Smith Mountain Arts Council presents Paddy Dougherty at a Coffee House on Friday, August 22, 7:00 p.m. at Trinity Ecumenical Parish, Route 122 at Lakemount in Moneta.  You won’t want to miss hearing this talented performer whose music has been described as “powerfully written and soulfully expressed” and “pleasing to the ears, warming to the heart and soothing to the soul”.

Paddy Dougherty’s musical career has taken her on quite a ride. First as a backup singer for national bluesman David Bromberg, performing in venues such as Wolf Trap (D.C), The Bottom Line (NY), Lime Kiln (VA), The Iron Horse (MA), The Birchmere (VA), The United Nations Building (NY), The Philadelphia Folk Festival (PA) on Mountain Stage Radio, and at numerous festivals and clubs along the east coast. In 1991 she performed in Philadelphia with Mary Chapin Carpenter and in NYC with Allison Krauss. She has shared the stage with Saffire, Uppity Blues Women, Tom Paxton, Jane Powell, The Persuassions and many other fine musicians along the way.

In 1991, along with current drummer Larry Scott, she formed the Virginia cover band Mainstreet Rhythm & Blues and for 13 years they delivered a power packed party that met with great success in the area culminating in 2004 when they were voted “Best Band” in the Central Virginia Region. Always feeling the pull to write and perform her original music, Paddy left Mainstreet to focus full time on writing, recording and performing her own songs.

Paddy’s talents were showcased breathtakingly in 2006 when she performed original works arranged for her by legendary hit maker, Charlie Calello.  Her debut with the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra was trumped when she was invited to perform the encore number with pop legend, Rita Coolidge.  This past June, Paddy and her quartet were again invited to perform with the Lynchburg Symphony for the Bowen Community Concert held at City Stadium before 4,800 fans.

Contact: email: Carolyn Fink