Gospel and bluegrass band Laurel Creek will perform Thursday at 7 p.m. as part of the free Artsbridge Summer Music Series at the City Park bandshell. The show is sponsored by Wendy’s. (Photo provided)

PARKERSBURG — A gospel and bluegrass band will host Thursday’s free Artsbridge Summer Music Series concert at City Park in Parkersburg.

Laurel Creek will perform at 7 p.m. at the bandstand in a show sponsored by Wendy’s.

Laurel Creek is a group of friends from the St. Marys area who love bluegrass. The band performs at regional fairs and festivals and often plays in support of local community events and fundraisers.

His music is mostly acoustic bluegrass, but a mix of traditional, gospel, blues and folk. The band has five recordings and their latest CD project was “Good News from the Valley: A Collection of Gospels.”

Vocalist and guitarist Dave Powell comes from a bluegrass heritage. He performed with the Powell Family Band for several years and recently retired as Director of Global Planning for Solvay.

Originally from New York, violinist Ashley Clark studied music at Ohio University. She is a high school music teacher, offers private lessons in classical violin and enjoys various musical genres.

Reinnie Leavitt sings lead and harmony, singing for many years with the southern gospel group The Williams Family. She attends the Parkersburg Actors Guild and is director of cancer services at Camden Clark Medical Center.

Banjo player Jeff Williamson has played and recorded with other bluegrass bands and buys, collects and plays vintage instruments. He retired as president of Davis-Pickering & Co. and enjoys grandchildren, bluegrass festivals and hunting.

Mark Bailey, who plays bass, owns and operates the Bank Barber Shop in St. Marys. A member of the Pleasants County Utility District Board, Bailey previously performed with the Carriers, a gospel group, has varied musical interests and enjoys playing the cello.

Mandolin player Larry Gainer is a retired administrator of Pleasants County Schools and the Pleasants County Development Authority. He previously played guitar with the Spencer Family Band.

It’s the 20th anniversary of the concerts. Performances are free, but donations will be taken to support Artsbridge and its school arts programs in Ohio’s Central Valley.

Drawings, giveaways and food trucks will be available.