There are a lot of notable days in February – Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Mardi Gras. Now, the Valley Twang Cooperative has pointed out that there is another day in February that deserves recognition—Johnny Cash’s Birthday.

Cash, who died in 2003, was born on Feb. 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Ark., and to honor this occasion of the musician who contributed so much to country music, the Valley Twang Cooperative is hosting two birthday bashes that will honor the man and the music. You can also expect to hear some June Carter Cash tunes and music by the artists who influenced the Man in Black and of course, music by artists that were influenced by his own songs.

The first of celebration will be held on Friday, Feb.17, at 8 p.m. at the Marigold Theater in Easthampton. The second birthday bash will be on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. at the Shutesbury Athletic Club.

“Since the beginning of his career, Johnny Cash’s music has been loved by a wide range of listeners,” said Peter Sikowitz, founder of The Valley Twang Cooperative, an organization of local musicians whose goal is to keep roots and country music alive in our area. ”Cash had a unique ability to appeal to many people and that helps to explain his tremendous popularity which still lives on. Some consider his music ‘folk’ and others ‘country.’ Still other listeners see it as ‘protest music.’ Cash has always defied convenient labels, but he was always pure Johnny Cash. We look forward to bringing fans and bands together that enjoy his music, and also provide listeners an opportunity to participate in each event.”

The Friday show will feature the classic country and Americana music of Wild Bill and the Flying Sparks, along with a performance by the Memphis Flyers Blues Band. Before these bands hit the stage, however, there will be a Johnny Cash open mic where participants may perform their favorite Cash or June Carter Cash song. The open mic will begin at 8 p.m.

The party in Shutesbury will be slightly different. Wild Bill and the Flying Sparks will be on hand, and classic country musician Josh LeVangie will open the night at 7 p.m. There will not be an open mic at this show, but you will have a chance to belt out “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Ring of Fire,” or any of your other Cash favorites as this event will feature “Cash Karaoke.”

The Shutesbury show will also award a prize for the best Johnny or June Carter Cash costumes.

Now that sounds like fun! Of course, it should be easy to dress as the Man in Black, but I am not sure how you might get that June Carter Cash look—perhaps dig deep into the closet to find some old prom dress. Attendees are encouraged to dress up for the Easthampton show. Chili, including a vegetarian version based on Cash’s favorite recipe and birthday cake will also be on hand.

The idea for putting these shows together can be credited to Peter Sikowitz, the lead guitarist for Wild Bill and the Flying Sparks and the bass player for the Memphis Flyers. Sikowitz spent many years living in New York City, where he hosted several Cash-themed shows which were successful and even more popular than some Elvis-related shows he presented.

His history with presenting these shows is only part of what led to these birthday bashes, but Sikowicz said the fact that the Flying Sparks are constantly getting requests to play Johnny Cash songs also factored into the decision.

“We thought it may be fun to do a Cash-heavy show where we could do a lot of material we usually cannot fit into a regular show. Josh (LeVangie) knew more Cash tunes than his full band (the Pistoleros) did, so he decided to do a solo set,” said Sikowitz. “The Memphis Flyers are a blues band that loves Cash. He was greatly influenced by the blues, and the band wanted to give Flyers fans something different and unexpected.”

The bands also hoped that a Cash open mic at the Marigold and a Cash karaoke at Shutesbury would raise the fun quotient by giving audiences a chance to get directly involved. “And, of course, we’re also hoping the call for attendees to dress as Johnny or June will help lessen the winter blues.”

Tickets are $10-$15 for the Marigold Theater show and can be purchased in advance at marigoldtheater.com or at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission for the Shutesbury Athletic Club show is $10-$15 at the door.

Mardi Gras Get Down at Hawks and Reed

Mardi Gras is right around the corner with Fat Tuesday falling on Feb. 21 and the parties start this weekend. And what’s a Mardi Gras Party without zydeco music?

The Greenfield- based Zydeco Connection will once again bring their zesty music to Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield for their annual Mardi Gras Get Down. Since this is a special occasion, the band will be joined by the Bourbon Street Blasters, a horn section that consists of Ted Wirt on saxophone and Mike Spencer and Brian Bender on trombone. This addition of the horns to the already exuberant sounds of Zydeco Connection will certainly add more of a New Orleans-style touch to the night.

Zydeco Connection has been playing the music of Southwestern Louisiana since 2004 and over the years have played at many Valley venues and festivals. The band consists of Cynthia Rose (Lil Cyn) on accordion, Eileen Almeida on rub-board and lead vocals, Mike Rose on drums, Dave LeBlanc on bass, and Roland LaPierre on guitar. In addition to their straight-up Zydeco music, the band also plays two-step and a bit of swing. It is music made for dancing, and if you want to learn come basic steps of New Orleans-styled dancing, come early for a free dance lesson at 7 p.m.

Other Mardi Gras celebrations include vocalist Samirah Evans, who will join with jazz trumpeter Haneef Nelson and the Green Street Trio on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 7:30 p.m. at The Drake in Amherst. A jazz jam will follow their performance and is open for all to join in. This is a free event, but donations are welcomed. For more information visit www.TheDrakeAmherst.org.

The Soggy ‘Po Boys will host a Mardi Gras Party at the Parlor Room in Northampton on Friday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 day of show. For more information: parlorroom.org.

Tickets for Zydeco Connection are $15 in advance and $20 day of show. Tickets can be purchased at hawksandreed.com or by calling 413-774-0150. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com.

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