PFS Presents John Smith

Friday, April 17, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

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About John Smith

Essex-born John Smith has built a reputation as one of the UK’s finest guitarists and songwriters. Raised by the Devon seaside and making his bones in the bars and clubs of Liverpool, John has released five albums with over 33 million Spotify streams. He has played to audiences all over the world in living rooms, festival tents and sold-out concert halls. He is a genuine folksinger, an inquisitive truth-seeker, devoted song interpreter, and enchanting writer.

Steeped in the lineage of British folk, taking his cue from Richard Thompson and John Martyn, Smith has evolved a transatlantic blend of fingerstyle and slide guitar techniques. John’s intimate takes on love, loss and the journey we make, combined with his innovative guitar work, have won him a loyal following. His honey-on-gravel voice and mesmerizing fingerstyle guitar are undeniable. Sometimes using a slide, sometimes with guitar on his lap, sometimes detuning mid-song, Smith’s obsession with the instrument has made a master of him. Whether by way of album or concert, he leads the listener, enthralled in his presence, on a viscerally emotional journey.

A contributor and collaborator, John quickly and effortlessly earns the esteem of his comrades and heroes. He has opened for folk greats including John Martyn, Davy Graham and John Renbourn, who called John Smith “the future of folk music.” On the contemporary side, he has also opened for Iron and Wine, Tinariwen, and Ben Howard. He has guested with artists such as Jackson Browne, Martin Carthy, Richard Hawley, Jarvis Cocker, Jerry Douglas, Glen Hansard and Rodney Crowell; and in his occasional role as sideman, he has played guitar for artists such as David Gray, Lisa Hannigan, Lianne La Havas, Joe Henry and Joan Baez.

He has released five records – “Headlong” (2017) reached #15 in the Indie Breakers chart, #1 on iTunes’ Singer-Songwriter chart, and has amassed over 23 million Spotify streams.

His album “Hummingbird” was released worldwide in 2019 on his own imprint, Commoner Records, via Thirty Tigers worldwide.

PRAISE FOR JOHN SMITH:

“You’re smiling even as tears catch in your throat.” -MOJO
“He’s a magician.” -Ben Howard
“Spellbinding.” -Time Out
“the guitarists’ guitarist.” -The Sunday Times
“Staggeringly good.” -Acoustic Magazine

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JOHN SMITH

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PFS Presents Scott Wolfson & Other Heroes and Meghan Cary with Analog Gypsies

Saturday, April 25, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

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About Scott Wolfson & Other Heroes

Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes sing the music of, by, and for outcasts and outliers.

When Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes take the stage, they’re not just playing a show. Their vibe is party, reunion, and catharsis in one – the energy of their tunes is hard to miss, but each song carries the weight of humanity’s dark corners. When Ron Olesko at Sing Out! Magazine wrote of “their inspiring set” creating “a spontaneous celebration,” he witnessed a celebration in the face of pain and loss – of outcasts finding their people.

A Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes show is an exercise in the unexpected. As No Depression said, “…Wolfson will not only defy the norm, but all expectations as well.” Their mix of talent and wit has brought acclaim as Most Wanted Artists in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Formal Showcase Artists at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and frequent performers at The Philadelphia Folk Festival. And now, with two airplay-charting albums under their belts, they have begun recording their most ambitious and expansive studio work yet.

The songs are new, the stories universal, but their message is clear. As one of Scott’s lyrics says: “We may be broken, but we are not alone.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SCOTT WOLFSON & OTHER HEROES

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About Meghan Cary with Analog Gypsies

Meghan Cary didn’t mean to be a musician. When her fiancé unexpectedly died, she picked up his guitar, figured out how to play it, and wrote her debut, earning her Billboard Magazine’s Critic’s Choice for Best Newcomer. “I wrote my grief into song, and sang my way out of the abyss. I keep making music to help others connect with their own stories and find their joy.” Known for her unabashed willingness to connect with her audience, Cary brings listeners to their feet and at times to tears with high-energy tunes, masterful storytelling, and deeply personal lyrics that resonate universally. After pushing pause on performing to raise two children, Cary launched back onto the scene at Philly Folk Fest and was awarded an Emerging Artist Showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Cary’s smoky voice, emotional singing, and vulnerable writing garner favorable comparisons to Melissa Etheridge, Shawn Colvin, and even Bruce Springsteen.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF MEGHAN CARY

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PFS Presents Sarah Siskind

Friday, May 2, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

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About Sarah Siskind

Sarah Siskind is one of today’s most respected and covered songwriters as well as a stand-out independent artist. Armed with a striking vocal style and solid guitar and piano work, she has toured with Bonnie Raitt, Paul Brady, Grammy winner Bon Iver (who also famously covered her song “Lovin’s For Fools”), Lee Ann Womack and The Swell Season. Her songs have been recorded by Alison Krauss (the GRAMMY nominated “Simple Love”), Wynonna, Randy Travis and many more. The hit TV show Nashville featured 22 of Sarah’s songs, including the unofficial theme song “A Life That’s Good.” Her songs can also be heard on MTV’s Teen Mom 2, MTV’s Awkward, ABC’s Pretty Little Liars, Lifetime’s Army Wives and HBO’s The Wire.

Modern Appalachia, slated for release in 2020, is Sarah Siskind’s most vulnerable and personal album to date, generously showcasing a reconnection to her roots in North Carolina. Recorded at Echo Mountain Recording Studio in Asheville, this album is conversation about humanity and how we relate to each other and to ourselves. Originally conceived as a way to describe a music style or sound, “modern appalachia” became much more over the last few years as Sarah settled back into her home state. It is a feeling; a little wild, a little old-fashioned. It’s a way of life; progressive, but rooted in long standing patterns.

The album features North Carolina musicians Jeff Sipe (drums), Mike Seal (guitar) and Daniel Kimbro (bass). Bill Frisell graces the title track “Modern Appalachia” with his masterful touch while Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) lends his unmistakable vocals to “Carolina.” Release date to be announced.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF SARAH SISKIND

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PFS Presents Jeff Mamett

Sunday, May 3rd, 2020
Doors 2pm | Music 2:30pm

FREE for Members *While Supplies Last* | $10 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

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About Jeff Mamett

“Guy Clark-style songwriting…he paints vivid worlds…Western flair and John Prine-level wordplay”

— Wide Open Country’s Artists to Watch: Bobby Moore, September 2018

“instantly classic…“Carry Me Back” Is A Cattle Drive Down The Plains With A Cowboy Poet ”

— Mark Joseph Engleson – Americana Highways September 2018

“Jeff Mamett is the real deal. This is a true Country and Western artist. ”

— Viola Krouse- Making a Scene Magazine September 2018

Jeff Mamett is a singer-songwriter whose country and western songs have an authentic, earthy quality. He is a storyteller, influenced by writers such as Guy Clark and John Prine, merging elements of American roots music into what some have called a “modern western” sound.
His new album, “Carry Me Back”, with 12 original songs, has been critically acclaimed. It was listed in Making A Scene Magazine as one of the top 40 Americana CD’s of 2018 and led to Mamett being included in Wide Open Country’s “Artists to Watch”. It was recorded in Nashville and produced by lifelong friend and Trace Adkins pedal steel player Wayne Addleman.

Jeff began performing at 13, working with older musicians, playing dances, bars and fraternity parties. After high school, he honed his skills hitting the road with club bands, before ending up in L.A. and then Nashville. There, he gained experience recording and touring with various artists.

Once he and his wife began to have children, Jeff made the decision to leave the road and the music industry to be a dad. The next 25 years would be spent in the cattle business.

In 2013, like Rip Van Winkle waking from his long sleep, Jeff began playing again and discovered a passion for writing and performing his own songs.

His first album, “Here’s Your Hat…”, with 10 original and 2 cover songs, was released in 2015.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JEFF MAMETT

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PFS and the hosts ask that guests act in a respectful manner and be considerate of the performers and other attendees–if you do not, you may be asked to leave by PFS staff or the hosts.

Advance registrations for this performance are REQUIRED.

Admission is free for PFS members and $10 for Advanced Tickets for non-members.

The event will be held in Philadelphia, PA. You will receive the exact address upon registering.

Please bring something to share! Potluck at 2pm, music at 2:30pm.

PFS Presents Mama’s Broke

Saturday, May 9, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

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$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

About Mama’s Broke

Mama’s Broke is a powerful folk duo that deliver a compelling performance with heart and raw energy. Although highly influenced by their Canadian roots, Lisa and Amy are based out of nowhere and everywhere.

