OCPL presents Civil War Songs of 1863

On October 25th at 7pm, the Oconee County Public Library invites the community to step back in time, a century and a half ago, and experience live entertainment that was popular during the Civil War.  For the ongoing sesquicentennial (150^th) anniversary of the war, Salem Library will host a free concert by Philip Cheney and The Cheney Minstrels of Civil War Songs of 1863. Philip Cheney, who has been performing Civil War-era songs as a solo performer for more than ten years, was asked to assemble a group of performers for the Walhalla Civic Auditorium’s summer concert series in 2013.  His group of eight performers was dubbed “The Cheney Minstrels,” using as a model the Christy Minstrels, a pre-Civil War minstrel troupe named after its founder, Edwin Christy.  The Cheney Minstrels previously presented a program at the Walhalla Civic Auditorium on Saturday, August 11, 2013. The group appearing on October 25th at the Salem Community Center will feature, among others, Oconee County Public Library Board chair Danny Day, as well Mr. Cheney, the current Library Director. This year’s song elements focus on the events surrounding the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg (both took place in 1863).  Many songs also focus on the homestead, as opposed to the war front.  During the performance, Cheney will speak to the crowd about Stephen D. Lee, a confederate soldier who grew up in Anderson County. The concert will feature songs that were popular in the North and the South during the Civil War.  Some of these songs people have heard before, but at the time of the Civil War, they had different words. Following the concert there will be a reception where light refreshments will be served.  The event is free and open to the public.