Please come to Epworth Park in Bethesda Saturday, Aug. 14 to enjoy THE SHUMANS, as we present another concert in our summer series. Epworth Park, located on North Main Street, features an open-air covered auditorium and a concession stand offering food and drinks throughout the evening. THE SHUMANS will perform from 7-9 p.m. A local favorite, THE SHUMANS are making their very first appearance at Epworth Park. The Shuman brothers are sons of local resident Marlene Shuman and her late husband Sam Shuman Sr. Barnesville natives Sam and Dan "Schultz" Shuman are fortunate to have inherited their musical talent and to have been guided from an early age by their versatile father, Sam Senior. Sam Junior and Schultz's first musical performances were right here in Belmont County, and they continue to perform at local venues as their schedules permit. Sam Senior was known all over the Ohio Valley for his musical talent. When Sam senior passed about 18 months ago, the torch was passed to his sons. The boys--along with Sam Junior's son Jesse--now based in other cities, play at numerous venues, including fairs and festivals throughout the state of Ohio. For most people in the Valley, the name "Shuman" is synonymous with "music." Sam Senior--known to some as "Ol' Slewfoot"--sang and played banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin with the local group The Singing Mayhughs for more than 40 years. THE SHUMANS today--Sam, Schultz and Jesse--have a repertoire of several hundred songs; they have something to appeal to everyone. Performing original compositions in addition to country, folk, rock and blues standards, the talented family has been eagerly anticipated at Epworth Park. The Cottage Owners are very happy to have been able to contract the band for its debut performance at the Park. While they often perform together, each of the three Shumans has performed on his own with a wide variety of well-known bands. Over the course of their musical careers, Sam Junior, Schultz and Jesse have been members of very successful bands including KIDDOG, DASH RIPROCK, DEALER'S CHOICE, ZEN COWBOYS and STATE OF EMERGENCY. Last summer, Jesse's band, STATE OF EMERGENCY, opened at a concert for the band DISCIPLE. In 1988 Sam and Schultz formed the band THE AMMUNITION. They began performing regionally and went on to open for such acts as Charlie Daniels, Waylon Jennings, Highway 101, Restless Heart, and Tanya Tucker. Performing as THE AMMUNITION, Sam and Dan twice won the True Value Country Showdown at the local and state levels, ultimately placing second at the regional finals. THE SHUMANS' recent venues have included The Kenyon Inn, the Dan Emmett Festival, and Ye Old Mill. In addition to appearing at the Ohio State Fair, THE SHUMANS have played at Kent State, Ohio University, OSU and at the Belmont, Monroe, Marshall, Guernsey and Harrison County fairs. The group's recordings include albums Without Choice, Loaded, Fly Like the Wind, and Long Black Train. Sam Junior released his own album entitled Bridges in 2000. His brother Schultz also performed on the album. A limited number of copies of Music and Words, a tribute album that Sam and Schultz recorded for Sam Senior in his last year, will be available for sale at the concert. The music includes numbers that Sam Senior had played throughout his long career. As always, Epworth's concerts are family-friendly events. Please join THE SHUMANS and the Cottage Owners of Epworth Park for a fun evening of top-quality music. The concession stand at the park entrance opens at 6 p.m. Concert admission and parking are free, although donations are appreciated. Concerts go on rain or shine. Summer concerts are presented by the Epworth Park Cottage Owners' Association in cooperation with the Belmont County Tourism Council. For more information, call Larry Anderson at 740-484-1130.
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