Concerts for kids (with video)

In today's print edition, we published an item about Gary Van Slyke, a well-known local musician who is planning to give several free concerts for children and families in the coming months. I've known Gary for five or six years, and I've had the opportunity to jam with him a few times at the Gloversville Farmers Market. He's a good guy, and like me, he recognizes the value of social music — live music that is intended to be heard up-close in the public square. That's a feather in his cap (pardon the pun; see the video below).

Here's the text of the item from the print edition: 

GLOVERSVILLE — Local musician Gary Van Slyke has announced he is scheduled to perform a number of free concerts for children throughout the area.
Van Slyke said he has been doing more and more children’s programs recently, and he finds younger audiences especially enjoyable. For some of the concerts, he will be joined by guest musicians.
“It’s rooted in my own children and my own childhood,” Van Slyke said of his interest in children’s music. Van Slyke sings a variety of traditional songs and plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and penny whistle.  
Some of his performances will be supported by grant funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, while others will be done on a volunteer basis, Van Slyke said.
This Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m., Van Slyke will teach a harmonica workshop at the Kaleidoscope Music and Arts Festival, a free event in Fonda.
Also scheduled:
- On the second Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m., he performs at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 31 E. Fulton St.
- On the third Tuesday of every month at 10:30 a.m., he performs at the Johnstown Public Library, 38 S. Market St., Johnstown.
- On Aug. 8 at 10 a.m., he will perform at the Lake Pleasant Library, Route 8, Speculator. This concert, sponsored by the Sacandaga Valley Arts Network, will include a 30-minute penny whistle workshop. Participants will receive free penny whistles.
- On Sept. 21 at 6 p.m., he will perform a set of songs about animals and the environment at the Gloversville Public Library, 58 E. Fulton St.
- On Oct. 4 at 10:30 a.m., he will perform at the Amsterdam Free Library, 28 Church St., Amsterdam.

Here's Gary playing "Yankee Doodle," one of the tunes that will be featured in his Aug. 8 penny whistle workshop in Lake Pleasant: