NEWSLETTER

MARCH, 2006

The Purple Onion will be closed for renovations March 6-8. More about this below. When I was putting together the performance schedule some months ago for March, it didn’t occur to me that we would have five performers from Asheville and one from nearby Green Creek. It is great to be surrounded by so many truly fine musicians who thankfully love to perform at the café.

MARCH 2 – JOEL UNDERWOOD. This left-handed guitarist singer/songwriter from Asheville is making his debut.

MARCH 4 – MICHAEL JOHNATHAN. Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, this folk singer is also with us for the first time.

MARCH 9 – DANA & SUSAN ROBINSON. This duo from Asheville returns with their beautiful mountain music.

MARCH 11 – KELLIN WATSON. Another Asheville singer/songwriter was so well received last year that we had to have her back.

MARCH 16 – FAYSSOUX MCLEAN & BRANDON TURNER. McLean has sung back-up with Emmylou Harris and Turner is a guitar wizard who has performed at the café before.

MARCH 18 – BEAUCOUP BLUE. This father-son duo from Philadelphia returns with their “roots revivalist” music.

MARCH 20 – ROBERT SEILER. At the piano. All proceeds go to the Children & Family Resource Center in Hendersonville.

MARCH 23 – YASMINE WHITE. Singer/songwriter from Chapel Hill performers here for the first time.

MARCH 25 – THE MUSES. This three-women a cappella powerhouse from Asheville are wonderful performers.

MARCH 30 – CHRIS ROSSER. David Wilcox says that “Chris’s songs are good medicine.” And did I mention that he is also from Asheville.

APRIL 1 – HICKORY GROVE. Bluegrass at its best from this Green Creek band that has joined us several times in the past.

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As mentioned above, the café will be closed March 6-8. We will be installing a new bar and otherwise changing the current counter and display case area. Once that is done, we will be installing a tap or two and selling keg beer. The bar will be made from beautiful curly cherry, wood that Susan bought (I am told) some 20 years ago when she was doing craft work with wood. (Owning the Purple Onion is only her latest incarnation as an artist.). She and her husband, Stoney, who also knows a thing or two about wood, have said that this bar is going to be so gorgeous that all of the other restaurants and bars in the area will have terminal cases of “bar envy”. While I cannot vouch for that, this will give you yet another reason to come see us.

We have also redesigned the Purple Onion web site. That is the royal “we”. It was actually done by Emily Lamar, Susan’s daughter, who has done a great job on it. In fact, it is downright terrific. Check it out at www.purpleonionsaluda.com . You can now view the menu and wine lists to get your mouth watering before you even get here. The music calendar has been revamped and includes links to the performers’ web sites (if they have one) for more information about their music. You can read the current newsletter as well as some archived ones. If you are new to the area, there are also directions to the café. Finally, there is a way for you and prospective musicians to contact us questions, suggestions, observations, etc.

Let us know what you think of the new site and, of course, the bar.

I would be remiss if I did not remind you that WNCW is having its Spring fund-raiser March 20-25. As you know, WNCW announces the Purple Onion performance schedule several times each week day. We happily pay for this opportunity for two reasons. First, WNCW is primarily responsible for western North Carolina becoming a center for music which allows us to attract as many fine performers as we do to the café. Second, most of you listen to WNCW and come to the café as a result. Your support of WNCW will also benefit us. Do what you can.

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From George Lakoff’s book, “Moral Politics”, who asked his scholar friend “if he could think of a single question, the answer to which would be the best indicator of liberal vs. conservative political attitudes. His response: “If your baby cries at night, do you pick him up?”

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Bumper sticker of the month: “God should have stopped on the sixth day.”

Robert Seiler
Purple Onion Café
www.purpleonionsaluda.com