Arts News
Artist Spotlight with Maury Finney on April 9
Trey Everett and Kristin Eggerling joined Saxophonist Maury Finney for a live discussion on April 9. The discussion was live on the NWMAC Facebook and YouTube pages. Listen/watch at https://www.youtube.com/live/qrmF5bUZYWA?si=dU1V4wXXlIa5GyW3. Maury shared stories of his music background and experiences in Nashville and on the charts. He also gave advice to aspiring musicians.
This well-known music artist is originally from rural Kittson County Minnesota. He is featured in our Good Vibrations exhibit.
Maury Finney grew up with music dominating his family’s focus. Dorothy, his mom, was a talented piano player and had been raised in a family of musicians herself. His dad George was a saxophone player and Maury followed in his footsteps. Maury started playing the sax at a young age with guidance from his dad. In his teens, he was hired by a local band leader to fill in for the regular sax player who was forced to take time off to have his teeth fixed. When the sax player returned, Maury remained in the band, gaining invaluable experience by playing alongside seasoned musicians. Those early gigs proved life changing as he developed his talent in ways that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible.
With his brother Allen, Maury formed a rock and roll band called The Charms. The band recorded a record and developed a large following, playing venues throughout the local area. In addition to his music career, Maury and his wife Faith owned Maury's Tv and appliance business in East Grand Forks and later opened a recording studio.
In 1976 Maury recorded the song “Maidens Prayer” for Soundwaves Record Co. of Nashville, which began his country music career with nationwide success. Between 1976 and 1977, he charted the most instrumental songs of any country music artist. In 1977 and 1978, Maury was named “Top New Instrumentalist” by the three leading music reporting magazines -- Billboard Music Week, Record World, and Cashbox magazine. He charted twelve times on the Billboard country singles charts. Later, he organized a 7 piece band called Reedsong Music Company, which included family members. Maury was inducted into Minnesota’s Rock Country Hall of Fame in 2007.
Not long ago he was introduced to Little Bobby Houle and they performed together. Maury shared, “it was a magical time when I became Little Bobby’s saxman at several of Bobby’s shows at casinos, Bluesfests, and many city celebrations. It was a blast playing with such a professional and talented songwriter, guitarist, and great Blues singer. Little Bobby’s passing has left a hole in my music life.” Maury continues to perform in the northwest Minnesota area and sometimes in Florida, with blues bands, on his own, and when other opportunities arise and he still thoroughly enjoys it.
Good Vibrations: All About NW Minnesota Music
Good Vibrations: All About NW Minnesota Music
An Exhibit about Songwriters, Composers, & the Music Industry at NCTC in TRF
Stay tuned for our upcoming music industry exhibit at our gallery in Thief River Falls. This exhibit will open mid-January.
Help Us Celebrate the Artists Behind the Music!
The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is sponsoring an exhibit featuring songwriters, composers, and others involved in the music industry opening mid-January through April at our gallery in Thief River Falls.
There’s still time to include
Singer/Songwriters
Composers
Performers
Instrument Makers
Others involved in music publishing, recording, management, production, distribution, marketing, merchandising, art design, and more!
Items that will be showcased
Gig posters
Musical Instruments
Picks
Drum Sticks
Notebooks with music or lyrics
Awards
Newspaper/magazine articles
Photos
Sheet music
Albums
CD cases
Clothing or Merch
Other
Those featured will primarily be residents of our 7 county region. Former residents or others with a connection to the region can also be included.
Please reach out with questions and interest. treyeverettcreates@gmail.com or 218-280-4917
Potential Changes to K-12 Arts Teacher Licensing
Potential Changes to
K-12 Arts Teacher Licensing — Minnesota State Arts Board invites your input
Perpich Center for Arts Education and
the Minnesota Department of Education consider
potential changes to K-12 arts teacher licensing
Your voice matters! The Minnesota State Arts Board invites your input on arts educator licenses, and hopes you will fill out this survey and attend an info session.
Survey Links
Dance & Theater Licensure Survey
Background: The arts teaching licensure standards have not been updated in over 20 years. These are the subject area knowledge and skills that a candidate for arts licensure must demonstrate either by completing a PELSB-approved teacher preparation program or via portfolio. Perpich Center for Arts Education, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), and the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) are collaborating to lead the review and possible revision of the arts teaching licensure standards. As part of this process, some changes to teacher licensing may occur.
