of American folk tunes, ballads and bluegrass music. Known as “The American Songster,” Flemons has traveled all over the world, performing on banjo guitar, harmonica and percussion instruments. This Saturday at 2 p.m., Flemons will bring his talents to Oxford for a free show that is open to the public.
Now embarking on a solo career, Flemons has performed with leading musicians such as the Old Crow Medicine Show, Taj Mahal, Guy Davis, Mike Steeger, Joe Thompson, Martin Simpson and Boo Hanks. In 2005, the musician co-founded the “The Carolina Chocolate Drops,” a group which has been inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. In 2010, “The Carolina Chocolate Drops” was singled out for a Grammy award in the category of “Best Traditional Folk Music.”
Over the past ten years, Flemons’ tours have included stops at Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry and other popular venues, as well as the Opening Ceremony for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American history and Culture. His most recent solo album, “Dom Flemons Presents Black Cowboys,” pays tribute to the music, culture and history of the Wild West, following the footsteps of the thousands of African-American pioneers who helped build the country’s trails and rails. The recording, part of Folkways 70th Anniversary and the African-American Legacy Recording series, spent 31 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Bluegrass chart.
The Richard H. Thornton Library is located at 210 Main Street in Oxford and is one of four branches of the Granville County Library System. Others are located in Creedmoor (South Branch), Stovall and Berea. To learn more about Flemons and his musical work, visit TheAmericanSongster.com website, which has been selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the American Music Creators Web Archive. For more details about other upcoming programs and events hosted by a library branch near you, visit https://granville.lib.nc.us.
