Join Chris Vallillo as he performs “Forgottonia” featuring music he wrote over the last 35 years about Western Illinois based on his experiences as a folklorist and songwriter in rural Illinois. Vallillo has spent the past 35 years documenting and preserving the heritage of Western Illinois: the land lovingly called Forgottonia.
The show combines music, storytelling, and historically accurate narratives. Along with the performance, Vallillo will speak to the history and backstories of songs that document, reflect, and validate rural lives, reinforcing these communities and their sense of commitment and worth. Thanks to Chris Vallillo, he has invited special guests to perform with him. These include, Don Steirnberg on mandolin, (protégée of the great Chicago jazz mandolinist, Jethro Burns) and Marc Edelstein on string bass (a musician devoted to American roots music).
We are in for a unique treat and hope you will join us for this enjoyable evening of music and storytelling!
This event is generously sponsored by the Illinois Humanities "Road Scholars Speakers Bureau" in which speakers travel across Illinois to bring art, culture, history, and contemporary social issues to life, making the humanities accessible to all!