Josh Harty, pat mAcdonald
Chris Rugowski
pat mAcdonald and a guitar.
pat mAcdonald
Always a frequent visitor to Madison during his post-Timbuk3 days, pat mAcdonald has been missing from local stages since 2016, when he was diagnosed with a deadly illness. Now cancer-free for several years, mAcdonald is getting back down to musical business in an acoustic finger-style mode. He’s joined for this stellar Monday bill by Josh Harty, another guitar player and writer who knows his way around making a memorable song.
media release: pat mAcdonald | My "official" recording career began in 1980 with the first Pat MacDonald & The Essentials album, Lowdown, released on 12" vinyl by Mountain Railroad Records, a regional indie headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. The closing song featured a cameo vocal by my girlfriend at the time, Barbara Kooyman, who also co-wrote the music. It was the album’s only co-written song, ironically titled "Makin’ It On My Own."
Josh Harty's unique blend of American music has become a must-hear for those who keep the tradition of country, blues and folk close to their hearts. Born and raised on the plains of North Dakota, Harty grew up playing shows across the Midwest with his father, a small-town police chief and preacher. The touring bug has never left Josh as he now continuously travels across Europe and North America. Harty is always looking for that balance between the rolling road and the people who inspire him, trading stories around kitchen tables and theatre stages. His live shows prove that good storytelling combined with journeyman musicianship is as American as music gets.