Their two strong voices blend to create haunting harmonies, while they artfully juggle fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin, and incorporate traditional dance and foot percussion into their performance. Their original – and often dark – compositions push the boundaries of tradition and the constraints of genre. Drawing from old-time, Quebecois, blues, punk, Celtic, Balkan and doom metal, they create a soundscape that is both familiar and new.

Since forming the band in 2014, Mama’s Broke has been gaining momentum fast ; having already completed two European, and several Canadian and U.S. tours. They have performed in a wide range of venues, from circus shows in New Orleans, to pirate ships in Amsterdam, to concert halls in Ireland, to theatres in Brooklyn. In this way, they stay true to the transient nature of folklore, as they travel the world sharing and collecting song.

2017 brought the release of their debut album, Count the Wicked, which earned them a Canadian Folk Music Award for Ensemble of the Year as well as a nomination for an ECMA Rising Star Award.

The driving force behind this band is – and has always been – the commitment to challenge borders between people, places, and traditions; while encouraging freedom of expression and community through music.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF MAMA’S BROKE

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PFS Presents Dave Gunning

Friday, May 15, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$15 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $18 Not-Yet-Members | $20 Doors

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About Dave Gunning

Dave Gunning is best defined as a master craftsman. Over the course of 23 years and 11 earlier albums, the Nova Scotian folk singer/songwriter has diligently sharpened his skills, developing into a poetic storyteller and emotionally convincing singer with few equals.

The fruits of those labours are now vividly on display in his latest collection of songs, Up Against The Sky. The relaxed and intimate feel of the record reflects its method of creation. “I focused a lot on tones and the vibe, rather than strategic parts on this one. Many of these tunes were sung and played at the same time, and that prevented me from being able to go back and edit, forcing a little more honesty.”

The sessions in Dave’s home studio were co-produced by Gunning and Jamie Robinson. Gunning contributed the bulk of the instrumentation, including all the bass parts and even drums on every song but one. Musical guests include his close musical comrade J.P. Cormier on fiddle on “Celebrate The Crop,” and Andrew Alcorn on horns on “In The Time I Was Away”, while the Atlantic String Machine added subtle yet atmospheric strings on four tracks.

Eight of the ten songs here are co-writes, with Dave’s writing partners including Jamie Robinson, Ray Stewart, Thom Swift, Paul McKenna, and Mark Lang. The two solo compositions are “The Loyal Fisherman,” an epic ballad of love and betrayal, and “Celebrate The Crop,” a lovely fiddle-fuelled celebration of the simple pleasures of the farming life “everyone’s coming over and we’ll share all that we’ve got.”

The first single taken from the album is “In The Time I Was Away,” a gently reflective look at the changes wrought by absence. “When you’re away from home for large chunks of time on a regular basis you miss things that have happened. Sometimes they’re big things and sometimes they’re the little things,” says Dave. Written with Mark Lang, it is punctuated by a horns accompaniment that shows Gunning’s ability to add unconventional yet effective musical touches to his material.

There’s also a philosophical feel to “All That’s Yet To Come,” the opening track on Up Against The Sky, and another highlight of an album devoid of lowlights. It faces the future with an optimistic tone – “I’m proud of the past and all that’s yet to come.”

Gunning explains that this is one of a number of songs influenced by a local Pictou County issue that has taken a great deal of his time and energy in recent years. He is a very active member of a group opposed to the release of 70-90 million litres of treated effluent, per day from an older style bleached kraft pulp mill. The proposal is threatening the Northumberland Strait fishery and a Legislated commitment made to the Pictou Landing First Nation community to end what even the Premier of Nova Scotia has called “Environmental Racism.”

Another song inspired by this situation is “Wish I Was Wrong,” a mournful yet defiant tune that reaffirms Gunning’s ability to pen potent protest songs. “We want a safe harbour, we want a clean shore” he declares, while playing banjo in a tribute to a key inspiration, Pete Seeger.

Another politically-tinged tune that has had a major impact is “Sing It Louder,” from Gunning’s previous album, 2015’s acclaimed Lift. It was the most played song on folk radio in the US for the month of May 2016, and Dave says “I think that it may have resonated with people because it was released during the US election and it’s a call to action song.”

Last year, Dave Gunning and J.P. Cormier released a duo album, Two, one recently nominated for a 2019 East Coast Music Award. “It was just two guitars and two voices. We have played together on and off for 20 years so it is comfortable for us,” explains Dave.

Along with richly-deserved peer respect, Dave Gunning has earned a shelf full of music industry honours. That tally currently stands at eight East Coast Music Awards and two Canadian Folk Music Awards, plus a 2012 Juno Award nomination in the Roots & Traditional Solo Album of the Year category for his album … a tribute to John Allan Cameron, a compelling homage to another of Dave’s Maritime musical heroes.

His songwriting skill has also been internationally recognized, with tunes scoring victories and high placings in major international songwriting competitions. As a fervent hockey fan, Dave was also thrilled to win the CBC’s hotly-contested Hockey Night In Canada Song Quest in 2014 with “A Game Goin’ On”, a co-write with David Francey. Gunning has also remained in demand as a producer working with many artists.

For now, though, his concentrated focus is on Up Against The Sky. The record, and all that’s yet to come from this compelling artist, can be looked forward to with great anticipation.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF DAVE GUNNING

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PFS Presents David Myles

Saturday, May 16th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

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About David Myles

“Nattily dressed in a suit and tie, wearing his trademark specs, he looks like Buddy Holly transposed to an after-hours supper club. But Myles’s music conveys a populist appeal that leaves no one lacking.” – No Depression

The role of the song and dance man is a noble calling. But restricting himself to only a couple creative pursuits would just not be enough for David Myles. Sure, the Maritime music maker’s song and dance mastery keeps getting more and more impressive—2017’s award-winning, vintage rock ‘n’ roll hip-swiveler Real Love and the spectacular, lush Francophone pop of 2018’s Le grand départ stand testament to that—but Myles is compelled to sally forth toward new challenges and accomplishments. This past year he released Santa Never Brings Me a Banjo, a children’s book based on his beloved modern holiday classic, and dove back into the world of public radio, broadcasting his smooth baritone over Alberta’s CKUA airwaves on his new show Myles From Home. Not to mention he does it all while adhering to an unrelenting tour schedule that has seen him and comrades Kyle Cunjak (bass) and Alan Jeffries (guitar) grace stages ‘round the world.

One could argue that this astounding rate of production was in the cards for Myles all along. The New Brunswick-born songwriter grew up in Fredericton surrounded by musicians. It was through family that he was exposed to classical music and musical theatre—which might explain why he’s such a natural on stage, under the bright lights—and thanks to them that he found himself working through the intricacies of trumpet with Canada’s Royal Conservatory. Eventually, he found himself grooving and crooning to the classic sounds of legends like Elvis, Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash. But it wasn’t until he found himself studying Chinese in Hangzhou, China, writing songs on a $30 plywood guitar, that he realized he had to make a radical change in direction. Instead of heading to law school, he decided on a life dedicated to music, and symbolized his devotion to the craft by promising his father, Jim Myles, that he’d wear a suit and tie every single day he went to work. The elder Myles, a former science teacher who directed musicals, and passed away in 2017, left an indelible mark on his son, informing the heavy, poetic spirit of Le grand départ. And David continues to don well-tailored suits on every stage he sets foot on.

His work ethic, too, has paid dividends. Since making that promise, David has gone on to release a dozen records in just over a decade, building a catalogue that spans numerous genres, has spawned countless musical friendships, and helped soundtrack the lives of music fans all over the globe. Real Love’s retro rock and country and Le grand départ’s adventurous chansons are just the most recent sonic territory he’s explored. You can find unabashed, bouncy pop on Here Now; delicate, romantic folk tunes and old-school rhythm and blues on So Far; and classic crooning and swingin’ arrangements on In The Nighttime. He’s dusted off the sleigh bells and put his vibrant stamp on yuletide classics—as well as penning a few new original ones—for It’s Christmas, which continues to delight December audiences every year. And he’s partly responsible, along with fellow east coaster Classified, for Canada’s best-selling rap single of all-time, the deliriously catchy, JUNO Award-winning “Inner Ninja.”

