‘Papa Bear’ of Lynn’s community of artists marks milestone with Jan. 12 performance in Cambridge

LYNN – Lynn folk singer, storyteller and comedian Don White – who was given the 2012 Jerry Christen Memorial Award in front of a sold-out crowd at the me & thee coffeehouse in Marblehead last November and to whom Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy last April awarded a “Key to the City of Lynn” and declared April 11 ‘Don White Day’ in the city – celebrates a milestone on Jan. 12 with his 20th consecutive-year performance at Club Passim in Cambridge, among Greater Boston’s premiere folk music venues.White started out as an opening act at Club Passim and in a short time came to headline the venerable nightclub at 47 Palmer St., in a city that reveres the folk genre. And it’s worth noting his opening act that night will be another North Shore resident, Kristen Manville, a regular at White’s Sunday Night Open Mic at the Walnut Street Café in Lynn.”It meant a lot to me to be able to start (at Club Passim) when I was relatively new, and then grow in front of that listening audience. I’m glad to help give someone else the same shot I had,” White said.The Jerry Christen Memorial Award honors Boston area folk musicians who show dedication to community, and White has done that and beyond for his hometown.A dedicated family man, White has been part of Lynn’s folk community for more than two decades, making audiences laugh with his wry stories and touching their hearts with his music. He created the Speak Up! Spoken Word Open Mic four years ago and the Sunday Night Open Mic last year, both weekly staples at the Walnut Street Café, attracting performers from Lynn and the North Shore.”I’m putting a lot of energy into the people coming up behind me in this town,” White said. “I started the Spoken Word Open Mic and the music Open Mic to make sure that the people coming up, the kids from Lynn, have the opportunity to show their stuff and share their work.”Mayor Kennedy last year referred to White as the “Papa Bear” of Lynn’s community of artists.”Don White was our cultural district before we even had the designation,” Kennedy said, referring to the news last March that Lynn was designated a Cultural District by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.Liz Freeman, board member and treasurer of Boston Area Coffee House Association, which presents the Christen award, and coordinator of the Linden Tree Coffeehouse, said of White, “He clearly loves this music and works tirelessly to introduce it to an ever-expanding audience.”White said the key to holding an audience is to make them laugh.”The idea of understanding how a joke works or how to make someone laugh is a very powerful thing because nobody is not engaged when they’re laughing,” he said. “So if you’re a teacher or a preacher or you’ve got a little job in a cubicle and you find yourself having to travel around the country lecturing, if you can get a group to laugh, especially early on, it changes the whole dynamic of what’s happening.”IF YOU GO? Don White’s show, with Kristen Manville opening, begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday,Jan. 12 at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Cambridge. Tickets are $18 at the door or$20 in advance, available online at www.clubpassim.com or by calling 617-492-7679.