Join us for "The Old Country Fiddler", Tues. Oct. 16, 7pm

The Friends of the Dover Public Library are pleased to sponsor a living history presentation by Adam Boyce as “The Old Country Fiddler: Charles Ross Taggert” on Tuesday evening, October 16 at 7pm. Through a grant from the New Hampshire Humanities Council, Adam Boyce will portray the Vermont-based,, Chautauqua-style entertainer Charles Ross Taggert (1871—1953) near the end of his career, c. 1936. 

As Taggert, Boyce will share recollections on his life, with some live fiddling and humorous sketches interspersed. A fiddler, piano player, humorist, singer and ventriloquist, Mr.Taggert made at least 25 recordings with Victor, Edison, and Columbia and appeared in a talking movie picture four years before Al Jolson starred in the “Jazz Singer”.

Taggert gave over 4,000 performances in nearly all of the 48 states at that time. His routines were adaptable to any circumstance and audience, and he could easily vary any program with his repertoire of hundreds of songs, stories, and caricatures. Last year, the communities of Topsham and Newbury, Vermont held Charles Ross Taggart Day. A bronze plaque was dedicated and placed at town hall, the site of Taggart's first public performance in 1895, and a Vermont State Historic Roadside Marker was erected near his former home, Elmbank, in Newbury. Our presenter for this program, Adam Boyce, re-enacted a performance by this noted traveling entertainer.

Boyce notes that, “These small, but important markers to Mr. Taggart's existence and impact on our cultural history will hopefully continue to educate the public for many years to come, as will my living history presentation about him.”

Join us on the 16^th for this free program! Refreshments will follow. For more information, call 603-516-6050.