The Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway plans a benefit performance to raise money to help preserve open space in Dakota County. Local jazz musician Dan Chouinard has assembled a cast of acoustic musicians that could easily headline a larger venue. And these folk music standouts are volunteering for this Sunday afternoon gig.
Peter Ostroushko is considered one of the top mandolin and fiddle players in acoustic music today. Like many of the musicians joining him for the Greenway benefit, he was a regular on "A Prairie Home Companion," performing on the radio show for 25 years and serving briefly as its musical director. He has performed with Willie Nelson, Chet Atkins and numerous other notables.
Tim Eriksen collaborated on the "Cold Mountain" soundtrack, and he has worked with bluegrass icon Ralph Stanley as well as Jack White of the White Stripes. Eriksen has played everything from punk rock to Sacred Harp music, a bit of Americana rarely heard today, though it was big in colonial times.
The lineup also includes venerated jazz singer Prudence Johnson and composer and noted pianist Chouinard.
"These are people individually I'd pay a fortune to see," said David Brunet, a board member with the Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway who has seen almost all of the musicians in concert.
Hot!Dish, a local women's vocal group, is the opening act.
The Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway has helped secure open space, including the Patrick Eagan Park and the Caponi Art Park, which will be the site of the concert.
• IF YOU GO
WHAT: "Greenway Music Festival," a benefit concert for the Friends of the Eagan Core Greenway. Local Scouts will give tours of the Greenway before and after the performance.
WHEN: Sunday. The main act -- musicians Dan Chouinard, Prudence Johnson, Tim Eriksen and Peter Ostroushko -- will perform from 2 to 4 p.m. Hot!Dish, a local women's vocal ensemble, will open at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Theater in the Woods stage in Caponi Art Park, 1205 Diffley Road, Eagan. In case of rain, the concert will be held at Saints Martha and Mary Episcopal Church, Lexington Av. and Diffley Road, Eagan.
COST: $8 for adults, free for children
MORE INFO: Call 651-454-9412, or visit www.CaponiArtPark.org or www.EaganCoreGreenway.org