ARCADIA – Acclaimed Oklahoma City guitarist Edgar Cruz will kick off the Arcadia Round Barn’s online version of this year’s Elm Tree Concert Series.
Cruz will present a virtual concert from 1 to 3 pm, April 19, on the Arcadia Round Barn Facebook page. The barn will be closed at least through the end of April due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cruz is a classical guitarist with numerous recording in styles ranging from classical to flamenco to pop to jazz. He is perhaps best known for his fingerstyle arrangement of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Joe Baxter, who coordinates the live music at the barn, encouraged fans to listen to the concert and donate to Cruz online. Musicians who perform at the Round Barn have lost much of their income due to concert postponements.
“Edgar has been a great friend to the Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society, donating his time for a concert every year to help us maintain the barn built in 1898,” Baxter said.
The Round Barn’s Saturday morning concerts known as Morning Music have also switched to the Facebook Live format. Marco Tello is scheduled to perform on April 11, Rick Reiley on April 18 and Amanda Cunningham and Nellie Marie Clay on April 25.
The next-scheduled Elm Tree Concert Series performance is on May 3, by Baxter’s band, The Regular Joes. That concert will also likely be presented via Facebook Live.
The historical society depends on donations and gift shop sales to maintain the Route 66 icon. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 134, Arcadia, OK 73007.
For more information about music at the barn, call Baxter at 405-833-1350.
