Co-produced with the Robin Theatre, join folk legends Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy, visiting from England, for an enchanting evening of timeless melodies and spellbinding storytelling. Don’t miss this rare chance to experience the iconic father-daughter duo live on stage during their special U.S. tour!
John Depew – Thursday Show
Co-produced with the Robin Theatre, don’t miss an engaging evening with John Depew, the 2022 Kansas Mandolin Champion, as he brings his masterful picking and heartfelt melodies to the stage. Experience the magic of bluegrass, folk, and beyond from one of the Midwest’s most celebrated mandolin virtuosos!
Tim Eriksen
If you remember hearing sacred harp singing in the films “Cold Mountain” or “Behold the Earth,” or the distinct sound of the lead vocalist of Cordelia’s Dad, that is Tim Eriksen.
Tim Eriksen is acclaimed for transforming American tradition with his startling interpretations of old ballads, love songs, shape-note gospel and dance tunes from New England and Southern Appalachia. He combines hair-raising vocals with inventive accompaniment on banjo, fiddle, guitar and bajo sexto – a twelve string Mexican acoustic bass – creating a distinctive hardcore Americana sound.
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker
For the Ten Pound Fiddle’s 50th Anniversary season, Sparky and Rhonda are the perfect act to highlight the roots of folk music. It has been too long since this duo has graced the Fiddle stage; the Fiddle is delighted that they can be part of this year’s schedule.
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker deliver uplifting presentations of toe-tapping songs spiced with humor, history, and tall tales. Their music includes a variety of old-time blues, Appalachian music, slave songs, and spirituals as well as originals, and they accompany themselves with fingerstyle picking and bottleneck blues guitar, old-time banjo, blues harmonica, piano, spoons, and bones.
Jake Blount and Nic Gareiss and Simon Chrisman
Lansing’s Nic Gareiss travels the world both performing and teaching dance. Each season, Nic gathers very talented friends and plans a Michigan tour, making a Friday night stop at The Ten Pound Fiddle. This year, Nic and Old Time musician Jake Blount and hammered dulcimer player Simon Chrisman will combine their sound and talent to present a night of exceptional performance pieces.
Dom Flemons
The Fiddle is very excited to host ‘The American Songster,’ Dom Flemons, multi-instrumentalist, singer, historian and storyteller of all things acoustic folk music. Flemons won a Grammy as a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, and has received a Grammy nomination for one of his solo recordings. Now based in Chicago, Flemons has performed in countless venues all over the world. We are delighted he will make the trip around the lake to share his music and adventures with the Fiddle.
Larry & Joe
What happens when a Venezuelan harpist starts playing music with an award-winning bluegrass artist? Absolute magic! Come hear one of the hottest new acts on the folk music circuit. (Yes, there is a circuit, with a several hundred venues.)
“The headline for this duo is the odd couple pairing of two master musicians. On one hand, you have GRAMMY nominated artist Joe Troop, a brilliant musician and songwriter, staunch political activist, and one of the first openly queer voices in bluegrass. On the other hand, you have Venezuelan harpist Larry Bellorín, an asylum seeker and former construction worker whose rough hands fly impossibly delicately across the strings of his harp. But what’s really astounding with this duo is the precision and boldness of their craft. Working with jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter, they took two very different worlds, bluegrass and Venezuelan llanera music, and built a new musical language to unite them. Their virtuosity is jaw dropping live; they were easily the best music I saw at the Folk Alliance International conference earlier this year. But more than that, they both take great, transcendent joy in making this music together, and that kind of joy is contagious.” – Folk Alley
Robin and Linda Williams
Robin and Linda Williams return to the Fiddle after a (too) long absence. A powerhouse acoustic duo for decades, they became household names as frequent guests on A Prairie Home Companion. Now, they spend time at home in Virginia, writing music, and touring 1-2 long weekends a month.
Bruce Molsky – SOLD OUT
On his way to the Great Lakes Music Camp (greatlakesmusic.org), Bruce makes a stop at Lansing’s Robin Theatre for an intimate night of songs and tunes on the banjo, guitar and fiddle. An instructor at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Bruce travels all around the world almost every day school is not in session. This Fiddle production is an opportunity to hear from one of Old Time Music’s finest working musicians.
