CHESTERTOWN, MD – The Washington College Riverfront Concert Series kicks off Thursday, June 27 at 6:30 p.m. with singer/songwriters Teresa Whitaker and Frank Schwartz and guitarist Mac Walter. The trio will present an evening of contemporary and traditional folksongs, including a special tribute to the late Chesapeake Bay songwriter Tom Wisner. 

Held on the lawn of the Custom House, corner of High and Water streets, the popular free concert series is presented by the College’s C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets, lawn chairs and picnic dinners and to enjoy free lemonade and cookies. In case of inclement weather, the concerts will take place in The Egg, a performance space on the ground floor of Hodson Hall Commons on the main Washington College campus, 300 Washington Avenue.

Originally from Cynthiana, Ky., Teresa Whitaker is a musician and storyteller with a mercurial voice and a lively and joyous performance style. She tells original stories and traditional folktales, weaving in participatory music that incorporates guitar, Celtic harp and percussion instruments. Frank Schwartz is a gifted singer and songwriter adept at playing in a variety of musical styles. Schwartz was a founding member of the Maryland Irish band O’Malley’s March. Whitaker and Schwartz were part of Tom Wisner’s recordings over the past 20 years, including a noteworthy performance together at the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in Washington, DC. For more information about Teresa Whitaker and Frank Schwartz, visit their web site at http://www.frankandteresa.net.

Special guest Mac Walter is a three-time winner at the Washington Area Music Awards (WAMMIES). A master guitarist of folk, rock, blues, jazz and country, Walter toured with legendary Texas blues rocker Johnny Winter as well as D.C. greats Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan and Deanna Bogart. For information about Mac Walter, visit www.macwalter.com. 

The C.V. Starr Center fosters innovative approaches to understanding America’s past and present through educational programs, scholarship, public outreach and a special focus on written history.  Launched in 2010, the Riverfront Concert Series builds on the Center’s longstanding interest in the musical traditions of the American Experience and the Chesapeake Bay region and the rich storytelling heritage of both. 

The series continues on July 11 with acoustic swing with a Hawaiian accent from the Hula Monsters and ends on July 25 with Celtic fusion from the OCEAN Quartet. The Kent County Arts Council, Yerkes Construction, and Washington College’s Student Events Board provide special assistance for the concerts, with additional support from the Maryland State Arts Council. For more information visit http://www.starrcenter.washcoll.edu or call 410-810-7161.