Revising these requirements to adequately reflect the evolving needs of K-12 students, schools, and communities is an important undertaking. This process presents a great opportunity for input from the field, and the results of this process will have an impact on the future of arts education in our state. There are many steps to this process, and the public will be able to engage in it several ways over the next few years.
Current Proposals: Over the past year, a steering committee of arts education leaders has worked to offer guidance on structural changes needed before the review and revision of existing arts teaching licensure standards. The Steering Committee discussed three main topics: media arts, music, and the dance and theater combined license. After extensive deliberation, the committee came to agreement on these recommendations:
Discontinue the Vocal and Classroom Music and the Instrumental and Classroom Music licenses, replacing them with a single Music license—with specialization options embedded within the standards.
Create a Media Arts license.
Retain the Dance & Theater license alongside the Dance license and Theater license.
They are now gathering public input on these recommendations.
What can you do now? Share your feedback on recommended changes to arts licenses in the survey(s) (find links below). The deadline to complete this survey is 10/19/2025.
How can you learn more? Attend a virtual information session (registration required - click on the links below to register):
Sept 22, 4:00-5:30 PM
Sept 30, 4:00-5:30 PM
Sept 24, 4:00-5:30 PM
Sept 29, 4:00-5:30 PM
Sept 23, 4-5:00 PM
Oct 1, 4:-5:00 PM
Oct 5, 4:00 - 5:30 PM
Additionally, information on the rationale and considerations for each proposal can be accessed in the Arts Licensing Update Memorandum, and the survey links.
Current Licensure Standards in the Arts
What will happen next? Once the survey is complete and the data is analyzed, writing workgroups for the arts licensure standards will be formed. Applications for joining a workgroup are expected later this fall or winter. After the workgroups are formed, they will begin the process of developing draft recommendations to be submitted to PELSB.
Please complete this survey so your voice can be heard.
For more information, contact:
Max Clark-Vail, max.clark@pcae.k12.mn.us
Leadership & Data Specialist, Perpich Center for Arts Education
Alina Campana, Alina.Campana@state.mn.us
Arts Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education
Northern Lights Concert Association Hosts The Mexican Brass
The Mexican Brass
Friday, October 17 | 7:30 PM
Hosted by the Northern Lights Concert Association
Concert is at the Warroad RiverPlace (103 State Avenue, Warroad, MN 56763)
Celebrating 20 years as a brass quintet, M5 The Mexican Brass is a world-class ensemble seamlessly blending virtuosic musicianship, non-stop audience interaction, and showmanship to produce a great musical-theatrical experience every night!
*Please note: This concert is part of the Northern Lights Concert Association series. Season tickets—for only $45!—are required to attend any or all of the five shows lined up for the 2025-2026 season.
North Country Fiddle and Dance Community Dance April 5
North Country Fiddle and Dance
Community Dance
Saturday, April 5
3 to 5:30 PM
Bernie's Restaurant
121 DeMers Ave, East Grand Forks
with
Sugar on the Roof, (of Hibbing and Duluth)
Live Music! All Join Hands! All ages; families, couples, singles
North American Folk Dances: Reels, squares, circle mixers and more...
All dances are taught and easy to learn!
Donations at the door
Find them at northcountrydance.org
(This is an after hours event, if you would like to eat, come by 2:30 PM)
Sugar on the Roof is Megan Orwig Reynolds on guitar and vocals, Jefferson Reynolds on banjo and trombone, and Clancy Ward on fiddle and vocals. They craft an evening of early Americana music from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. They met on the dance floor, so dancing is their thing.
Thief River Falls Concert Association Upcoming Shows Feb 8, March 28, and April 22
Thief River Falls Concert Association Winter/Spring 2025 Shows Feb 8, March 28, and April 22
For info and tickets visit their website trfconcerts.com and order online. Or stop by Kezar Music, The Times, or Hugos. All shows at 7 PM at the Lincoln High School Auditorium.
Concert Venue
Lincoln High School Auditorium
101 Knight Ave. So.
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
Map this Location
Parking is available in the east parking lot, across Knight Ave.
from the school. Door 6 (the northeast entrance at the corner
of First St. and Knight Ave.) is the entrance for all concerts.