June 2019 "Remembering Normandy" Edition

 
Welcome
This is the 75th anniversary of the epic events on the beaches at Normandy, and I am full of thoughts about service and sacrifice, and perhaps the rights and responsibilities of a free and self-governed people too. I spent this past weekend getting to know two amazing veterans on a long journey of healing from their time in harm's way, hearing their stories and helping them to reframe their experience to share with us. We wrote two great songs and I'll be sharing them on Facebook Live this Monday night at 8pm Eastern. I'd be honored if you'd join us. You have my word that their stories will move and inspire you.

There is a different kind of campaign kicking off soon, with no combat or danger, only collaboration and creativity. About mid-month I'll be launching the campaign to raise the necessary funding for the Treasures in My Chest record and book. If you've ever wondered if you could help get my work in front of a wider audience, this is the time and the project! It is more ambitious than anything I've yet done, but so many essential logistical elements have been lining up and falling into place. More about both of these items in the News below and at the website.

I'm off for a weekend at the One Man Jam Festival and a couple of shows this weekend in the beautiful and restorative mountains of northern West Virginia. This month also brings the 25th annual Mountville Folk Festival that we've helped run since its beginning as an excuse for us touring singer/songwriters to share our work with each other and our community. My Beyond Borders bandmates and I are looking forward to a special "reunion set" to close down two days of performances and campfire circles. You should be here if you can!

I'm an incredibly lucky guy to be blessed with this life in music and the myriad "who would have dreamed this up?" kind of moments that happen so frequently. I am grateful to have you along for the journey, and to be able to share some of the highlights with you on the way. Til next time, squeeze the ones you love, take an extra shot of kindness with your next beverage of choice, and always stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. We all have people who love us praying we get safe home, every time.
With love & peace in whatever portions you need,
Andrew

UPCOMING DATES
FR-SA 6/7-8 - EGLEN WV, One Man Jam Festival at Silver Lake Park, 3086 Seneca Trail Andrew does a set each night

SAT. 6/8 - MORGANTOWN WV, Concert at U.U. Fellowship, 429 Warrick Ave. 7pm

SUN. 6/9 - CLARKSBURG WV, Special Music Service at West Fork U.U., Uptown Event Center, 305 Washington Ave. 11am

SUN. 6/16 - LEESBURG VA, Special Music Service at U.U. Church of Loudoun, 20460 Gleedsville Rd. 10am

FRI.-SAT. 6/21-22 - ALDIE VA, 25th Annual Mountville Folk Festival, Andrew solo as well as Andrew McKnight & Beyond Borders. RSVP mountvillefolkfestival@comcast.net Don't miss it!

SUN. 6/30 - GETTYSBURG PA, Special Music Service at U.U. of Gettysburg, 136 South Stratton St. 10:30am

We're always grateful for help filling open dates on the road as well as home!
NEWS TIDBITS
(full stories at the News page)
Songwriting with Soldiers. Andrew was honored to lend a hand and a pen to wounded warriors last weekend at the beautiful Madison Fields farm in central Maryland. Working with renowned singer/songwriter and music therapist Mack Bailey and his Music Therapy of the Rockies program, Andrew was connected one on one with two veterans for a pair of 2-hour sessions to hear their stories. The result of their collaborations was a pair of powerful and inspiring songs, "This Bridge" and "New Mission Now". Join us for the grand unveiling on Facebook Live (http://Facebook.com/AndrewMcKnight.Musician) Monday June 10th at 8pm Eastern!
Project Underway. Work has begun on Treasures in My Chest - Andrew's recording and full-length companion book planned for pre-release to family, friends and fan-mily late this year. The recording is a song cycle drawn from the connections between Andrew's musical DNA and many discoveries of his McKnight family heritage, while exploring the greater age-old human questions of "who am I?" and "how did I get here?". Several of the songs have already become concert staples, including "Web of Mystery" (see it at https://youtu.be/E1_oArg8CY4).
We need and welcome your help bringing these Treasures to life! We'll launch the crowdfunding campaign online in mid-June, but you can read about it and help get this ambitious project started right now in ways little and large - http://www.andrewmcknight.net/campaign
ESSAY: "What were Those Blank Checks Worth?"
Memorial Day, 2019
"Between my parents, at least six of my ancestors fought to preserve the Union in various regiments from the state of Connecticut. Two of them fell here in Virginia, at Deep Bottom and Weldon Railroad in Grant's relentless and costly 1864 march to Richmond. My 4 time great (4G) grandfather Asa Harvey was wounded at Deep Bottom and eventually died of disease. And of course my 3G grandfather Aretas Culver was held prisoner at Andersonville POW camp for six months, and died at home soon after he was paroled.
While their personal feelings about slavery are unknown to me, they each "wrote that blank check" and handed it to Abraham Lincoln in order to preserve the Union, this imperfect experiment begun some 85 years earlier on a rotted foundation... read the full article here .
Have you done a DNA test to learn more about your family history? Andrew can help you get the most out of your results, and preserve and share what you've learned - learn about his Ancestories consulting work here.

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