SEQUIM — Mark Pearson of The Brothers Four, the folk group famed for its 1960 No. 1 hit “Greenfields,” offers what he calls “campfires” on his website.
They’re interludes of song and story, and together, they mark this time in Pearson’s life, a time when he says there is much to fondly remember and much to look forward to.
And so Pearson, who lives in Port Ludlow and still performs with The Brothers Four and as a solo artist, will give a free presentation on music, memories and navigating social media and all things Internet on Monday night.
Pearson’s program, titled “One of Those Times in a Life: Weaving Songs and Stories,” will start at 6 p.m. at The Lodge at Sherwood Village, 660 W. Evergreen Farm Way, just off Fifth Avenue.
The nonprofit Sequim Humanities and Arts Alliance is the host and will provide drinks and cookies.
“I’ll be going through the music of a lifetime,” he said, “and in doing that, I’ll be talking about putting together a multimedia story” on www.MarkPearsonMusic.com.
“Then I’ll open it up for questions . . . about what it’s like to be someone in his mid-60s, with all the fascination and fear of learning a new language,” known as the Internet.
“I want to assure people,” Pearson added, that no matter your age, “it’s not too late to be part of that language.”
Internet with an accent
He’s fond of quoting a friend who says he speaks Internet “with a heavy accent.”
But really, there’s no reason to be embarrassed about that, Pearson said.
“What I hope to do, because I’m so happy with the Mark Pearson website, is say, ‘Here’s what you can do,’” even if you’re feeling timid about stepping into the virtual world.
A few highlights on his site: videos of songs old and new, a podcast, a blog and blog teasers, links to his Facebook page, ways to reach Pearson the old-fashioned way and, of course, links to purchase albums such as “Let Love Go Forward” and “The Missing Peace.”
There’s also a link to buy “Following the Light,” a record Pearson describes as “a spiritual look at very real moments and places in the Northwest, my lifetime home.”
Online campfires
For his Internet presence, the singer has built what he calls “campfires,” 49 audio-video-text features.
“My mission,” Pearson said, “is to create these . . . to make the world a warmer and brighter place.”
At the same time, Pearson hopes to inspire others to build their own campfires — through music and storytelling on- and offline.
Pearson and The Brothers Four are about to go on a monthlong concert tour of Japan — this May marks the 50th anniversary of the group’s first trip there — after Pearson gives a couple of solo performances on the Peninsula.
He will appear May 5 at the Bay Club in Port Ludlow — details at 360-437-2208 — and May 6 at The Upstage in Port Townsend — details at 360-385-2216.
Pearson said he decided to come to Sequim for a free performance because of Sequim Humanities & Arts Alliance President Renne Brock-Richmond, who also is a digital media consultant.
Pearson hired Brock-Richmond to help create his Web campfires and calls her a “wizard who speaks that [Web] language very fluently.”
For more details about Monday’s event and other arts alliance activities, visit www.SequimArtsAlliance.org or phone 360-460-3023.
________
Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5066, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
