Award-winning musicians come to Sparta

SPARTA-Two award-winning musicians, Denny Tilton and Brady Rymer, will perform at the Seventh Annual Festival of Trees Charity Event, sponsored by the GFWC Junior Woman's Club of Sparta. Tilton will perform at the festival's Gala Preview accompanied by Bill Kelly on mandola and guitar at the Lake Mohawk Country Club at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19. A native of New Jersey, Denny has been performing for more than two decades. His first CD, "Real Life Stories," was released in 1997 and earned him the 1998 Best Songwriter award from the Northeast New Jersey Music Awards Association. GlideMagazine.com's October review of his latest release, "Shoulda Seen The Dream," said, "Straightforward and confessional, Tilton's third release contains songs that tell of love and a continual search for whatever is around the next of life's bends. The tracks rely heavily on Tilton's voice to carry them n a voice that is a stew of Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan, with a flavor all its own." Tilton will be accompanied by another New Jersey native, Bill Kelly of Folkfoot, whose latest CD, "Dos Hombres," had two tracks slated to appear on the soundtrack of the Sundance Film Festival hit SuperSize Me! The Nov. 20 Gala Preview begins at 7:30 p.m. and includes hors d'ouevres & desserts, live music, cash bar, silent auction, decorated trees and wreaths and a $1,000 jewelry raffle. The decorated trees will be judged and awarded, and representatives from the benefiting charities Sussex County Interfaith Hospitality Network and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Sussex County will speak about how their organizations help our local community. Tickets to the event are $25 and are available by contacting the Junior Woman's Club of Sparta at 973-300-7309. Brady Rymer will perform at the Festival's free family entertainment at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20. Growing up in Sparta from age 12, Rymer established his name as a bass player in the popular band, From Good Homes, which performed with the Dave Matthews Band, whose leader said, "From Good Homes was one of the coolest bands we ever toured with."), Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan. With the arrival of his first child, Rymer turned his attention to other kinds of lyrics as an outlet to fulfill his needs as both father and performer. Since that time he has released three children's CDs: "Good Morning Gus," Look at My Belly" (a National Parenting Publications Association Gold Award Winner), and his newest CD, "I Found It." Following Rymer's performance will be a noon Parent/Child Interactive Program by Music Together, a 1 p.m. performance by the Blessed Kateri Bell Choir, a 2 p.m. Holiday Caroling with the Blessed Kateri Children's Choir, a 3 p.m. strolling magic performance by Joe Garsetti, and from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. a visit by Santa. The free weekend entertainment continues at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 21 with The Grist Mill Café sponsoring Sunday morning Jazz. A weekend-long fundraising event held at the Lake Mohawk Country Club, the festival showcases a silent auction of decorated trees and wreaths, a baked goods sale, children's craft activities, a $,1000 jewelry raffle, live entertainment, a holiday craft sale, as well as visits and story times with Santa. Admission is free on Saturday and Sunday. Corporate sponsorship is by Sparta Steel, Corp. and PAPCel International. The Festival of Trees has become a regular holiday tradition. For more information, a call 973-300-7309 or visit jwcsparta.org.