Willa Cather 150th Birthday Celebration in Brownville!

SATURDAY OR SUNDAY PACKAGE INCLUDES:
– Brownville Village Theatre production of “A Resurrection,” a story based in Brownville, written by Willa Cather, adapted by Rachel Curtiss.
– Dinner and music at the Brownville Concert Hall. Menu inspired by Willa Cather novels and life. Chef Paul will present an “amuse the mouth” meal. Live music from late 1800s by singers in costume from Opera Omaha, Mary Carrick and CeCe Hastreiter accompanied by pianist, J. Gawf.
– Embark on a river cruise on the Spirit of Brownville on Saturday after dinner for wine & chocolates
or a lunch cruise on Sunday before the play.
– Hand-printed copy of Cather’s article onBrownville, “An Old River Metropolis” plus much more!

Limited Tickets Available!

Ying Li – Concert Pianist

Twenty-four-year-old Chinese pianist Ying Li is the First Prize winner of the 2021 Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, as well as recipient of The Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival Prize and the Tri-I Noon Recitals Prize. She has received top awards in numerous national and international competitions. Free Master Class & Ticket for Piano Students – Call Box Office 402-825-3331.

John Byrne Concert at Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast

Come listen to our favorite Irishman! John Byrne is back!

Outdoor concert (weather permitting).

Bring your chairs, blankets and snacks/drinks. $$ is suggested donation to the artist

More details about John here.

Summer Music Series at Arbor Day Farm

Don’t let the summer slip by without taking in the Summer Music Series at Arbor Day Farm. Join us for an entertaining evening of free music and yard game tournaments in the beautiful historic barns! Bring a blanket and lawn chair or grab a picnic table, and then sit back and relax. Mark your calendar and check back here for band and tournament information.

Beer, Arbor Day Farm wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase as well as a limited variety of Porter’s barbecue items. Please no beer, wine, or other alcohol carried onto the property.

There’s so much to see and do at Arbor Day Farm. Make it a getaway with an overnight stay at Lied Lodge. Call 800-546-5433 or go online to reserve.

View Property Map

Live Music with Garrett Speer in the Arbor Day Farm Orchard

There’s no better way to kick off a fall weekend than with live music outside at Arbor Day Farm. Meet us in the orchard beginning at 8 p.m. for country artist Garret Speer out of Nashville.

Purchase tickets in advance at arbordayfarm.showclix.com. $10 for adults; $5 for kids 3-12; and free for kids 2 and under. Seating is limited, so bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the evening! Hard cider and wine will be available for purchase until 10 p.m.

Safely Visiting Arbor Day Farm

We are committed to providing a safe space for everyone who visits and works here. Please help us make that possible.

Wear a mask in all indoor public spaces
Maintain 6-ft social distancing
Wash/sanitize hands frequently

New Year’s Eve Celebration at Lied Lodge

Celebrate 2020 by ringing in the new year with The Bottle Tops at Lied Lodge! Entertainment begins at 8:30 p.m. and includes light hors d’oeuvres, a Champagne toast at midnight, and a full cash bar.

Tickets are $20 +tax in advance; $30 +tax at the door.Call 800-546-5433 or stop by the Lied Lodge front desk to purchase tickets. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Oktoberfest at Arbor Day Farm

Nothing says fall quite like Oktoberfest, and you’re invited to share in the fun at Arbor Day Farm’s Historic Barns on Sunday, October 7, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Enjoy authentic German foods along with seasonal beers. Dance to polka music from the Sheelytown 4. Play horseshoes and other yard games and get in the fall season spirit.

Cover charge is $5 per person; Otoe County residents, show your ID and get in free of charge. Beer tickets available for purchase at the door for those age 21 and up.

Make it a getaway with the Oktoberfest Package at Lied Lodge, which includes admission to the Oktoberfest activities at the Historic Barns on Sunday afternoon, tickets for 12 beer tastings, unlimited food, and an overnight stay at Lied Lodge. Please call for pricing or to reserve: 800-546-5433.

Brunch and Song with Mark Stuart at Whispering Pines B&B

Join Us!

Enjoy a brunch buffet followed by a pleasant afternoon of Folk/Americana music presentation by Mark Stuart.

Mark’s show consists of his self-written and recorded songs, storytelling, and some amazing guitar!

Brunch includes egg frittatas, sweet breads and muffins, seasonal fruits, coffee, tea, cocoa and juices. Feel free to bring champagne or wine if you’d like to celebrate a Sunday!

We’ll take reservations for brunch until 3/9.

Or, join us about 2 PM for just the music (but please still RSVP to ensure you have a seat!)

Additional information about the event.

