Christmas By The Lake

The Hats Gigging At FION Barra Tomorrow Night

Tomorrow at 8 PM - 12 AM Dec 3 at 8 PM to Dec 4 at 12 AM

FION BARRA Ales & Spirits 107 Delaware Ave, Mason City, Iowa 50401

This Isn't Really A Picture Of Clark

 Our friend Clark Marshall, sort of pictured above, has an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage music and musicians, especially country and bluegrass. His musician profiles are really interesting, so we thought we'd share them with you.

 

Born in New Orleans, he was orphaned at age eight ..... fought 107 bouts as a boxer in his youth .... and became a barrel house 'professor' of New Orleans blues and boogie-woogie with his self-taught piano playing. He had settled in Chicago by the time he was 30 ... and eventually joined a circle of recording artists ranging from Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red to Eric Clapton and The Band. "Mama, move your false teeth, papa wanna scratch your gums" ..... William Thomas "Champion Jack" Dupree .... 1910 - 1992.

 

It's The Weekend!

December 1-4:

Cotton Patch Gospel - Grace Church, 440 N. Illinois Avenue . Cotton Patch Gospel is a dramatic musical comedy with music and lyrics written by Harry Chapin and book by Tom Key and Russell Treyz. Performances: Thursday – Saturday, December 1 – 3, at 7 pm.  Sunday, December 4 at 3 pm. Tickets $3, $10 for a family with kids age 21 and under may be found at Hy-Vee East and West.

December 2-11:

                Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Stebens Children's Theatre, 616 N Delaware (641-424-9802). Box office open 1-   5pm weekdays. Tickets are $11 for adults/$8 for 18 and under. Set to an engaging cornucopia of musical styles; country-western and          calypso to bubble-gum pop and rock n’ roll, this Old Testament tale emerges both timely and timeless. Joseph and his coat of many       colors      come to life in this delightful musical parable.

December 2:

                Winter North Iowa Farmers Market - Willlowbrook Mall, 1631 4^th St SW. From 3pm to 6pm, enjoy the good old home grown                 fruits       and vegetables and homemade baked goods.

December 2:

North Iowa Bulls Hockey vs. New Ulm- North Iowa Ice Arena at North Iowa Events Center, Hwy 122 West, 3700 4th St SW (641-423-4625).  Starts: 7:30pm. Admission: $10 adults; child under 18 & seniors 65+ $6; military/college student (ID required) $8. For more information: www.northiowabulls.com

December 2 - 3:

Designs under the Tree Craft Fair- First Covenant Church, 411 S. Ohio Avenue. Seasonal wreaths, silk and fresh evergreen floral, hand-dyed 100% Silk Scarves, ordinal designed jewelry, note cards, cotton and wool quilted designs, tree ornaments and giftware.  Friday - 10am-6pm, Saturday, 10am-4pm. A portion of the sales will be donated to the Humane Society.  

December 3:

                Coffee & Canvas - Country Meadow Place, 17396 Kingbird Avenue. Have fun, laugh, paint and create with someone special! $30 for canvas               and coffee from 10am-12pm. Must reserve your canvas beforehand! Contact Kim Boyd at 641-423-7722 or email                 manager@countrymeadowplace.com

December 3:

                Christmas Tea - The Decker House, 119 2nd St SE, (641-423-4700).  A Holiday High Tea will be served featuring a 3 courses of scones,    savories and desserts. Earl Grey Tea will be served in antique tea cups. Cost is $15.00, plus taxes. Reserve early for this popular event. Event           will be held from 12:30pm-2pm .

December 3:

                FREE Pictures with Santa - Willlowbrook Mall, 1631 4^th St SW.  11am-1pm bring your cameras and get a FREE photo with Santa!

December 2:

                Winter North Iowa Farmers Market - Willlowbrook Mall, 1631 4^th St SW. From 3pm to 6pm, enjoy the good old home grown fruits and                vegetables and homemade baked goods.

December 3:

                Love for the Holidays- NIACC Auditorium, 500 College Drive (641-422-4188). Starring Darlene Love , an annual holiday tradition on the     David Letterman Show singing her "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" hit song.  Show begins at 7:30. Tickets start at $20.  Call or order             online for tickets at www.niacc.edu/boxoffice

December 3:

Holiday Cards & Ornaments - Charles H. MacNider Art Museum, 302 2^nd St. SE (641-421-3666). Double up in this class session with greeting cards and ornaments for Christmas. A great time for making homemade gifts. Class time: 9am-noon. Cost: $25 public/ $22 members.

December 3:

                Live Music - Mason City Brewing, 28 E State Street (641-423-1080).  Veteran Montana musician Max Hay returns to Mason City Brewing for            a show 8pm- 11pm. There is no cover charge. Hay is promoting his CD "Christmas at Chester's". an original play for radio with was released       on November 8. 

December 3:

                Coffee & Canvas at Country Meadow Place – Hwy 122 West.  Art Asylum LLC will be here to help you paint a winter scene on canvas that             is yours to keep.  Event starts at 10am, cost is $30 with Mimosa and mini Quiche along with your canvas. Call Kim Boyd, Manager at 641-    423-7722 or email at manager@countrymeadowplace.com

Bruce's Insubordination Column for December!

 
December, 11 down one to go on the way to MMXVII.
From the Things You'd Never Expect File, I was asked to come back to work for the company that "let me go" about 13 months ago. It's on a limited schedule, I don't really want to give up retirement completely, Saturday nights from 7 to 11. All the years I was working I called the program the Night Train, Saturday's show will be the Insubordination Train because that's what I am.
Which brings me to the topic for this month about admitting when you broke the rules and the importance of not burning bridges behind.
My first full time radio show was for a station playing country music from Midnight to 5 am. The station manager that hired me went on to be corporate vice president for the company that owned it. I left on very good terms with everyone for a station closer to home in Mpls.
A couple of years later I was out of work and searching, I applied for the News Director position at a twin cities radio station with no previous experience and was hired largely on the basis of the recommendation from my former boss who was now a big shot.
My years in North Iowa have been spent from one station to the other for going on 39 years, fired from one hired by the other, off air and brought back only to repeat myself. Now, I could have done or said nasty things about them but I remained friends with the former workers and when the time was right I was hired back by these same people. The point being there's no sense in holding grudges, and a good memory is what you want to leave behind.
What I am doing at this moment is a result of an enduring friendship with the person who is behind this website, and what I'll be doing Saturday night is the same. The person who approached me about doing the air shift has been a friend for decades as well and the employees are glad to have me with them again.
I will be 68 this month and I am so thankful for many things that have led to this point, I've made mistakes, things I might have done differently but life's about learning.
Whether you celebrate the holidays or not I wish you peace and happiness and a bright new year.

Mason City Brewing, downtown Mason City, has music every weekend through the end of the year. This weekend it's Max Hay from Montana. Next weekend, Stephen Simmons of Nashville.  Local bands play too. Pub trivia is held every Wednesday, and they're building an open mic night on Thursdays. No cover. No purchase required.

Are You A Fan Of The Peanuts Soundtrack?

Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Surf Ballroom, you can be a kid in front of the TV again. The Donovan Johnson Band presents "The Music of Vince Guaraldi and The Peanuts" this Saturday, as part of Clear Lake's "Christmas By The Lake" festival. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, which opens at 6:00.  This is the soundtrack album cover--and we own this album. Seriously.

Best Cupcakes In The Area!