James Keelaghan returns to the Fiddle in support of his CD release for ‘Second Hand.’
Jake Blount, Nic Gareiss & Laurel Premo + Fiddle’s Annual Membership Meeting
Jake Blount, Nic Gareiss and Laurel Premo, award-winning folk performers, have joined forces in a bewitchment of rich tones, deft movements and stories long untold. Through traditional songs familiar and arcane, this new trio celebrates the deep rhythms and subtle harmonies of America’s eldest musics.
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.
Deidre McCalla
Singer-songwriter Deidre McCalla, the “dreadlocked troubadour” celebrates the power and diversity of the human spirit.
Matt Watroba and Anne Hills
Old friends Anne Hills and Matt Watroba will join together to share a night of new songs and old favorites.
From Nova Scotia, Cassie & Maggie
“With songs ranging from heartbreakingly beautiful and soft to loud and boisterous, Cassie and Maggie’s sisterly voices blend in such a way that you automatically know it is genetic… theirs are voices that wrap themselves around each other more than others.” -No Depression
From Scotland, Tannahill Weavers
“An especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new.” – New York Times
Damn Tall Buildings
“Damn tall buildings is a damn fine trio, mixing bluegrass, swing, and foot-stomping old-time music you wouldn’t think possible from a band from Brooklyn.” — No Depression
Full Cord
Their infectious stage show and breadth of material pushed Full Cord through to a win of the 2022 Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition in June and a nomination as the Momentum Band of the year at the upcoming International Bluegrass Music Awards. With two shows never the same, their followers in Michigan and beyond try to catch every show, never knowing what teaser or new song will be in the set list.
Nervous but Excited – Women in the Arts Festival
It’s a 10-year Reunion show! Co-produced with the East Lansing Women in the Arts Festival, the Fiddle is excited to welcome back Kate Peterson and Sarah Cleaver of Nervous but Excited for a very special evening at Edgewood United Church.
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
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
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
Vance Gilbert
“If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child, with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the results might have been something close to the great Vance Gilbert.” It has been too long since Gilbert has given a Fiddle show. We welcome him back!
Evie Ladin & Keith Terry
Innovative musicians/dancers with a quirky neo-trad soul, Oakland, California-based Evie Ladin & Keith Terry throw down original folk songs and deep interpretations of old songs, with the kinetic thrill of percussive dance.
Susan Werner – Cancelled
The Ten Pound Fiddle has just been informed that Susan Werner has Covid-19 and is not able to perform in East Lansing tomorrow evening. So, sadly, the Fiddle concert for tomorrow (Friday, April 8) is cancelled. We wish Susan well and look forward to rescheduling with her for our 2022-23 season.
Advance ticket sales for the Susan Werner concert will be automatically refunded; no action is required on the part of purchasers.
As audiences will testify, Werner’s been knocking it out of the park – or concert hall – all around the U.S. for twenty years. Renowned as a charismatic performer, she’s known above all for challenging herself to conquer new styles, almost like mountaintops, every few years. Every 3-4 seasons, Werner returns to the Fiddle to share where her musical travels have taken her.
Sally Rogers and Claudia Schmidt
A favorite of Ten Pound Fiddle audiences, Sally and Claudia have shared their talent both as solo artists and as a duo. Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers have been weaving their voices, dulcimers, and guitars together for decades, creating an atmosphere of joy and musical lushness that audiences find so irresistible, they frequently join right in.
CANCELLED – Crys Matthews and Heather Mae
Award-winning songwriter, Crys Matthews teams up with energetic Heather Mae to present a night of rich material, smooth harmonies, a few sing-alongs and a lot of fun.
Postponed: Stella! and The Lesser Halves
New Date: Friday, Oct. 21.
Streaming from the Archives: James Keelaghan
James Keelaghan in concert at the Ten Pound Fiddle
January 17, 2020
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: Vance Gilbert
New Date TBA. “If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child, with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the results might have been something close to the great Vance Gilbert.” It has been too long since Gilbert has given a Fiddle show. We welcome him back!
Streaming from the Archives: April Verch
April Verch in concert at the Ten Pound Fiddle, April 15, 2016.
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.
Richie and Rosie
“The air left the room when Richie and Rosie sang their first notes together…everyone had their breath taken away at once. ” — Jen Hughes, Bluegrass Today
Richie Sternes (banjo; The Horse Flies, Natalie Merchant) and Rosie Newton (fiddle and accordion; The Duhks) are a dynamic duo in the world of Old Time music, and beyond.
