Bluegrass in New York

Madison Square Park Conservancy and The Baisley Powell Elebash Fund present the 2012 Mad. Sq. Music: The Studio Series to promote and foster a legacy of American music through free, live music performances on Saturday afternoons. Set against the fall foliage of Madison Square Park, the intimate Studio Series atmosphere creates a beautiful space for artists to share the tradition of their craft. The first of four events this season on September 15 presents Jim Lauderdale at 4pm and The Honeycutters at 3pm. Some seating at café tables is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Concertgoers can enjoy food offerings from acclaimed chef Zakary Pelaccio and his team at Fatty Crew (Fatty Crab, Fatty ‘Cue and Fatty Snack) throughout the season. All shows are rain or shine.

Mad. Sq. Music: The Studio Series is sponsored by Kew Management, Zwicker Electric Co, Inc., WFUV 90.7FM, Fatty Crew, NYCulture, NYSCA, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, Time Out New York, and Ace Hotel. A special thanks to The Studio Series presenting sponsor: The Baisley Powell Elebash Fund.

Jim Lauderdale – 4PM

Jim Lauderdale is a multi-talented performer and songwriter, with successes in both country and bluegrass music. His roots stem from theCarolinas, yet his career has taken him all over the United States and abroad, making him an international recording artist with an ever-growing fan base. Jim won “Artist of the Year” and “Song of the Year” at the first “Honors and Awards Show” held by the Americana Music Association in 2002. Lauderdale has six Grammy nominations and has won two Grammy Awards. Jim’s musical influences include the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley and George Jones. These influences and his unique sense of melody and lyric help forge a sound that is truly his own. His current release, “Patchwork River” (his second collaboration with Grateful Dead lyricist, Robert Hunter) is currently on the Americana radio charts.

The Honeycutters – 3PM

The Honeycutters are, at the heart, the musical collaboration of singer/songwriter Amanda Platt and Lead Guitarist/Producer, Peter James. Amanda Platt has been hailed as “one of the best songwriters coming out of WNC (Western North Carolina) these days” by WNCW programming director Martin Anderson, and her voice has been described as “perfectly unadorned” and “recklessly beautiful”. Tal Taylor on mandolin and Ian Harrod on acoustic bass round out Platt’s songs and create a sound that carries just as well across the bar room as the acoustic duo does in a church or a music hall. While their sound has drawn comparisons to such artists as GramParsons and Emmylou Harris or Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Platt and James produce a refreshingly unique blend of Americana music that is comfortinglyfamiliar while being entirely original.

WHERE: Mad. Sq. Music: The Studio Series takes place on the Southern Gravel of Madison Square Park near Shake Shack.

Enter the park on 23rd Street and Fifth or Madison Avenue.

WHEN: September 15, 3pm–5pm

Event website