Music Appreciation and Performance
Rod MacDonald began his career as a singer/songwriter in Greenwich Village, NY in 1973. He has 21 songs in the Smithsonian Folkways collection and has released 12 CDs of his own songs, including 2018’s “Beginning Again” and three CDs with the Palm Beach County band Big Brass Bed. He performs in festivals, clubs and concerts locally and throughout North America and Europe and was named “Best Local Acoustic Performer” in Broward and Palm Beach counties by the New Times and “one of the ten magnificent musicians of Palm Beach County” by the Palm Beach Post. An instructor with Osher LLI at Florida Atlantic University since 2006, his previous series include Music Americana, The Great American Songbook and The Roots of Rock and Roll.
Learn more about Rod at www.rodmacdonald.net.
Bob Dylan Since the 1960s
With Rod MacDonald & Big Brass Bed
Time Magazine called Bob Dylan “The Voice of His
Generation” for his civil rights anthems and sardonic
critiques of society. After a near-fatal accident, retirement
and family, he returned to the forefront of music and has
remained there for four decades, still writing powerful,
profound songs and inspiring younger generations with
blues, gospel, roots and folk music. He’s written a bestselling
book and been the subject of feature films and
documentaries, all while performing in the “Never-Ending
Tour” (since 1978) and recording 28 albums of new songs.
From the historic “Nashville Skyline” with “Lay Lady Lay,”
to 2015’s Sinatra-themed “Shadows In The Night,” he’s had
five #1 albums — two since 2009 — and won Grammys for
Best Folk Recording and Album Of The Year, his songs still
bursting with complex poetry, wisdom and humor. Join Rod
MacDonald and Big Brass Bed for a fun and low-decibel tour
through the life and genius of one of the brilliant minds of
the 21
st century, as told in his songs.
Big Brass Bed formed in 2002 and has been performing throughout South Florida, sometimes as The Humdingers:
- Rod MacDonald, guitar, has 11 CDs of his songs, including 2014’s "Later That Night," as heard on WLRN’s Folk and Acoustic Music. He performs frequently in South Florida and throughout North America and Europe, including several annual Bob Dylan festivals and was named one of "Ten Greatest South Florida Folksingers Of All Time" by New Times. He has been an instructor with LLS since 2006.
- Bill Meredith, drums, is the backbone of several Palm Beach County rock and roll bands, including Big Brass Bed and Illumination. He has toured throughout the US and Canada, and appears on more than a dozen CDs.
- Brad Keller, keyboards, has performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival and with Maynard Ferguson and the Ink Spots, and is the jazz piano instructor at Palm Beach State College. He has taught music in Palm Beach County public schools for 20 years, and is co-author of the “Jazz Cats” books used to introduce young students to jazz.
- Randy Ward, bass and vocals, graduated from the University of Miami's jazz program and has been a mainstay of the local music scene ever since.
- John Smotherman, lead guitar, plays with Big Brass Bed, Illumination and several Palm Beach County bands. His exquisite solos caused the Palm Beach Post to label him one of the “Ten Magnificent Musicians of Palm Beach County.”
Register Early! There is a $5 charge for registering on the day of a one-time lecture or event.
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Course # S1R0 — One Time Event
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Place: | Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
Dates: | Thursday, April 28 2016 |
Time: | 7 - 8:30 PM |
Fee: | $25 / member; $35 / non-member |
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Register Now