May 1, 2021
Blue Canvas
Orchestra
Join us for our own unique brand of shows that
feature songs and stories performed by Big Top’s Blue Canvas
Orchestra and Singers that bear the hallmark of exquisite
musicianship illustrated by big-screen visuals. The Blue Canvas
Orchestra (BCO) is Chautauqua’s house band that, together with
Co-Founder and Visuals Director Betty Ferris and a multitude of
talented guest artists, provides the entertainment engine that
powers the Big Top.
Iris DeMent
"Iris DeMent makes music that celebrates humanity’s efforts toward
salvation, while acknowledging that most of our time on
Earth is spent reconciling with the fact that we don’t feel so
redeemed. Grounded in hymns, early country songs, gospel and folk,
DeMent’s work is treasured by those who know it for its insight and
unabashed beauty." ~ NPR
Greg Brown
Folk singer-songwriter Greg Brown was born into a musical family,
and spent several years traveling with a band before returning to
Iowa, where he performed live and pursued his songwriting career.
He has recorded more than a dozen albums and his songs have been
performed by Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, Michael Johnson, Shawn
Colvin, and Mary Chapin Carpenter.