Wayne County Civil War Round Table to present 'Music of Abraham Lincoln'

The Wayne County Civil War Round Table, in partnership with the Smithville Community Historical Society, will present “Music of Abraham Lincoln” at 2 p.m. March 28.

The free program will be held at the Schoolhouse at the Wayne County Historical Society, 546 E. Bowman St., Wooster.

The program will be presented by Steve and Lisa Ball and will explore the music Abraham Lincoln enjoyed during his lifetime. It will detail the interaction of Ward Hill Lamon and Carl Schurz, who performed for Lincoln during his time in the White House, and will feature minstrel tunes, melancholy ballads favored by Lincoln and popular Civil War-era songs that became standards at White House concerts.

Steve Ball, a Columbus musician, specializes in the music of the American Civil War and the music and life of Stephen Foster. He has studied the Civil War since his teens and has spent the past 20 years researching music of the era. He has presented programs at the Ohio Statehouse, the National Civil War Museum, the American Civil War Museum of Ohio, and numerous historical societies, genealogical societies, libraries, museums, Civil War Round Tables and other historical venues.

Lisa Ball, who married Steve in June 2015, frequently joins him on upright bass and vocal harmonies. She also plays piano, guitar, bass and autoharp and is knowledgeable about the history of the music. A Columbus native, she began playing piano as a child and started playing upright bass in 2013. She has six ancestors who served in the Union Army.

For more information call Penny Gasbarre at 330-845-3069 or email pennygasbarre@gmail.com.