Two singer-songwriters bring uniquely overlapping styles for a magical night of authentic, soulful folk.
Zoe Mulford
Transatlantic Singer-Songwriter from Manchester, UK and the writer of “The President Sang Amazing Grace.”
SOLD OUT Jake Shulman-Ment and Laurel Premo at The Robin Theatre
What happens when the finest Klezmer fiddler of his generation teams up with a friend, a marvelous multi-instrumentalist? Come find out!
David Francey + Fiddle’s Annual Membership Meeting
“One of Canada’s best loved troubadours” –Toronto Star, “The closest thing [Canada] has to Woody Guthrie” –The Georgia Straight
Annual Ten Pound Fiddle Membership Meeting, 6 pm – 7 pm. All are welcome. (Only) Fiddle members vote on any issues. Meet the Fiddle Board of Directors. Held at the UUMC before the concert.
Seth Bernard and Jordan Hamilton
UPDATE: The Ten Pound Fiddle has just learned that Seth Bernard has COVID and cannot be part of tonight’s show. That means that tonight’s audience will be treated to a full night of music from the multi-talented, delightful, Earthwork Music Collective member, Jordan Hamilton. See you there!
Adrienne Torf and Voices of the Revolution performing Torf’s and June Jordan’s “Collaboration”
A powerful, local performance poetry troupe teams with pianist Adrienne Torf to recreate her classic work, “Collaboration.” Co-sponsored with the East Lansing Women in the Arts Festival.
A Duo of Duos: The Dangling Participles and Dave Boutette and Kristi Lynn Davis
Two of Michigan’s finest acoustic duos team up for a night of original songs, old favorites, and a lot of laughs.
Joel Mabus
“It’s hard to imagine another artist on the folk scene who combines the same concise, deceptively understated, lyrical insight and sometimes devastating wit with such world-class instrumental prowess.” -MUSICHOUND FOLK
The Very Last Not-So-Annual Fiddle Scouts Used CD and LP Fundraiser
Your last opportunity to sift through thousands of classic folk, blues and Americana CDs and LPs, most for $1 each. All proceeds go to fund Fiddle Scouts, a program where musicians play music with children.
Deidre McCalla
Singer-songwriter Deidre McCalla, the “dreadlocked troubadour” celebrates the power and diversity of the human spirit.
Stella! and The Lesser Halves
Stella! is the Michigan-based, singer-songwriting trio of Jo Serrapere, Jen Sygit, and Julianna Wilson. From comic relief to heartbreaking ballads, they accompany their three-part harmonies with guitar, banjo, upright bass, and percussion. For this special event, each member of Stella! will also perform with their respective lesser half: John Divine, Geoff Lewis, and Andy Wilson.
Kitty Donohoe
‘Kitty Donohoe is a true treasure – a rare songwriter with tremendous range, a beautiful voice and an ability to write haunting, melodic and literate songs.’ – All Music Guide
SOLD OUT! The Chenille Sisters, wsg The Royal Garden Trio
From Ann Arbor, the Chenille Sisters return to the same building where they played their first Ten Pound Fiddle performance 30 years ago. Word was out. That night, the Copper Chimney Lounge was packed to the brim. For this show, we’ll be in the much larger sanctuary. The night will begin with a shorter set by the incredibly talented, Michigan-based Royal Garden Trio.
Frank Youngman and Seth Bernard
Singing Festival favorite and Lost World String Band founder, Frank Youngman teams up with Earthworks Music founder, songwriter and environmental activist Seth Bernard for a night of these two great friends sharing music, stories and fun.
Cancelled: Frank Youngman and Seth Bernard: FAMILY SHOW
The Frank Youngman and Seth Bernard Family Show scheduled for Sat., May 14 at 5pm has been cancelled. Their 7:30pm show that evening will go on as planned. We look forward to bringing you a robust Fiddle Scouts program in our 2022-23 season.
Emma´s Revolution: Pat Humphries and Sandy O.
Emma’s Revolution is the dynamic, award-winning activist duo of Pat Humphries & Sandy O, whose songs have been sung for the Dalai Lama, praised by Pete Seeger, and covered by Holly Near. With beautiful harmonies and genre-defying eclecticism, Emma’s Revolution delivers an uprising of truth and hope for these tumultuous times.
Postponed: Stella! and The Lesser Halves
New Date: Friday, Oct. 21.
