5 Questions with Cheryl Coy Stamm

Get to know Cheryl Coy Stamm, President of the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society!  In addition to her leadership role with CMHS, Cheryl is Principal Owner at CCS Software Solution Consulting, LLC, Advisory Board Chair of Aviatra Accelerators, and a development committee member of the Cincinnati Art Museum.

We salute and thank Cheryl for five years of dedicated service on the CMHS Board of Trustees, where she is active on multiple committees in support of trustee nominations, marketing & communications, and development & fundraising efforts.

1. What's your first (or favorite) memory of live music?
This is going to date me, but… a Beatles concert when I was little, around 11 or 12 years old.  One of my friend’s parents took us, a group of girls, down to Cincinnati Gardens to see them.  I was screaming!   My parents loved to dance—they would have twist parties at their house and my dad would let me come down and twist in my pjs.  My parents loved music so much and they loved dancing.  I can picture it so vividly.

2. Which LAS concert did you enjoy most?That’s tough… it’s a toss-up between Rosanne Cash and Pink Martini.

3. What do you love about Memorial Hall?
I love the theater in and of itself—the intimacy—it’s so beautiful and makes for a great live music experience. 

4. What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Nobody can outdo me on “Love Shack” and the B-52s.  No matter when I do it (and I do it a lot), it’s my go-to.  And I’ve seen them in concert so many times.  I love the B-52s.

5. Do you play an instrument?
Not currently, but I did take piano lessons for twelve years, all through school, first to twelfth grade.  I can read music—it was all classical.  I took lessons again as an adult, but I still like the fact that I can look at and understand sheet music.  I’m also a tap dancer; as an adult, I tapped in shows.  I love to dance.  I was a fairly good tap dancer, but more for fun.  I would do recitals and there were kids, too… I was in adult group and [my husband] Carlin would be taking pictures and someone would say, “Do you have a child in this program?”  We did Broadway shows like 42nd Street and A Chorus Line.  We had the fishnets, heels, little outfits, and black shorts!

Photograph by Marlene Rounds

5 Questions with Josh Gerth

Get to know longtime Memorial Hall supporter and concert & event sponsor Josh Gerth!

We salute and thank Josh for his service to the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society Board of Trustees and the Longworth-Anderson Series (LAS) Advisory Committee, supporting the development, programming, fundraising, marketing, and execution of this premier series.

1. What's your first (or favorite) memory of live music?
First concert was Paul Simon and might also be one of my favorites… next to Journey, of course.

2. Which LAS concert did you enjoy most?
My favorite LAS concert was Marty Stuart, but I’m really looking forward to John Hiatt in November.

3. What do you love about Memorial Hall?
It is an incredibly intimate and powerful place to listen to live music.

4. Are you a good singer? What’s your go-to karaoke song?
I am terrible singer but I can do a pretty incredible karaoke version of “Baby Got Back”.

5. Do you play an instrument?
See answer above.

5+ Questions with Maggie Brennan

Get to know Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society (CMHS) Secretary Maggie Brennan!

We salute and thank Maggie for her service to the CMHS Board of Trustees and the Longworth-Anderson Series (LAS) Advisory Committee, supporting the development, programming, fundraising, marketing, and execution of this premier series.

1. What's your first (or favorite) memory of live music?
When I was a kid my dad played in a softball league and following the games we would go to Les Flick's Home Like Inn for dinner and the blues.

2. What LAS concert(s) have you attended? Which did you enjoy most and why?
Lucius. Frankly, I'm a fan of female artists and Lucius can harmonize like no other.

3. What artists do you hope to bring to the LAS?
Vagabon, Ólafur Arnalds, Chet Faker, Tank and the Bangas, Celeste

4. What do you love about Memorial Hall?
I fall more in love with Memorial Hall each time I visit.

5. Describe the Cincy music scene in three words.
evolving, talented, accessible

6. What genres of music do you like?
All and any with the exception of heavy metal and super poppy.

7. What was the most recent CD/vinyl you purchased?
My most recent purchase was from Joy Ike; she had a show at the Music Resource Center in June.

8. What album would you take to a desert island (assuming you had a record player!)? Patty Griffin's A Kiss in Time

9. What songs are on your pandemic playlist? What was your favorite album of 2020-21?
NPR's playlist, Isle of Calm

10. What song reminds you of childhood? “Elvira” — The Oakridge Boys

11. What song reminds you of summertime? “Heavy Metal Drummer” — Wilco

12. What's your favorite love song?
“A Groovy Kind of Love” — Phil Collins

13. What song makes you want to dance? “Radio” — Sylvan Esso

14. Do you play an instrument?
No, but I have had the harmonica and ukulele on a Post-it for a while.

15. How has music impacted your life?
It brings me joy. I enjoy listening to it alone and with friends in person.

16. Who is the most underrated musician?
Kishi Bashi

17. What artists have you met in person?
The Head and the Heart, Of Monsters and Men, Ben Lee

18. If you could go back in time and meet any musician, who would it be?
Nina Simone

19. What advice would you give to a budding musician?
Call me; I'll be your agent.

5+ Questions with Michael Wilson

Get to know photographer Michael Wilson!

