By Carson Ralston
Library Specialist-Adult Programs
Verde Valley News – Join us in the Fireside Room at Camp Verde Community Library at 5:00 pm on Thursday, March 16th for another amazing concert with the return of the nationally touring artist, Bernice Lewis.
With almost four decades of performing festivals, concert halls, coffeehouses, colleges, and house concerts, along with a half dozen acclaimed CDs, Bernice Lewis has built a solid national fan base. She is also a storyteller, published poet, producer, and educator extraordinaire. Lewis — who studied vocal improvisation with Bobby McFerrin, guitar technique with Alex DeGrassi and Guy van Duser, and songwriting with Rosanne Cash and Cris Williamson — has been a featured performer on NPR’s Mountain Stage program, as well as at the Kennedy Center. In 2008, she was awarded an Artist in Residence position by the National Park Service. In 1987, she was a finalist in the prestigious New Folk Songwriting Contest at the Kerrville (Texas) Folk Festival, where she continues to be a main stage favorite. Her ballad, “Bridges That Hold,” was included in Peter, Paul and Mary’s Lifelines video (PBS). She was featured in Yoga Journal for her work with sound and yoga, and has shared the stage with many renowned artists, including Dar Williams, Dixie Chicks, Patty Griffin, Pete Seeger, Ellis Paul, Rory Block, Livingston Taylor, Odetta, Christine Lavin, Marty Sexton, Patty Larkin, Catie Curtis, Mary Gauthier… it’s a long list.
She has a forty-eight year old daily yoga practice, loves strong coffee, and her religion is the Grand Canyon. “For me, it’s about the songs, each different, each a well thought out message, each a labor of love,” says Bernice. Bernice is The Artist Associate in Songwriting at Williams College in Williamstown, MA an and founding faculty member at Schreiner University’s Songkeeper Program in Kerrville, TX. She has taught at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO, Rock On Camp at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA, as well as at many schools and retreat centers. She has also been an Artist in Residence and workshop presenter at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, Kripalu Center for Yoga in Lenox, MA, and Esalen Institute in Big Sur.
Camp Verde Community Library is located just off Montezuma Castle Highway at 130 Black Bridge Road, Camp Verde AZ. For more information about this or any other library program visit the library’s website at www.cvlibrary.org or call 554-8391.