The Chris Vallillo Band: Forgottonia

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Folklorist and performer Chris Vallillo has spent the past 35 years documenting and preserving the heritage of Western Illinois, lovingly referred to as "Forgottonia." Forgottonia An Intimate Portrait of Rural Illinois is a musical journey through the people and places of rural Illinois just as the last vestiges of the old "Forgottonia" slowly eroded. This show combines storytelling, historically accurate narratives, and live music with the projected images of award-winning rural photographer Tim Schroll, long known for his striking black-and-white images of rural Illinois. "Tim is doing visually, what I am trying to do musically and it seemed like a perfect combination," said Chris Vallillo. Chris will share the history and backstories of songs that document, reflect, and validate people, places, and characters of rural Illinois and all of rural America paired with Tim's powerful images.