2008 Woodie Awards
Folk singer packs Paramount
John Yehambaram
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: Intermission
John McCutcheon's performance at the Paramount Theatre was a witty, humorous and politically and socially conscious barrage of fun.
For those not familiar with this American folk singer, he is a six-time Grammy nominee and has produced 25 albums to date.
McCutcheon used to be a student at St. John's University and is a Wisconsin native. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the guitar, banjo, autoharp, fiddle, piano, hammered dulcimer and many others.
As he walked onto the Paramount stage filled with his many instruments, he picked up his banjo and started strumming continuously as he amused and humored the crowd with stories of his time at St. John's as a social worker and Spanish major.
"Wanting a major that would give me more money in the future, I changed my major to elementary education," McCutcheon said.
The crowd burst into laughter as he began his first song.
McCutcheon sang about growing up with his family and his relations with his kids. He proved to be a master at improvisation and story telling.
"When I started singing folk songs, my father was further disappointed I was not going to medical school," McCutcheon said as strummed his guitar.
He also talked about tall tales he read as a kid and his fascination with John Henry and his fight against the steel driving machine.
"I sing songs of the struggle of man against machine," McCutcheon said. "Little people going up against things that are bigger than they are, but I also sing the songs of people who do small things greatly."
McCutcheon even sang a song about Sen. Larry Craig's Minneapolis airport conduct. He said he didn't mean to hit below the belt but he wrote it because he landed in the Minneapolis airport today.
McCutcheon was performing throughout California before arriving in St. Cloud. He said it was good to be back as he and the crowd sang the song called "Smells like Winter."
After a few jabs at Michael Vick and how society cares more about its puppies than other human beings, McCutcheon shifted his performance to the hammered dulcimer.
For those not familiar with this American folk singer, he is a six-time Grammy nominee and has produced 25 albums to date.
McCutcheon used to be a student at St. John's University and is a Wisconsin native. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the guitar, banjo, autoharp, fiddle, piano, hammered dulcimer and many others.
As he walked onto the Paramount stage filled with his many instruments, he picked up his banjo and started strumming continuously as he amused and humored the crowd with stories of his time at St. John's as a social worker and Spanish major.
"Wanting a major that would give me more money in the future, I changed my major to elementary education," McCutcheon said.
The crowd burst into laughter as he began his first song.
McCutcheon sang about growing up with his family and his relations with his kids. He proved to be a master at improvisation and story telling.
"When I started singing folk songs, my father was further disappointed I was not going to medical school," McCutcheon said as strummed his guitar.
He also talked about tall tales he read as a kid and his fascination with John Henry and his fight against the steel driving machine.
"I sing songs of the struggle of man against machine," McCutcheon said. "Little people going up against things that are bigger than they are, but I also sing the songs of people who do small things greatly."
McCutcheon even sang a song about Sen. Larry Craig's Minneapolis airport conduct. He said he didn't mean to hit below the belt but he wrote it because he landed in the Minneapolis airport today.
McCutcheon was performing throughout California before arriving in St. Cloud. He said it was good to be back as he and the crowd sang the song called "Smells like Winter."
After a few jabs at Michael Vick and how society cares more about its puppies than other human beings, McCutcheon shifted his performance to the hammered dulcimer.