If there’s a musician on earth who can keep up this wild pace and keep growing as an artist, it’s the incomparable David Myles. One need only get themselves down to the theatre or auditorium or club that he’s headlining in their town—singing his big heart out, dancing his slick shoes ragged, and relishing every moment of it—to confirm that. There’s no other kinda life for this song and dance (and radio and writing and everything else) man. “I don’t care if it kills me,” Myles sings on fan favourite “When It Comes My Turn,” over a life-affirming swell of pedal steel. “I’m gonna do what it takes to keep some warmth in my heart and a smile on my face.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF DAVID MYLES

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PFS Presents GoldenOak with Special Guests The Naked Sun

Thursday, May 21, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

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About GoldenOak

When you think of trendy musical scenes, Portland, Maine might not be first on your list. Yet the homespun, heartwarming music of family-oriented indie folk group GoldenOak provides evidence that the dense woods of the Pine Tree State might just be a better muse than the slick streets of New York and LA.

GoldenOak is driven by the songwriting and harmonies of the brother-sister duo Zak and Lena Kendall. After a bit of a recording hiatus and a shift in personnel, the group is back with an enchanting pair of songs. “River” and “Poet And The Painter” find this collective simultaneously building on previous strengths while also striking out in an interesting new direction.

Zak Kendall explains that he and his sister had a heart-to-heart about how the band should sound once some intra-band changes took place. “With the original lineup, we were very much a four-piece group. Everybody had similar roles in the band and there was not really much of a lead, per se. As the band evolved and those two bandmates left, Lena and I kind of sat down and said, ‘What we were doing is changing up, but what’s staying the same is our relationship to each other, our musical journey as siblings.’ I think with this music we’ve kind of settled into that role. We’ve learned to really understand and work with each other, write together more, bounce ideas off each other.”

The pair leaned into the family-oriented dynamic when they dove into the new material, recorded at Rustic Studios in Portland. “The new stuff is built around that relationship and particularly our vocals and our harmonies,” Zak says. “Like on ‘Poet And The Painter’, there’s no lead vocals on it. It’s us singing harmonies the whole time, kind of like Simon & Garfunkel’s early stuff. When I wrote ‘River’, I said to Lena, “I’m writing this song, but I want you to sing it.” That was the first time that I had written lyrics for Lena to sing. And so it really became the closest to a partnership that it’s ever been for us. We were really working closely together on this new stuff.”

Even as Zak and Lena found a new direction by honoring their musical bond, which they first started to form during campfire singalongs as youngsters, the new members of the band, bassist Mike Knowles and drummer Jackson Cromwell, also helped determine the sound of this single. Zak explains the process since the release of the band’s 2017 EP Foxgloves: “It’s been like a year-and-a-half or so since we released music. We were touring with a cellist and a trumpet player at the time. They were big focal points of a lot of our arrangements and a lot of our writing. When they left, we started playing with Mike and Jackson. And they started shaping the direction of what we were going to be putting out, because we wanted it to sound like our live set was sounding. It took a long period before we started working on new stuff because we were adjusting to having a new lineup and getting to know each other as musicians and bandmates. As we felt we were starting to click, we started working on a new stuff.”

Speaking of that new stuff, “River” manages to seamlessly connect two different pieces of music that Zak had been writing. The moody music, accompanying verses about how political shifts are mirrored by the changing seasons, segues into a more upbeat outro, connected by a gorgeous moment of brother and sister singing a cappella, “I’ve come to witness the things I can’t see.” Meanwhile, “Poet And The Painter” find the two in close-harmony throughout, but the shuffle of the rhythm section adds some momentum to the lyrical musings on the potency of nature.

In many ways, the themes of GoldenOak’s music are driven by their home base. “Maine is such an interesting place to be an artist,” Zak says. “It’s so remote in a lot of ways. And the landscape and the woods are so inspiring. People are often spread out, but there’s also this amazing artistic community, not only in Portland but also in the towns all over Maine.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF GOLDENOAK

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GOLDENOAK ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GOLDENOAK

About The Naked Sun

The Naked Sun may or may not have coined the phrase, but “honest rock” has unquestionably been their ethos since their start back in 2011—and few bands embody its spirit like they do. With songs that echo the rawness and sincerity of the cities around which its members grew up—Detroit, Baltimore, Philadelphia—the band blends the basics of roots rock and folk with layers of bolstering piano and organ, intricate pedal steel leads, and melodic choruses backed by satisfying vocal harmonies. Rooted in the songwriting of frontman Andrew Wesley Harris, The Naked Sun strive equally toward Petty’s pop genius, Springsteen’s storytelling, Dylan’s social consciousness, and the energy of My Morning Jacket.

The Naked Sun released their debut LP, War with Shadows, on January 27, 2018. It was produced by Brian McTear at Miner Street Recordings (The War on Drugs, matt pond PA, Sharon van Etten).

The band released the self-recorded, self-produced Pickled Hearts EP in May 2015 and its first studio EP, Space, Place, and Time, in 2013.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NAKED SUN

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE NAKED SUN ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE NAKED SUN

Join the Philadelphia Folksong Society for a getaway weekend in the Poconos at Camp Canadensis, filled with workshops, song circles, sings, and jams in a beautiful lake-side setting! Reconnect with music and nature in a welcoming and creative community.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

At Spring Thing, folkies of all ages take over a sprawling summer camp as a pop-up community of musicians and music-lovers, a magical “Folk Brigadoon” weekend in the woods.

Attendee-led music and craft workshops, song shares, and sings fill the days, as well as all your favorite Summer Camp activities: swimming, boating, and kayaking in the lake; perfecting your waterslide form in the pool; basketball and other sporting facilities; and miles of wooded trails with plenty of serenity for nature lovers.

Evenings, enjoy dinner in the spacious dining hall or deck overlooking the lake, followed by endless musical and leisure opportunity: perform or take in the open mic or kid’s open stage; set up an impromptu songwriting session with new friends; take in a movie at the camp theater; or wander the grounds following the sounds of cabin jams.

For night owls, head to the campfire for s’mores and jamming all night long—a Spring Thing tradition that keeps the Fest vibes going all year long.

Bring your instruments, your friends & family, and your favorite tunes: Spring Thing’s a-coming!

For more information, photo evidence, and a sample schedule, visit pfs.org.

Registration Process

Step 1: Register here! You will be asked to provide information on EACH ATTENDEE, including dietary restrictions, bunking preferences, and preferred activities.

Step 2: If you indicated you would like to run a workshop or activity at Spring Thing, you will receive a follow up email confirming your workshop idea and requesting scheduling preferences. To be included in the preliminary schedule, all information must be received before May 1.

Step 3: Preliminary workshop schedules (subject to change) will be distributed with workshift sign ups in early May. Please check your email so that you don’t miss important information!

Step 4: You will receive additional information, including updated schedules, confirmed work shifts, and cabin assignments the week before the event so you can plan for your exciting weekend away!

Helpful Information to Note

– Spring Thing registration includes Friday 2pm – Sunday 10pm with meals (Friday is a potluck dinner!). There are optional add-ons to stay over Sunday night ($20/$25 with breakfast).

– Spring Thing is a great getaway for families and friends alike! There is plenty to do at Camp Canadensis for everyone; you don’t have to play an instrument to have a great time and all are welcome.

– All attendees sign up to either run a workshop or activity, or pitch in on a work shift. It’s part of the fun of Spring Thing!

– There are discounts available for groups of 10 or more! Contact Molly at mhebertwilson@pfs.org or 215-247-1300 for more information.

– Spring Thing uses tiered ticketing, with a limited number of tickets at each price level. Register early for the best price!

PFS Presents The East Pointers

**Please Note: This is a MIXED seated/dancing room show. Please arrive early for best seating**

Sunday, May 31, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$18 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $20 Not-Yet-Members | $25 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About The East Pointers

Redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with Billboard-worthy pop hooks, deep acoustic groove, trance-like trad breakdowns and three-part harmonies, Tim Chaisson (vocals/fiddle/percussion), Koady Chaisson (banjo/tenor guitar/moog) and Jake Charron (guitar/keyboards), already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, have made sure their new album, Yours To Break, will light a path for a new generation of music lovers who don’t care for labels.

What We Leave Behind was one of the international standout albums of 2017, nominated for the ‘Traditional Roots Album of the Year’ at the 2018 JUNO Awards and attracting over four million streams on Spotify. In the short time between their 2015 JUNO Award-winning debut Secret Victory and the upcoming album Yours To Break, the band has performed over 450 shows in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the UK, Europe, Mexico, the USA, and Canada.

