Corral Creek kicks off spring season at George CoffeeHouse

GEORGE — The George CoffeeHouse concert season gets underway March 21 with a performance by Corral Creek at the George Community Hall. 

“They’re a great bunch of people,” said Community Hall Director Debby Kooy. “They do wonderful classic bluegrass, plus some more contemporary bluegrass. The bandleader also does a fair amount of storytelling, which is interesting and fun to listen to.” 

Corral Creek is based in Newberg, Oregon, in the wine country southwest of Portland. The name comes from a small stream that runs through bandleader Ron Taylor’s yard, he said. The band has played together for 21 years, Taylor said. 

“We play wineries, assisted living facilities, community festivals and bluegrass festivals in Oregon and Washington,” Taylor said. “(We spent) a couple of weeks in Alaska a couple of years ago. They’re like a lot of areas; they like live music.” 

The audience can expect to hear Northwest-themed songs about things like cars on blocks and opossum gravy; Taylor wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. The band is big on audience participation, with singalongs and dialogue, and often invites children up on stage. 

“It’s always a family show,” Taylor said. “We like to see people who want to sing along. We want to see some kids if we can. And we’ll always include some Gospel songs as well, just to make it a fun evening for you.”  

The concert will be at 5 p.m. The George CoffeeHouse concerts have been taking place earlier in the day because so many people prefer not to drive at night, Kooy said. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and younger. Refreshments will be served at halftime. 

At every George CoffeeHouse concert there’s a hat pass to help pay the band’s expenses, Kooy said; that’s supplemented by a grant from the Columbia Basin Foundation. 

“It keeps my husband and me from having to dig into our own pockets,” Kooy said. 

Corral Creek is the first of three shows in the CoffeeHouse series this spring, according to the George Community Hall website. Carter Junction, with Clint and Sarah Carter, will play April 18 and 5 Mile Drive will be in town May 16. 

“We just try to be entertaining and let people have a good time,” Taylor said. 

Corral Creek 

March 21 

Doors open 4:30 p.m.
Show begins 5 p.m. 

George Community Hall 

403 W. Montmorency Blvd. 

George 

Admission $5, under 12 free