Hot Club of Cowtown
America’s Premiere Hot Jazz & Western Swing Trio: “An arsenal full of technique and joy.” – Jon Caramanica, New York Times
Tall Poppy String Band and Northern Resonance
Co-produced with the Robin Theatre. Two phenomenal trios, bringing stellar examples of American and Swedish string music traditions, one one bill!
Corn Potato String Band at The Robin Theatre
Co-presented with the Robin Theatre. This trio of virtuoso multi-instrumentalists are immensely fun. Performing expertly curated songs from bygone eras, in antiquated styles, they deliver delightful and memorable shows every time.
The Don Julin Trio
In his return to the Fiddle, Michigan’s mandolin guru Don Julin and friends Joe Wilson and Kevin Gills team up to present a night of musical magic.
Feufollet
The young and vibrant Southwest Louisiana band takes Cajun, honky-tonk, and string-band music as their starting point, and keeps an open mind about where their song craft will lead them. Food and Drinks available on site at Urban Beat.
Ruby John and John Warstler
Ruby John has been captivating audiences with her driving fiddle style. She with John Warstler will present a night full of a variety of fiddle tunes, sing some songs, and tell stories of Ruby’s life in her journey to blend her fiddling with her Native heritage.
The Wilson Brothers feat. Elden Kelly
The Fiddle is thrilled not only to present Michigan’s own Wilson brothers, but the addition of Elden Kelly makes this a ‘can’t miss’ night for acoustic music lovers.
April Verch and Cody Walters
The Fiddle welcomes a world-class duo of virtuosic fiddle, dance, banjo & song from the Ottawa Valley to the Hills of Appalachia.
Streaming from the Archives: Jake Blount
Jake Blount in concert at the Ten Pound Fiddle
October 21, 2021
SOLD OUT! Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves – Wednesday Show
Co-produced with The Robin Theatre, in Lansing’s REO Town. Already leaders in the young generation of roots musicians, de Groot has become known for her intricate clawhammer banjo work with Molsky’s Mountain Drifters, while Hargreaves has brought her powerhouse fiddling to the stage with Gillian Welch and Laurie Lewis. Together they create a sound that is adventurous, masterful, and original, as they expand on the eccentricities of these old songs, while never losing sight of what makes them endure.
Showman and Coole
Clawhammer banjo picking songwriter Chris Coole and his long-time musical collaborator, fiddler extraordinaire, John Showman.
“John Showman has made his mark as “one of the very best and most influential fiddle players in Canada” -Steve Pritchard, CIUT 89.5 FM
“Chris’ clawhammer banjo playing is, frankly, incomparable” -Mitch Podolak, Penguin Eggs Magazine
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.
Jake Blount and His Band – Thursday Show
“Jake Blount is a brilliant banjoist, fiddle player and singer… his fingering thrilling and pacy, his voice charismatic and limber.” – Jude Rogers, The Guardian
Jake Blount and His Band are playing a huge festival in Champaign, IL on Friday night. They will make a stop here on Thursday and share his authentic Old Time sound. In the same vein as Rhiannon Giddens and Amythyst Kiah, make sure to catch this rising star in an intimate venue.
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters (Sunday)
Molsky’s Mountain Drifters – a laser-tight trio with an ear for lovely, lilting traditional melodies. The grace and wisdom of Grammy nominated fiddler Bruce Molsky, Berklee College of Music’s Visiting Scholar melds with the electricity of guitarist Stash Wyslouch and banjoist Allison de Groot’s to bring new ideas to traditional music.
The Fabulous Heftones and Friends
Playing the tunes and ditties of the 1920’s and more.
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.
Lonesome Ace Stringband – featuring banjo virtuoso Chris Coole
This is old-time music for today’s old soul.
Chris Coole on banjo, John Showman on fiddle and Max Heineman on bass bring a deep respect for the roots of the music, a keen sense of innovation to the performance and material, and a passion for the sound that transcends both.
“Three of the most accomplished Old-Time musicians on the planet, the Lonesome Ace Stringband does a masterful job melding their talents”-Brad Kolodner (WAMU Washington, DC)