Laura Doherty & the Heartbeats, June 15

Wednesday, June 15, 6:30 p.m.

Butterworth Center, 1105 Eighth Street, Moline IL

Performing catchy, clap-along family favorites such as “Popcorn” and “Now I Go to School," the children's-music talents of Laura Doherty & the Heartbeats headline the Butterworth Center's first Music on the Lawn concert for 2022, with the Moline venue proud to host the singer/songwriter and guitarist named by Time Out Chicago as the Windy City's "Top Kids' Musician in Chicago."

Doherty found her place in the acoustic-folk world early on, picking up the guitar at age 16. Originally from Westchester County, New York, she came to Chicago after college, and soon joined the teaching staff of the legendary Old Town School of Folk Music. For more than a decade, Laura was the Director of the Old Town School’s wildly popular early-childhood Wiggleworms program. In 2009, however, she decided to go full-time with kids’ music, showing an intense passion for creating sweet, folk-inspired songs for children and families.

With an ear for a catchy melody, Doherty recorded her first album Kids in the City in 2009, winning the coveted Gold Parents’ Choice Award. The equally endearing Shining Like a Star (2011) and In a Heartbeat (2014) followed, and both won the Silver Parents' Choice Award. Meanwhile, Animal Tracks (2016) is a collection of Doherty's most engaging animal songs, and the artist's most recent album, 2018's High Five, also received the Gold Parents' Choice Award, the work exploring themes of friendship, family, and childhood.

Before recording her own original children’s music, Laura co-produced Old Town School’s Wiggleworms Love You with Rich Rankin at the Mosaic Music studio, and has recorded educational songs for Disney Sound, with indie rocker Ralph Covert of Ralph’s World. Often joined by her band of Chicago talent's the Heartbeats, Doherty has performed hundreds of shows at premier venues and festivals across the country, including Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music, Ravinia, Lollapalooza, Nashville's Pilgrimage Fest, Austin's SXSW, Philly’s World Cafe Live, and Boston’s Club Passim.

Laura Doherty & the Heartbeats perform their Music of the Lawn concert on June 15, and the 6:30 p.m. event will be preceded by 5 p.m. family activities on the grounds of the nearby Deere-Wiman House, including painting by Painted Dragon; balloon artist T.J. Regul; activities hosted by WQPT QC Public Television; games presented by the Moline Public Library; and ice cream from Lagomarcino’s. Patrons are invited to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and a picnic dinner, and if the weather turns unfavorable, the concert will move inside the Carriage House.

No reservations are required for the free evening, and more information is available by calling (309)743-2701 and visiting ButterworthCenter.com.