PUTNEY, Vt. – The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents Vermont native indie/soul singer-songwriter Myra Flynn, on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 6 p.m., at Cooper Field, 41 Sand Hill Road in Putney, Vt.
Flynn spends her career embracing dichotomy. Half Irish and half African-American, her original indie/soul songs blend soulful vocals with a lyrical delivery that doesn’t let one get too comfortable. As New England Deli Magazine puts it, “Her vocal influences have as much in common with Ani Difranco and Shawn Colvin as they do with Rihanna and Jill Scott.”
“We love being able to present Vermont-based artists, and Myra has been on her way to building a national name for herself. As a regular at the Flynn’s Jazz Festival, Myra’s name is getting around for anyone interested in soul, funk, R&B, and beyond,” says Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts. “Myra’s range as an artist is a model for how Vermont artists can tackle a national stage. Her presence as part of the series is an opportunity to ensure that southern Vermont knows the power and presence of Myra Flynn.”
Flynn spent her Vermont childhood clad in leopard print and platform shoes, singing and dancing atop anything that looked remotely like a stage. These days, not much has changed. She has since shared stages with Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), Mike Gordon (Phish), Gabrielle Gordon (Natalie Merchant), Sonya Kitchell, Rayvon, Res, Alexa Ray Joel, Slick Rick, Anais Mitchell, and Lee “Scratch” Perry.
Myra’s latest album, “Shadow Work,” was released in the summer of 2023. Margaret Grayson of 7days describes “Shadow Work” as “…five songs deeply concerned with relationships of all kinds. Flynn, who splits her time between Vermont and Los Angeles, sings of mothers and daughters, romantic relationships gone wrong, and the people who get us through the hardest times. She considers big questions about how a person ought to be in the world, but she conducts her case studies on the most intimate of stages. In certain moments, she questions herself, wondering if she’s doing enough for the people she loves; other times, she offers full-throated declarations of her own worth in the world. The same song can hold both sentiments, and Flynn’s ability to capture complicated, conflicting emotions in her lyrics swept me away.”
Tickets are discounted in advance at www.nextstagearts.org; kids under 12 are free. For more information, visit the website or call 802-387-0102.
Support for the Bandwagon Summer Series is provided by M&T Bank, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Oak Meadow, The Porch Cafe & Catering, Brattleboro Reformer, The Commons, and We Clean Heat Pumps.