Yours To Break sits uneasily in a classic genre demarcation. The East Pointers have always been musically complex and technically brilliant, the core is definitely traditional Celtic, but on the new album, fiddle tunes are grounded in complex rumbling bass lines, a dirty Americana exploration turns on a dime into a lighthearted guitar feature with flamenco reference palmas, playful keyboard tones turn traditional solos into urgent dance-party journeys, and off-the-leash festival jam sessions give rise to vocal numbers that are either perfect pop songs or moving tributes to the home and people they love. “I feel like this album is the best expression to date of the band’s appreciation for so many different types of music and the fact that we as a band are comfortable enough in our own musical voice to start expressing those influences and loves.” says Koady Chaisson, who plays either banjo or tenor guitar on stage, along with the bass pedals underpinning much of the groove of this album.

Taken from a line in the song ‘Elmira’ – a tune named for a town in Prince Edward Island near where fiddler, Tim Chaisson, and his cousin, banjo player Koady Chaisson, grew up – Yours To Break puts a pin in the creative landscape in which the band currently sits, as well as where they may be headed.

Although conceived as a “love letter to home,” Tim Chaisson says: “’Elmira’ is as much about getting back to the places and things that matter as it is about not being afraid to break away from what’s holding you back. It’s about all the relationships and connections you form throughout life, and that it’s in your control to keep those connections, or part ways and take a different path.”

That’s a sentiment the band picks up on lead single, ‘Wintergreen’.

“I was diagnosed bipolar about five years ago and there was so much darkness, so many extreme highs and extreme lows,” Koady says. “It’s actually a song I kind of wish I could have heard then; a vote of confidence from the perspective of someone who loves you regardless of which end of that spectrum you’re at.”

At the core, ‘Wintergreen’ is about offering a light in the darkness to those who need it. That theme is woven into the material on Yours to Break; a decision the band made to be wholeheartedly themselves and to speak to the relationships and connections formed in life with people, places, items or substances, and the choice we have to either keep these connections or part ways. Koady says “There is also an element of trust, surrounding yourself with the right people, getting back to the place and things that matter the most. And musically, trusting your foundation and traditions, which give you a strong platform to break away and do your own thing. Ultimately, musically and philosophically we have a lot of hope for humanity despite our frailties – that’s the essence of Yours to Break.”

The album was written across the globe, with Koady in Australia, Jake in England and Tim in Costa Rica while they were working on the album. Each of those experiences and sense of place played into the creation of the album.

Produced by Nova Scotia-born, multiple Grammy and JUNO Award winning songwriter and producer, Gordie Sampson (LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts), Yours To Break finds the band drawing on their historical Canadian Celtic roots and looking forward in equal measure.

“We’ve always had a hard time putting our music in a specific genre,” Jake says, “so with this album we stopped thinking about that and just made music that felt fun to play.”

Yours To Break also showcases the band’s willingness to let loose themselves and expand dramatically on the traditional music they grew up playing and singing. Doing so was a big part of The East Pointers’ mission this time out – a mission that’s clearly reflected on purely instrumental tunes like ‘Country Cable’ and ‘Power To Move’ – a fearless blend of traditional and modern textures that’s as relentlessly hooky as it is powerful.

“We wanted to make an album someone could put on and basically have a dance party to” Koady puts in. ‘We’re passionate about tradition, yes, but it doesn’t belong in a box in the attic, getting dusted off for special occasions and boring the pants off kids. Traditions belong to the people who shepherd them into the next generation.”

In addition to their own songwriting and touring, The East Pointers run the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival on Prince Edward Island, originally founded by Tim and Koady’s grandfather in 1976. Jake Charron, now an honorary islander, has been an in-demand touring musician for the majority of his life and met Tim and Koady on tours to Atlantic Canada.

The East Pointers’ ten-track album Yours To Break is out October 25, 2019, followed by worldwide touring, including a national Canadian tour in November 2019.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE EAST POINTERS

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PFS Presents Earth Radio EP Release with Apache Trails & Rare Spirits

Friday, June 5th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

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About Earth Radio

FEST FAVORITES FROM THE 2018 PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL BRING THEIR NEW EP TO THE PFS VENUE!

Earth Radio is a high-energy, USDA certified organic, grass-fed, cage-free Philadelphia based folk-rock band. Blending together the unique spirits of two folk singers (Jani Duerr & Joanna Osborne), a funky bassist (Jay Jolly), and a jazz-inspired drummer (Dan Lord), their music uplifts the heart, awakens the spirit, and makes the body move. ​The dynamic duo of Joanna and Jani’s vocals balances out in each note, giving the audience a stunning blend of voices in countermelody and harmony. Best of all, the band brings a genuine joy to every moment on stage, resulting in an electric live performance that will pull you out of your seat and put a smile on your face!

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE VIDEO OF EARTH RADIO

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About Apache Trails

They’re a band that promises nothing less than a rowdy, unbridled, and altogether good time that’ll leave the soles of your feet singing a tune of their own. Featuring a thunderous double-bass slapping alongside, soulful lead guitar, a freight-train rhythm, and a howling lead vocal. This musical arrangement might best be described as a rootsy amalgam of folk, country, blues and whiskey.

​Apache Trails are Jason Webb(vox/guitar), Matthew Messatzzia (bass), and Jeremy Worthington(drums), backed with accompaniment from a phenomenal cast of rotating artists on instruments including but not limited to guitar, mandolin, banjo, piano, and fiddle.

The group began in summer of 2014 when singer-songwriter, Jason Webb brought 3 original songs to the attentive ears of friend and fellow musician Matthew Messatzzia. Together they adopted the name Apache Trails after the famous rocky road leading through Arizona’s mysterious Superstition Mountains, steeped in history and drenched myth, the name presented an instant muse for Webb’s writing as reflected in songs like “Superstitions, Rumors, Notions” and “Hope at the Well” off of the band’s 2015 Ep recorded and engineered at Baby Snake Studios by Peter Scobell. The 6 track EP presents a collection of songs that helped to comfortably seat the group within the Americana genre.

​The self-titled album in addition to being the group’s debut also provided the perfect opportunity for a much larger musical effort featuring collaboration with guests from over 12 other local Delaware and Pennsylvania bands including Michael Davis of The Bullets, Devin Zito of The Hold-Up, Gordon Lippincott of Mad-Sweet Pangs, and James Dukenfield of New Sweden lending their talents on guitar, Emma Sue Webb and The Splashing Pearls on backing vocals, David Berry of The Sin City Band on piano, and Clinton Hoffman drums.

Now in their 3rd year, what had started as 3 songs has since grown into hours worth of original material. Apache Trails has been featured on local radio receiving airplay on Philadelphia’s 88.5 WXPN and performed live in-studio for shows like 93.7 WSTW’s Hometown Heroes. They have had the wonderful opportunity to perform at a variety of venues and festivals throughout the east coast including the long running Philadelphia Folk Festival( PA), Musikfest (PA), Rockwood Music Hall (NY), The Avalon Theater (MD), The Queen Theater(DE), Boot and Saddle (PA), and World Café Live (PA).

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About Rare Spirits

Frequent faces various stages at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Rare Spirits serve up high-proof Roots music with verve, humor and aplomb. Sweet harmonies, rollicking rhythms, and an electrifying stage presence combine to sing songs of drinking, cheating, lying, stealing, shucking, jiving, killing, dying…and the occasional haunting. The band features Molly Hebert-Wilson on upright bass, Robare Pruyn on banjo and guitar, Noam Berg on mandolin and guitar, and Alex Bell on drums and percussion, each bringing their own special ingredient to the cocktail. They perform original songs, old time music with a twist, and a special set that tells the history of Prohibition through song and story, from the Whiskey Rebellion all the way up to repeal in ’33. Pour yourself a double shot, and come see where booze, bluegrass, old time, and rock n’ roll meet on the other side.

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PFS Presents: Mara Levine and Gathering Time

Sunday, June 7, 2020
Doors 3:30pm | Music 4pm

$10 for Members Advance | $12 Not-Yet-Members Advance | $15 Doors | Kids 12 and under $5

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About Mara Levine
Called one of the best singers of her generation by Christine Lavin, and “Golden Voiced” by David Amram, international touring artist Mara Levine is known as an exceptional song-finder, selecting and then creating beautiful interpretations of fine traditional and contemporary songs. Her new CD FACETS OF FOLK, was the #1 album, with the #1 song and #1 artist positions on the International Folk DJ Chart for January 2019. On FACETS OF FOLK, Levine presents a number of songs of social conscience with themes of taking a stand, making a difference and considering the treatment of others. Those tunes, written by popular contemporary songwriters as well as emerging talents, are all carefully set among folk favorites and lesser known songs.

