The Dyck Arboretum of the Plains Prairie Window Concert Series (PWCS) will continue its 2015-16 season with Betse Ellis and Ike Sheldon at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 17, in Hesston. This duo reunites after a long tenure with The Wilders, a decade-long favorite of the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kan.
The concert will take place in the Prairie Pavilion at the Arboretum overlooking the lake. Tickets are by reservation by calling (620) 327-8127. Cost of tickets is $20 for adults and $10 for children, plus tax. Proceeds benefit the Arboretum’s mission that promotes environmental landscaping with native plants.
Notorious for her powerful stage presence, fiddling prowess and passionate vocals, Betse Ellis weaves tales of folklore and personal history throughout her performances, offering audiences an intimate live experience that is strikingly honest, uplifting, intense and humorous all at once. Betse’s presence is undeniably dynamic; one minute she’ll shred hairs from her bow on a fast-paced tune and the next she’ll quietly serenade a heart-breaking confessional song on tenor guitar. Her expertise at the challenging task of singing while fiddling distinguishes her as a solo artist, as well as an acclaimed instructor of fiddle workshops across America.
Ike Sheldon plays a wonderful mix of original songs and the classics of Americana and bluegrass, performing spirited resurrections of tunes from honky-tonk heroes like Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell. Ike’s original songs pull inspiration from these classic tunes, but he also infuses them with more modern influences and his own personal experiences, often resulting in a hair-raising display of energy that can only be described as second to none.
From her blog, Betse writes:
“Ike Sheldon and I are going to perform a special concert in Hesston, on Jan. 17. The Dyck Arboretum is the home of Prairie Window Concerts. We are thrilled to share our duo sound with folks in the area (hello, Winfield!) — time has passed since The Wilders have performed, but the bond that Ike and I share, musically, and through deep friendship, means that we continue to connect and develop our sound when we have the pleasure of playing together.”
In addition to high quality acoustic music, the PWCS provides delicious savory and sweet food options during intermission, with a menu provided by Morning Harvest Farm, including Sausage Tortellini Soup with French Bread, Blackberry Cobbler, coffee, tea and water.