Matt Hammer!

(Takes place in the basement of All Saints' Episcopal Church, in association with the 2024 Three Rivers Folklife Society's Annual Meeting)

Matt Hammer!

Matt Hammer is the concert performer for our Annual 3RFS Business Meeting. Matt is a semi-retired professional folksinger and songwriter (there’s no such thing as a truly retired one). Matt found music to be his lifetime passion. Originally from Idaho Falls, he started entertaining and hitchhiking across America when only 18 years old. His travels took him from Chicago to San Francisco and even the Tri-Cities. Eventually he arrived in Alaska where he fell in love with her rugged intrinsic beauty and spent over 40 years of his life there. He opened for many acts playing the Alaska circuit, including Emmy Lou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Hoyt Axton, Jerry Jeff Walker, Steve Goodman, and Air Supply. While in Alaska, he played the Alaska Sate Fair, and numerous festivals.

In the late 80’s Matt combined talents with Doc Schultz to entertain many Alaskans until Doc left the state in 1986.In 1990 Matt established The Great Alaskan Opry, creating an expressive form for some of Alaska’s finest musical talent. He performed for many years at fund-raising events in support of Colonel Norman Vaughn’s Iditarod efforts. In 2005, the Matt Hammer Band toured throughout South-central Alaska. Matt performed with his wife, Lona, in Alaska and on trips to Seattle, Nashville, and New Orleans from 2009 to 2013.After 40 years in Alaska, Matt and Lona moved to Kennewick to be closer to family, and Lona was director of the Kennewick Housing Authority until her very recent retirement. Matt and Lona have been regular performers at Tumbleweed and other local events since 2015.

Matt’s own music includes reflections such as “Foolin’ Myself,” the whimsical and evocative reminder “Write Your Mom,” a tribute to the event commemorated annually by the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, and an epic of love and admiration to Colonel Norman Vaughn, “It’s a Marvelous Adventure.” Along the way he covers favorites such as “Mr. Bojangles” and Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey.” He even does imitations of classic pop artists which would go well on Saturday Night Live. His music is available on CDs.

Matt’s performance will immediately follow the 7:00 pm 3RFS Annual Business Meeting. The concert is free to 3RFS members. Non-member admissions are $20, however for the cost of membership (buy at the door or online) you can get the concert free and get reduced rates on 3RFS concerts and coffee houses. Enter All Saints Episcopal Church from the door by the back parking lot.

Some past virtual events still are available:

Saturday, April 17, 2021
Hank Cramer and Friends

Direct from his home in Winthrop! Hank will be joined by a couple of his "road buddies" including Michelle Cameron from Richland, WA, on cello and harmony vocals, and Jim Honeyman from Pasco, WA, singing harmony and mandolin. This concert will stream live beginning at 7:30 PM on Saturday, April 17, via this vimeo link. See our April issue of Folk Talk for additional information.

Sunday, March 14, 2021
CLOISTERED CELTIC CONCERT, performed on "Pi Day," and first day of Daylight Savings Time!

Featuring Dan Maher, Four Shillings Short, David Ingerson, The Blow-Ins, and Harmony Ridge. Available for later viewing via this vimeo link.

Saturday, December 5, 2020.
OUR TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY CONCERT

Featuring Watch the Sky, Magical Strings, Curtis and Loretta, Heidi Muller and Bob Webb.
Available for later viewing via this vimeo link. The performance will be available through 2021 for your listening enjoyment. We will not be charging for this concert but hope you will donate directly to the performers' PayPal or Venmo accounts.