Life: Olympic Theatre Arts presents ‘A Very Whisky Christmas’

’Tis the season of music, concerts and holiday productions and Olympic Theatre Arts serves up a special musical performance which is guaranteed to put you in the spirit of the season.

“A Very Whisky Christmas,” featuring the Whisky Minstrels, is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, including a reception with the artists to follow. The concert will take place in the Gathering Hall at the Olympic Theatre Arts Center, 414 N. Sequim Ave.

Award-winning songsmith Bruce Coughlan and award-winning multi-instrumentalist Nolan Murray team up to share music and stories of the Christmas season. Their music reflects years spent drawing influences from the tap-root of Roots music, which includes anything from blues, gospel, American folk, to Native American powwow. At times you will hear Celtic influences and stories from their times in the Highlands of Scotland. At other times, bluegrass and country blues influences of their journeys throughout the South.

Pacific-Canadian born songwriter and sixth-generation Canadian Coughlan is a true bard (a collector of songs) and the founding member of Tiller’s Folly, the Pacific Northwest’s acoustic power trio at the forefront of roots music. Coughlan is a touring/recording artist whose career has spanned decades.

Murray is multi-instrumentalist as well (fiddle, mandolin, mandocaster) who has lent his musical talents alongside a list of iconic performers including Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee, John Fogerty, The Irish Rovers, Randy Travis and John Cowan, to name a few. His awards include Oregon State Fiddle Champion, top 10 U.S. National Fiddle Champion, International World Bluegrass Championship Band and Western Canadian Bluegrass Fiddle Champion. Murray also played alongside Coughlan with Tiller’s Folly.

“We are fortunate to have these two fine musicians at Olympic Theatre Arts,” said Carol Willis, OTA executive director, “and it is so fitting, on the weekend after Thanksgiving, to usher in the holiday season by celebrating with music and words from diverse cultures within our country and abroad.”

All proceeds will benefit Olympic Theatre Arts. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased online at www.olympictheatrearts.org or at the OTA box office at 414 N. Sequim Ave., or by 683-7326 between 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.