Local Singer Closes Summer Concert Series

Sure, Sudbury's Park and Recreation Department staff would love to be able to bring in big guns like Simon and Garfunkel or James Taylor to perform at its final summer concert performance at Haskell Field. But featuring local artist Paul Rodriguez, who can play "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Fire and Rain" (to name a few), seems to serve just as well.

"The events are really about community more than anything else," says Park and Recreation director Nancy McShea. "It's going to be really nice for families and friends to gather together and have the chance to hear a great performer who is also a neighbor."

Rodriguez performed on Aug. 2 for the fourth and final show of the year. McShea says that the series has been successful in a number of ways this summer.

"We've been getting about 250 people per show," she says. "People seem to be not just enjoying the music but also enjoying each other."

And perhaps the greatest barometer of whether a small-town event has been well received: "We haven't heard any negative feedback or even received one angry phone call," McShea said.