John Gorka
“…the leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement” – Rolling Stone
John Gorka has been a mainstay in the folk music community for over 30 years. Every 3-4 years, he stops by the Fiddle to share some new pieces and help us remember his classics.
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
Low Lily, featuring Lissa Schneckenburger
“[Low Lily has] an incredible knack for putting a little pop twist on a traditional folk/Americana sound… it’s a blend that works beautifully.”-PopMatters
The Fiddle catches this Boston-based band on a rare Midwest tour. This trio does a marvelous job interpreting songs and tunes from all genres, with the help of fiddler extraordinaire, Lissa Schneckenburger.
Streaming Audio: 9/14/ 2001 Benefit Concert for 9/11 Victims
Four michigan acts come together three days after the 9/11 attacks for a very moving night of contemplation and community to benefit relief organizations.
Streaming from the Archives: Ann Reed – In Concert including Sistrum and Singing Night with Ann Reed
Ann Reed in Concert, including Sistrum (Jan. 22, 2012) and Singing Night with Ann Reed (May 2, 2014) performances. Long-time Fiddle-favorite, Minneapolis-based singer / songwriter Ann Reed will share her beautiful songs, and hysterical stories with us.
Streaming from the Archives: Joshua Davis
February 1, 2019 performance. Joshua Davis was raised in the folk tradition: the music, the social movements, the land.
Madcat’s Midnight Blues Journey and Dennis Stroughmatt et L’Esprit Creole
Madcat’s Midnight Blues Journey (Nov. 6, 2015) and Dennis Stroughmatt et L’Esprit Creole (March 6, 2009; March 22, 2013) performances.
Diana Jones
Diana Jones (April 27, 2018) performance.
Bill Staines
Oct. 2, 2015 and April 5, 2013 performances. “Bill Staines has been my hero since 1977. He carries on where Woody left off-carrying on the tradition of stories and characters you wish you knew.” – Nanci Griffith
Mother’s Day Concert with Sally Rogers and Claudia Schmidt; Claudia Schmidt; Claudia Schmidt with Dean Magraw
Sally Rogers and Claudia Schmidt (May 8, 2015; May 11, 2012); Claudia Schmidt (April 23, 2010; Sept. 28, 2008); Claudia Schmidt with Dean Magraw (Sept. 13, 1013) performances
Second Opinion Reunion Concert, featuring Betsy Clinton, Pat Madden, and Sally Potter
April 24, 2015 Performance
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.
Holiday Sing Highlights, hosted by Sally Potter
Highlights from the 2009 and 2011 Holiday Sings feature Sally Potter, Doug Berch, Kitty Donohoe, Wanda Degen, Linda Abar and poet Robert Rentchler.
Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas
Feb. 10, 2012 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.
The Steel Wheels
Performances from January 25, 2013 and October 8, 2010. “Few groups have come as far in such a short period of time as The Steel Wheels…” – NPR’s Mountain Stage
Cancelled – Emma’s Revolution, with 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.
Cancelled – Low Lily, including fiddler Lissa Schneckenburger
“[Low Lily has] an incredible knack for putting a little pop twist on a traditional folk/Americana sound… it’s a blend that works beautifully.”PopMatters
Cancelled – Joshua Davis
JOSHUA DAVIS WAS RAISED IN THE FOLK TRADITION: THE MUSIC, THE SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, THE LAND.
Cancelled – The Steel Wheels
“Few groups have come as far in such a short period of time as The Steel Wheels…” – NPR’s Mountain Stage
Cheryl Wheeler
Brilliant, hysterical performances and beautifully crafted songs. Cheryl Wheeler is a “Rare artist…strong poetry, complex melodies, clever wit.” -SingOut!
SOLD OUT! Sweet Water Warblers: Rachael Davis, May Erlewine, Lindsay Lou
Michigan songbirds, Rachael Davis, Lindsay Lou and May Erlewine have each carved out successful careers on the American Roots Music circuit and have grown to respect each other’s work. When they finally gelled into a potent musical force, it was natural – three singing sirens and multi-instrumentalists whose repertoire swings from gospel and bluegrass to soul and even joyful interpretations of pop. Their three-part vocal harmonies are sublime, and they trade instruments including mountain fiddle and banjo, uke, guitar and double bass.
MWSFF Community Sing with Songleader Dan Chouinard
With lyrics supplied, Chouinard lets fly with inventive, often playful, accompaniments, rarely glancing at the keyboard — a feat that one regular considers magic. “It’s kind of his calling,” said the man who’s attended these singalongs for ten years. “I mean, you know he could be playing with anyone, but here he is with us.”
