On Tuesday, October 18th, at 6:00 p.m., central time, the LaSalle Public Library will virtually host Folk Musician and Balladeer, Lee Murdock, for a program that combines music, song and storytelling.

Lee Murdock, during the virtual concert, will use folk songs to tell the story of commerce on the rivers, canals, and Lake Michigan’s shoreline in Illinois, tracing the rise of shipping in the state, from the days of keel boats through today’s 1000-foot Lake freighters. In old songs and new, he will sing of lake schooners hauling grain and iron ore, famous river packets delivering their goods and passengers, and canal boatman who navigated across the Illinois prairie. He will speak about the shift in shipping technology, from sailing crafts to steam powered vessels, and tell of the heroic deeds, comical characters, and the beauty of our state’s waterways. Hear history through the voices of river rats, schooner-men, lighthouse keepers and fisher-folk, the modern-day sailor, and the environmentalist.

This program is free, open to the public, and will be presented via Zoom. Registration is required. Register - https://bit.ly/3r6tTBL. For more information, please contact the LaSalle Public Library at 815-223-2341.

About the Presenter

Lee Murdock has uncovered a boundless body of music and stories in the Great Lakes. Taking snapshots from history, his songs summon the listener to take a front-row seat, to look through the eyes and into the hearts of individuals who have shaped our heritage on and around the Great Lakes. His concerts invoke a sense of place, but it is a universal place, and a timeless repertoire that celebrates the North American people, their triumphs and tragedies, work songs, and pastimes. Noted as a fluent instrumentalist on six and twelve string guitars, Murdock combines ragtime, Irish, blues, and folk styles with his flair for storytelling in song. His musical influences span fifteen generations and combine original compositions with traditional music.