Blues, Brews and BBQ! at Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast

Blues, Brews and BBQ is back for 2018! Featuring the Hector Anchondo Band and Backswing Brewing Co.

Come experience what Omaha fans have loved for so long; the smooth smoky voice that can make you smile even as tears fill your eyes, the audacious grooves of his powerful band, and the lyrical mastery of Hector Anchondo’s guitar, telling the story of a life lived for the love of music.

Event Details:

Gates open at 3 PM

BBQ 3:00 – 5:30 PM

Music 5 – 8 PM

Backswing Beer available 3 PM – 8 PM

$45 Ticket Price: Includes one free beer ticket, full plate of BBQ w/dessert, bottled water and live music

$22 Advanced Ticket/$25 Day of Show: Come just for the music and brews.

No outside food or beverages allowed. Bring lawn chairs and blankets.

Make it an overnight package and BOOK YOUR STAY

Our Partners – Backswing Brewing Co.

Golfers have worked on perfecting the proper technique for hundreds of years. But we think it’s much simpler than that. All you need for a great backswing is a pint glass.

Like many great ideas, Backswing Brewing Company began on a golf course. There were three of us. We loved golf and, of course, beer.

But then life started to do what it does: We all got older, married and had kids. Before we knew it, we weren’t out on the golf course as much. So we did something that allowed us to hang out like the old days, but at home with our families.

We started brewing a golf-themed beer. A new kind of awesome!

After brewing our first IPA, we realized we had something special on our hands. So instead of keeping it to ourselves, we knew we had to share it—and whatever else we created—with the world.

So you can spend hours, days, weeks or months working on the perfect backswing, or you can leave all the hard work up to us and just raise a glass that’s filled with it.

Daniel Champagne Concert

Concert Details

Show starts at 6:30 PM, show up any time after 6:00 PM.

Daniel Champagne If weather is nice, we’ll have it outside.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

$20 per person

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com.

ABOUT DANIEL CHAMPAGNE

One reviewer recently wrote – ‘Daniel Champagne exudes a natural ease on stage, as he sings poignant lyrics and beautifully crafted melodies that invariably whisk the heart up with grand romanticism. Coupled with an exhilarating guitar talent that transcends mere acoustic playing to replicate a whole band, Champagne is just magical’ (themusic.com.au)

The story goes that the young Australian singer, songwriter and one-of-a-kind guitar virtuoso first picked up his instrument of choice as a five-year-old following in the footsteps of a musical father. He began writing songs at 12, training classically throughout his teens and performing solo wherever he could, honing his craft and developing what would become the dynamite live show that he is renowned for today. At 18 he left school, turned professional and hit the road.

The next five years saw him traversing North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, New Zealand and of course, his homeland Australia playing such festivals as Vancouver and Mariposa Folk (Canada), Belgium’s Labadoux Festival and Australia’s Woodford, Falls Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival and the legendary Byron Bay Bluesfest. As well as touring and sharing stages with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Judy Collins, INXS, John Butler, KT Tunstall and Ani DiFranco – all of this while writing, producing and independently releasing two Eps, ‘My Own Design’ (2009) and ‘Wide Eyed and Open’ (2010), his first long player ‘Pint of Mystery’ (2011) and the ‘Real Live’ offering in 2012. As one reviewer recently wrote, “still in his early twenties, the distances he has been would be more frequently associated with veterans of the Folk scene” (The Dwarf). This globetrotting lifestyle would become the centerpiece of Daniel’s next recordings when in 2013, he undertook the ambitious task of delivering two stand-alone albums within the space of twelve months. The Gypsy Moon – Volumes I and II marked a great leap forward for him both as a songwriter and a recording artist, with Australia’s roots music bible Rhythms Magazine saying that ‘Champagne has gone a step further this time, it’s like he’s realized his own potential, his confidence is sky-high and he’s truly ready to explore’

Now regarded as a leading light in acoustic music, with a firm reputation for making festivals buzz, holding crowds in his palm, dropping jaws and breaking guitars wherever he goes. Daniel Champagne has recently signed to US booking agency Fleming Artists and relocated to North America where he continues his exciting career as an international touring and recording artist.

Have a listen to Daniel.

Mare Wakefield House Concert

Concert Details

Show starts at 6:30 PM, show up any time after 6:00 PM.

If weather is nice, we’ll have it outside.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

$20 per person

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com.

All about Mare and Nomad

“Daddy was a seeker,” says Mare Wakefield. “Eventually he became a Salvationist minister. Mama was some kind of gypsy, loving nothing more than a long, clear stretch of open highway.”

Mare was born with wanderlust embedded in her DNA, and lived in 8 different places by the time she was 10 years old. “It was a roller-coaster way to grow up, but my brother and I learned to fit in fast,” she says. “We had our rural Wisconsin accents down in two weeks flat. And eighteen months later we were drawling like native Texans.”

