Photos by Mark J. Smith
Does Dom Flemons have any limits on his talent? Not that I can tell. For his show at the Sellersville Theater in Pennsylvania, Flemons brought his fantastic array of skills to the stage in a way that was so comfortable and effortless, he made it seem easy.
Throughout the night, Flemons showed off his remarkable range of vocal skills by highlighting the different types of music he has played through the years. Yes, we know he has roots in, and still continues to perform old-timey string-band music, but growing up he also sang rock & roll. This he illustrated by belting out a Hank Ballard tune as well as the Drifters’ hit, “Save the Last Dance for Me.” He also sang some of the folk music he grew up on, and many of the songs from his recent album, Prospect Hill.
Flemons played guitar, banjo, pan pipes, harmonica and bones, and I’d guess that he could probably play a few more instruments as well. His mastery of each instrument was shown right down to his flawless picking style with the guitars and banjos. He has so much confidence in his playing that he even did some tricks, like spinning his guitar around. To top it off, his trio-mates on drums and upright bass fit right in with his style.
And Flemons has a style that somehow makes you feel, even in a big venue, as if you had invited him into your living room and he sat right down to tell you his story. In a way, that’s what the truly memorable show was– the story of his life in music.
-Mark J. Smith
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