RUSSELL - The Bee Children will play live music on Saturday June 20 at the Russell Theater, 4 Pestle St.

Bee Children, based in Canton, play a diverse range of original pop, folk-rock and agit-folk songs designed to keep your hoping machine running! Their songwriting influences include acclaimed artists such as Lloyd Cole, Billy Bragg, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young.

The band members include John Collins on acoustic guitar, bass, vocals, who is also the founder and primary songwriter for Bee Children. Shane Rogers, keyboards, percussions, backing vocals, is a long-time musician and professor of environmental engineering at Clarkson University.

Sarah Gates, acoustic guitar, vocals, has taught English at St. Lawrence since 2002 and was a singer-songwriter in the Boston area in the 1970s and early 80s. Sarah Todd, vocals, is the Director of Institutional Research and Assessment at SUNY Canton and lives in Canton with her husband and three children

Jon Dufore, electric guitar, is a native of Norfolk, and guitar instructor at St. Lawrence University.

Terry DuBray, bass, backup vocals, is a native of Massena and is a production manager and instructor in the St. Lawrence University Music Department. Don Burlingame, drums, has played in numerous bands in the North Country and elsewhere for more than 30 years; also plays in the Northern Lights Orchestra

Bee Children have played at a number of venues in northern New York including Maxfields, the Parkview, the Coyote Moon Wine and Craft Beer Lounge, St. Lawrence University, SUNY-Canton, and various private and benefit events. Their debut CD, Veranophonic, was released in January 2015. It was recorded in the studios of North Country Public Radio.

At the Russell Theater, admission is a donation to help with the restoration of the hall and support the artists.

Light refreshments will be served and there will be a 50-50 raffle. Call Tess Eells for information at 347-2358.