Bluegrass and mountain music to come to Tuftonboro for Mother’s Day weekend

TUFTONBORO — Join renowned five-string banjo virtuoso and singer Michelle Canning, along with award-winning mountain dulcimer player and singer Sarah Kate Morgan, for a lively evening of bluegrass and mountain music. The concert will be at the Old White Church of Center Tuftonboro on Saturday, May 11, at 7 p.m. The Old White Church is located on Route 109A, across from the Tuftonboro General Store & Post Office, and everyone is invited to attend. Admission is free, but a $10 donation is suggested. For more information about the concert, call Joe Ewing at 603-569-3861.

Michelle Canning, originally from North Andover, Massachusetts, currently lives in Nashville. Canning is known as an energetic performer of bluegrass and country music. A banjo player and vocalist, she plays a variety of instruments, including guitar and bass. She has toured several states and seven cities in China. In 2009, Canning became the youngest person and only female to earn the title of New England Banjo Champion. She has recorded and released two albums which include several of her original compositions. Canning studied music at Morehead State University in Kentucky, where she graduated with bachelor of arts and master's of business administration degrees. 

Sarah Kate Morgan’s music showcases her respect of folk music and her creative approach to arranging. When backing traditional Appalachian melodies and tunes with fresh harmonies and a progressive drive, Morgan lends a new feel to seemingly old tunes, while accompanying vocals with the Appalachian dulcimer. 

At the age of 16, Morgan placed third at the 2010 National Mountain Dulcimer Championships, and has since won titles including Mid-Eastern Region Mountain Dulcimer Champion, Kentucky State, and Southern Region Champion. In 2010, Morgan’s original song "Shepherd of the Hills" received second place at the New Songs Showcase at the Walnut Valley Festival. The same year, she was awarded a concert slot at the Walnut Valley Festival, Acoustic Kids Concert as the first dulcimer player with that recognition. In 2010, Morgan released her first album, 'Simply Sarah', and is currently recording her second.