The Red Jacket Jamboree celebrates the Great Bear Chase, The Copper Dog 150 and the Birthplace of Professional Hockey!

Singer/songwriter John Davey, storyteller Jenifer Strauss, and author Bill Sproule will be featured at the March performance of  The Red Jacket Jamboree, an old-time radio variety show, which shares stories, songs and music from the Keweenaw Peninsula. The show is recorded in front of a live audience at the Calumet Theatre for radio broadcast.  Two hourlong episodes will be recorded: “Skis, Skates and Sleds,” which celebrates three popular winter sports, and “Springtime in the Keweenaw.”   

Originally from Indiana's Wabash River Valley, John Davey has re-established himself on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  The transition has resulted in a new body of work which captures the regions landscape including its vast forests and roaring waves of Lake Superior.  Self -reflective tunes like “L'Anse” and “Brave” underscore Davey's journey toward self-realization. His creative lyrical arrangements are often self-deprecating yet remain unapologetic.  It's this authenticity combined with his skills as a vocalist and musician which earns Davey a cadre of  admirers.  His music, a blend of old-time country, rock and contemporary pop, appeals to audiences of all ages.  This will be Davey's second appearance on The Red Jacket Jamboree.

As a professional storyteller, Jenifer Strauss uses stories to enrich lives. Her engaging and enthusiastic style has endured her with audiences across the state. Jen's well-loved Great Lakes repertoire includes:  lumber era legends, mining stories, shipwreck and lighthouse tales, mysteries, and ghost stories. Her stories are both heart-warming and educational. Jen will share a few personal stories collected during her work and travel in the U.P. 

Bill Sproule is a Professor Emeritus, Michigan Tech University where he taught in transportation engineering, public transit, airport planning, and hockey history.  He is the author of "Copper Country Streetcars" and soon to-be-released "Houghton - The Birthplace of Professional Hockey."  

The Red Jacket Jamboree is a production of  Real People Media Inc and is sponsored by Copper Country Preservation.  Hosted by Lena Dorey, the show also features Martin Achatz, Poet Laureate of the U.P.,the Red Jacket Actors and instrumental arrangements by the Copper Cats, under the direction of Jerry Younce on guitar, Bill Carrothers on piano, Harry South on bass and Zach Ott on percussion. The family show is both educational and entertaining.  Free admission for Students 17 and under when accompanied by an adult.  The next show is Saturday, March 9th at 7pm.  The audience is asked to be in their seats 5 minutes before the show. 

The program is supported in part by a grant from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Humanities Council. Episodes of The Red Jacket Jamboree are now aired on Interlochen Public Radio. For more information visit: www.redjacketjamboree.org.


PHotos attached- Singer-songwriter John Davey returns to The Red Jacket Jamboree on March 9th with storyteller Jennifer Strauss

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