Summer concerts continue in Sparta

Sparta — Danielia Cotton will take center stage at the Nicholson Pavilion in Dykstra Park on Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m. Cotton is returning to the Sparta Summer Concerts, bringing her fiery blues-rock style. Inspiration for a career in music came from Cotton’s mother, a little-known jazz singer, and two aunts. The three women sang as a trio at church, igniting a passion for big belting in Cotton. Outside of church, though, her musical tastes leaned in an unlikely direction: AC/DC, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin and Todd Rundgren. After she released her debut album in 2005, WXPN/Philadelphia and home of the nationally syndicated World Café named her Artist to Watch, slotted the soulful single “It’s Only Life” into heavy rotation, and featured her on their HD Network Broadcast of “On Stage at World Café Live.” She earned the praise of critics nationwide with the release of “Rare Child.” The Sparta Summer Concerts continue on July 22 with the return of Billy Hector. The July 29 concert will feature an All-Star Jazz Night with Mark Egan, Nick Rolfe, John Hart, Kermit Driscoll, Jeff Ciampa, Karl Latham and Jon Werking. Patrick Fitzsimmons will perform on Aug. 5 and Geoff Doubleday will be performing on Aug. 12 with the David Keyes Band. All events are rain or shine. In the event of rain, the concert will relocate to Sparta High School. For more information visit www.spartaarts.org.