Postponed: Katie Dahl and Kitty Donohoe: Twin Bill
New Date: October 14, 2022. “Katie Dahl’s songs aren’t just melodies and words, they’re journeys that are firmly grounded in a sense of place—beautiful, real landscapes that help you feel places that you may have never been before. That’s the very best kind of songwriting. – Dar Williams ‘Kitty is making a name for herself in Irish America and you can see why from the high quality of the work here.‘ Irish Music Magazine.
POSTPONED: Frank Youngman and Seth Bernard
New Date: May 14, 2022. Singing Festival favorite and Lost World String Band founder, Frank Youngman teams up with Earthworks Music founder, songwriter and environmental activist Seth Bernard for a night of these two great friends sharing music, stories and fun.
POSTPONED: The Chenille Sisters, wsg The Royal Garden Trio
POSTPONED UNTIL FRIDAY MAY 20, 2022.
Reggie Harris, Alternative Holiday Sale Concert
A favorite of Singing Festival fans, peace and justice activist Reggie Harris will present the Friday night Ten Pound Fiddle concert within the annual two-day Alternative Holiday Gift Sale sponsored by the Peace Education Center at Edgewood Church, East Lansing.
May Erlewine
Michigan’s May Erlewine returns to the Fiddle to give a rare solo performance. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience wonderful songs penned by this marvelous singer.
“May Erlewine has the sort of soul-baring voice that moves the Alan Lomaxes of the world to abandon the ivory tower for the back roads of rural America.” – The Harvard Independent
Ten Pound Fiddle 47th Birthday Party! Peter ´Madcat´ Ruth and C.A.R.Ma
Peter ´Madcat´ Ruth will introduce his new band, C.A.R.Ma, we’ll have birthday cake, and set up a separate room full of recently donated used CDs for Fiddle Scouts fund-raising sale. Come see your friends, have some cake, check out the recordings, and enjoy the sounds of Madcat and CARMa.
Joshua Davis
Since his third place finish in The Voice, Joshua Davis has shared his poignant songs and smooth presentation with the nation. To Mid-Michigan, he is an old friend returning for what is now his annual Ten Pound Fiddle show.
Yellow Room Gang
When seven singer songwriters gather to swap real-life songs and stories, things could get a little intense, but Yellow Room Gang members Annie Capps, Kitty Donohoe, David Tamulevich, Jan Krist, David Barrett, Matt Watroba, and Jim Bizer keep it all light and lively.
Archie Fisher, Garnet Rogers, James Keelaghan, Jez Lowe
Archie Fisher (April 16, 2010); Jez Lowe and James Keelaghan (Oct. 4, 2013); Garnet Rogers and Archie Fisher (April 1, 2011)
Mid-Winter Singing and Folk Festival Highlights
Various performances including Mark Dvorak, Pat Madden, Frank Youngman, and Joel Mabus. Also featured is Rachel Alexander and the All-Comers Festival Choir.
Anne Hills and Michael Smith
September 27, 2013 performance.
Connie Kaldor
February 28, 2014 performance. “…quirky, often wickedly funny.” -Regina Leader-Post
Susan Werner
Feb. 15, 2013 performance. Susan Werner composes skillful songs that effortlessly slide between folk, jazz, and pop, all delivered with sassy wit and classic Midwestern charm.
Scott Cook (Thursday)
“He sings his heart and soul, and in doing so lets light flood into your own… He has a good eye for imagery, a gentle human touch, a wry sense of humour, a whole lot of integrity, a warm, rugged voice and a bunch of memorable lines… Truly one of Woody Guthrie’s children.” -RnR Magazine
Cheryl Wheeler
Brilliant, hysterical performances and beautifully crafted songs. Cheryl Wheeler is a “Rare artist…strong poetry, complex melodies, clever wit.” -SingOut!
Connie Kaldor and Garnet Rogers
Following two nights at the venerable Hugh’s Room in Toronto, these two highly acclaimed veterans of Canadian folk music will stop by The Fiddle as part of a rare, short Midwest tour. The Fiddle has hosted each of them several times before. Now, both on one night! Do not miss this!
Windborne
Co-produced with the Peace Education Center in conjunction with it’s Alternative Holiday sale. Internationally acclaimed vocal group Windborne is known for the power and innovation of their arrangements, as well as their unrivaled mastery of polyphonic music from around the world. Currently Windborne is touring a project called Song on the Times, songs of social struggle from movements over the past 400 years.
