The Carl Sandburg Songbag Concert Series will kick off their 2021 season next Sunday, Aug. 8 with a well-known voice both in Galesburg and around the country. Semenya McCord has been entertaining and educating for decades with her jazz, gospel, blues vocals, and storytelling ability. She’s appeared on numerous albums that date back to the 1970s and has taught in various music education programs for more than 30 years. Her music program, “The Spiritual Face of Jazz” includes slave spirituals, the blues, and the music of Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, among others. Accompaniment will be provided by another well-known local figure in music education, Paula Helle. All Songbag concerts are at the Sandburg site’s barn at 313 E. Third Street in Galesburg. The show is 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a break for refreshments at 3:00 p.m. A donation of $5 per person is suggested. Those attending will be required to observe all current guidance from the CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health regarding face coverings and social distancing.
