Community News

The Oswego Music Hall is delighted to bring back the popular Delaney Brothers Band to its stage at 7:30 pm on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.

Founded in 1981, the two-time SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music Award) winners Delaney Brothers Band is one of central NY's oldest and best-loved bluegrass bands. However, their music is more than just bluegrass - it's influenced by other acoustic traditions such as country, folk, gospel, and Celtic. If past shows are any indicator, the Music Hall will need to hustle up enough chairs for this show by the Delaney Brothers.

Though the band sorely misses one of its founding brothers, Ray Delaney, who passed away just over a year ago, his legacy remains an important part of the band. With new members in recent years, the band has taken on added flavors, incorporating new material along with more original songs. Playing at this concert will be co-founding brother John Delaney (mandolin, guitar, vocals), his son Jonathan Delaney (upright bass, vocals), and Nick Piccininni (banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, vocals). Fans will enjoy the group’s well-known smooth, warm vocals and tight harmonies along with Nick's smokin' banjo and fiddle.

Born into a musical family, Ray and John began playing guitars in their teens. It was only after moving to Central New York and bumping into Bill Knowlton's Bluegrass Ramble radio program over the airwaves of WCNY in Syracuse, that John and his brother turned to bluegrass. As Ray put it, "I was hooked right from the word go!" Soon after that, the Delaney Brothers (duo) decided bluegrass was just too good to leave alone. The band has at least six albums to their credit, and over the years it’s maintained a busy performing schedule, especially during the festival season.

The Band’s latest CD release, “Generations,” reflects not only the passing of the musical torch from one generation to the next, but also the melding of the two generations within the band itself. The album’s track list exemplifies this, with several songs written by the youngest member, banjo player Nick Piccininni, as well as traditional selections composed by bluegrass forefathers like the late Bill Monroe.

You can watch and listen to the Delaney Brothers at http://www.delaneybrothers.com/. Then, on Oct. 24th, find out why this Central New York-based band generates such a wave of excitement.

You can enjoy the toe-tapping music of The Delaney Brothers Band at the all-volunteer, family-friendly Music Hall venue. The venue is the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake Street, Oswego. This space overlooking Lake Ontario gets transformed by volunteers into an intimate, coffee-house atmosphere with candle-lit tables surrounding a small stage. Desserts, snacks, popcorn and beverages are available for purchase.

Ticket prices for this event are $16 if purchased in advance and $18 at the door. Children 12 and under are half-price; under 5 are free. Tickets can be purchased on-line at http://oswegomusichall.org/ or at the river’s end bookstore, 19 West Bridge Street in Oswego. Holders of tickets purchased before 1 p.m. on the day of the concert will have preferred seating. After 1 pm, seating will be general admission. For information about money-saving Season Tickets or becoming a member or a volunteer, go to the website or contact Membership Secretary, Carol Forrest at 343-2988.

The Music Hall’s next show, Sat. Nov. 7, will feature Driftwood, a band with a rock n’ roll soul and a folk art palette that gives electrifying concerts. The Oswego Music Hall has been run entirely by volunteers from its beginning over 38 years ago. Volunteers can earn admission to shows by helping with various different tasks. Free Open Mic shows are held on Friday nights before all Sat. shows, making it a popular place for local and regional talent to be heard.

Music Hall concerts are made possible in part with funding from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. For more information call 315-342-1733 or access the Music Hall website: http://oswegomusichall.org/