For music lovers in the Verde Valley, Clarkdale’s annual free Concerts in the Park will start on Saturday, May 31, and run through Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Clarkdale Town Park, from 7 to 9 p.m. each evening. In past years, the concerts have drawn audiences of between 500 and 1,000 attendees. The opening concert on May 31 will feature Local Honey playing reggae, funk, rhythm, blues and jam rock.
Formed in 2022 and based in Cottonwood, Local Honey is Doc Glendenning on guitar and lead vocals, Phil “Philly G” Gornick on keyboard, Jason Teague on bass, and back-up vocals.
Jason Teague said, “Playing the Playing the Clarkdale Concert in the Park is one of the highlights of the year for us. We have enjoyed attending the Clarkdale Concert in the Park for years, enjoying the musical acts Marjor Lingo, The Johnny Lingo Trio, and And the Cadillac Angels (to name just a few). In those early days of the concert series, we always dreamed of being a musical staple in the world of Verde Valley entertainment like these great local bands. As Local Honey, this will be the third time that we have had the privilege to take the stage for this concert series.” He added, “Performing our music for a live audience is simply an amazing experience. There is something special about seeing people of all ages and walks of life getting down to our music. Reggae music celebrates love, unity, and justice. We strive to live up to this tradition while staying true to our own life experiences and musical influences. This means that during our show, you will hear more traditional Reggae songs as well as surprising covers that have a Local Honey twist. Our goal is to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together in times of joy, fun and musical inspiration.”
Caleb Wright on drums and back-up vocals and Tory Campbell on percussion. Local Honey will be followed by country singer Tyller Gummersall on Saturday, June 14. Gummersall’s country music journey roots back to his upbringing as a young cowboy in Colorado, according to his website. He found his passion for music intertwined with his life on the ranch The spirit of the cowboy lifestyle became the corner-stone of his musical identity, his website states. His love for traditional country music spurred him on a journey that led him from Nashville, Tenn., to the honky-tonks of Texas. Now based in Prescott, Gummersall stated that he continues to draw inspiration from the rugged landscape and rich musical heritage of the Southwest, from the sage-brush plains to the sun-kissed deserts, with songs that paint a vivid portrait of life in the American West, according to his website. He has produced nine albums and EPs and received over 1 million online streams. Gummersall stated that his music continues to captivate audiences with its heartfelt storytelling and nostalgic melodies.
Outside the Line of Phoenix, which previously appeared in Payson, Flagstaff and Cottonwood, will play the June 28 show. “We are very excited to be coming down to Clarkdale to bring a little of our musical magic,” Outside the Line lead singer Dee Johnson said. “When we perform, it is our goal to touch everyone of all ethnic backgrounds, ages and genres. So we will give you some ’60s, ’70s, some ’80s.Then we will shoot up to the new millennium with a few current tunes. You will also hear anything from the Beatles to Earth Wind and Fire, Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Adele and many others.” Johnson added that she felt that music had been embedded in her when she was a child, as she came from a musical family, and that the same was true of her band-mates. She said she hoped the event would be a musical journey the people of Clarkdale would never forget. Outside the Line includes Johnson, James Logan onlead vocals, Shaun Erik Johnson on bass and vocals, Chris Strong on percussion and Jimmy Porter on guitar, guitar synthesizer and vocals.
The July 19 concert will feature X-Static, a classic rock group that has played Sedona but not Clarkdale, who said that they were flattered and grateful for the opportunity. Drummer Mark Ulmer has been drumming since the1990s and said that the band came together “as a collection of vastly seasoned players from a mix of genres. Classic rock, blues rock, pop and funk, it’s safe to say someone in our band has covered that style or genre. We came from different bands and found each other via various on-line musician postings, as well as ‘word of mouth’ connections.” Ulmer also added, “Our motto is ‘danceable and recognizable,’ but not the songs you hear played over and over at various venues. We feel that approach makes for amore exciting experience for attendees and it seems to be successful.” Ulmer said they were looking forward to showing off on July 19.Tribute bands Tommy Rocks, a Beatles cover band, and Matchbox Twenty Too will perform at the Saturday, Aug.9 and Aug. 23 shows, respectively.
The Naughty Bits will conclude the series on Sept. 6with rock medleys. A spinoff of Yin Yang & Zen Some band, The Naughty Bits is a mash-up and medley party band consisting of Dylan Jung on bass guitar, Jason Vargoon guitar and vocals, Lou Moretti on drums, Mike Jung on guitar and “Uncle” Marc Wolin on trombone. Food truck owners and vendors wanting to participate can submit a vendor application at clarkdale.az.gov/concerts.
