"Joyann Parker is the best Twin Cities female singer you've never heard. Imagine a sober Janis Joplin. And that's a good thing. Imagine a taller Shemekia Copeland without the my-dad-was-a-blues-star pedigree. And that's a really good thing. There's pain in Parker's heart - and in just about every song she writes and sings. And, onstage, the grimace on her face, the clenched fists and the ache in her roar let her listeners know that she knows hurt...Whatever she plays, Parker owns it. She's a powerful, animated blues-rock singer, capable guitarist and pianist, and a writer of praiseworthy originals." - Jon Bream/Minneapolis Star-Tribune
"Hard to Love" Isn't Hard To Love - Read the reviews!
“'Hard To Love' is a colorful musical tapestry woven by a consummate artist out of the warp and wool of jazz, soul and blues. Parker's passionate vocals deliver what might be one of the best albums of the year so far.”
— Henry L. Carrigan, Living Blues
“a singing, songwriting, guitar-playing, self-producing, self-aware powerhouse, but the driving force is unquestionably her voice — a formidable instrument she wields with soul and taste.”
— Pasadena Weekly
“Joyann Parker is the real deal...a powerful vocalist, an accomplished musician on both guitar and piano, and the writer of songs that hold up over time. This is blues and deep southern soul of the highest order. Joyann Parker is a 21st century blues woman.”
— Bill Wilson, Reflections In Blue
“She is immersed in the blues and it is now a part of her life, just like breathing and her heart beating... the shoes are kicked off and she is very much at home here. ”
— Bob Gottlieb, No Depression
Join us in the Legacy Gardens for live music on select summer Friday nights. Each year we bring a variety of bands from the Midwest and beyond to perform on the Pohlig Family Stage. NEW THIS YEAR: our summer concert series is now family friendly. Adult beverages for sale for those 21 and older.
Ticket Information
2 types of seating:
Gar Wood Seating (front section, chair provided) $20/ticket and $10/ticket for members Grasslands Seating (bring your own chair or blanket) $10/ticket and $5/ticket for members Children 12 and under freeSchedule
6:00 pm – gates open
6:30 to 8:30 pm – music
Shout! Sister, Shout! - The Voices of Women
A concert event celebrating great women composers and writers ... developed by Lori Dokken in partnership with The History Theatre. The musical journey begins with Sister Rosetta Tharpe and travels through time to today featuring such female phenoms as Laura Nyro, Carole King, Phoebe Snow, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Lady Gaga and India. Arie as well as others. The evening will also be interspersed with words from some wise women writers such as Maya Angelou, Terry Tempest Williams and Mary Oliver.
On stage to deliver an eclectic and dynamic array of arrangements of songs written by these iconic artists are a cadre of local Twin Cities’ vocalists including Judi Donaghy Vinar, Yolande Bruce, Joyann Parker, Rachel Holder Hennig, Katie Gearty and Anna Christy backed by pianist Lori Dokken (Producer and Music Director of “Shout! Sister, Shout!”) along with a rhythm section. Voiceover specialist and theatre and film actress, Eden Bodnar, will also be joining us.
This concert will take us on a journey through the joys, struggles, loves, losses, concerns, and causes of women using powerful and tender melodies along with spoken word. Along the way we will be reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and our community of shared dreams and then brought to a place where we celebrate all that binds our voices together … especially through the arts.