We salute and thank Michael for his service to the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society Board of Trustees and the Longworth-Anderson Series (LAS) Advisory Committee, supporting the development, programming, fundraising, marketing, and execution of this premier series.

1. What's your first (or favorite) memory of live music?
First memory of live music is from going to church... a favorite memory of live music was hearing Doc Watson play Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December” in a small cabin in North Carolina while I was photographing him. Only me and one of Doc’s good friends were in the room. The song sounded like it could have been 400 years old when Doc played it.

2. What LAS concerts have you attended?
Los Lobos, Nils Lofgren

3. Which did you enjoy most and why?
Andy Newmark was playing drums for Nils Lofgren... loved seeing him play. He has played on some of my favorite albums including one of my desert island albums, Avalon by Roxy Music.

4. What artists do you hope to bring to the LAS?
Emmylou Harris/Buddy Miller, Lyle Lovett, Brad Mehldau, Bill Frisell, Josh Redman... and in some perfect world, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello!

5. What do you love about Memorial Hall?
It is a graceful building reflecting a distinct era in public architecture — beautifully preserved. I love the intimate scale of the theater. I love that it is being used.

6. What was the first CD/vinyl you purchased? The most recent?
Most recent vinyl purchased was a used copy of Crack’d Rib by Cal Collins with the Steve Schmidt Trio. Most recent CD purchased was Wall-Message by Russian composer Vladimir Martynov.

7. What album would you take to a desert island (assuming you had a record player!)?
A Different Kind of Tension — Buzzcocks, Television — Television, Avalon — Roxy Music, Goldberg Variations — Jeremy Denk, Thelonious Alone in San Francisco — Thelonious Monk, Look Up — Bob Neuwirth, Another Green World — Brian Eno

8. What's your favorite love song?
secular: “I’m In Love With You” by Steve Forbert or “Yes, Yes, Yes” by NRBQ
sacred: “Bless the Lord O My Soul” Liturgy of St. John Chrysostomus by Sergei Rachmaninoff

9. How has music impacted your life?
Greatly... even though I am not a musician, the way music has moved me is what I aspire to as an artist.

10. What artist(s) have you met in person?
Have been fortunate to meet many musicians due to my work... from Ralph Stanley to Philip Glass, David Byrne to Doc Watson. Some that come to mind... B.B. King, Richard Thompson, Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, John Hiatt, John Prine, Brad Mehldau, Leo Kottke, The Cheiftains...

11. If you could go back in time and meet any musician, who would it be?
J.S. Bach, Thelonious Monk, Roy Buchanan

5 Questions with Melvin Grier

Get to know photojournalist Melvin Grier!

We salute and thank Melvin for his service to the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society Board of Trustees and the Longworth-Anderson Series (LAS) Advisory Committee, supporting the development, programming, fundraising, marketing, and execution of this premier series.

1. What’s your first memory of live music?
Living in the old West End and about two blocks from the Cotton Club, I was too young to be admitted but I could hear the big band music coming through the door.

2. What LAS concerts have you attended?
The Tillers, Pat Metheny

3. What genre(s) of music do you like?
jazz

4. What artists do you hope to bring to the LAS?
José James, Charles Lloyd

5. What’s your favorite love song?
”The Secret Garden” from the Quincy Jones album Back On The Block

5 Questions with Laura Ann Gentry

Get to know Laura Ann Gentry, Owner of LAG Productions, LLC and President of Jazz Alive!

We salute and thank Laura for her service to the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society Board of Trustees and the Longworth-Anderson Series (LAS) Advisory Committee, supporting the development, programming, fundraising, marketing, and execution of this premier series.

1. What's your first memory of live music?
My first concert at Dayton Hara Arena when I was twelve years old. Heatwave, Rufus with Chaka Khan, and Michael Henderson.

2. What genres of music do you like?
I enjoy all genes of music except heavy metal, but I love jazz.

3. What song reminds you of summertime?
“Summer Madness” — Kool & The Gang

4. Are you a good singer? What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Yes, I am a good singer. I started singing when I was five years old in my mom's church. I sang in some type of organized format (choir, choral groups, musical theater, garage bands, R&B cover bands) from five years old until I graduated from college. I sing any chance I get, but I've never sung karaoke.

5. What artists have you met in person?
I've met many artists in person, but I went into full fan mode when I met alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett. I started crying when I told him how much his song "She Waits for the New Sun" meant to me.