Levine’s second CD, Jewels and Harmony, received stellar reviews and was the #1 album, with the #1 song and #1 artist positions on the International Folk DJ Chart for January 2013, placed #3 overall for 2013, and was named #4 Cover Album of 2013 by Cover Lay Down. She was selected for a Juried showcase at the 2014 NERFA conference, and a Folk DJ Showcase prior to that, and she tours nationally, often sharing shows with the trio Gathering Time, who appear on 5 of the songs on FACETS OF FOLK. They toured Germany and Ireland together in 2018. Mara also performs in duos with Caroline Cutroneo and Terry Kitchen. She has appeared on numerous radio programs and performed at various venues and festivals throughout the country.

“With Facets of Folk, Mara Levine solidifies her position as a folk force to be reckoned with. As on her previous CDJewels and Harmony, her signature sound shines through: Thoughtful song choice, creative harmonies, rich instrumentation, her own exuberant singing. With an emphasis on songs that make a difference, Mara has created music that is very much for today, but also for years to come.” – Si Kahn

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About Gathering Time
Start with the 1960s folk tradition of Peter, Paul & Mary; add the vocal complexity and electric energy of Crosby, Stills & Nash, a dash of the Byrds and a jot of Joni Mitchell, and you have Gathering Time, a folk-rock/Americana harmony trio that has been turning heads for nearly a decade on the northeastern folk circuit and beyond. Gathering Time swept the international folk radio chart Folk DJ-List in March, 2016, as their new original CD Keepsake took the #1 album and #1 song slots which, with five other songs in the top 25, landed them as the #1 artist as well. This followed on the heels of When One Door Closes (#3 album, January 2014) and Red Apples and Gold (#5 album, September 2012).

With a vocal blend oft-described as seamless, inspired guitar playing and precise percussion, Stuart, Hillary and Gerry evince deep roots in ‘60s folk-rock, with a healthy dash of traditional folk in the mix. Their stage chemistry makes clear that they take the music (if not themselves) very seriously, yet their infectious energy wins over even fans who never considered themselves folkies. To date, Gathering Time has had a record five juried showcases at NERFA (Tricentrics in 2009 and ’10, a Formal in 2011, a mini-NERFA showcase in 2013 and a Quad in 2015); they were one of the three Emerging Artists at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2012 voted “Most Wanted” to return in 2013.

Whether a tribute show of ‘60s classics or a concert of (mostly) originals, a night with Gathering Time will make evident why they were voted one of “Long Island’s Best” by the Long Island Press.

“Gathering Time has harmonies that can charm the birds out of the trees, strong original songs, and a savvy repertoire of cover songs, ranging from traditional folk to classic rock. They appeal to audiences of all ages.” – John Platt, WFUV (NYC)

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PFS Presents Corey Laitman

Thursday, June 11th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$8 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $10 Not-Yet-Members | $13 Doors

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About Corey Laitman

WBUR Tiny Desk finalist and 2018 Passim Iguana Fund recipient Corey Laitman has released Seafoam, their lush and lyrical sophomore album, ushered into the world with a sold-out show at The Parlor Room in Northampton, MA. Produced by Mark Miller (J Mascis, The Pixies) and Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist Anand Nayak (Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, Pamela Means, Alastair Moock), Seafoam boasts 13 expertly crafted alternative folk-pop ballads with hushed, spiritual undertones.

Laitman’s music is set apart by its layered, poetically conceived narratives that surprise and disarm. The complexity of the songs on Seafoam inspire repeated listening: They are protective of their vital mystery, present in their comfort.

Nayak colors the album with electric guitar, banjo and mandolin arrangements as generous and soaring as the songs themselves.

Like the work of Deb Talan or Anais Mitchell, Laitman’s characters are stark, compelling, and deeply human. Worlds of people are woven and realized; the beings inhabiting these worlds of song are imbued with searing imagery, and undeniable integrity.

In a testimonial, Laitman’s work was praised by American poet Gordon Massman as being among “those few singer-songwriters who, through undeniable talent, climb over the competitive frenzy into the public sphere. Corey Laitman is of that caliber, and I entreat you to listen.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF COREY LAITMAN

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PFS Presents Screaming Orphans

Friday, June 12, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$14 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $16 Not-Yet-Members | $20 Doors

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About Screaming Orphans

Screaming Orphans, an all-sister band from Bundoran, Co. Donegal, Ireland, are one of the most sought after Celtic bands with a powerful, award-winning sound, combining their original melodic pop songs with a unique take on traditional Irish music and song. From an early age, the Diver sisters performed with their mother Kathleen Fitzgerald (a well-known céilí singer in Ireland) and when they hit their teenage years, they formed their own Celtic pop band, Screaming Orphans, which led to a signing by Warner Music UK.

As Screaming Orphans, the band first came to prominence when Sinéad O’Connor asked them to tour with her as her back up vocalists and opening act. The band are renowned for their trademark spine-tingling four part harmony which has led to many collaborations on recordings with artists such as Martin Furey, Baaba Maal, Afro Celt Sound System, Peter Gabriel and Joni Mitchell. The band continues to tour and play extensively across North America and Europe.

The band’s 2017 Folk/Irish album Taproom charted No. 1 in the iTunes World Music charts and No. 10 in the Billboard World Albums charts. Taproom was named 2017 Folk/Pop/Rock Album Of The Year by the Folk’n’Rock magazine.

Screaming Orphans’ 2019 pop album, Life in a Carnival, produced by internationally distinguished producer John Reynolds, charted No. 24 in the iTunes Pop Music charts (U.S.), No. 7 in the Billboard World Albums charts, No. 1 in the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts (IE), and No. 3 in the overall iTunes music charts (IE).

As of this year, the band has released 14 albums of both original pop and Folk/Irish music.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO TO MEET SCREAMING ORPHANS

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PFS Presents The Blue Wave Ramblers

Saturday, June 13, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

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$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

About The Blue Wave Ramblers

The Blue Wave Ramblers are an eclectic and somewhat unlikely band of musical brothers that skillfully combines the unique talents of members Graham Ford (vocals, mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin & guitar), Billy Dominick (vocals, fiddle), Peter Moretzsohn (guitar and vocals) and Dave Haneman (bass).

With a musical pedigree that includes The Karmic Repair Company, Wheetstone Bridge, Buddha’s Kitchen, Barleyjuice, Tom Gala, Tie Dye Hillbilly Dance Party, Jericho Grass and tons more, this group of players delivers high-energy, powerful acoustic music that’s not quite bluegrass; not quite rock-n-roll; not quite New Wave—it’s “bluewave” and the primitives of this new musical turn are The Blue Wave Ramblers.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A LIVE VIDEO OF THE BLUE WAVE RAMBLERS COVERING WILD HORSES

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PFS Presents Carrie Elkin and Danny Schmidt

Sunday, June 14, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

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CARRIE ELKIN & DANNY SCHMIDT TOGETHER

Two Great Songwriters, One Great Night

It’s a special treat when Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin share the stage together. These two great songwriters from Austin, TX generally tour solo and separately, but if the chemistry seems especially amorous, they come by it honestly, as they are a rare breed: a romantic partnership in real life, as well as a musical partnership in artistic life. And the two together on stage makes for a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Danny Schmidt is best known for his riveting poetic lyrics, which have drawn favorable comparisons to Leonard Cohen and Townes Van Zandt for their depth and complexity. And Carrie Elkin is best known for her incredibly soulful and dynamic vocals, which have drawn favorable comparisons to Patty Griffin at her most powerful, and Nanci Griffith at her most intimate.

Together, the respective strengths they each bring, individually, merge into a much greater whole, a performance of great energy and spirit, and one that audiences seem to be able to connect with on a multitude of levels at once: Emotionally, Spiritually, and Intellectually.

About Danny Schmidt:

Named to the Chicago Tribune’s list of the “50 Most Significant Songwriters in the Last 50 Years,” Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter Danny Schmidt has amassed a cult following for his stunningly poetic, poignant lyricism. He is considered a preeminent writer of generational significance. Sing Out Magazine proclaimed: “Schmidt is a force of nature: a blue moon, a hundred-year flood, an avalanche of a singer-songwriter. His songs are a flood of poetry, mythology, folk wisdom, and surprise. He is perhaps the best new songwriter we’ve heard in the last 15 years.”