MWSFF Afternoon Workshops
A highlight of the festival, 8 afternoon workshops provide another opportunity for our community to sing and play music – together. One $10 wristband is good for the all of the sessions. Students are free!
Tim Grimm and Ben Bedford
Tim Grimm and Ben Bedford- two highly acclaimed Midwestern songwriters, will make for a brilliant evening at the Fiddle.
James Keelaghan
Called Canada’s finest singer-songwriter by one of the most respected and lauded music journalists of the last 50 years, James Keelaghan is an artist who has proven to be a man for all seasons.
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!
Amythyst Kiah (Wednesday)
“Amythyst Kiah is one of roots music’s most exciting emerging talents, blending a deep knowledge of old time music with sensibilities spanning classic country to contemporary R&B.”— ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE
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.
Natalia Zukerman’s musical presentation of “The Women Who Rode Away” wsg Kate Peterson
“…this is simply one of the most compelling and riveting events we have ever hosted on The Extended Play Sessions. It speaks of empowerment, struggle, tolerance, perseverance and history and the timeliness of this project could not be more poignant. A woman, seated alone on a stage, paying tribute to women…with beauty, style, grace and a boatload of talent!”
– Bill Hurley – Producer, The Extended Play Sessions
May Erlewine – CD Release
“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
The Matchsellers & Red Tail Ring: Old Time Duos
Based in Old-Time music, two incredibly talented and charming duos will share the stage in this exciting twin bill.
The Matchsellers: “The first song I listened to was the one about the Pigeon and the Dove and I said “you’re hired.” -Larry Groce, NPR’s Mountain Stage
Red Tail Ring: “The very best of the 21st century’s minimalist and highly original folk music . . . a peerless duo.” – American Roots UK.
CANCELLED The Fretless – Sunday Concert
“People ask us how to make a living in an instrumental folk band,” says second fiddle and viola player, Karrnnel Sawitsky. “My answer is simply put: ‘creatively.’” Sawitsky continues, “When our four voices meet at the center of agreement is when our music echoes most effectively. It’s not the sum of our parts. It’s the individual sum of the band.”
2017 Juno Award Winners: Instrumental Album of the Year
Crys Matthews
Presenting songs of our times, “Crys Matthews is a necessary voice. Her depth coupled with her openness and approachability is unmatched. She has a spark that is contagious and shares music that unites us and makes us think.” Viviana Benitez, Associate Producer at Lincoln Center and 2017 NewSong judge
Strangers in the Night: The Bands of Elderly Instruments
Come enjoy a night of music from folks who sell instruments by day, and then play them after hours. “Strangers in the Night,” is just one of the evening’s five bands which features employees and friends of Lansing’s world-renowned music store, Elderly Instruments.
John Gorka
“There are few contemporary songwriters that come anywhere close to the talent of John Gorka. His songs have a way of working on you long after you thought you had it all figured out. I will listen to a song that I know all the words to and can sing a long with and then one day sitting at a traffic light I realize that there was a whole other layer of meaning that I had missed.” – Ben Wakeman, “Take Me to the Bridge”
MWSFF Community Sing with Sally Rogers, Claudia Schmidt, Joel Mabus
Saturday night’s Community Sing will be a Michigan reunion of three long-time friends. Sally Rogers, Claudia Schmidt and Joel Mabus are each expert song leaders. Together it would be hard to name a more talented trio to guide a theatre full of people in an evening of singing.
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!
Annual Holiday Sing, hosted by Sally Potter wsg Jamie-Sue Seal, Siusan O’Rourke, Doug Berch, poet Ruelaine Stokes and Doug Austin on piano
For the annual Holiday Sing, host Sally Potter selects seasonal and secular songs, and a few hymns to create a magical night of musical community. Lyric sheets provided. Special guests Jamie-Sue Seal and Susan O’Rourke, Doug Berch, poet Ruelaine Stokes and pianist extraordinaire Doug Austin add vocals and accompaniment to this heartwarming, participatory evening.
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
Sam Gleaves
Sam Gleaves is a leader in the next generation of exquisite folk singers. “Courageous as hell and country to the bone — Amazingly talented Sam Gleaves, the best young songwriter around, heads into new territory with his brilliant album AIN’T WE BROTHERS, joined by a group of world-class musicians and singers. Varied, intelligent, moving – these songs stay with you.” -Lee Smith, Appalachian author
Co-produced with the Peace Education Center and held in conjunction with its Alternative Holiday Sale
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