MWSFF Children’s Concert with Sally Rogers
Sally Rogers has won numerous awards for writing and performing children’s music. It is a real treat to have such an accomplished artist present this year’s MWSFF Children’s Concert, co-produced with the City of East Lansing.
MWSFF Concert with Joshua Davis
Joshua Davis was raised in the folk tradition: the music, the social movements, the land. For the 17th Annual MWSFF, he will present an evening of songs, joined by special guests Jen Sygit and Laura Bates.
Matt Watroba and Robert Jones – The American Experience: From Roots to Rap, A Musical Celebration of History and Diversity
Long-time musical partners, Watroba and Jones will present music that reflects history, social change, migration, hopes and dreams. This is music that is rich and diverse, direct and powerful. This is a musical seminar – not to be missed!
Joel Mabus
“It’s hard to imagine another artist on the folk scene who combines the same concise, deceptively understated, lyrical insight and sometimes devastating wit with such world-class instrumental prowess.” -MUSICHOUND FOLK
Laura Love, Women in the Arts Festival
“(LAURA LOVE) will shake the world. The clincher is her live show…She’s that rare artist who can slip from sensitive folk to hip-hop without skipping a beat. -Utne Reader
Laura Love is an award winning “folk-funk” singer/songwriter/bassist who has been touring the world since the early 1990s.
Christine Lavin
GROUP KNITTING CIRCLE WITH CHRISTINE AT 6:30! Click event to learn more… “Christine Lavin is an incredibly witty songwriter and storyteller, with a flair for the creative, the dramatic, and the humorous. It is precisely her take on the ordinary that makes her work so extraordinary.” -Village Voice
“Music of the 1960s” – Sunday Afternoon Two Audio/ Visual Presentations by Dick Rosemont, FBC Co-Founder
1 – 3 pm: 1960s Rock Music Overview; 4 – 6 pm: The Rise and Influence of Motown. Dick Rosemont will present an entertaining and incisive look at the music environment of the 1960s. It was a significant period for changes in all aspects of culture and the music business. Hear some of the significant songs of the era and recordings that influenced future artists and styles. The first session provides a general overview of 1960s rock as it evolved musically, culturally, and commercially: from pre-Beatles pop to later-decade “acid rock.” The second session looks at Motown and its influences, tracing the rise and success of the largest black-owned company in the country, and its impact on music culture.
Twin Bill – Irish Mythen & Amythyst Kiah
Come hear two of the hottest and up-and-coming performers in today’s acoustic music world –
“Kiah is an important and innovative presence in contemporary traditional music. Describing herself as a “Southern Gothic, alt-country blues singer/songwriter,” Amythyst has a repertoire that honors tradition while crossing genres to illuminate many common threads.” ~ Sam Gleaves, The Bluegrass Situation
“I had no idea what to expect when this five foot nothing lady took the stage, all smiles and twinkling eyes and guitar. Then, she opened her mouth and out flew a voice that came straight from the Heavens with all the power and the glory and the truth of someone destined to be a singer. I’ve been blessed with seeing and hearing a lot of talented musicians in my life, but I have never experienced anyone quite like Irish Mythen. She is a force of nature and a gift from Almighty Herself.”
~ Lisa Schwartz, Philadelphia Folk Festival
Joe Crookston
“At every festival I hope to find the gift of one artist whose songwriting and performance stand out. Joe Crookston was that gift for me this year at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Stunning performance, great songs, and not a word wasted! I LOVE That!” David Francey – Songwriter Ontario
Scott Ainslie
“Ten Pound Fiddle is where I’ll be spending my 65th birthday, playing for the community of listeners and celebrating a half century of guitar playing and live performing.”
The Chenille Sisters – In Concert
A Chenille Sisters performance is a blending of three uniquely gifted souls into a musical phenomenon that’s more poignant, funny and entertaining than any single performer anywhere – and oh, those exquisite harmonies!
John McCutcheon – In Concert
John McCutcheon, folk music’s renaissance man — master instrumentalist, powerful singer-songwriter, storyteller, activist, and author.
Dar Williams – SOLD OUT
A solo performance by “one of America’s very best singer-songwriters.” -The New Yorker Co-produced with the East Lansing Women in the Arts Festival.
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker perform throughout the U.S. as well as overseas, singing songs and telling stories from the American folk tradition.
Susan Werner – In Concert
Susan Werner composes skillful songs that effortlessly slide between folk, jazz, and pop, all delivered with sassy wit and classic Midwestern charm.