For Turkish-born, German-raised Nomad, the journey was equally varied. His musical education began at the exclusive Istanbul State Conservatory and continued when he was awarded a scholarship to Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music. Nomad has a gift for musical arrangements and carries a full arsenal of classical, pop and jazz chops at his piano-playing fingertips. In addition to working with Mare, the versatile pianist and composer has designed sound for film and TV, produced a hit song in Romania, and had pieces performed by symphony orchestras and in Boston’s legendary Fenway Park.

Versatility and love for travel is evident in Mare and Nomad’s music. Listeners roam through Arizona deserts, Oklahoma oil fields and South Dakota plains, with side-trips to ancient Babylon and the streets of Amsterdam. The journeys go inward too, exploring hope and heartbreak, and the occasional whiskey-soaked barroom brawl. Story and song are woven seamlessly together by Mare’s intimate delivery and Nomad’s expert melodic arrangement. Currently based in Nashville the pair continue their upward trajectory by touring fearlessly, leaving devoted new fans in their wake and strains of folk tunes and sweet piano melodies echoing down the highway.

Farm to Fork Meal Featuring Bruce Mandel in Concert

Details

We’re excited to host our first Farm to Fork meal with a concert. Join us for your Sunday Supper!

Meal with be served at 4:00 PM, menu will be determined that week based on Farmers’ Market and Nebraska Food Coop offerings

Weather permitting we’ll have the meal and concert outside.

You are welcome to bring your lawn chairs or blankets to get comfortable for the show.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

Tickets required by 7/20 for the meal, but if you’d like to come just for the concert, just give us a heads up. Get your Eventbrite ticket here OR contact Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com.

$30 for meal/$15 suggested donation to artist.

All about Bruce Mandel

Bruce Mandel’s acoustic guitar, keen lyrical ear, and intimate and honest voice have traveled with him across the country and through musical territory both new and familiar.

With three full length albums to his credit – “Sketches”, “Between Dreams and Regrets” and “Follow Your Heart” – Bruce regularly tours the U.S. as well maintaining a musical presence in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts.

Lyrically driven, the diverse sounds of his recordings straddle and expand the Contemporary Folk, Americana, Singer/Songwriter genres reflecting the breadth of Mandel’s experience.

Bruce grew up in the suburbs of northern New Jersey, rocking out to the Beatles and playing in bands. Listeners familiar with the great singer-songwriters of the ’60s and ’70s won’t be surprised to learn that at a young age Mandel happily absorbed the rich and varying styles of music played on the FM airwaves of the day.

Next came college and the folksy coffeehouse scene followed by Rock and Top 40 bands playing New York City on down to Philadelphia and some of the New Jersey Shore’s hottest spots.

After traversing the country, Bruce took a break from the road and settled in Atlantic City for a time, taking the chance to work as an entertainment technician in the Atlantic City Casinos.

While soaking up the experience of working alongside the likes of America, Tanya Tucker, Tom Jones, and The Temptations, Mandel stayed true to his calling, writing and producing his own songs.

Then after attending a songwriting convention in Durango, Colorado, in 1992, Mandel felt the pull of the area’s open musical community and soon relocated there. The impulse proved a good one as he quickly became a true presence in his new home, opening in concert for nationally and regionally touring songwriters, as well as performing a mix of choice covers along with his growing repertoire of soulful originals in bars and saloons around the four corners.

Mandel’s work in Durango culminated with his co-founding of the Annual Durango Songwriter’s Expo in 1996. This popular event that features listening sessions, showcases, seminars, panels, and networking opportunities has attracted new talent and high-profile musicians and industry experts alike, and continues to grow and spread to new locations around the country.

Mandel picked up his guitar and returned east in the early part of the new century, where he has settled deep into the artistic community of the Berkshires. Produced and recorded in his own studio, his second and third albums “Between Dreams and Regrets” and “Sketches” traverse the musical and emotional ground between Colorado and the Berkshires. The lyrically driven songs are both personal and probing, whether Mandel is writing from his own experience or weaving the ballad of another’s, as in “Irene Kibbe,” about a young Polish emigrant during World War II. Throughout these records, the acoustic guitar maintains its constant presence, as does Mandel’s warm voice and distinct style.

Bruce has always believed in the power and magic of song, and thoroughly enjoys sharing that magic through his music and thoughtful insights into his creative process through the close up intimacy of house concerts.

In 2010, Mandel debuted a song he wrote & recorded to help celebrate the Otis, Massachusetts Bicentennial in a special performance funded in part by a Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant. Long a supporter of Public Libraries, Bruce donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD to The Free Otis Public Library.

