[Publib] 2009 Rock & Roll Library Tour Brings The High Strung and Donny Hue & The Colors to Your Library

[Bill Harmer]

Stir things up at your library this summer by making it a stop on the
fifth annual Rock & Roll Library Tour, presented by The Black River Group.
More libraries than ever have a chance to participate as both longtime
crowd favorites The High Strung and newcomers Donny Hue and the Colors
will be touring separately.

 With more than 200 appearances at libraries in 48 states since 2005, the
Rock & Roll Library Tour is a proven way to draw reluctant users into the
library, often bringing crowds numbering in the hundreds to the most
buzzed about event of the summer. Librarians note, “The guys were so
engaging with the crowd. It was quite literally a traffic stopping
performance” and the tour “took our summer programming to a completely
new level.”

Detroit-based The High Strung played the inaugural Rock & Roll Library
Tour of Michigan in 2005 and has since delighted audiences around the
country with catchy, energetic music. With a new album coming out on Park
the Van Records in spring 2009, The High Strung will perform a mix of
favorites and new tunes, as well as writing and performing a new song at
each location with the help of the audience.

Brooklyn-based Donny Hue and the Colors blends pop and folk to create
whimsical tunes with an almost childlike twist. The band creates a
memorable experience through a circus-like atmosphere, with audience
members joining in on sleigh bells, kazoos, and other fun instruments.
Donny Hue will also write and perform original songs with the crowd,
leaving each library a personal souvenir of the tour stop.

Both The High Strung and Donny Hue have received critical acclaim from
publications such as Rolling Stone, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, and the
Washington Post. Donny Hue’s latest release, “Tell Tall Tales,” has been
called “simply a brilliant album,” while The High Strung’s tune, “The Luck
You Got,” is currently featured in a national commercial for TGIFriday’s.

For more information or to book either band for your library, call Bill
Harmer of The Black River Group at (734) 612-5405 or e-mail
bharmer at blackriverintl.com.

The Rock & Roll Library Tour http://www.rockandrolllibrarytour.com
The High Strung http://www.myspace.com/thehighstrung
Donny Hue and the Colors http://www.myspace.com/donnyhueandthecolors

About the Black River Group

The Black River Group was founded in 2008 by Bill Harmer, head of adult
services at the award-winning Chelsea (MI) District Library, and Elizabeth
Goldman to bring innovative programming and staff training to libraries.
For more information, visit http://www.blackriverintl.com