Interactive and unique.

That’s how country music recording artist Karla Crawford describes her upcoming house concert at the Carriage House Gallery in Midland.

Crawford will bring along award-winning musicians John Dymond and Wendell Ferguson to create a trio presenting a little of this and a little of that on Friday, June 13.

“It will be an intimate evening with two sets and will feature a little bit of new material no one’s heard yet and we’ll do some covers.”

Also, expect to hear some selections from her CD, Blame It On Something.

Crawford is looking forward to a busy summer with a lot of resort work, corporate parties and private functions but she’s excited about the house concert at the gallery. “A lot of things I do are not open to the public. This will be a good way to promote the Carriage House Gallery and my music.”

She has been hard at work writing new material for an upcoming CD, but with a busy performance schedule ahead, Crawford didn’t put a deadline on its release just yet.

Her first CD was a collaboration with several hit songwriters, but her next one will feature more of her own songwriting. She’s writing a piece about Georgian Bay since, as Crawford said, “It’s nice to be home. It’s nice to travel and do the Nashville scene but my family is here. This will always be home.”

Crawford ‘did the Nashville scene’ and, according to her website, has shared the bright lights with some of country music’s biggest names including Terri Clark, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Brad Paisley, Jason McCoy and more. However she is more than content to be home.

“Nashville was a great experience and I learned a lot. But I found more inspiration here, found more contentment here. There’s no better feeling than doing what I’m doing.”

What Crawford is doing is being true to herself.

“We’d all like to make the biggest album ever and do what you have to do to be commercial.”

She’s tried to conform to contemporary country but since Crawford jokes she grew up completely on Elvis she said her music is best described as “a little bit of everything rolled into one.”

It’s definitely striking a chord with listeners. “I’m having more good feedback doing what I do, being true to myself.

The tactile nature of the textiles on display this month at the gallery will offer a lovely counterpoint to Crawford’s music. It’s an interesting atmosphere and one gallery owner Carol Currie hopes to continue.

“We can house 50 people for a nice intimate evening. We bring in Explorers Café to host the hors d’oeuvres and bar service.”

Author Bill Northcott will also be on hand to sign copies of his new book Midland on Georgian Bay: An Illustrated History of Midland, Ontario which he coauthored with Bill Smith.

Currie is issuing a call for musicians.

“We intend to start holding monthly house concerts to promote local musicians from jazz to Celtic to classical, any genre. We are looking for acoustical type musicians and buskers/entertainers/comedians/performance artists.”

A percentage of the ticket sales go to the artist and the concerts are also an opportunity to sell CDs.

Interested entertainers are asked to contact Carol Currie or Stuart Leggett at the Carriage House Gallery at 372 Midland Ave. at 527-4632.