Tonight we attended a concert in Chatham, New Hampshire, pronounced “Chat-ham,” if you please. The featured artists were Mac McHale and Emery Hutchins. For the past five years the duo has produced programs for the series. They have been friends for 33 years, and musical partners for 31 years. There is no shortage of talent between them. Each plays a variety of instruments from guitar and octave mandolin to concertina, banjo and an Irish drum (a bodhran).

Emery Hutchins and Mac McHale on June 23, 2009 in the Meetinghouse at Chatham, NH for a night of “Irish Music.”

From Irish jigs, reels and ballads, the musicians departed to the genres of Bluegrass, Jazz, a little bit of Gospel, and American Folk Music. Their goal is “to demonstrate how American music is an amalgamation of musical styles,” as stated inside their CD cover, “Road to Bangor.”

The audience was engaged by being asked to clap on cue, sing along, or even holler out “yee-haw,” if the urge struck. This was no straight-laced program, although it was educational. Each song was introduced with a little bit of background as to who wrote it, made it famous, or from whence it came.

I guess I must have had too many pre-conceived notions about what tonight’s music would be. The only song I recognized as Irish, (and I am of Irish descent), was “Wild Rover.” The two men performed with the Clancy Brothers for 15 years, and many more Irish tunes appear on the two CDs we purchased. Other CD titles are available. The two have been prolific in learning traditional songs and writing some of their own. They have a where their music CDs can be ordered.

Memorable songs played by Mac and Emery tonight were “Stewball,” “Blackbirds and Thrushes,” “No Vacancy,” “Just Because,” “Pistol-Packing Mama,” and an instrumental finale of the “Orange Blossom Special.” Of course, many other songs were played as well, including one request for “Rockin’ Alone in an Old Rocking Chair.”

On the long way home, we listened to the two of their CDs. I enjoyed hearing songs I’d heard in my childhood like, “Whiskey in the Jar,” “Brennan on the Moor,” and “Mountain Tea,” favorites of Burl Ives. Besides the one mentioned already, the other CD we had purchased is called, “Two Old Friends: Reunion.”

There is a single-spaced, two page list of scheduled engagements where these fine musicians will be playing in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire, and they have bookings until September 2010.

The meeting was opened with announcements from the vice-president of the Chatham Historical Society who also led the group in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. The Historical Society, co-sponsor of this event, has a building that is open to the public every Wednesday from 1-4:30 p.m. this summer.

The townspeople were friendly and served home-baked goodies and tropical punch as a treat, after the concert. We had never been to the town with a population of 260 people. of which 30 were present at this event. To reach the town, we had to drive to N. Conway and then up to Fryeburg, Maine, and then travel the winding back country roads of Rte. 113, past many potato farms, cemeteries, and a few churches. Eventually, we circled back into New Hampshire. There is no direct route to this town and if weren’t for this concert, we would have had no reason to go there!

Jim and I were certainly happy that we went out of our way to attend this event, and we recommend these performers for their good-natured kidding of each other, their stories, and their music. They quipped that the Meetinghouse is one of the few places they have ever played that has both an outhouse and a fax machine!

This presentation is another winner in the New Hampshire Humanities Council series, the sixth program we have attended this summer. This evening was a real treat. Thanks to all who were a part of its planning.

SCENES AROUND TOWN

Small potato farm in Chatham

Church across the street from the Meetinghouse

Cemetery in Chatham, NH

All photos courtesy of James Cummings.

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Patricia Cummings

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