Pianist George Winston added to WAC lineup | Press Release

** This Walton Arts Center press release was not edited by Ozarks Unbound except for the addition of video, image and hyperlinks **

New event added to the Walton Arts Center 2009-10 season:

GEORGE WINSTON

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS (August 24, 2009) — Walton Arts Center is excited to announce the addition of pianist George Winston to the 2009-10 season lineup. Best known for his melodic folk piano style, Winston will perform one solo concert at Walton Arts Center Sunday, November 1 at 2 pm. Tickets range from $30.50 to $42.50 and go on sale Thursday, August 27 at 9 am. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the Walton Arts Center Box Office at 479.443.5600 or by visiting waltonartscenter.org.

An accomplished pianist and avid philanthropist, Winston regularly hosts food drives at his performances all around the country. For his November 1st engagement, he is teaming up with Walton Arts Center to host a canned food drive benefiting the NWA Food Bank. Patrons are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to Walton Arts Center on the day of the performance. A portion of George Winston merchandise sales will also be donated to the NWA Food Bank.

Originally inspired by R&B, jazz, blues and rock (especially The Doors), Winston began playing the organ in the late 60s. In 1971, he took up the acoustic piano after hearing recordings from the 1920s and 30s by the legendary stride pianists Thomas “Fats” Waller and the late Teddy Wilson (“stride” is a jazz piano style that evolved partially from ragtime). In addition to working on stride piano, Winston developed his own melodic instrumental style called “folk piano”. By 1972, he recorded his first solo piano album, Ballads and Blues 1972.

“Though he’s a renowned R&B player himself, the style is but one shade of Winston’s musical pallet,” said one reviewer for the Redding Record Searchlight (CA). “He’s perhaps best known for his melodic folk piano style, which is reflected in seasonal and geographically based albums…”

Since 1980, Winston has released countless solo piano albums including Autumn, Winter Into Spring, December, Summer, Forest, Linus & Lucy – The Music of Vince Guaraldi, which features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including Cast Your Fate to the Wind and pieces from the Peanuts TV specials; Plains, inspired by his Eastern Montana upbringing; Night Divides The Day –The Music of The Doors and Montana – A Love Story. In 1984, Winston recorded the solo piano soundtrack for the children’s story The Velveteen Rabbit for Rabbit Ears Productions.

In 2001, Winston released Remembrance – A Memorial Benefit, benefiting those affected by 9/11. The six-track album featured piano, guitar and harmonica solos. His most recent solo piano release is Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions – A Hurricane Relief Benefit (2006), which features originals, as well as pieces by the great New Orleans pianists Henry Butler, James Booker and Dr. John. Currently, Winston is working on Love Will Come – The Music of Vince Guaraldi, Vol. 2, the follow-up to the 1996 Linus & Lucy – The Music of Vince Guaraldi. Love Will Come is scheduled for release this year.

His November 1st performance marks Winston’s second visit to Walton Arts Center.

“We last presented George Winston to a sold-out audience during our second season [1993-94],” said Jennifer Ross, Director of Programming. “He has since released many more albums and we think our audiences will enjoy spending a Sunday afternoon with him here at Walton Arts Center.”

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