CAMBRIDGE, Illinois — If you find yourself in Cambridge, Illinois, you will often hear the sounds of live music coming from the Taylor family's front porch. David Olson frequently makes visits to enjoy a night of entertainment.
“He’s got a big beautiful porch and the bands set up on the porch. Everybody just sits in his yard on lawn chairs. He doesn’t ask for anything other than just come listen to the music. I mean he literally gets music from all over the world coming in there," Olson said.
John and Stephanie Taylor open up their family home to the community and invite everyone to their front lawn to listen to different artists and bands. That's why Olson nominated them for the Pay It Forward award, sponsored by Ascentra Credit Union.
The concert series is called the Cà d'Zan House Concerts.
“It means ‘House of John’… and my husband's name is John. And it’s his house and it all works together," Stephanie said.
The Taylors book bands and artists from all over the world to bring entertainment. They sometimes put on a concert from their lawn multiple times a week. It doesn't cost anything to attend, but they do ask for donations to help the bands get to their next spot.
“We, you know, we don’t set a set ticket price cause we want it to be open to everyone no matter what their financial situation is. So we just ask for open donation, there’s usually a suggested donation," Stephanie said.
Before the concert starts, you can stop by early for a social hour and potluck.
“The great thing too is before the concert we have a potluck so people can bring food. That feeds the band, it feeds everyone here too. And we just get to enjoy good food and good times on the front lawn," Stephanie said.
Music has a way of bringing people together, and that's why this couple decided to open up their home to the community.
“For John and I, music is a huge part of our relationship. We first met at a concert, we re-met at a concert, we got married at a concert. So music has been kind of part of our relationship so it just makes sense we got music at our home now," Stephanie said.
If you're interested in checking out a concert yourself, you can visit their Facebook page for a list of scheduled events. They also have an indoor location in Bishop Hill that allows them to host concerts in the area year-round.
Do you know someone who goes above and beyond for his or her community? News 8 and Ascentra Credit Union would like to help you Pay it Forward to them. Click here to nominate someone you know.
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