Alpena residents can hear more than five decades of musical storytelling Thursday afternoon, when the Association of Lifelong Learners welcomes acoustical guitarist and balladeer Chuck “Butch” Runyon to the Granum Theatre at Alpena Community College.
The free public performance begins at 1:30 p.m. Runyon’s appearance is being presented with help from Alpena Community College, the Granum Grant and the Association of Lifelong Learners. Donations are welcome to help defray costs.
Music shaped by family history
Runyon has performed publicly for more than 50 years. He was born in the poverty-stricken hollows of West Virginia and moved to Huntington, West Virginia, when he was 6. He also lived in Eastern Kentucky, and his songs and stories draw on family members and ancestors who migrated from Virginia through Kentucky to West Virginia.
His material focuses on his family’s difficult experiences and what he describes as true stories of his heritage. Runyon grew up in a musical family that played and recorded gospel music. His mother, Ruth Stapleton, played guitar and taught all seven children to play.
From church performances to Michigan stages
Runyon began playing in a Pentecostal church at age 8 and started performing professionally at 15. As an adult, he has performed solo across Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Florida and other eastern states.
He has also played in duos and trios with locally talented artists. In recent years, his performances have included Alpena and communities such as Hillman, Atlanta, Millersburg, Cheboygan, Rogers City, Comins, Fairview and Waterford.
The Thursday program offers the public an opportunity to hear Runyon’s songs and stories in person at the college’s Granum Theatre. Admission is free, and community members are invited to attend.