“I’ve been singing forever. I was probably born singing; it’s my gift that I feel I’m supposed to share with people.” Lisa Biales’ statement sums up the joy she brings to her craft while also providing insight into why hearing Lisa sing brings such joy to her audiences. Darke County Center for the Arts will present Lisa Biales (pronounced Be-Alice) in concert at The Bistro Off Broadway on Thursday, Feb. 28; the third of DCCA’s intimate Coffeehouse Series presentations, the show starts at 7 p.m.
Lisa says that she intends to make people feel good when she performs; her intentions almost always culminate in resounding success. One leaves a Lisa Biales concert surrounded by a sense of warmth and peace, enriched by time spent with someone skillfully doing what she was born to do.
Reared in a musical family, Lisa started writing music, as well as plays, while a very young child. Her mother, an accomplished actress and songbird, was always singing around the house or listening to records by iconic songstresses such as Billie Holliday and Lena Horne. At around age 12, Lisa was taught to play the guitar by her older brother, enabling her to play and sing at her church; while still a teenager, the precocious performer sang with her Dad’s Dixieland jazz band, including gigs at long-lost Middletown-area amusement park LeSourdesville Lake.
After fronting a variety of bands as lead singer, Lisa began writing her own songs and touring as a singer/songwriter. Soon thereafter, Lisa and fellow singer/songwriter Sarah Goslee Reed formed folk duo Prairie Orchid, mainly performing for school children in Arts In Education programs, including fondly remembered appearances in Darke County. In 2003, Lisa quit her day job at Ohio University to give undivided attention to making music, and has been recording and performing ever since. Her diverse recordings have earned a following around the world, and her 2014 release “Belle of the Blues” was nominated for Best Acoustic Blues Album that year.
In addition to touring in the tri-state area and beyond, Lisa along wither her husband, Marc, has created an inviting performance space within their home near Oxford; Lisa and other talented artists often sing and play at this cozy venue for paying audiences. Several area residents have partaken of these concerts, reveling in Lisa’s warmth and hospitality as well as her obvious musical talents. Lisa’s crystal pure sweet, yet strong voice soars effortlessly from her heart and soul, pulling from a broad variety of genres to take listeners on an enchanting and memorable musical journey.
Originally announced as a performance by the Lisa Biales Trio including guitar virtuoso Bill Littleford and veteran versatile bassist Noah Cope, the ensemble performing at The Bistro has been expanded to include Michael G. Ronstadt on cello, and Doug Hamilton on violin. Doug Hamilton has toured with Tricia Yearwood and Reba McEntire, while Michael Ronstadt has performed throughout the country with various artists including his aunt Linda. The upcoming show will include original music as well as covers of songs from The Beatles, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and at least one Linda Ronstadt tune. Lisa and her energetic cohorts all love what they do, and find inspiration in sharing their exciting gifts with one another and their audience.
Get your tickets now so that you can enjoy seeing and hearing Lisa Biales and her gifted quintet happily doing what they were born to do; tickets for this concert are only $10, and can be reserved by contacting DCCA at 937-547-0908 or [email protected] are also available online at www.darkecountyarts.org and at The Bistro Off Broadway; for dinner reservations, contact The Bistro at 937-316-5000.
