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.
The Songs of John, Paul, George and Ringo
Rod MacDonald & the Humdingers
When the Beatles broke up in 1970, they were the top-selling band in history and still are. The four members, not yet 30, then went on to successful solo careers, each topping the charts on his own. While George Harrison expressed his spiritual yearnings in “Isn’t It a Pity” and John Lennon tried to “Imagine” a different world, Paul McCartney became the biggest-selling songwriter of all time with such pop classics as “Live And Let Die,” and Ringo Starr led his All-Starr Band on “It Don’t Come Easy” tours.
Join Rod MacDonald & The Humdingers for a fun and low-decibel tour through the lives, music and genius of these unique artists, as told in their songs.
Register Early! There is a $5 charge for registering on the day of a one-time lecture or event.
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| Course # WNR6 — One Time Event
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| Place: | Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Thursday, February 13 2020 |
| Time: | 7 - 8:30 PM |
| Fee: | $35 / member; $45 / non-member |
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Register Now
The Songs of Willie Nelson
Rod MacDonald & the Humdingers
Breaking in as a Nashville songwriter with hits like “Nightlife” and “Crazy” (the most played song in the history of American jukeboxes), Willie Nelson rose to popularity by transcending country music with his jazz-inflected guitar and such classic songs as “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” “On The Road Again,” “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before” and “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.” A sophisticated musician and gentle singer, his multi-platinum album of jazz standards, “Blue Skies,” is among the top collections of the Great American Songbook.
Join Rod MacDonald & The Humdingers for a fun and low-decibel tour through the life, music and genius of this legend of American music, as told in his songs.
Register Early! There is a $5 charge for registering on the day of a one-time lecture or event.
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| Course # WNR5 — One Time Event
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| Place: | Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Thursday, January 30 2020 |
| Time: | 8 - 9:30 PM |
| Fee: | $35 / member; $45 / non-member |
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Register Now
Music Americana: A Lifetime of Song
From sheer talent, breaking new ground, or outselling their rivals, a few artists are foremost practitioners of their art. Their work is legendary, their styles imitated, but never surpassed, their triumphs and losses brilliantly conveyed in their music. From the deep baritone of Paul Robeson to the crystalline harmonies of Crosby, Stills & Nash; from the Gulag-defying symphonies of Shostakovich to the rock operas of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody; from the intense lyricism of Bob Dylan to the lyric soul of Nina Simone, great artists rise above their peers and critics to tell our story.
This course will examine the work, biographies and enduring importance of these musical artists and attempt to sort myth from reality, using updated videos and excerpts from feature films, live performances and a few surprises.
Eight Lectures
- More Than a Song - Paul Robeson, Dimitri Shostakovich
- Historic Voices - Marian Anderson, Maria Callas
- The Words Of Poets - Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan
- The Great Story - “A Star Is Born,” “Bohemian Rhapsody”
- The Great Story - Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder
- The Sweetest Sound - Crosby, Stills & Nash, Rod Stewart
- The New Broadway Musical - Bob Fosse/Gwen Verdon, Hadestown
- No Time For Crying - Nina Simone, Mavis Staples
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| Course # W8T4 — Full 8 Weeks
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| Place: | Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Tuesdays, January 14, 21, 28; February 4, 11, 18, 25; March 3 2020 |
| Time: | 2:30 - 4:15 PM |
| Fee: | $100 / member; $130 / non-member |
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Register Now
