An Evening with Steve Baughman & El McMeen

On Saturday, February 15, 2025, world-renowned acoustic guitarists Steve Baughman and El McMeen will perform in the River Room at The Manor on Front. The doors will open at 6:00 PM and the show will start at 7:00 PM. 

Seating is limited to the first 85 interested persons who sign up at this site. To support our artists, we have established a recommended donation of $35.00 per person for this concert. All donated proceeds are directed to the artists.

SAFETY/BYOB/FOOD: All participants/attendees should be symptom-free of COVID-19 and if necessary, we will follow any current CDC advice on wearing masks indoors, etc.  This will be a BYOB event; wine, beer (no glass), and cold food snacks. 

We will provide bottled water, hot coffee, hot tea, hot cocoa, and Polly's famous chocolate chip cookies.

To learn more about our Mansion Concerts - go to www.mansionconcert.com.
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About Steve Baughman

An American born and raised in Southeast Asia, Steve Baughman spent his childhood in the Malaysian city of Kuala Lumpur. The '60s were in and folk music was big, even in Southeast Asia. Like many kids of that era, he fell in love with the guitar. One day while rummaging through a part-music, part-bicycle shop near a Chinese fruit market, he found a dusty, probably pirated copy of Mel Bay's classic guitar method book. With that book, he began the most enriching journey of his life. Steve now makes his home in San Francisco. He derives his musical style primarily from British Isles fiddlers, most significantly Martin Hayes. His album A Drop of the Pure features his extremely rhythmic and lyrical arrangements and showcases his unique touch on the guitar

What others have said about Steve:

"Once in a while an album comes along that can alter your thinking about guitar music - Steve Baughman's Farewell to Orkney is one of those...A must for all lovers of guitar and especially Celtic music." - Acoustic Guitar Magazine

"A star of fingerstyle guitar: very deft, thoughtful, quietly adventurous, deeply lyrical and playful." - Radio National, Australia

"Steve's artistry and musicality are world-class, with dynamics, timing, and interpretation that always bring out the emotional essence of the song." - Sing Out Magazine

". . . technical innovation, virtuosity, and intensity." - Acoustic Guitar Magazine

"Incredible virtuosity ... showcases the quiet beauty of the open-tuned acoustic guitar." - Marin Independent Journal

Farewell to Orkney listed as one of the "Best Albums of 2013" by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.

Some samples of Steve's beautiful and unique arrangements:

About El McMeen

Ellsworth ("El") McMeen is an internationally acclaimed acoustic guitarist and teacher. He has been listed among the "100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists," living or dead. Two of his guitar compositions ("Le Mans" and "Song for Sheila") have been listed among the "100 Greatest Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals." Three of his guitar recordings ("Breakout," "The Lea Rig," and "Solo Guitar Serenade") have been listed among the "100 Greatest Acoustic Guitar Albums. El has been recording and arranging Celtic music for over 30 years and has written many books of guitar pieces, including several major folios written or co-written for Mel Bay Publications.

While he plays in many styles, El's music focuses on beautiful melodies, and his up-tempo pieces reflect a joyful, toe-tapping pulse. He emphasizes touch, tone, and phrasing. He specializes in rhythmic flexibility and often employs harp-like arpeggios in many different genres of music, Celtic, spiritual, and pop. His artistry has been praised in numerous publications, including the NY Daily News, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and Guitar Player Magazine. El's music has been hailed by critics as "stirring ... unbridled acoustic beauty" and "drop-dead gorgeous" (Guitar Player Magazine) and as a "treasure" (Dirty Linen Magazine).

In addition, El is co-author (with Steve Baughman) of a 21st-century dialogue book on spiritual matters called Objection! Overruled! El is heavily involved in Christian outreach, is an ordained minister, and has written extensively on the Christian faith. El is married to Sheila (for whom his song "Song for Sheila" was written). They have been blessed with four grown children and grandchildren.