:
Abraham
Lincoln In Song
Endorsed
by the Illinois Lincoln Bicentennial Commission!
The
life of Abraham Lincoln spanned a period of change, growth
and struggle in our young nation, and the music of his era
movingly characterizes these remarkable times.
From his days as a flat-boater, through his time at New Salem,
his years as a circuit lawyer and on up through his presidency,
Lincoln's life is a microcosm of the development of Illinois
during that period.
Abraham Lincoln
in Song helps shed light on one of history's most beloved
figures — not only as a remarkable leader, but as a man —
who knew and loved many of these very songs himself. Special
emphasis is placed on showing Lincoln 's unique bond with
the common man and his desire for reconciliation, not revenge.
It is an extensively researched, historically accurate program
Chris uses period music Lincoln may well have known and sung,
and Lincoln 's own stories to illustrate his life and put
it into context.
The show is designed
to be an interactive, accessible, program that educates as
well as entertains. It covers Lincoln 's life from his birth
on the big south fork of Nolan's Creek in Kentucky in 1809
through his death in 1865. It has been performed in association
with the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, The Lincoln
Home National Historic site and various touring exhibits including
Forever Free from the Huntington Library. Abraham
Lincoln in Song has recently been endorsed by the Illinois
Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The show works well for both
school audiences (grade 3 and up) and adult audiences.
Roots
Music of Rural Illinois
Illinois
is unique among all the states in that its access to the
major waterways of the Mississippi, Ohio and Illinois Rivers
as well as the Great Lakes made it a virtual crossroads of
peoples, cultures and ideas. As railroads surpassed the rivers
as a means of transportation, Illinois would become the Central
hub for the nation's rails. This mingling of people produced
a rich body of roots music which paints a colorful portrait
of our heritage and gives detailed insight into the people
and times that forged the state we have become. From the songs
of the first pioneers through the era of Steamboats, trains
and early radio, award winning folksinger/music collector
Chris Vallillo brings this rich heritage to life in a lively
performance and discussion of the roots music of rural Illinois
and its impact on our lives today.
Folk
Music and Folk Musicians of Central Illinois
In 1986, in association with the Illinois Arts Council and
the Library of Congress, Chris Vallillo carried out a project
to interview the last of the pre-radio generation and to collect
their oral histories and music. The master tapes and
transcripts from that project are now part of the Folklife
Collection in the Library of Congress. In a musical program
and commentary, he brings to life the stories and performs
the music of people from rural Illinois in the late 19th century.
He includes a brief description of the collecting process
and performs a selection of the material he documented.
Folk
Music For Little Folks
In this engaging and entertaining performance, Vallillo presents
a folk musical performance geared towards younger audiences.
Chris introduces and discusses traditional Illinois folk music
and performs on the guitar, resonator slide guitar, Jew's
Harp and an 1880's hammered dulcimer.
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"Fine
performances featuring... unadorned music that speaks volumes
about the reality of living in the rural Midwest"
Chris
is a regular performer in the Mississippi excursion riverboat
"Twilight". The Twilight takes you on a beautiful
two day adventure on the Mississippi River from LeClaire,
IA up to historic Galena, IL and then back the next day. 
Chris
also hosts and produces the