Me&Thee Music Reopens and Reorganizes.

After abruptly closing in the midst of its highly successful 50th Anniversary Season in March of 2020, Marblehead’s Me&Thee Music has announced plans to reopen on Friday, March 4th with well-known guitarist Raymond Gonzalez. To create an environment that is safe for all, the all-volunteer organization plans to welcome a limited, vaccinated and masked audience, reflecting local and state health guidelines.

Talent and Booking Committee members Robin Miller and Sheree Scarbrough say this shortened season is designed to welcome back old friends to the North Shore’s longest running acoustic music series located in the historic Unitarian Universalist Church on Mugford Street. Over five decades, the Me&Thee has welcomed a wide range of well-known performers including Pete Seeger, Dar Williams, Holly Near, Suzanne Vega, Tom Paxton, John Gorka, Tracy Chapman, Odetta and many local favorites.

In a change from past practice, the Me&Thee will only be open the first Friday of the month running until June as the organization carefully assesses and refines its safety practices going forward. Miller says, “this beloved series may expand to operate two Fridays a month in the fall, if health conditions permit but we’re taking baby steps right now as we re-open carefully and thoughtfully.”

At a gathering last summer, more than 35 volunteers voted unanimously to continue the tradition of the Me&Thee, which has become one of the longest running acoustic music series in the country.

A professional guitarist since the age of 16, Raymond Gonzalez has performed all over the country with an original array of folk, Celtic, jazz and classical compositions. He received a Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and currently teaches classical and finger style guitar at Salem State University. Dave Palmater at WUMB Radio in Boston calls Raymond “one of America’s finest guitarists and composers.” Admission is $20.

Tickets for the Me&Thee are available at Arnould’s Gallery on Washington Street in Marblehead and at the website: meandthee.org. Me&Thee Music was founded in 1970 and has presented hundreds of events over the past 5 decades, under the sponsorship of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead. For further information, go to meandthee.org.