Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “Political”
Pat Humphries lived in Lansing in the late 80s, a period when she penned many folk music community favorites. Since then, Pat and Sandy O. have been musical leaders in the peace and justice movement. “If I can’t dance to it, it’s not my revolution.” – Emma Goldman
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.
Co-Production with Peace Education Center’s Annual Alternative Holiday Sale. A veteran song leader at the Ten Pound Fiddle’s annual Mid-Winter Singing Festival, Reggie Harris has devoted his life to teaching, singing and sharing the songs of freedom and acceptance. HIs solo concerts are filled with haunting melodies, poignant stories, and familiar songs where everyone can join in.
“Reggie Harris is part of the solution. His marvelous music, his hard-earned wisdom, and his loving presence lift up any room he enters. Reggie reaches across all boundaries and makes strangers into friends. Give yourself and your community the gift of a transformative visit with Reggie Harris. ,Rabbi Jonathan Kligler, Teacher, Leader, Musician, Lev Shalem Institute, Woodstock, NY
Co-produced with the Women in the Arts Festival. Activist, collaborator, singer, songwriter, song leader, artist, and teacher, Holly Near continues to wear many hats. Well known to Ten Pound Fiddle and Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival fans, Holly’s stop at Greater Lansing’s Women in the Arts Festival is a sort of homecoming – the home of Goldenrod Music, the current music distributor of Holly’s music and that of countless other womyn artists, and home to a cultural festival which has celebrated women artists for almost 40 years. This year Holly will provide an evening of a cappella song and storytelling.
“Last Thing On My MInd,” “Marvelous Toy,” “Rambling Boy,” “Whose Garden Is This?,” “Home To Me (Is Anywhere You Are), “Peace Will Come,” “Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound,” “Bottle of Wine,” are only a fraction of Tom Paxton’s countless additions to the Great American Songbook. Traveling with Tom are the DonJuans, providing musical back-up and a few great songs of their own.
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.
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.
Singer-songwriter Deidre McCalla, the “dreadlocked troubadour” celebrates the power and diversity of the human spirit.
‘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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“…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
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
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!
John McCutcheon, folk music’s renaissance man — master instrumentalist, powerful singer-songwriter, storyteller, activist, and author.
The Joe Hill Roadshow is a national concert tour to celebrate the music, life, and legacy of martyred WWI labor songwriter Joe Hill on the 100th anniversary of his death.
