Simpson 50th Anniversary Release
Coastal Cohort Bland Simpson has some big news to share!
Fifty (50!) years ago in 1971, Columbia Records released Simpson, Bland’s first record featuring a tight country-rock quartet with band members who would go on to play with Bob Dylan and Guy Clark.
Long out of print, Simpson is now available for download through Bandcamp with all proceeds benefiting the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
Thank You
Thank you for celebrating our 35th Anniversary with us. We hope you tuned into the live stream events…if not, you can head over to our YouTube channel to watch one.
We also have music for your listening (and purchasing) pleasure at kingmackerel.bandcamp.com.
A Note From the Cohorts…
Winter Solstice, December 21st, 2020
Dear Coastal Cohorts Everywhere!
We want to thank the thousands of you who tuned in to our December 9th-12th streaming events, the 35th Anniversary Celebration of King Mackerel & The Blues Are Running. Our deep thanks go, too, to our Cohort-collaborators at the Splinter Group in Carrboro, NC, who ramped up and operated the technical machinery for the shows, and who publicized them widely as well.
Though we weren’t able to take the stage IRL (in real life) this season, we were glad to be able to mark the occasion and, through the shows, make some contributions to our fisherman’s friends at Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center; NC Coastal Land Trust; NC Nature Conservancy; and NC Coastal Federation. We love and count on these all-important conservation/preservation institutions and all those who lead and guide them in their very important work.
Like everyone in music and theatre who cannot wait to get back on the boards, we very much hope to schedule some King Mackerel performances in 2021 and beyond, and when we do, please be assured that future stagings will be no secret.
Meanwhile, as we Coastal Cohorts say as we read the Wright Brothers’ triumphant, December 17th 1903, first-flight telegram in our show:
“Home Christmas!”
Warmest holiday wishes to you all, from us Coastal Cohorts down at the all-decked-out Corncake Inlet Inn,
Don Dixon, Bland Simpson & Jim Wann
King Mackerel & The Blues Are Running: Songs & Stories of the Carolina Coast
FREE STREAMING EVENT DECEMBER 9TH – DECEMBER 12TH AT 7:30 PM EACH NIGHT
Tune in to the streaming events on our YouTube Channel or our Facebook Page and check back here for more places to watch. (No registration required!)
Since COVID-19 has complicated a planned tour, we are commemorating this anniversary with a four-night streaming event of the original Acoustic Specials/PBS filmed stage production on December 9-12. We are also pleased to re-release the original cast recording and premiere new recordings for sale digitally. Proceeds from the sales of these recordings will benefit North Carolina coastal conservation efforts.
Each evening, the proceeds from music sales will benefit one of the Fisherman’s Friends– four North Carolina conservation efforts dedicated to protecting maritime environments and heritage.
- Wednesday, December 9th: Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center (Harkers Island)
- Thursday, December 10th: North Carolina Coastal Land Trust (Wilmington)
- Friday, December 11th: North Carolina Nature Conservancy (Durham)
- Saturday, December 12th: North Carolina Coastal Federation (Ocean)
We hope you’ll celebrate our 35th anniversary with us and hope to see you soon!
Free Live Stream: December 9-12 at 7:30 pm each night
Two Cast Recordings and More Music Available Now!
Watch the show…For Free!
While our live stream events have passed you can still watch the show on our YouTube channel. And, please support the Fisherman’s Friends!
Buy the Music
We’ve re-released the early and original cast recordings of King Mackerel along with newer recordings by The Coastal Cohorts for digital download. Buy one or buy all for a special price!