2017 will mark the release of Bruce’s fourth album and a July – September national summer tour.

“Reminiscent of the singer/songwriters who penned the soundtrack of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Bruce Mandel brews up a coffeehouse sound that’s espresso rich in inspiration and experience.” Singer & Musician

Follow this link to hear Bruce Mandel

New Year’s Eve Getaway & Dueling Pianos at Lied Lodge

Celebrate 2018 by ringing in the new year at Lied Lodge! This popular year-end package includes:

• An overnight stay for two at Lied Lodge on Sunday, December 31
• Grand buffet dinner for two in the Timber Dining Room
• Two tickets to live entertainment featuring Big Show Dueling Pianos (8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.)
• A midnight champagne toast, light snacks, and party favors
• Breakfast buffet for two the next morning in the Timber Dining Room

Reserve your New Year’s Getaway, starting at $339 + tax. Rooms are filling up quickly, so please call 800-546-5433 or go online to reserve.

Want to enjoy the evening entertainment without staying over?Tickets are available at the door for $20 + tax. Call 800-546-5433 or stop by the Lied Lodge front desk to purchase tickets.

Rupert Wates Plays Dinner and Song Night

Rupert Wates was born in London and studied at Oxford University. He has been a full time songwriter since the late 1990’s, when he signed a publishing contract with Eaton Music Limited. His contract required him to write material in all kinds of styles and genres, for all kinds of artists. He worked extensively with Jazz vocalist Liz Fletcher. Moving in 2001 to Paris, Wates formed his own quartet and began playing live regularly. In fall 2006 he came to the US. He is now based in New York City and in Colorado.

Since coming to the US, Wates has won more than 30 songwriting awards (list on AWARDS page at www.rupertwatesmusic.com). He was voted an Artist Of The Year 2013 by the international house concert network Concerts In Your Home (www.concertsinyourhome.com), and in 2015 he was recognized as the network’s most booked performer, having secured over 100 dates through their database. He has released 7 solo CDs. They have been very well reviewed in the online press and tracks from them have been played on radio all over the world. His songs have been recorded by other artists in London, Denver and Nashville. He averages 150 live shows every year, in acoustic venues in every state in America, in Canada and in Europe. He performs sometimes alone, sometimes with his trio or his quartet. His music is an eclectic mix of acoustic, melodic art/folk, with flavors of jazz and vaudeville.

In 2014, Wates joined forces with Toronto-based virtuoso pianist Bartosz Hadala to form a piano/guitar duo called The Nightwatchers (www.thenightwatchers.com). The duo tour Europe regularly. In March 2015, they released a debut CD entitled The Nightwatchers, recorded at Phase One Studios in Toronto and featuring some of the standout songs of Wates’s extensive catalog.
Despite Wates’s British background, and underpinning the universality of his music’s appeal, Folk And Acoustic Music Exchange has called him ‘a prime figure in American music” (www.acousticmusic.com) and goes on: “This is one gifted s.o.b…If you’re not hip to this guy yet you’re missing out”.
Audiences everywhere respond to Rupert Wates’ brand of melodic art/folk—haunting songs that ring true.

Have a listen to Rupert

Dinner and Song Details

Dinner service at 6:30 PM, music will follow.

Menu to be announced mid-August.

Meal $25 per person plus tax and gratuity (credit cards accepted)

Advanced reservations are required by 3 PM, August 22. Limited to 25 seats.

45 – 60 minutes of music will follow dinner with $15 – $20 per person suggested donation to the artists.

Please call 402-873-5850 to RSVP if you would like to make a reservation specifically for this event.

Mare Wakefield and Nomad Concert

“Daddy was a seeker,” says Mare Wakefield. “Eventually he became a Salvationist minister. Mama was some kind of gypsy, loving nothing more than a long, clear stretch of open highway.”

Have a listen to Mare and Nomad.

House Concert Details

Show starts at 7 PM, show up any time after 6:30 PM. Most concerts are indoors unless we have a beautiful Nebraska evening in store. (Call to be sure)

Simple snacks are provided or you’re welcome to bring a snack to share.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

A $15 -$20 donation per person that goes directly to the performers the night of is suggested.

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com.

Sweet Wednesday House Concert

The sailor and the dancer, the young girl stranded along Route 66 at dusk, the refugees who turn into ravens…Sweet Wednesday’s songs spin tales that allow the listener to peek into the human soul in its most intimate and magical moments.

Singer/songwriters Dave Falk and Lisa Housman met in 2001, and immediately knew there was a songwriting, performing chemistry at work. Since then, performing both as an acoustic duo and with their full band—adding bass, drums, violin, lead guitar, and mandolin—Sweet Wednesday has released four albums to critical acclaim, toured extensively, and been featured on radio and television programs throughout the U.S. and abroad.

