Spider John Koerner Returns to Parrot

Bob Dylan Mentor, Country Blues/Folk Legend

Legendary country blues/folk musician “Spider John Koerner” will perform at the Green Parrot Bar on Thursday, March 27th, at 5:30 p.m.

Koerner hit the folk-blues scene in the early ’60’s playing the Minnesota coffee house circuit with Bob Dylan, and with his band, Koerner, Ray and Glover, and has been credited with shaping the path of American country blues and folk music.

The Boston Globe described him as “defying his years with a ramshackle demeanor (all gangly arms and legs and tucked-in flannel shirt) and the true essence of a hootenanny-spirited, communal, and completely off the cuff.”

Telling corny jokes, shouting timeless lyrics, stomping out an infectious beat, Koerner is a juggernaut of joy. Some artists have a built in cool factor that can be seen in their influence on others; Koerner is the man who had a great deal of influence on Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, John Lennon and the Doors.

Bonnie Raitt, speaking on NPR’s “Morning Edition” said, ” John was the ‘Old Venerable One’, the guy that influenced a lot of other musicians that would come up. He became the fulcrum of the whole scene. I learned a lot of things from him. It looked like he was having fun and that’s just what I wanted to do and that’s why I’m doing it still.”

As one of folk and blues’ greatest innovators, he got the blues revival of the ’60’s going and has kept it going strong ever since, while retaining the elements that have made him the legend that he is.

The Green Parrot is your Southernmost Center for Culture of every kind, and is located at the corner of Whitehead and Southard streets. For additional information call The Green Parrot at

Koerner, Ray & GloverThis seminal country-folk-blues group from Minneapolis formed in the early Sixties and influenced a musical era with its ardent roots music. In 1963 at one twelve-hour session, the trio recorded Blues, Rags & Hollers and put copies into the hands of a few influential people. On the strength of the album, “Spider” John Koerner, Dave “Snaker” Ray & Tony “Little Sun” Glover signed a recording contract with Elektra records. They cut six albums, showcasing an intriguing mix of string-band, ragtime and down-home blues. In 1996 they recorded a four-concert series and released sessions from that as One Foot In The Groove. Koerner, Glover & Ray (left to right) are pictured here at First Avenue.

305-294-6133.