NEGAUNEE, MICHIGAN – White Water, one of northern Michigan’s most popular folk music groups, will perform two concerts at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee during a public open house on Sunday, May 18. The open house will run noon to 4 p.m. and the White Water performances are scheduled at 1 and 2:30 p.m.
At 12:30 p.m., Cliffs Natural Resources will present a check to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum for $40,000 as the first of five installments of a $200,000 pledge for museum exhibit upgrades.
“It is time for the museum to update its interpretation to incorporate the changes in both the iron industry and museum education, and we are appreciative of the ongoing support from Cliffs Natural Resources,” said museum historian Troy Henderson.
The open house kicks off a summerlong series of programs and events at the museum. Light refreshments will be served. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early for premium seating in the performance space.
Dean and Bette Premo have made music as White Water since 1985. For much of that time, son Evan (now living in Vermont) and daughter Laurel (now in Kalamazoo) were part of the band. These days White Water takes on several forms (duo, trio, quartet and more). Bette and Dean have been strong advocates of involving and teaching young musicians. For 30 years, the Premos have organized and hosted the Second Sunday Folk Dance event in Iron County. In 2014, they were recognized for their many contributions to arts and culture by being awarded the 2014 Upper Peninsula Folk Life Award by the Beaumier Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University.
The White Water ensemble will perform at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum’s May 18 open house.For the special museum open house concerts, White Water will be joined by Houghton-based “fiddlers” Emma and Carrie Dlutkowski and their mother Susan on piano. Emma and Carrie are longtime members of the U.P. classical music scene, and for the last five years they have been frequent performers with White Water. In addition to old and new White Water favorite tunes and stories, the ensemble will feature traditional music from Kaustinen, Finland. As a special treat, Emma and Carrie will demonstrate some of their French-Canadian fiddling, foot percussion and step dancing.
The White Water ensemble will have at least a dozen instruments on stage including hammer dulcimers, fiddles, mandolins, guitars, piano, and more. Working with Dean Premo, Carrie Dlutkowski built a hammer dulcimer in 2010 and has quickly developed into a fine player.
“These concerts will be great fun,” said Bette Premo. “The energy and musical skills of Emma and Carrie add a new dimension to the music. Susan’s harmonium-style piano gives the Finnish tunes an emphatic pulse.”
In 1985, Drs. Bette and Dean Premo founded the environmental laboratory and consulting firm White Water Associates. The nationally recognized firm provides services in soil and water testing, scientific consulting and environmental education. To learn more, go to white-water-associates.com.
The museum entrance is located on US-41E, 1 mile west of Junction M-35, in Negaunee Township. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.
The Michigan Iron Industry Museum is one of 11 nationally accredited museums administered by the Michigan Historical Center, an agency within the Department of Natural Resources. It overlooks the site of the Carp River Forge, a pioneer industrial site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In May the Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Starting in June the museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information call 906-475-7857 or visit online at www.michigan.gov/ironindustrymuseum.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
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