From Arts of the Pamlico

Arts of the Pamlico (AOP) will present South Carolina native Jacob Johnson in concert for a return engagement at the Turnage Theatre on Saturday. Curtain time is 8 p.m.

Jacob Johnson is familiar to anyone who has attended the Ocrafolk Festival for the last couple of years. He’s a young, energetic performer from South Carolina who has shared stages with songwriting masters from Edwin McCain to David Wilcox, and hangs out with guitar heroes like Tommy Emmanuel and Phil Keaggy (who opened for Johnson one fabled night in Knoxville). While it’s his flashy guitar pyrotechnics that might grab your attention, his songwriting, personality and performance style are what set him apart from the rest of the pack of other young guitar-slingers. In short, to quote Tommy Emmanuel, “Jacob rocks.”

AOP Executive Director Joey Toler was quick to book Johnson after seeing him perform at the Ocrafolk Festival this past summer.

“His guitar prowess is amazing. Add that to his great personality and showmanship, and you have the whole package — a consummate performer who is appealing to a broad audience,” Toler said. “Jacob was part of our inaugural series last fall and we are glad to have him back.”

The Florence, South Carolina Morning News offers a great description of Jacob’s talent: “Johnson sounds like Norman Rockwell paintings and the open road. He is a virtuoso, expressing a working comprehension of dozens of techniques and styles. He has blended and blurred the lines of genres to craft a sound he calls ‘Neo-Acoustic Folk/Funk.’”

Tickets for the Jacob Johnson concert are $18, and can be purchased by calling 252-946-2504 or online at www.artsofthepamlico.org. Ticket buyers can also visit the BCAC box office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The box office will also open at 6:30 p.m. the day of the performance for door sales.

Other upcoming holiday events presented by AOP and the Turnage Theatre include the annual Christmas Tour of Homes on Dec. 5, the annual HeART of the City Christmas Concert on Dec. 11 (free event), Jennifer Licko Celtic Christmas on Dec. 12, and a reprise of a reading of David Sedaris’ Santaland Diaries on Dec. 18. Information about all programs can be found on the arts council’s website.