About Carrie Elkin:

Carrie Elkin is one of those rare artists with a tidal wave singing voice, and a stage whisper writing voice that brings you to the edge of your seat, emotionally. Like Patty Griffin or Brandi Carlile, she straddles the Americana, Folk, and Indie Rock worlds, where meaningful songs meet the fierce-yet-fragile voices of powerful women. Like these other seminal artists, Elkin has the gift of projecting very personal intimate moments into transcendent universal experiences that move us all. Maverick Magazine said it best, after a recent festival performance: “I have never seen a performer so in love with the act of singing. That’s the gospel truth, and from what I’ve subsequently learned, I’m not the only one to believe or state that. Onstage, Elkin was simply a force of nature.”

Don’t miss these two great artists in a rare split-bill performance, sharing songs back and forth, and lending their voices to each other’s tunes, in harmony.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF DANNY SCHMIDT

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CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF CARRIE ELKIN

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CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CARY ELKIN

PFS Presents Quarter Horse

Saturday, June 20, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$8 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $11 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

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About Quarter Horse

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PFS Presents Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Saturday, June 27th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$15 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $18 Not-Yet-Members | $23 Doors

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About Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys

Grammy Award winning artist Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys are currently touring in support of their 2019 Stanley Family Records release, the Billboard chart topping ‘Lord Help Me Find The Way.’ This is their second release after dropping a self-titled album in 2017 that was the first release for the group since Ralph II took over the Clinch Mountain Boys band name per the wishes of his late father Dr. Ralph Stanley.

With three #1 singles in his career; including, the 2019 hit “Beautiful Hills of Home,” R2 is in heavy radio rotation across the country and on Bluegrass Junction, World Wide Bluegrass, iHeart Radio and Sirius XM.

The band includes Clinch Mountain Boy John Rigsby on fiddle, mandolin and vocals; Landon Fitzpatrick on banjo and vocals; Randall Hibbitts on the upright bass and vocals; and Ralph Stanley II on the guitar and lead vocals. This band configuration brings a lot of talent, energy and humor to the stage as they perform old-time favorites, bluegrass hits and new original material.

Ralph II has had two Grammy nominations on previous albums he recorded with Rebel Records. In 2002 he earned his first Grammy along with his father Dr. Ralph Stanley for their collaboration with Jim Lauderdale on ‘Lost in the Lonesome Pines.’ Ralph II has proven to be an accomplished songwriter and has 6 solo albums under his belt, along with the highly acclaimed duet album with his father titled ‘Side by Side.’

Playing more than 200 shows a year, Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys are an audience favorite at festivals, clubs, arenas, amphitheaters, country fairs and wherever the blue bus might take ‘em!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF RALPH STANLEY II AND THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS

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PFS Presents J.P. Cormier

Friday, September 11th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

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About JP Cormier

Nobody really knows who J.P. Cormier is for sure. That’s to be expected, believe me.

In 1974 he was a five year old boy, discovering an innate talent for playing the guitar, I had a little hand in that, guiding him through the beginning stages. He learned faster than I could teach.

By the mid eighties, not out of his teens, he was a sideman for bands and artists of many different genres in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and all across the deep south. As he traveled and worked he added more and more instruments to his arsenal of capabilities. He became indispensable to the bands he worked for.

In the early Nineties, he became a sideman for one of Canada’s favourite sons, Stompin’ Tom Connors and also became a staple of the recordings at Studio H in Halifax. His work with the CBC there spanned musical, production, and arranging duties.

All this before he was 20.

In the mid nineties he reentered the musical scene of his beloved East Coast and the Island called Cape Breton. He exploded onto the trad music scene there as a fiddler, performing some of the most difficult music ever produced by legends like Winston Fitzgerald and Angus Chisholm with a facility that stunned onlookers. Especially those who knew he wasn’t born there, but born in Ontario to Cape Breton parents. Somehow, some way, his music was the real thing, sounding like he had been steeped continually in a handed-down brew of family tradition from the old country.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

His previous gig was in Nashville playing mandolin and banjo in a grammy nominated bluegrass gospel band and performing on the Opry, and playing television shows with the likes of Waylon Jennings. All those people also thought he was one of them, American, reared in the ways of bluegrass, old time and Americana music. They knew he was from Canada, but it just didn’t seem possible.

Then in 1997, something amazing happened.

An album released in Canada, out of nowhere, called Another Morning. This time it was him as a songwriter and a lead singer.

And what a songwriter he turned out to be. Some of the performances on that album are literally part of the musical vocabulary today in the East Coast. Songs like the title cut, and Kelly’s Mountain, The Molly May (co written with his cousin Gervais) and others. It inspired, 25 years ago, some of the biggest names in the business today. People like Dave Gunning, Matt Andersen, David Myles, Joel Plaskett, all of which will tell you: that record changed things.

The Canadian industry thought so too, and it received a juno nomination and won an ECMA.

And that was just the beginning.

36 years later after stepping on stage as professional union musician for the first time at the tender age of 13, JP is still going, and frighteningly, still getting better.

16 albums followed the success of Another Morning, winning 12 more ECMA’s, another Juno nomination, a Canadian Folk Music Award and 5 Music Nova Scotia Awards. Each album was a snapshot of each thing that he can do. There are fiddle albums, Mandolin, Banjo, Guitar, tribute records, songwriting collections, a purely astounding spectrum of talent and musical vision.

His catalogue of recordings and the 150 or so records he’s produced on other artists, resemble the tapestry he weaves in live performance. Where he used to carry 3 and 4 piece bands, he tours alone now.

Just him and the instruments.

People still leave his shows confused, amazed and wondering what they just saw. Did they see a storyteller? A Songwriter? Arguably one of the best guitar players in the business today? Someone who crosses the lines between different instruments like there are no lines? Who was that masked man, anyway?

Accolades aside, and there are many from people like Chet Atkins, Marty Stuart, Waylon Jennings, Gordon Lightfoot; JP sees himself as just a performer. He’s shy, but has a razor sharp wit and lightning sense of humour. He can be reserved or edgy to the point no return. He speaks for soldiers, first responders, other artists, the forgotten and lost. He speaks sometimes only for himself and refuses rebuttal.

Of all the things he is, foremost he is an entertainer. I think one of the best. After you’ve seen what he does, I’m certain you will too.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JP CORMIER

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PFS Presents The Black Feathers

Thursday, September 17th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

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About The Black Feathers

A favorite of the 2018 Philadelphia Folk Festival, and a smash show at PFS in 2019, we are delighted to bring back The Black Feathers to the PFS venue!

The ability to write songs that are both modern and ancient is a rare thing. The product of an arcane art of weaving in traditional influences so thoroughly that they become the warp and weft of fresh creations. The Black Feathers, made up of Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler, are two such talents. They first became aware of the magic between them while collaborating on several musical projects, becoming The Black Feathers and life partners in 2012.

“Once in a blue moon, the whole soars far above the sum of its parts. That’s what happens when The Black Feathers perform live”

– Black Mountain News, North Carolina

Americana, Folk, and Acoustic Indie Rock sensibilities coexist comfortably in their musical world, with Hughes’ guitar work buoying the kind of harmonies often only heard in family bands. Their music quickly draw the interest of listeners, but it is the stage chemistry that will keep them riveted.

Having already built up a loyal following in the UK, The Black Feathers have been spreading their wings across the US. They have performed at Philadelphia Folk Festival and AmericanaFest, and have also been awarded official showcases at the North East Regional and Far-West Folk Alliance conferences.

With a new single and a live album in the pipeline, these are exciting times for what FATEA refer to as “a duo of undeniable talent”.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A MUSIC VIDEO OF THE BLACK FEATHERS

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PFS Presents Mark Erelli

Thursday, October 15th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $14 Not-Yet-Members | $16 Doors

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About Mark Erelli

“All the things that brought me comfort, they just seem tired and worn, what always used to work ain’t working anymore,” sings award-winning, Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter Mark Erelli, a few songs into his forthcoming release Blindsided. It’s a realization that has washed over many of us, like headlights sweeping across the bedroom ceiling on a sleepless night. But for a songwriter, such an appraisal is a call to action.

Erelli rose to the occasion with a writing streak, generating well over 30 new songs to choose from for his newest record. He ultimately gravitated toward those that wrestled with the questions we encounter in the “middle,” the certain point in life when you reflect on your hopes and dreams and what you thought were certainties. “One glance at the headlines and anyone can see that we are questioning the stories we’ve told ourselves and, in many cases, they aren’t proving as durable as they once seemed,” he explains. “Do the things I took for granted as truth when I was younger still hold up? What can I still lean on? Am I strong enough for the ones I love to lean on me? The answers, if there even are answers, can be both unsettling and reaffirming.”

