Sanctuary Series guitarist has range

Fingerstyle player Doug Wood is from Cleveland.

Contact this contributing writer at bturner004@woh.rr.com.


How to go

What: Sanctuary Series presents guitarist Doug Wood

Where: High Street United Methodist Church, 230 E. High St., Springfield

When: 3 p.m. Sunday, April 10

Admission: Free; free-will donations accepted

More info: 937-322-2527 or go to www.highstreetumc.com

A fingerstyle method guitarist with a background of folk meets rock will present a diverse set of music during the next Sanctuary Series concert.

Cleveland-based Doug Wood will play several songs from originals to his arrangements of Beatles cover tunes to even TV themes when he performs Sunday at High Street United Methodist Church.

The show is free. Free-will offerings to support the series will be also accepted.

Wood is performing in place of the previously announced group, Cellocentric.

“I can have serious introspective to more finger-tappin’ tunes,” said Wood. “I grew up appreciating all kinds of music, and that’s influenced me.”

Part of Wood’s show is including the audience through dialogue.

“It’s more than just playing the music. I talk about where it comes from and the journeys I’ve taken to get there,” Wood said. “It’s almost always with a sense of story.”

He’ll close the show with a fun version of a 1970s superhero show theme.

Wood is something of a renaissance man in Cleveland, working to keep music front and center in the place where rock ’n’ roll got its name. In addition to his own music, he plays with the trio Cellocentric and works with numerous other artists.

One of his missions is to spread music in Cleveland, especially promoting a family connection. He performs as an artist in residence in hospitals and does programs with kids, although he confesses to slowing down in some ways to not miss time with his own family.

“It’s important to get a new generation interested in music,” Wood said. “Every time schools face budget cuts it’s things like the music programs to go first.”

Wood has visited Springfield previously and has known J. Chris Moore, High Street’s musical director of Traditional Worship, for several years through the Ohio Arts Presenters Network.

“I enjoy Springfield, it has a lot to offer,” he said.

A reception with Wood in the church commons will follow the performance. The Sanctuary Series offers monthly performances and concerts for no cost and will have its final performance of the season with the Dayton Area Harp Ensemble on Sunday, May 15.

For more information about Wood, go to his website at www.dougwoodmusic.com.

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