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Pettis Father-Daughter Duo in Next KASU Coffeehouse Concert

04/07/2016

JONESBORO – Pierce Pettis, a musical artist whose fingerpicking guitar techniques and vocal talent showcase his country musical talent, will meet up with his country/folk singer-songwriter daughter, Grace Pettis, to perform their individual sets at the next Coffeehouse Concert at The Arts at 311 on Thursday, April 14.  KASU 91.9 FM, the public broadcasting service of Arkansas State University, and The Arts at 311, a meeting place for those who appreciate and support local arts, present the Coffeehouse series.

Admission is $10 when doors open at 6:30 p.m. the night of the performance, or may be purchased in advance at the office of Dr. Carl Abraham of Jonesboro Infectious Disease and Control Consultants (IDCC), 311 S. Church Street, Suite C, between 1-4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Pierce Pettis and Grace Pettis will be showcasing their musical talents as separate musicians, where both artists will be performing from their own musical selections, but according to KASU Station Manager Mike Doyle, the father and daughter musicians will “without a doubt perform together some,” in celebration of Pierce Pettis’s birthday, which will fall on the date of the concert.

Pierce Pettis is originally from Fort Payne, Ala., and began his musical career by singing, playing the guitar and songwriting as a child, and he released his own self-produced recordings before being signed recording label by High Street Records.

Since then, Pierce has produced 11 albums, and in 1999, he won an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ country music award for his song “You Move Me,” that he co-wrote with Gordon Kennedy and recorded with Garth Brooks.

Pierce Pettis’s music highlights life in the rural American South, explorations of faith, memory and personal nostalgia. Pierce has previously performed in Jonesboro at The Arts at 311 at events for Arkansas State University’s Delta Symposium. 

Pierce also encouraged his children to be songwriters and musicians, and this encouragement has stuck with Austin-based daughter Grace Pettis, who performs as a singer-songwriter country and folk musician, leads songwriting workshops at festivals and universities, and has produced two studio albums: “Two Birds” in 2012 and her self-titled album, “Grace Pettis” in 2009.

Grace was also recently commissioned by the Dallas Museum of Art to write a song inspired by an art piece in the museum’s permanent collection as a part of its “Arts and Letters” series.

This will also be Grace Pettis’s first time performing at The Arts at 311 and in the city of Jonesboro.

For more information about Grace Pettis and her music, visit gracepettis.com, and for more information about Pierce Pettis and his music, visit piercepettis.com.

KASU Coffeehouse Concerts at The Arts at 311 are underwritten by Dr. Richard Stevenson, cardiac, vascular and thoracic surgeon; Dr. Carl Abraham of Jonesboro Infectious Disease and Control Consultants (IDCC); and Gregg-Langford-Bookout Funeral Homes.

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Pierce Pettis w  daughter Grace
Pierce and Grace Pettis