When “song collector” Alan Lomax was sent by the Library of Congress in 1938 to document the rich history of folk music from Michigan and the Great Lakes, one of the early 1900s songs he unearthed was titled, “Traverse City.”

I don’t share the affection for autumn that seems to afflict every other Michigan resident. Sure, the leaves are nice and the cider tastes good and the seasonal holidays have their charms, but these are distractions from the essential bleakness of fall, a time of decay, entropy and gathering…

TRAVERSE CITY — Devising an entire performance from scratch is much different than re-imagining a pre-existing piece with a history of success.

Autumn leaves fall. Slightly petrified the leaves and twigs crack underfoot. Football season is in full swing, college rivalries live or die. And hockey is but an ice cold breath away. Halloween has come and gone, belly’s full of candy. It’s that time of year.

You would not be surprised if I told you that the Dennos Museum Center is a busy place. From exhibitions and concerts to receptions, tours, rental events, and other programs, our staff works hard to create a welcoming space for our communities.

TRAVERSE CITY — Lesson 1: Protection.

ELK RAPIDS — Laura Knight Cobb has many roles and all are a part of her first book.

ANN ARBOR — Calexico with Iron & Wine, Nathaniel Rateliff, Ingrid Michaelson and Mandolin Orange will lead the musical charge during the 2020 Ann Arbor Folk Festival.

TRAVERSE CITY — Working with precious metals like gold and silver can take a lot of training.

FRANKFORT — Sandy Anderson is a self-taught rosemaler, something she began doing about eight or nine years ago.

New releases

The near frenzy of publicity over the film version of the overwhelmingly popular PBS series “Downton Abbey” is done.

TRAVERSE CITY —When Traverse City singer-songwriter Joshua Davis stepped onto the stage at Grand Rapids’ million-dollar, much-buzzed about downtown Listening Room earlier this month, concertgoers literally could have heard a pin drop.

When discussing “Watchmen,” the visionary superhero graphic novel from the 1980s, it is obligatory to note that Alan Moore, the story’s mercurial author, considers the work unadaptable.

The ending of “Breaking Bad,” the beloved prestige-TV masterpiece that wrapped up its five-season run on AMC in 2013, didn’t leave many questions unanswered.

New releases

TRAVERSE CITY — It’s not too late to see the summer night sky over a Western landscape nor too early to spot a snowy owl.

This time of year, many moons ago, I was in the middle of my first semester at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey, and taking a drawing class.

Matthew Mansfield can be heard across northern Michigan on any given day. Not only is he a DJ for Z93 radio Monday through Saturday, but he also performs live at several venues throughout the region. To top it off, he has two young boys at home.

Laurel Premo, “The Iron Trios”

THOMPSONVILLE — As a full-time musician, Grand Rapids’ Patty PerShayla wears many hats.

New releases

Sturgill Simpson and his band recorded most of the new album “Sound & Fury” at McGuire’s Motor Inn in Waterford, just outside of Pontiac. I have no idea why he did that, or what a listener should expect from a record made at a motel in metro Detroit with an average Yelp rating of one sta…

TRAVERSE CITY — It’s difficult to not care about water when you live in Michigan.

If you are over 45, there’s a good chance the phrase, “The Golden Girls,” quickly generates a memory of one of the women from the 1980s hit show — “The Golden Girls.”

New releases

It’s another example of a West Michigan musical powerhouse hitting the big time.

For too many reasons to list, I have been comforted recently by speculative science fiction that imagines the total annihilation of humanity.

Feel like stretching yourself? Are you a fiction gal or a nonfiction guy? Are you drawn to fast-paced thrillers or literary fiction?

SUTTONS BAY — Northport resident Bill Collins says “Framing John DeLorean” is an honest look at what took place during the years the futuristic DeLorean DMC-12 was taking shape.

Even though I grew up to be an omnivorous music fan, coming around to country took longer than it should have, for reasons that had a lot more to do with emotional baggage than with the music itself.

TRAVERSE CITY — Lake Ann resident David St. Aubin serves as chairman of the recently-formed Veterans Inspiring Veterans, an organization that aims to assist area veterans through projects.

New releases

LAKE CITY — Attracting one of the largest crowds at the Hill Stage in the 19-year history of the music festival, Traverse City-area singer-songwriter May Erlewine delivered what was undeniably the most inspiring performance on opening night of last weekend’s Earthwork Harvest Gathering.