Little concerts, big impact

Fund-raising Sojourner series lineup includes J.D. Souther

Contributed photo J.D. Souther makes his Sojourner concert appearance Feb. 6.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer Updated 2:46 PM Thursday, January 7, 2010

FAIRFIELD — The Sojourner Concert Series has announced the lineup for its fourth year, featuring two new artists and one repeat performer.

This year’s shows present J.D. Souther on Feb. 6, Livingston Taylor on March 13, and Adrian Belew on April 24. All shows are at 8 p.m. at the Fairfield Community Arts Center on 411 Wessel Drive.

Souther is a singer/songwriter who has written hits for the likes of Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles. Taylor, the repeat performer, is the brother of James Taylor and a singer/guitarist in his own right. Belew is a guitarist renowned for his work with groups like King Crimson.

The Sojourner series is known not only for its music, but for its stories. The intimate setting, which seats 237 people, allows the artists to tell the stories behind their songs.

The small capacity has also allowed every single show in the past to be sold out, said series founder Greg Ossmann. Some tend to sell out quickly, other shows sell out the day of the performance, he added. Ossmann is also the regional director of community relations for Mercy Health Partners, a major sponsor of the series.

“Since this began, my vision was to have singer/songwriters who would talk about their songs. That’s been the guiding light through four years of putting together these shows,” he said.

Past artists have included Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, singer Kenny Rankin, who died last year, and the Lovin’ Spoonful’s John Sebastian, who had a Southwest Ohio connection because he was raised in Dayton, Ossmann said.

“These concerts really skew to people in their 40s and beyond, and they’re kind of an overlooked market,” Ossmann said, adding that the relatively low costs of the tickets has added to the series’ popularity. Each concert costs $30 for orchestra seats, $25 for all others.

To date, the series has raised between $80,000 and $90,000 through ticket sales and sponsor donations for Sojourner Recovery Services, said John Keuffer, Sojourner director of development. The agency offers programs to help people overcome drug and alcohol dependency, serving about 200 clients at any given time. The money raised by the series helps pay for services for the clients, including meals and hygiene supplies. Sojourner charges adolescents and adults on a sliding scale based on their ability to pay.

To purchase tickets online, visit www.fairfield-city.org/parks/cac/theater.cfm or call (513) 867-5348.

Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Fairfield Community Arts Center. Box office hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.

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