In addition to inspiring fans near and far, Sweet Wednesday has been the recipient of several songwriting awards, including First Place in the Great American Song Contest, First Place in the Dallas Songwriting Competition, and Runner-Up in the John Lennon Song Contest.

An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Dave brings his unique style to the guitar, mandolin, harmonica, banjo, and fiddle, while Lisa sings of long-distance friendships, having a hard day working as a clerk in a bakery in New York City, lost love, and those crazy mermaids you might encounter after being out on the ocean for several days.

Have a listen to Sweet Wednesday.

House Concert Details

Show starts at 7 PM, show up any time after 6:30 PM.

Simple snacks are provided or you’re welcome to bring a snack to share.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

A $15 -$20 donation per person that goes directly to the performers the night of is suggested.

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com.

Sky Smeed House Concert

Sky Smeed was born and raised outside of Chanute, Kan., in an old, one-room schoolhouse his parents bought and turned into a home in the early 1970s.

The first music he ever heard came from Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Van Morrison and Merle Haggard. Hearing this roots style of music playing on an old record player has stayed with Sky and is evident when he takes the stage to share his effortless, country tinged tunes of working hard, dogs, love, money, beer, coffee, and the call of the road. Listeners often compare Sky to Gram Parsons, Neil Young and John Prine, though his easy-going demeanor, off-the-cuff banter and transparency link him to contemporaries like Todd Snider and Paul Thorn.
To date, Smeed has self-released five full-length albums: Flying High (2002), The Front Steps (2004), Mill River (2006), Sky Smeed (2012) and Drive All Night (2015).

Drive All Night was produced and recorded by award-winning folk duo Truckstop Honeymoon (Mike & Katie West) at their Lawrence, Kan., studio. The album features nine of Smeed’s tastiest, most subjugated compositions thus far, including the pulled pork personal ad “Smoke ‘n Spice”, the brutally honest ballad “Blue Highways” and a folky voyage from Ohio to Colorado in search of Dr. Kind in “Talkin’ Medical Marijuana Blues”. To this day Sky remains an independent recording and performing artist, booking his own shows at bars, clubs, festivals, and listening rooms from California to Carolina. Without a doubt, Smeed will Drive All Night to your neck of the woods in the not-so-distant future, guitar in hand.

Have a listen to Sky Smeed.

House Concert Details:

Show starts at 7 PM, show up any time after 6:30 PM.

Simple snacks are provided or you’re welcome to bring a snack to share.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

A $15 donation per person that goes directly to the performers the night of is suggested.

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com.

Brad Colerick, Nebraska Native, House Concert

Billboard Magazine called Brad Colerick “one of a baker’s dozen of acts to watch in the folk community around the world.” He moved from his native Nebraska to Los Angeles in 1986 and built a successful career making music for commercials where he wrote and produced ditties recorded by such musical icons as BB King, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Guy, Amy Grant, The Chi-Lites, and the late Johnny Cash.

Colerick’s 4th CD, Tucson, was released October 21, 2014. Full of guitars, banjo, pedal steel, and fiddle, this record lands firmly into the Americana wheelhouse. The natural imagery and resilient characters of songs like “Late Winter Snow,” “The Hands of Time,” and the bluegrassy “Brakeman’s Door” hark back to his Nebraska roots.

A finalist at Kerville, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, Falcon Ridge, and Sisters Folk Festival songwriter competitions, Colerick’s music blends Americana, Folk, and Country and seeps into your heart with a single listen. His finely wrought, plainspoken lyrics find the poetry in everyday language.

Colerick’s 2007 release, Lines In The Dirt, featured a duet with country songstress Suzy Bogguss. He has appeared on stage with Bogguss, Canadian fiddler April Verch, and legendary West Coast pickers Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen — all of whom have appeared on Colerick’s CDs.

Have a listen to Brad

House Concert Details:

Show starts at 7 PM, show up any time after 6:30 PM.

Simple snacks are provided or you’re welcome to bring a snack to share.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

A $15 -$20 donation per person that goes directly to the performers the night of is suggested.

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com.

Dinner and Song: Ian McFeron and Alisa Milner

Ian McFeron and Alisa Milner

Ian and Alisa are back again this year! The duo of singer/songwriter and fiddle player have a great dynamic. And, Ian’s brand new Acoustic Album has just recently been released, so we’ll be one of those with early access!

