Michael Kelsey does some pretty amazing things.

The award-winning guitarist, who has played with Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana, will be in Pike County for school residency programs on Wednesday and Thursday and a public performance at The Studio on Thursday.

Dr. John Jinright, presenter chair for the sponsoring Troy Arts Council, said this will be Kelsey’s third trip to Troy and that speaks volumes about his incredible talent and his popularity.

“Mike Kelsey is unlike any artist we have had,” Jinright said. “He is a world class guitarist. He is exciting. He plays the guitar in a new and experimental way to create new sounds and new rhythmic possibilities. He is spontaneous and operates at a high level to create songs using props from the audience.”
And, Kelsey will use props from his student audiences to teach them about composing songs based on what he sees.

“And what Michael Kelsey sees might be a teacher with a cup of coffee and he might create a song about being over-caffeinated,” Jinright said. “Or he might write a song about a girl with a pink purse. Michael Kelsey can turn anything into a song.”

Kelsey will present programs at Pike County Elementary School and Pike Liberal Arts on Wednesday and at Goshen High School and Goshen Elementary School on Thursday.

He will be in concert at the Studio on East Walnut Street in downtown Troy at 7 p.m. Thursday. Advance tickets are $20 online and $25 at the door.

“Michael Kelsey in Concert” will be the first ticketed event the Troy Arts Council has presented at The Studio.

“The Studio is a great venue for this type of concert,” Jinright said. “It’s also an opportunity for the Troy Arts Council and the Johnson Center for the Arts to work together in bringing world class entertainment to Troy.”

Jinright said the Michael Kelsey Concert is a don’t miss kind of event.

“Michael Kelsey has spent a lifetime exploring the limits of the guitar,” he said. “It is amazing what he can do. The sounds from his guitar will be like none you have heard before and probably will not hear from any other guitarist.”
Jinright said the community is invited and encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to hear Michael Kelsey in concert and in the intimate setting of The Studio.

“You will not be disappointed,” he said.