Comedy, country-style
Funnyman Jeff Foxworthy, renowned for his “You might be a redneck if…” one-liners, makes a rare appearance in the Valley this month. Besides selling more comedy recordings than any other artist (with two of his six records certified multi-platinum), Foxworthy is host of TV’s Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? and starred in Blue Collar TV, the series that helped launch the careers of fellow comedians Larry the Cable Guy and Ron “Tater Salad” White. While his stand-up routines skewer his Southern background, Foxworthy also finds the humor in the day-to-day life of families everywhere. March 26 at 5 and 8 p.m. $36.50-$59.50. Mid-Hudson Civic Center. 14 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie. 845-454-5800, ext. 201 or www.midhudsonciviccenter.com
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Southern charm: Country songstress Loretta Lynn graces the stage at UPAC this month
Honky-tonk woman
The words “living legend” are sometimes tossed around too lightly. But in the case of Loretta Lynn, the appellation is completely apropos. Lynn has been crooning country music for the last 50 years; her string of top-10 hits currently numbers 51 (and 16 of those made it to number one), and she was the recipient of Kennedy Center honors in 2003. But the sassy coal miner’s daughter isn’t resting on her laurels: Her 2004 album Van Lear Rose — produced by Jack White of the White Stripes — won two Grammys. Catch her in Kingston on March 4 at 8 p.m. $51. Ulster Performing Arts Center. 601 Broadway, Kingston. 845-339-6088 or www.upac.org
Erin go Bragh
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day: Solas An Lae, the contemporary Irish dance company based in Red Hook, performs an original piece entitled Astral Weeks: The Celtic Soul of Van Morrison. Utilizing Irish folk, blues, jazz, R&B, and classical music, the dancers interpret the 48-year career of the renowned Irish singer-songwriter. But don’t go expecting to see jigs and reels: This troupe prides itself on its fresh and totally modern approach to traditional Irish dancing. March 4-6. Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. $18, $16 seniors & children. The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck. 661 Rte. 308, Rhinebeck. 845-876-3080 or www.centerforperformingarts.org
Local art
Rockland County artist Grace Knowlton — whose works are included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum and the Storm King Art Center — exhibits paintings, photographs, and sculptures at a solo show in Garnerville. Widely known for her three-dimensional spheres (which are sculpted from materials as diverse as sheet metal and Styrofoam), Knowlton is also an accomplished painter (often executing black and white works on anodized aluminum) and photographer (her images of interior corners are meant, she says, to convey “a mood of quiet meditation”). March 12-Apr. 3. Sat.-Sun. 1-5 p.m. Opening reception March 13, 2-5 p.m. GAGA Arts Center. 55 W. Railroad Ave., Garnerville. 845-947-7108 or www.gagaartscenter.org
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A family affair
The Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild — the arts organization that maintains the circa-1903 Byrdcliffe Arts Colony — hosts a benefit concert featuring two members of the Seeger family. Folk singer and activist Peggy Seeger is joined by her half-brother, legendary musician and environmentalist Pete Seeger, for an evening of old-time tunes. Peggy, who performs traditional Anglo-American songs, has recorded more than 22 solo albums; sibling Pete, who resides in Beacon and founded the Clearwater environmental group, has penned several classics (“If I Had a Hammer,” “Turn, Turn, Turn”), and been a major force in reviving the genre of folk music for the current generation. March 19 at 8 p.m. $50-$100. Kleinert/James Arts Center. 34 Tinker St., Woodstock. 845-679-2079 or www.woodstockguild.org