Ian McFeron started out in Seattle where his independent debut album was picked up by a major commercial radio station. Early hometown success drew McFeron into a full-time recording and touring career, and he has spent the last decade performing in the US and Europe, growing a loyal national audience and attracting media attention stretching across the Atlantic. His songwriting has been compared to Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams and John Lennon. He currently tours in support of his seventh studio album Time Will Take You, recorded in Nashville with Grammy nominated Producer/Guitarist Doug Lancio and members of Ryan Adams band The Cardinals.

McFeron will be joined on tour by fiddler, cellist, and harmony vocalist Alisa Milner. Milner grew up playing old-time Texas-style fiddle music, spending her youth competing in countless state and national fiddle competitions throughout the Northwestern United States. When she’s home, Milner continues to play in an old-time fiddle group along with her father and her two brothers.

“…McFeron is a fine singer and songwriter, an alt-folk/rock/Americana performer who strikes a cool balance between the mellow and the edgy.”
—Jim Beal, San Antonio Express-News Music Critic

Dinner and Song Details

Dinner service at 6:30 PM, music will follow
There are 22 seats available.
Advanced reservations are required by 3 PM, April 12.

Starter: Salad and Smoked Gouda Soup

Main Course: Almond crusted pork scallopini, roasted potoatoes and seasonal vegetables

Dessert: Wine Soaked Grape Cake

Meal $25 per person plus tax and gratuity (credit cards accepted)

40-45 minutes of music will follow dinner with $15 – $20 per person suggested donation to the artists.

Please call 402-873-5850 to RSVP if you would like to make a reservation specifically for this event.

Ben Bedford House Concert

Join us for our first house concert of 2105 on Thursday, January 15. Ben Bedford, a return artist, is back here at Whispering Pines B&B!

Ben Bedford delivers intriguing sketches of America, its individuals, their victories and their struggles. Poignant, but never sentimental, Bedford’s portrait-like songs capture the vitality of his characters and draw the listener deep into the narratives. With three albums to his credit, Bedford’s songs tackle scenarios including homelessness, the plight of a Confederate soldier’s wife during the American Civil War, the aerial triumphs of Amelia Earhart, the life of Jack London, the murder of Emmett Till in 1955, John the Baptist, the poet Vachel Lindsay and even the 1973 standoff between members of The American Indian Movement and federal agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Often drawing upon history, Bedford’s songs have a strong sense of time and place. The songs are rich in sensory detail which allows the listener to hear, see and feel each narrative.

“The Illinois songwriter is a masterful storyteller who can turn what seem like obscure historical references for engaging tales rife with vivid, stark imagery.”
–Erik Ernst, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

With the release of his third album, What We Lost, Bedford establishes himself as a songwriter in the tradition of musical icons ranging from Bill Morrissey to Woody Guthrie, casting individual people in the theater of the American landscape. A true son of the heartland, Bedford dips into the deep inkwell of classic American literature and writes with the ‘old soul’ quality of his literary idols, such as John Steinbeck and Toni Morrison.

Follow this link to have a listen to Ben or find out more about him.

House Concert Details

Show starts at 7 PM, show up any time after 6:30 PM.

Simple snacks are provided or you’re welcome to bring a snack to share.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

A $15 -$20 donation per person that goes directly to the performers the night of is suggested.

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com

For a full calendar of upcoming concerts, follow this link.

Jesse Terry House Concert

Jesse Terry is an internationally award-winning singer-songwriter whose transcendent life and music make him one of the most prolific indie artists today; his intimacy with audiences, sincerity, and approachability solidifying him as a favorite at nationwide live venues and concert series.

With three full-length albums, The Runner, Empty Seat On A Plane, and Stay Here With Me, this salt of the earth musician’s lyrical mastery, emotional depth, and soothing voice have often been compared to the likes of Ryan Adams, Jackson Browne, Ray LaMontagne, and James Taylor, reaching deep into listeners’ hearts to envelope them in shared joy, sadness, love, and unrelenting hope. The Grand Prize winner of The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, The NSAI/CMT Song Contest, and The We Are Listening Singer/Songwriter Awards, he has garnered worldwide acclaim including the elite honor of performing for US and NATO troops stationed at Thule Air Base in Greenland, and an official endorsement by Stonebridge Guitars International.

“His ability to craft memorable songs is complimented by his supreme ability to deliver them in a sometimes funny, sometimes gut wrenching, but always sincere and authentic manner,” praises Dave Dircks, host of the #1 Acoustic Podcast on iTunes, Acoustic Long Island. “At the core of it all, his personality – sunny naivety meets gritty wisdom – is what sets Jesse Terry apart…”

On his own from a young age, Jesse defied the odds by nurturing his passion for music; attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music, landing a Nashville Publishing deal only two months after graduation, touring the globe, and building a close and ever-expanding fan base who avidly funded his last two albums via Pledge Music campaigns. His audience grew quickly from one, his grandmother who was lulled to sleep by his guitar playing and toe-tapping, into a strong grassroots foundation of worldwide individuals who were captivated in settings spanning from intimate listening rooms to house concerts and festivals both small and large. Person by person, state by state, country by country, his fans, supporters, and colleagues have grown exponentially in the past few years, including at multiple gigs where he opened for major artists such as Darrell Scott, Paula Cole, Marty Balin, Liz Longley, and founder of Jefferson Airplane, Marty Balin.

