The Lit Salon of the Berkshires is a new series bringing together literature and music through intimate, candlelit conversations and live performances. Presented by The Mount at Barrington Hall and curated by author Michelle Young (The Art Spy), the Salon creates a warm, intimate setting for the community to gather, connect, and experience the written word and music in unexpected combinations.
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2026 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTION • AN INDEPENDENT PRESS BESTSELLER
In American popular music, we often glorify rebellious artists and “outlaws.” In his new book, The Midnight Special: The Secret Prison of American Music, Colin Asher reveals a lesser-known story: how the criminal justice system has shaped the lives, careers, and legacies of American musicians. Moderated by Michelle Young and featuring an accompanying performance by award-winning composer George Oldziey, this conversation and performance will trace the history of twentieth-century incarceration—from Southern prison farms and the heroin-driven drug war that villainized a generation of jazz artists, to the dawn of mass incarceration. Along the way, Asher explores how prisons occasionally incubate musical talent, but more often cut careers short, constrain artistic lives, and distort the public’s understanding of musicians and their value to society.
IMPORTANT EVENT INFORMATION:
- This program takes place offsite at Barrington Hall, 426 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230, a fully accessible event venue.
- Doors open at 6:00 pm. A cash bar and food truck will be available.
- Seating at Barrington Hall is first come, first served.
- All ticket sales are final, and Barrington Hall is unable to offer refunds for missed events.
- If an event is cancelled or postponed, the venue will notify all ticket holders and provide the option to receive a refund or hold onto your ticket for the new date.
- Questions? Email: programs@edithwharton.org; or call: 413-551-5111 x2
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Colin Asher is the author of the critically acclaimed Never a Lovely So Real. His work has been featured in the Believer, the Baffler, the New Republic, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
ABOUT THE MUSICIAN:
George Oldziey has had a widely versatile career as a performer, composer and educator. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Trumpet Performance from Manhattan School of Music and a Master’s degree in Composition from Texas State University. As an in-house composer for Electronic Arts’ Origin Systems, he created music for iconic video game series including Wing Commander and SpongeBob SquarePants. His extensive film credits include Spy Kids 2 and 3D, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Sin City, The Grinch, and The House of Gucci. He also arranged Mon Laferte’s Latin Grammy-winning album, Norma. Currently, Oldziey is an Associate Professor in Screen Scoring at Berklee College of Music.
ABOUT THE CURATOR:
Michelle Young is an award-winning journalist and author. Her latest book, The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of World War II Resistance Hero Rose Valland, was named a Best Book of 2025 by the New York Public Library, Library Journal, and Hyperallergic, and a 2026 Massachusetts Book Award Honoree. The book was also a finalist for the Marfield Prize—The National Award for Arts Writing—and the Lambda Literary Prize, and was longlisted for the 2025 American Library of Paris Book Award.
ABOUT THE VENUE:
Barrington Hall is an event venue and gathering place in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. With a focus on serving and being an active part of the Berkshire community, the Hall brings people together for live music, comedy, cultural programming, weddings, private celebrations, and community gatherings.
