Pat Donohue and Stephen Bennett concert September 26, 2008

From swing to jazz to bottleneck blues to folk, Grammy-winning acoustic guitarist Pat Donohue plays it all with a flourish of artistry and melodic inspiration. The late, great Chet Atkins called Pat one of the greatest finger pickers in the world; Leo Kottke called his playing haunting.

Youll hear why the praise is so well deserved when Pat returns to perform on Friday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Williamsburg Library Theatre, 515 Scotland Street. Joining Pat for a few numbers is local guitar master, Stephen Bennett. Tickets for this Dewey Decibel Concert are $18 for adults, $15 for Friends of Williamsburg Regional Library and $9 for those under 16. They can be reserved with a credit card by calling (757) 259-4070.

Pat is certainly one of the most listened to finger pickers in the world. As the guitarist for the Guys All-Star Shoe Band of Minnesota Public Radios A Prairie Home Companion, Pat gets to show off his savvy licks and distinctive original songs to millions of listeners each week.

His decade-long association with Garrison Keillors popular program has led to some unusual gigs: There was the after-show club date in Berlin, when Wynton Marsalis showed up to sit in with Pat and the Prairie Home band. Or playing music on camera for the Prairie Home Companion movie with director Robert Altman and stars Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Kline, John C. Reilly, Woody Harrelson and Tommy Lee Jones.

Besides the weekly radio broadcasts, Pat plays about 30 concerts a year nationwide and teaches at such popular music camps as Augusta Heritage Center and Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp.

Pats musical tastes are eclectic. Though he considers himself foremost a folk guitarist, Pats influences are rooted in bluesmen Blind Blake, Robert Johnson, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters and Miles Davis. He manages to blend jazz and blues with folk, and the mix is seamless. Borrowing bits and pieces of the styles of finger picking pioneers he admired, he has built a repertoire flavored by Blind Blake, Django Reinhart and Chet Atkins. Over the years he has captivated audiences with his unique original compositions, dazzling instrumentals and humorous song parodies.

Honors include a 2005 Grammy for his participation on Pink Guitar, a compilation of Henry Mancini tunes on acoustic guitar, several Minnesota Music Awards, and the title of 1983 National Finger Picking Guitar Champion. Chet Atkins, Suzy Bogguss and Kenny Rogers have recorded his original tunes. Pat has also been a featured performer at major music festivals including the Newport, Telluride and Philadelphia Folk Festivals.

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of programs.