Joe Holt’s “First Friday” Show features mother/son guests

On Friday, Aug. 2, The Mainstay’s “First Friday” program hosted by jazz pianist/ accompanist Joe Holt welcomes Beth McDonald and her son Jonah McDonald. The show features both solo performances by each of the artists, as well as duets.

Beth is “a singer/songwriter from another time who is trying to find her place in this one.” Her voice and style are in love with melody, standards from the Great American Songbook, and the charm of another era. She also performs contemporary and original material, all speaking to our heartfelt shared experiences, emotions and stories. Her influences range from Peggy Lee and Diana Krall to Sarah McLachlan and Billy Joel. She is drawn less to genre and more to songs that touch us with melody and enduring meaning.

Jonah McDonald, freshly graduated from high school, is already an experienced performer (both as an actor on network television and as a singer). Like his mother, he also has an old soul and a deep appreciation for well-written music.

Beth will perform selections from her latest recording, “If Only,” which contains all original material based on timeless themes. She is known for making her audiences laugh and cry and come away feeling renewed.

Jonah will croon his way into your hearts with his renditions of old and new songs. As an actor in film, tv, and theater with a natural bent towards comedy, he is always eager to connect with his audience and leave them feeling entertained.

Together, they will share music that has at its core a sense of timelessness, whether it’s popular songs from the last 50 years or selections from the Great American Songbook. From one generation to the next, like mother — like son.

Showtime for the Mainstay concert event is 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance of the show and can be purchased online at mainstayrockhall.org. Phone reservations are accepted by calling 410-639-9133 (tickets reserved by phone are $25 when paid at the door). The Mainstay is located at 5753 N Main Street in Rock Hall. Its regular calendar of local, regional, and nationally touring artists features a live performance every week of the year (February through December) in a variety of music genres.

The programs of the Mainstay are also supported with funds from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Kent Cultural Alliance.