The aptly titled Blindsided was forged in this process of reckoning, of taking stock of the soul, and being pleasantly surprised. Mining the same gritty yet soulful territory as John Hiatt’s Bring the Family or Bonnie Raitt’s Nick of Time, Erelli contemplates the delicate tension between love and commitment, faith and family, disillusionment and hope. But this isn’t a confession from the therapist’s couch, it’s rock ’n roll, and Erelli is clearly taking his cues from heroes like Petty and Prine. Over the course of Blindsided’s 11 tracks, the message of each song is distilled to its purest form, as fearlessly honest in perspective as it is straightforward in its delivery.

To create the soundtrack that reflected this reinvigorated approach to songwriting, Erelli consulted his mental list of fellow musicians with whom he had forged connections in recent years and realized they all lived in Nashville. So, he made the trek to Music City, with best friend and multi-instrumentalist/producer Zachariah Hickman in tow,
curious to see what effect a change in geography, personnel, and context would produce. With the help of drummer Jamie Dick (Rhiannon Giddens, Our Native Daughters), guitarist Sadler Vaden (Jason Isbell, Josh Ritter), Kai Welch (Molly Tuttle, Kacey Musgraves) on keys, producer Hickman on bass, and Dan Knobler (Lake Street Dive, Caroline Spence) recording and mixing, the result couldn’t have been more unanticipated. Against the backdrop of Blindsided’s hungrier, hook-laden sound, with the inspired addition of a string quartet on half of the album, Erelli has never sounded more passionate or vital.

Erelli has forged a colorful career by making the art of “being everywhere all the time” seem effortless. It’s hard to think of another artist who seems equally at home serving as a sideman for GRAMMY-winning artists like Paula Cole, Marc Cohn, and Josh Ritter, or producing albums for Lori McKenna, as he does writing and producing his own material, like last year’s “By Degrees,” on which he was joined by a host of voices including Rosanne Cash and Sheryl Crow. That song was nominated for “Song of The Year” at the 2019 Americana Music Awards and served to reintroduce Erelli to a wider audience. And just in time, because Blindsided combines the exuberance of Erelli’s signature sound with the wisdom that comes with over 20 years of songwriting, capturing an artist at a point in his career where he is clearly digging deep and swinging for the fences.

“In one of my favorite Tom Petty songs, he sings ‘it took a world of trouble, took a world of tears, it took a long time to get back here,’” Erelli says. “I think I know exactly how he felt.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF MARK ERELLI

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MARK ERELLI ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MARK ERELLI

POSTPONED: PFS April House Concert with Noah Derksen

PFS is rescheduling the April 12th performance of Noah Derksen. We will update the event with an exact date as soon as it’s decided. Thank you for your patience and understanding during these difficult times.

Doors 2pm | Music 2:30pm

FREE for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Noah Derksen

An American-citizen born and raised in the heart of the Canadian prairies and maturing on the west coast of British Columbia, Noah Derksen writes with the groundedness of harsh Manitoba winters mixed with the optimism of British Columbia’s coastline. Ever seeking motion and progression, Noah has spent the past three years honing his live performance skills across Canada and in select regions of the United States, playing concerts from BC to Nova Scotia, and New York to California. In 2018 alone, Noah played at renowned venues and events such as the National Arts Centre (Ottawa, ON), Northwest Folklife Festival (Seattle, WA), Rockwood Music Hall (New York, NY), and the Winnipeg Folk Festival (Winnipeg, MB).

In 2019 Noah will be releasing a new full-length album entitled America, Dreaming in 3 distinct parts; Part One is out on March 1st, 2019. The album was recorded and produced by Murray Pulver (The Bros. Landreth, Joey Landreth, Doc Walker, etc.) in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Plus, Noah’s got long, flowing auburn hair and a twinkle in his eye. What’s not to love?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF NOAH DERKSEN

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO NOAH DERKSEN

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NOAH DERKSEN

PFS and the hosts ask that guests act in a respectful manner and be considerate of the performers and other attendees–if you do not, you may be asked to leave by PFS staff or the hosts.

Advance registrations for this performance are REQUIRED.

Admission is free for PFS members and $12 for Advanced Tickets for non-members.

The event will be held at the Hebert-Wilson residence in Germantown. You will receive the exact address upon registering.

Please bring something to share! Potluck at 2pm, music at 2:30pm.

POSTPONED: PFS Presents An Intimate Afternoon with Talisk

PFS is rescheduling the March 22nd performance of Talisk to the month of September. We will update the event with an exact date as soon as it’s decided.

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding in this difficult time.

Doors 2:30pm | Music 3:00pm

**Please note: This is a SEATED matinee show**

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF TALISK

About Talisk

In their five years, Scottish firebrands Talisk have stacked up several major awards for their explosively energetic yet artfully woven sound, including 2018’s Belhaven Bursary for Innovation & 2017’s Folk Band of the Year both at the BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, and a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award.

Mohsen Amini – the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ Musician of the Year 2018, Hayley Keenan and Graeme Armstrong seamlessly meld concertina, fiddle and guitar to produce a multi-layered, enthralling signature that has effortlessly captivated audiences from the USA to Australia, and throughout the UK.

Appearances at world-leading festivals – including the Cambridge Folk Festival, Denmark’s Tønder, WOMAD UK and Las Palmas, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Celtic Colours, Milwaukee Irish Festival and five successive outings at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections – have amassed a die-hard following, whilst the world’s folk and world music media have also lauded high credits upon the trio. The release of their hotly anticipated second album, Beyond, in October 2018 was met with a five-star ‘Top of the World’ review in Songlines, praising the band as “incredibly infectious and endearing… fresh, invigorating, accomplished and playfully frisky.”

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO TALISK ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TALISK

POSTPONED: PFS Presents Talisk

**Please Note: This is a dancing room only show. The only seating available will be in the mezzanine**

POSTPONED: PFS is rescheduling the March 21st performance of Talisk to the month of September. We will update the event with an exact date as soon as it’s decided.

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding in this difficult time.

Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF TALISK

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO TALISK ON SPOTIFY

About Talisk

In their five years, Scottish firebrands Talisk have stacked up several major awards for their explosively energetic yet artfully woven sound, including 2018’s Belhaven Bursary for Innovation & 2017’s Folk Band of the Year both at the BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, and a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award.

Mohsen Amini – the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ Musician of the Year 2018, Hayley Keenan and Graeme Armstrong seamlessly meld concertina, fiddle and guitar to produce a multi-layered, enthralling signature that has effortlessly captivated audiences from the USA to Australia, and throughout the UK.

Appearances at world-leading festivals – including the Cambridge Folk Festival, Denmark’s Tønder, WOMAD UK and Las Palmas, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Celtic Colours, Milwaukee Irish Festival and five successive outings at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections – have amassed a die-hard following, whilst the world’s folk and world music media have also lauded high credits upon the trio. The release of their hotly anticipated second album, Beyond, in October 2018 was met with a five-star ‘Top of the World’ review in Songlines, praising the band as “incredibly infectious and endearing… fresh, invigorating, accomplished and playfully frisky.”

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TALISK

POSTPONED: PFS March Monthly Concert with Harrow Fair

Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

FREE for Members *While Supplies Last* | $10 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Harrow Fair

Philadelphia Folk Fest Favorites RETURN with new music and a Juno-nominated Miranda Mulholland!

HARROW FAIR IS MIRANDA MULHOLLAND & ANDREW PENNER. ONE PART STOMPING SONGS THAT ECHO EARLY COUNTRY AND ROCK N ROLL. THE OTHER GRITTY BALLADS THAT SOUND SWEET AND HAUNTED. THIS DUO’S EVOCATIVE AND RAPIDLY EXPANDING COLLECTION OF SONGS ARE UTTERLY FOREIGN, ODDLY FAMILIAR AND DEEPLY GRATIFYING. THEIR DEBUT ALBUM “CALL TO ARMS” WAS MET WITH CRITICAL EXCLAIM AS THEY TOURED NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE. THEIR SECOND ALBUM “SINS WE MADE” IS DUE OUT SPRING 2020.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF HARROW FAIR’S INCREDIBLE COVER OF “WICKED GAMES”

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO HARROW FAIR

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HARROW FAIR

POSTPONED: PFS “May” Monthly Concert with Elisapie

POSTPONED: PFS is rescheduling the April 30th performance of Elisapie. We will update the event with an exact date as soon as it’s decided.

Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

FREE for Members *While Supplies Last* | $16 Not-Yet-Members | $20 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

When you have the opportunity to present one of the greatest indigenous artists in the world for a Monthly Concert… but the only available day is off by one: you do it anyway! Our “MAY” Monthly Concert will be held on the last day of April.

