Carl Sandburg Songbag Concert Series continues June 11 with Barry Cloyd

GALESBURG - The 2023 Carl Sandburg Songbag Concert Series continues Sunday, June 11 with musician Barry Cloyd at the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site in Galesburg.

A touring singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and "edu-tainer," Barry will present a special performance of his popular Carl Sandburg: Poet of the People program.

Known around the world, Sandburg defined the essence of American life with his stunning free verse poetry and prose. Cloyd's show weaves together Sandburg's poetry, stories of Lincoln, and American folksongs to bring to life one of America's best-loved poetic giants. Using Sandburg's biographies and his own works as the primary source material, Barry will also include selections of his own music.

The June 11 Sandburg Songbag performance will take place in the site's barn at 313 E. Third St. in Galesburg. The show starts at 2 p.m., with a break for refreshments at 3 p.m. A donation of $5 per person is appreciated to help offset the cost of the performance.

Sandburg collected and performed American folk songs. The concert series takes its name from Sandburg's book "The American Songbag," published in 1927. The Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, includes the birth home of the famed poet and biographer. For more information, visit www.sandburg.org.

The June 11 concert is presented by the Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Upcoming Sandburg Songbag performances will take place July 9, Aug. 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 8, and Nov. 12.