NISSWA - Germaine Gemberling and Rich Mattson, the "first couple" of the Iron Range music scene, are the next performers in the Grassroots Concerts series.
The lifelong musicians will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Live Well Nightclub and Coffee Bar in Nisswa.
Their musical sensibilities have evolved along the same wavelength, bringing the two together in collaboration. They play "classic country music, the kind that Johnny and June made," said Tony Bennett of the Duluth News Tribune.
Gemberling is a singer-songwriter born and raised in St. Paul. A student of Suzuki music at age 5, she studied piano until she was 12. She grew up absorbed in the music of independent artists, such as the Replacements, Husker Du, Jayhawks and Soul Asylum. By age 17 she had started the all-girl punk band SMUT, which signed to Spanish Fly/Twin-Tone Records in 1992.
A few years later she sought the peace, quiet and beauty of northern Minnesota. She began writing songs on acoustic guitar and formed the rock group Darn Losers, which eventually morphed into Shotgun Daisy. That band released one album on SMA Records before a rebirth as the quartet Junkboat.
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Gemberling and Mattson record at his Sparta Sound in Ely. She writes the songs for Junkboat, which formed in 2010 and includes drummer David K. Loy and bassist Al Schroeter.
Mattson has been around a while and traveled more than a few miles with numerous musical pals combining talents to share the joy of sound. His passion for producing songs has anchored him in northern Minnesota and allowed him to enhance his creativity.
His day job, years as a driver for a courier company long past, as well as the wildness associated with rock band lifestyle, Mattson is honing in on a synchronized sharing of style with Gemberling, whom he calls "the love of my life."
"The bands I've been in all through life have been my best friends ... My soul brothers," Mattson said. "Of all the groups I've played with I can't think of one enemy among all the players. That's what happens when you keep it real and the money doesn't ruin everything."
The concert series is in its 26th year, and this will be the 288th concert.
Admission is $10 at the door for adults and $5 for children under 12 with listening attention, when accompanied by an adult. At all shows, seating is first-come, first-served.
Showtime is 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
Nonprofit Grassroots Concerts are sustained in quality and low cost with the help of a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council through the Minnesota State Legislature. At each concert, the all-volunteer series welcomes your non-perishable food or cash donation to a local food shelf.
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For information go to www.grassrootsconcerts.org , call 829-4092.
