Nelson to perform Saturday at Historic Ironwood Theatre

By TOM STANKARD

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Ironwood - Warren Nelson, a singer, songwriter and poet, will return to Ironwood to perform "Song of the Wild" at the Historic Ironwood Theatre Saturday evening.

Nelson's compass will be pointing north and he will celebrate stewardship of the Earth by featuring writings of Sigurd Olson, one of America's great environmentalists of the 20th century.

Nelson said Olson was the "principal savior" of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

For the first half of the show, Nelson will put Olson's lyrical prose to melody. Nelson said Olson "fell in love" with the BWCA in northern Minnesota.

Olson combined his love of the outdoors with his call to be a writer by having his first book published in 1951, when he was 57, titled, "The Singing Wilderness." It became a New York Times bestseller.

Over the next 30 years, Olson wrote numerous magazine articles and eight more books. Then, in 1974, he was presented with the highest honor in nature writing the John Burroughs Medal from the John Burroughs Association.

Nelson said the second half of the show will feature original music.

Nelson is a Fairmont, Minn., native who founded the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield.

Nelson said the Historic Ironwood Theatre is one of his favorites because he likes vaudeville halls. "They don't make them like that anymore," he said. "It's our good fortune to be invited to play there."

On Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Nelson will play with his friends Otis McLennon, harmonica; Jack Gunderson, bass and vocals; Liesel Wilson, fiddle; and his son, Rowan Nelson-Ferris, banjo, mandolin and other stringed instruments. Nelson said it's an honor to play with his son.

"He's an incredible banjo player," he said.

Bruce Greenhill, HIT managing director, said the program should "delight audience members of all ages."