Sea shanties have taken social media by storm. Sea shanties are songs that were sung by crew members of sailing ships to help them co-ordinate their efforts and keep them focused and motivated on the notoriously grueling tasks of the job. Their main purpose: to help workers synchronize their tasks, such as pushing or pulling at the same time when hoisting sails.

Jerry Bryant is a singer, entertainer, and independent folk scholar focused on curating great songs from the past 500 years of American, Irish, and British traditions. His repertoire includes hundreds of traditional and contemporary folk songs, with a special emphasis on the musical artifacts of maritime culture. Accompanying himself on concertina, guitar, banjo, ukulele, and bones (not all at the same time), he presents old and new songs that open windows on the human experience. By researching the music he is able to add historical insights to his performances.

Join us when acclaimed musician Jerry Bryant takes us on a musical tour of the origins and history of sea shanties.

The Library gratefully acknowledges the Friends of the Library for sponsoring this program.