FEATURE — Live music has returned to Southern Utah and the Canyon Media crew is back to highlighting local musicians, so gather around for another session of Paper Jams.
Mason Cottam
Gentry Music & Arts recently hosted singer/songwriter Mason Cottam, a native of the St. George area whose lyricism frequently touches on the metaphorical. With an ear for a tight beat, he plays a variety of instruments including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, banjo, keyboards and piano.
Watch (and hear) Mason Cottam perform at Gentry Music & Arts in the media player above.
Beneath an expansive mural celebrating music and the performing and visual arts in Southern Utah, Cottam first played an original song entitled “A Long Hard Life.” He said the song, which he wrote a few years back, was inspired by watching his daughter navigating life choices and making her way in the world.
Cottam also dipped into folk with a cover of James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain.”
A veteran of the Southern Utah music scene, Cottam’s work explores rock, country and jazz. He has performed more than 1,000 live shows in his career, both as a solo artist and as the frontman of the bands Gradient, Mason’s Jar of Jam and the Mason Cottam Trio. He has worked as a guitar teacher and concert producer in the local community.
Gentry Music & Arts
From keyboards to ukuleles and palettes to paintbrushes, a passion for creativity is soaked into the walls of Gentry Music & Arts.
After 35 years in business, owners Garry and Carmen Gentry have become a fixture among visual and performing artists in community, offering not only instruments but also works of art as well as piano lessons, art classes and facility rentals. Their goal is to reach out to people in the St. George area and bring happiness to their lives through art and music.
If you’re a musician interested in playing on a future episode of Paper Jams, you can contact St. George News in the Facebook comments for this article or email [email protected].
Resources
- Gentry Music & Arts | Address: 771 S. Bluff St., St. George | Telephone: 435-703-5690 | Email: [email protected] | Facebook | Website.
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