A Musical Journey Celebrating 250 Years as a Country

Please join us for a musical journey celebrating our country’s 250th anniversary. We’ve selected
songs representing key historical events and eras:
• The Early Years, including the Revolutionary War Period, the War of 1812, and the 1837
financial panic when many Americans faced hard times.
• The California Gold Rush when gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in 1848. The rush lasted
until roughly 1855 bringing 300,000 immigrants worldwide.
• The Civil War from 1860 until 1865, when brothers, neighbors, and friends sometimes fought
on opposite sides of the conflict, ultimately putting an end to slavery and preserving our
union.
• The Cowboy Years, a 30-year period (roughly 1865–1895) when cowboys managed massive
herds, driving cattle across the Great Plains from Texas to Northern railroads.
• The Railroad Era – The expansion of the US by railroads, particularly between 1870 and 1900,
added over 170,000 miles of track, transforming the nation into an industrial power by linking
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
• The “Melting Pot” Era (roughly 1890s–1920s) characterized by massive immigration and the
assimilation of diverse cultures into a cohesive American identity. This was eventually
replaced by the concept of multiculturalism or a “salad bowl” where cultures coexist rather
then blend into one.
• Popular music in the early 20th century included Broadway music, crooning vocalists, and
dance bands. Key influencers of this period were published sheet music, the “radio boom,”
the development of recording technology and widespread use of phonographs. The “Jazz
Age” of the 1920s brought widespread popularity to dance music, including the Charleston
and fox trot.
• Popular music from the 1950s, 60s and 70s saw the emergence of Rock and Roll, Folk Music,
and the use of Protest Songs to promote peace and social justice.

Don Jenkins performs in the Seattle area for the pure joy of making music for and
with friends and friends-to-be. He sings folk, pop, Celtic, religious, and country
music, covering such artists as Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, James
Taylor, Allison Krauss, Bill Staines, John Prine, Iris DeMent, Paul Simon, The
Beatles, Emmylou Harris, Kenny Loggins, Dan Fogelberg, Joni Mithell, Jim Croce,
Pete Seeger, Hank Williams, Sr., Steve Goodman, George Strait, Jimmy Buffett,
Paddy Reilly, Liam Clancy, Ian Tyson, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and The Everly
Brothers.
Don has performed at the Northwest Folklife Festival for many years and is
scheduled for this year’s festival on Saturday, May 23rd at 4:00pm in the Cornish
Courtyard at the Seattle Center.
He and a group of his friends, known as The Stringers, play regularly for the fun of
it and also, provide music for local churches and at private venues celebrating
special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and retirement parties.