HENNIKER — Music will fill the streets of Henniker beginning next week as the summer weather heralds the annual Outdoor Concert Series.

Starting Tuesday and running for 11 weeks through August 28, the free concert series draws an eclectic group of musicians together, according to spokeswoman Ruth Zax, and Jeff Dearborn is instrumental in bringing it all together.

Jeff Dearborn, a Contoocook musician who plays with two different groups, is a tree cutter by day and a music maker at night, said Zax. As a veteran of Henniker's Tuesday night music scene, Dearborn said the concert series is a far cry from the old town band concerts of yesteryear.

“I love town bands, but this series mixes it up a bit,” he said. “There's big band, swing, country, bluegrass, the blues. We have a nine-piece band that comes in from over near Lake Champlain that can pull off a Glenn Miller tune as if they were a full band.”

When the weather cooperates, people flock to the Community Park and gather around the bandstand to enjoy the music. When the weather is foul, they head over to the Community Center. Rain or shine, the music plays.

“It's such a good time,” said Dearborn. “It exposes kids to all different styles of music, and so many variations, and we have some of the best musicians in the state coming to play.”

Dearborn both leads off and closes the series this summer with his two musical groups: Jeff Dearborn presents Chain Drive Wallet on Tuesday, and the Contoocook Blues Society on August 28.

“I think of [Dearborn] as being the series 'bookends' with two very different types of music,” said Zax. “Chain Drive Wallet is classic country (think Johnny, Waylon, Merle and Willie). The Contoocook Blues Society is an upbeat Chicago-style blues band.”

Pete Leavenworth, a multi-instrumentalist, will play the banjo, dobro, guitar and pedal steel throughout the summer, joining with other musicians including both of Dearborn's groups, the Mink Hills Band, and Lunch at the Dump.

“We are also presenting Dusty Gray, a local boy from Concord, who is about to break big,” said Zax. “He is opening for Willie Nelson this summer and has been signed to a song writing contract in Nashville.”

The series will also include folk trio Random Acts of Harmony; the Bel Airs, a doo-wop group; the Nevers Second Regimental Band, one of America's oldest bands; country diva Tammy Jackson and her band; Quintessential Brass; and swing band Gerry Grimo and the East Bay Jazz Ensemble.

All performances are free and begin at 7 p.m. For more information visit the town's website at www.henniker.org.

nfoster@newstote.com