Though the momentum of his career accelerates daily, he attributes his success to his wife and touring partner, Jess, saying her unwavering support was the reason for his first full tour. Cosmically drawn to each other when they met in the South Pacific in 2010, and married only six months later, Jesse and Jess epitomize the kind of love that romantics throughout time have both sought after and struggled to describe. As being apart wrenched their hearts more and more whenever Jesse toured for days, then weeks at a time, the couple decided to unite on all fronts, and travel the country and world together. The solid foundation behind her husband’s career in all ways from being his muse and moral support to setting up the stage and co-managing the family business, together the two tour nonstop; their only address the blur of a license plate number as it flies down whichever street they happen to traverse.

The road now his home, his fans his family, and Jess his rock, Jesse Terry’s music and life are truly about the journey. His original sound continues to galvanize national and global exposure, including recent placements on the CW’s “Hart of Dixie,” Lufthansa Airlines, and PBS’ “Roadtrip Nation,” fueling the prospects of his future steadily ablaze, trails of accolades following in his wake.

Undoubtedly intrepid, yet refreshingly genuine and modest, Jesse sums up his view on success, close connection with fans and strangers alike, and excitement for each day with an apropos quote from the film Into the Wild:

“Happiness,” he says, “is only real when shared.”

Follow this link to hear Jesse

House Concert Details

Show starts at 7 PM, show up any time after 6:30 PM.

Simple snacks are provided or you’re welcome to bring a snack to share.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

A $15 -$20 donation per person that goes directly to the performers the night of is suggested.

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com

For a full calendar of upcoming concerts, follow this link.

Flagship Romance plays Dinner and Song night at Whispering Pines B&B

The story of Flagship Romance represents more than just an opportunity to hear two individually talented performers using their abilities to create something bigger than themselves. It is an invitation to witness an actual couple with a shared passion and chemistry, doing what they love with whom they love, with a desire to change the world one song at a time.

Flagship Romance consists of real-life lovers, singers, and songwriters Shawn Fisher and Jordyn Jackson. To describe their sound, they have coined the term “Harmonic Alternative Folk.” Anchored by Fisher’s unique guitar playing, Flagship Romance compositions are centered around and feature the couple’s unclassifiable vocal blend.

Since the release of their debut EP, “The Fudge Sessions,” in January of 2013, Flagship Romance has toured the US multiple times, making stops at legendary venues such as The Bitter End in New York City and multiple performances at the historical Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, FL. The variety of acts that this duo has shared the stage with is a tribute to the universal accessibility of their compositions and live show. These names include Iris Dement, Claire Lynch, the Goo Goo Dolls, Jack’s Mannequin, and Mason Jennings. Flagship Romance has also been a part of some of 2013’s biggest festivals including SXSW, Mumford & Sons’ Gentlemen of the Road Stopover, and the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival.

In today’s music market, where more and more avid listeners are clamoring for something honest and real, Flagship Romance plans to take that honesty, chemistry, and “real-ness” to new heights.

Follow this link to watch a video.

Dinner and Song Details

Dinner service at 6:30 PM, music will follow
There are 18 seats available.
Advanced reservations are required by 3 PM, October 21

The Seasonal Menu will be announced by 10/11

Meal $25 per person plus tax and gratuity (credit cards accepted)

40-45 minutes of music will follow dinner with $15 – $20 per person suggested donation to the artists.

Please call 402-873-5850 to RSVP if you would like to make a reservation specifically for this event.

Annalise Emerick House Concert

“I’ve reconciled the fact that I’ll never live a simple life,” she says plainly, “and that’s alright with me. This is the life I chose for myself.” For Annalise Emerick, it isn’t just a brush-off. The self-starting, twenty-something, singer-songwriter has been on the road virtually non-stop for three years solid. This summer alone, she plays to sold-out crowds at over 150 shows in 90 different cities with the aid of nothing but a guitar. Choosing to leave behind any semblance of a normal life for the day-to-day of a traveling independent musician, however, was always a no-brainer for the Nashville spitfire. “It’s all about building on something and getting out there in front of people,” she explains. “If you’re going to do it, then you have to really go for it.” And that’s precisely what she’s done.

