Karen Somerville, iconic Eastern Shore vocalist, songwriter, recording artist and producer, will appear for the first time at Church Hill Theatre in two exceptional concerts on Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14. This event dovetails with the Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage in Queen Anne’s County on Saturday, offering a truly memorable Mother’s Day experience.
Karen Somerville is a Kent County native, proud of her rural heritage and close-knit family. Her musical education began at home with musician parents and was nurtured in church, where she learned the fine points of close group harmony. Karen is a graceful and expressive soloist, bringing new insights to jazz classics and familiar tunes from the American Songbook, but she also loves collaboration. Together with long-time friends Lester Barrett, Jr. and Jerome McKinney, her award-winning trio Sombarkin has been performing since 2002, singing a wide selection of gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and folk music. Sombarkin is supported by Gerry Werner on piano, Jeff Davis on bass, Anthony Warren on guitar, and Ray Anthony on drums. The Church Hill Theatre show will include both group and solo arrangements across their repertoire.
L to R: Ray Anthony on drums, Jeff Davis on bass, Gerry Werner on piano, vocalist Karen Somerville, and vocalist Lester Barrett, Jr.. Not pictured are Anthony Warren on guitar and vocalist Jerome McKinney.
Karen was a background vocalist on the Stevie Wonder “Songs in the Key of Life” tour in 2014. Her one-woman show, “Just Call Me Billlie,” is a moving tribute to the legendary Billie Holiday. Sombarkin’s most recent album, Up & Over, was released in 2022.
Karen Somerville & Sombarkin are in concert at Church Hill Theatre at 7 pm on Saturday, May 13 and at 4 pm on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 14. Early bird tickets are available until April 30 for $40 on our website, churchhilltheatre.org or by phoning the box office at 4410-556-6003. Later or at-the-door tickets will be $50. This special opportunity fundraising event is sponsored by ShoreToBeFun Photography.
The Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage is a decades-old tradition, with several cities or counties sharing gardens and historic homes at their springtime best on a rotating basis. The event returns to Queen Anne’s County on Saturday, May 13, when eleven properties, including Church Hill Theatre, will welcome guests from 10 am to 5 pm. Ticket information is available at mhgp.org. If you are making this a weekend excursion, take in the concert after the Saturday tour or brunch on Sunday.
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