Acton COA Presents: State Songs of the USA Presentation with John Clark

Many state songs are barely known by the residents of that state, but most of this program’s state songs will be familiar to everyone in the room. Home on the Range (Kansas), You Are My Sunshine (Louisiana) Yankee Doodle (Connecticut), Carry Me Back to Old Virginny, Oklahoma, and Georgia on My Mind are the most recognizable of the bunch. Here is an interesting fact: Roll on Columbia (Washington) was written by Woody Guthrie and his son Arlo Guthrie wrote Massachusetts, one of our own seven state songs. Two more of these state songs are credited to Stephen Foster–Swanee River (Florida) and My Old Kentucky Home. And two of the more recent state songs were written and recorded by singer/songwriter John Denver—Take Me Home Country Roads (West Virginia) and Rocky Mountain High (Colorado). You’ll learn a lot about the history of many of our states and of our great country from the back stories of the song writing. So come along and celebrate our nation’s 250^th birthday and sing or hum along if the mood strikes! Prior to a career as a high school and adult education teacher, John Clark worked in music publishing in Nashville. He enjoys sharing his passion for music with senior centers and senior residences.

Open to out-of-towners 60+ for $5