Brad Parsons returns to Baker City for Churchill School concert

Brad Parsons is bringing more than a concert back to Baker City on Friday, April 17. His stop at Churchill School comes after time away to focus on his health, turning a night of live music into a homecoming of sorts for a performer with ties to audiences who have followed his work.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and music starts at 6:45 p.m. at Churchill School, 3451 Broadway St. Baker City musician Shem Carlson is set to open the evening, adding a local name to a bill that already carries extra meaning for fans who have been waiting to see Parsons back on the road.

The setting matters as much as the schedule. Churchill School is a restored 1925 schoolhouse, and its owners describe the work there as an ongoing restoration project. Brian and Corrine Vegter bought the building in 2018 to begin restoring the beloved historic elementary school, and the former cafeteria and gymnasium now serve as a concert venue that can hold about 250 people. That gives the Baker City stop a more intimate feel than a large touring hall, and it helps explain why shows there often feel tied to the community as much as to the performer.

Parsons’ own background adds another layer to the return. His website says he has collaborated with Bart Budwig, John Craigie, Fruition and Cabinet, among others. In 2017, Hold True marked his first full-length solo album and the launch of his first tour with the Brad Parsons Band, a milestone that now frames this new stretch on the road after his health-related break.

Churchill School’s event calendar shows the April 17 performance as part of a broader spring lineup, underscoring the venue’s role as one of downtown Baker City’s more active live-music spaces. For a town that has long supported small-room performances, Parsons’ return offers a familiar kind of local draw: a touring artist, a Baker City opener and a restored historic building still finding new use in the center of downtown.