By Rick Zeigler—
MUNCIE, IN— Critically acclaimed musician Pokey LaFarge and his band will be performing a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2026 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. This concert is sponsored by law firm Defur Voran and will take place at 7:00 PM on Saturday, July 25th at Canan Commons (600 S. Walnut St.) in the heart of downtown Muncie, IN. Locals Jerry Barker & the Onion Cutters will open the show.
Pokey LaFarge’s previous appearances at Muncie Three Trails Music Series attracted some of the biggest crowds in our history, so we were anxious to have him back. However, we have had to wait, as Pokey had some personal travails to deal with. After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine. Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist.
LaFarge never wanted to be an artist that had one gigantic record and then kept repeating the same thing over and over. His last three albums, including his newest, Rhumba Country, gives evidence that he is in no danger of doing that (please note that Pokey will be releasing a new album, Rent Money, on September 11th of this year). 2020’s Rock Bottom Rhapsody, hailed as a “Best of 2020” by NPR’s Fresh Air, was dark, lean and melancholy, without horns or anything else that might interfere with the vocals and the lyrics. By contrast, 2021’s In The Blossom of Their Shade showcases Pokey’s positivity, capturing the vibe of a perfect summer afternoon soundtrack. As with all his previous works, In The Blossom of Their Shade continued to mix and match a wide variety of styles and traditions. But this time around, in addition to drawing on sounds from hot swing, ragtime, country blues, and Americana, Pokey also incorporated influences from the Southwest, South America, and the Caribbean.
And now, on Rhumba Country, his latest full-length, LaFarge revels in his newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy. “There was a time when I glorified sadness because I lost sight of who I was, but now I understand that creating and expressing joy is my gift, and gifts are meant to be shared,” he says. Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm.
“I’d be pushing a plow or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls. “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.” As Pokey immersed himself in the album’s creation, he once again began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll. Co-produced along with Chris Seefried and Bergman and recorded in L.A., the resulting Rhumba Country is an invitation to come together to celebrate life and love.
Wherever his musical inspirations may take him, there is one thing you can be sure of when Pokey LaFarge takes the stage– he will continue to entertain audiences everywhere with his unique mix of styles and dynamic showmanship. We are extremely pleased to be able to welcome Pokey LaFarge back to the Three Trails stage.
The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership whose mission is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” — The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music.”
Complete information about the Muncie Three Trails Music Series can be found at www.munciethreetrails.com.
