|
 Rick Rayburn traveled from his home in Edwardsville to Lincoln to
present his fast paced and very funny program on Thursday morning
featuring his singing and guitar picking. He had just returned to
Illinois from Kansas after performing at a library. He covers an
eight state area giving his approximately eighty concerts a year at
libraries and schools.
While this is Rayburn’s first performance at the Lincoln Public
Library, he is no stranger to Lincoln. “I performed at the Logan
County Fair with my rock band back in the 70’s,” he said. Rick began
his musical career while still a teenager, even being featured on
KMOX in St. Louis. His repertoire includes blues, rock and roll,
country and bluegrass. He began to specialize in children’s shows in
2002 with the release of his first CD for kids. “Ninety percent of
my children’s music is my own creation,” he said.
Rayburn explained to his attentive audience that rhythm is defined
in the dictionary as a steady or constant sound. He had the young
readers listen as thunder and rain rolled across Lincoln during his
performance saying that nature had its very own rhythms. It is not
just found in music. “Rhythm is everywhere,” he said. He encouraged
his young audience to use the library resources to find out more
about music and rhythm.
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Rayburn had his audience on their feet during his concert, responding to his
challenge for them to sing as fast as he could during one segment. The library
was the scene of the marching band that he formed with young volunteers playing
buckets for drums, and plastic horns. The march took in the entire library as
they weaved in and out of the stacks. He did four versions of “The Itsy Bitsy
Spider” in different rhythms to explain how a change in rhythm could change the
meaning of the same song. He even presented his song “Are We There Yet?” Many
parents in the audience could be seen shaking their heads as if to say, “Oh
yeah, been there, experienced that.”
Rick Rayburn had the entire audience, kids and their parents moving to the
music. His talent and diverse repertoire inspired appreciation in blues, rock,
marching, and symphony rhythms.
The Lincoln Public Library Summer Reading Program will present one more Thursday
morning concert next week. Contact Youth Librarian Melissa Oxborrow for details
at 217-732-5732.
[Curt Fox] |
