Winston

The Emporia Arts Council will host Grammy Award winning pianist George Winston at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Granada Theatre.

“Personally, I have been a fan of George Winston since my freshman year of college and know many people who really enjoy his art,” said Melissa Windsor, executive director of the Emporia Arts Council. “He’s very well received and people appreciate his work. We knew that he would be a good fit for Emporia.”

Winston received a Grammy for best new age album in 1996 for the album “Forest.” He also founded Dancing Cat Records in 1983 to record the “Masters of the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar,” according to his Web site.

“When I’m producing in the studio, I’ve been there myself,” Winston said. “I understand what’s going on here because I’ve been in that position, so I feel like sometimes that’s the main purpose, but it’s a dual purpose. I’m very happy that somebody’s inspired me to do something for them.”

Winston recorded the solo piano soundtrack for “The Velveteen Rabbit” with narration by Meryl Streep in 1984 and for “This is America Charlie Brown: The Birth of the Constitution,” in which he played mainly Vince Guaraldi’s late pieces, in 1988 according to his Web site.

Winston said that he plays three main styles of piano music: folk piano, New Orleans R&B and stride piano. He said that he is playing his “summer show” for the concert at the Granada.

“I’ll be playing some Vince Guaraldi, some of The Doors, some New Orleans R&B, and some of the melodic folk things from some of the recordings,” Winston said, “songs that I regard as having to do with spring summer and nature.”

In 1967, when he was 18, Winston said he heard The Doors and they inspired him to start playing music.

“I was an avid listener, especially to the instrumentals and particularly the organ,” Winston said. “When I heard The Doors I said ‘I gotta get an organ and play in the band.’ They inspired me to go to the next thing with that.”

Windsor said the concert is being funded by ticket sales, Arts Council membership fees, funding from Internal Medicine Associates, its sponsor, Kansas Continental Express and ESU.

Proceeds from CD sales at the show will go to the Salvation Army food bank and attendees are also allowed to bring canned goods to help.

“Obviously, something like this just doesn’t come along very often and he’s definitely an amazing performer and an amazing musician,” Windsor said. “I would recommend to anyone who is interested or might be interested to come because I guarantee you will not be disappointed. He’s definitely a phenomenal musician and it’s just going to be a fantastic concert.”

Lauren Walbridge/The Bulletin

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