April 27, 2010

Governors Island, in the middle of New York harbor, will be the setting for a free July 4 concert by Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Rosanne Cash, sponsored by Trinity Wall Street.

Trinity, which has maintained a chapel on the island since the mid-1800s, has hosted free summer concerts there since 2007, according to a Trinity news release. Previous Trinity concerts on Governors Island have featured Judy Collins, Janis Ian, Richie Havens, and Odetta, among others.

The concert is presented in partnership with the Governors Island Alliance and the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corp., the release said. Leslie Koch, president of the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corp., called Trinity a "generous partner."

Cash, a New Yorker, is the daughter of country music legend Johnny Cash and her music draws on many genres including country, folk, pop, rock and blues. Her most recent release is "The List," a collection of American country and folk classics compiled from a list of songs given to her by her iconic father when she was just a teen.

"We are pleased to once again extend Trinity's year-round music programming to Governors Island this summer with a free concert featuring Rosanne Cash," the Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper, Trinity rector, said in the release. "Governors Island is an oasis in lower Manhattan providing an ideal setting not only for an outdoor musical experience, but also for community building and personal refreshment."

The concert will begin at 2 p.m. Free ferries to Governors Island will leave from Manhattan and Brooklyn. More information will be available at http://www.govisland.com/.

The city and state of New York acquired Governors Island from the U.S. government for $1 in 2003 after the former military post was abandoned by the Coast Guard in 1997. The city announced earlier this month that it would take control of the island and develop it as a park.

Trinity Wall Street will also present Summer Sounds, a free concert series every Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Trinity churchyard during July and August. The parish in lower Manhattan at the head of Wall Street presents a year-round schedule of musical performances featuring the Trinity Choir, the Trinity Choristers, and Concerts @ One, among other offerings.

Episcopal News Service