Gathering material from her life experiences and seemingly infinite travels, Emerick conceived the aptly named Field Notes, her debut, full-length album and subsequent road diary. Recorded with her heart on her sleeve and a collection of autobiographical tunes in her pocket, the album exhibits the raw vocals and heartfelt lyricism that have situated her among fans of Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin, and Natalie Maines alike. For Field Notes, it’s Emerick’s effortless aptitude to blend pop songwriting sensibilities with pristine Americana overtones that really shines through, highlighting her incredible penchant for spinning tales both uniquely personal and universally recognizable.

Now, three years after the release of her first EP, fresh off of a first place win in the New England Songwriter’s Competition and a relocation back to Nashville, Emerick returns with Field Notes, a folk-inspired, markedly more mature turn for the singer that demonstrates just how much her endless days on the road and years of hard work have fostered her growth as an artist and performer.

“This album really means a lot to me,” she shares. “In a way, it’s a compilation of all the exploring I’ve done over the past few years… songs from being out in the world and experiencing life. These are songs about love, dreams, childhood friends, and stories I’ve picked up from traveling. The whole time I’ve been compiling material for this record, I’ve imagined an explorer out in the wild with a notebook just jotting down ideas, theories, and drawings. And that’s exactly what this album is. These are my thoughts. These are my field notes.”

Have a listen to Annalise.

House Concert Details

Show starts at 7 PM, show up any time after 6:30 PM.

Simple snacks are provided or you’re welcome to bring a snack to share.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own adult beverages or if available, may enjoy samplings from sponsoring local wineries or non-alcoholic drinks.

A $15 -$20 donation per person that goes directly to the performers the night of is suggested.

Guests should RSVP in advance to reserve a seat by contacting Jeanna Stavas, Owner/Innkeeper at 402-873-5850 or jeanna@bbwhisperingpines.com

For a full calendar of upcoming concerts, follow this link.

Dinner and Song night featuring The Anatomy of Frank

“laughing”

Post-pop quintet The Anatomy of Frank, who hail from the misty mountains of Virginia, quickly asserted themselves by touring expansively across North America within three months of their first performance in 2011. For two years they released nothing beyond an intriguing three-song EP entitled Relax, there’s nothing here but old pictures. In 2013 they stunned listeners around the world with their debut full-length, Pangaea, an enigmatic album that wanders from the carefree heights of pop to a moody, otherworldly realm of post-rock over the course of 53 minutes.

A growing curiosity began to form among fans concerning the band’s tour schedule, particularly over their concerts in remote places such as the west fjords of Iceland, interior Alaska, and small towns bordering the arctic in northern Canada. In January of 2014, the band made an announcement that took many by surprise: they are embarking on a project to record an album for every continent on earth. Furthermore, each “continent” album will be recorded on its respective continent, where the band will relocate for the recording process. This is a historic undertaking, as no band has ever attempted or accomplished this feat.

After a successful fundraising effort, The Anatomy of Frank have begun work on their upcoming album for North America. They return to the studio with producer Lance Brenner in Charlottesville, Virginia, and anticipate the album’s release in early 2015. Until then, the band’s tour schedule takes them across both North America and Europe.

Follow this link to watch a video or here to listen to the band.

Dinner and Song Details

Dinner service at 6:30 PM, music will follow
There are 18 seats available.
Advanced reservations are required by 3 PM, September 21

Starter: Salad and Puree of Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

Main Course: Almond crusted pork scallopini, roasted sweet potatoes and seasonal vegetables

Dessert: Apple Crisp

Meal $25 per person plus tax and gratuity (credit cards accepted)

40-45 minutes of music will follow dinner with $15 – $20 per person suggested donation to the artists.

Please call 402-873-5850 to RSVP if you would like to make a reservation specifically for this event.

For a full calendar of upcoming concerts, follow this link.

Concert: Meadowlark Music Festival

The Meadowlark Music Festival — Nebraska’s premier international summer chamber music festival — is coming to Steinhart Lodge in Nebraska City on Friday, June 20, 2014.

Events coinciding with the festival include:
10:00am — FREE TANGO CLASSES FOR CHILDREN

2:00pm — FREE lecture on Argentina: Culture and Tango

7:30pm — tango/jazz concert featuring Grammy-nominated Pablo Aslan Tango Ensemble from Argentina — some of the finest tango artists in the world.

Tickets for the Pablo Aslan concert are $20 for adults; students receive free admission. Tickets are available at the door and beverage sales will be available for concert goers.

Enjoy the Timber Dining Room for dinner before the concert, or stay at Lied Lodge afterward; just ask for the Meadowlark Music Festival Package, starting at $144++, which includes an overnight stay and breakfast for two the next morning. To reserve: 800-546-5433.