About Elisapie

Director, composer, singer-songwriter and activist, Elisapie Isaac comes from the Arctic.

“The North is not at the other end of the world. It’s at the heart of mine.”

Through myriad projects, Elisapie has established herself as a true Inuit icon. She was first discovered in 2003 as the director of her documentary If the Weather Permits, a film which thrust viewers into her own origin story. The following year, she released her first album with the duo Taima, winning a Juno Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year. She has since released two solo albums, There Will be Stars (2009) and Travelling Love (2013). The most recent one was awarded a Félix for Anglophone Album of the Year.

In September 2018, Elisapie released her fourth album, The Ballad of the Runaway Girl, through Bonsound and Yotanka. In the self-doubt that arose from a tumultuous postpartum depression, Elisapie has found comfort and hope in ancient Indigenous folk tunes. While she was imagining recording an inuit folk cover songs album, inspiration came by simply strumming her guitar and new songs came in naturally. Intimate pieces of her own identity, such as her adoption, her exodus and the role of women in society, have woven themselves into her work to form a whole. The Ballad of the Runaway Girl is a poetic gesture driven by urgency, doubt, gentleness, sensitivity, grace and motherly love.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF ELISAPIE

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO ELISAPIE

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ELISAPIE

POSTPONED: PFS Presents Marion Halliday & Roger Street Friedman

POSTPONED: PFS is rescheduling the April 4th performance of Marion Halliday and Roger Street Friedman to the weekend of June 26th. We will update the event with an exact date as soon as it’s decided.

Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFO

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Marion Halliday

Marion Halliday, a native Kentuckian now living in Philadelphia PA, is proud purveyor of her own special blend of bluegrass and bourbon-infused, original, women-powered, Americana. While she has been a professional singer for many years, Marion only began focusing on her songwriting in 2016. She released her debut solo album Rings Around Saturn on July 1, 2019 and in its first month, both the album and Marion (as artist) were ranked #3 on the US/International Folk DJ charts (data compiled by Folk Alliance International); Marion was also #3 artist that month and had two songs in the top 10.

Marion has great breadth as a songwriter. She has found inspiration, for example, in the history of her new home-town, writing a range of songs that touch on Philly’s rich and varied past. This includes songs about an escaped convict from Eastern State Pen, the forlorn beauty of Laurel Hill Cemetery, the statue to the Lenape in Wissahickon Park, and the revolutionary war memorial at Washington Square, among others. Through her “Philly Songs Project,” Marion is available for special programs in schools and organizations around Philly that might wish to have her share with audiences interesting and historical tales through the medium of her beautiful, Philly-oriented original music.

Marion has also written songs on more universal, contemporary topics such as domestic abuse, gun violence, suicide, and the scourge of heroin and meth addiction ravaging our country. Lastly, Marion’s music also includes amusing reflections on the challenges of relationships, as well as an abiding love of bourbon.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF MARION HALLIDAY

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MARION HALLIDAY ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MARION HALLIDAY

About Roger Street Friedman

Roger Street Friedman is an award winning singer-songwriter based in Sea Cliff, NY. His critically acclaimed 2017 album Shoot The Moon reached #2 on the Roots Music Report Americana Country Album Chart. The album recalls the singer-songwriter tradition of Marc Cohn, Randy Newman, Warren Zevon, Mark Knopfler and Robbie Robertson. Roger’s song “Sun Never Sets” is being used in human rights curriculum in universities and high schools in the Northeast. Roger’s live shows are infused with emotion and will make you laugh and maybe even shed a happy tear. He’s a frequent performer on the music festival circuit and actively tours with his band. Roger’s third full-length album, Rise, produced by the Grammy-winning Larry Campbell (known for his work with Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, David Bromberg, Hot Tuna and more) will be out this spring.

“One moment he’s turning out harmonically rich Paul Simon-esque art-folk; the next he’s digging into the kind of good ‘n’ greasy Americana groove John Hiatt would kill for.”—Jim Allen, CultureSonar

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF ROGER STREET FRIEDMAN

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO ROGER STREET FRIEDMAN ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROGER STREET FRIEDMAN

“March” House Concert with Rare Spirits

TBD
Potluck/Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Rare Spirits

Frequent faces various stages at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Rare Spirits serve up high-proof Roots music with verve, humor and aplomb. Sweet harmonies, rollicking rhythms, and an electrifying stage presence combine to sing songs of drinking, cheating, lying, stealing, shucking, jiving, killing, dying…and the occasional haunting. The band features Molly Hebert-Wilson on upright bass, Robare Pruyn on banjo and guitar, Noam Berg on mandolin and guitar, and Alex Bell on drums and percussion, each bringing their own special ingredient to the cocktail. They perform original songs, old time music with a twist, and a special set that tells the history of Prohibition through song and story, from the Whiskey Rebellion all the way up to repeal in ’33. Pour yourself a double shot, and come see where booze, bluegrass, old time, and rock n’ roll meet on the other side.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF RARE SPIRITS

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO RARE SPIRITS ON BANDCAMP

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RARE SPIRITS

PFS and the hosts ask that guests act in a respectful manner and be considerate of the performers and other attendees–if you do not, you may be asked to leave by PFS staff or the hosts.

Advance registrations for this performance are REQUIRED.

Admission is free for PFS members and $10 for Advanced Tickets for non-members.

The event will be held at the Spear Residence. You will receive the exact address upon registering.

Please bring something to share! Potluck at 7:30pm, music at 8:00pm.

POSTPONED: PFS Presents Gathering Sparks with Special Guest Cheryl Prashker

POSTPONED: PFS is rescheduling the April 23rd performance of Gathering Sparks. We will update the event with an exact date as soon as it’s decided.

Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

**GATHERING SPARKS WILL BE JOINED ONSTAGE BY PERCUSSIONIST TO THE FOLKIES: CHERYL PRASHKER!**

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Gathering Sparks

You will come to listen, and walk away singing. GATHERING SPARKS is the graceful collision of Eve Goldberg and Jane Lewis—musical friends who blend tight harmonies, finely crafted songs, and a love of participatory singing to create an intimate and uplifting experience. Their inclusive approach embraces folk, pop, blues and gospel influences tastefully played on acoustic guitar, piano, accordion, and ukulele.

With their infectious mix of styles and compelling vocal blend, Gathering Sparks has been making some big waves. Their debut 6-song CD was nominated for a 2014 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year, and they have quickly become an audience favourite. Whether they are belting it out a capella style, tugging on your heartstrings with a folky original, crooning a jazzy swing tune, or getting into the spirit with a gospel-inflected singalong, Gathering Sparks performances make fans out of listeners with their stellar harmonies and fine musicianship.

EVE GOLDBERG has lifted audiences across North America with her heartfelt and insightful songs and solid instrumental work. Her fluid vocals embrace all the styles she loves—folk, blues, country, bluegrass, old time, and jazz—with equal affection and mastery.

JANE LEWIS has followed her love of words from the printing press to the spotlight with soul-bending lyrics, transcendent compositions, and crystal clear vocals. Her thoughtful piano and accordion playing, mastery of harmony, and upbeat presence add a sparkle to any stage.

As solo performers, Eve, Jane, and original band member Sam Turton had each carved out their own niche in the folk/roots scene. But when they came together for a one-time triple bill in 2012, there was a certain “spark” that couldn’t be denied. The three loved the magic that came from the gathering of their songs, voices, instruments and styles, and a performing group was born. When Sam retired from the group to focus on other pursuits, Eve and Jane committed themselves to continuing as a dynamic duo. Since then, they have toured across Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces, British Columbia and the Northeast United States.

Their newest album, All That’s Real, was released in September 2019 on Borealis Records. The lead-off track, Bringing in the Light, has been recognized with a Folk Music Ontario “Songs From the Heart” award in the singer-songwriter category.

“What a delight! Great songs, great singing and lovely harmonies.
I’m singing along as if I’ve known these songs forever.”
— Sharon Hampson of Sharon, Lois & Bram

“Plumbing the depths of gospel, folk, and singer-songwriter traditions with talent and grace makes Gathering Sparks one of the most entertaining [acts] our audience has seen. They couldn’t stop raving about them.”
— Bob LeDrew, BobCat House Concerts, Ottawa

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF GATHERING SPARKS

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO GATHERING SPARKS ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GATHERING SPARKS

**GATHERING SPARKS WILL BE JOINED ONSTAGE BY PERCUSSIONIST TO THE FOLKIES: CHERYL PRASHKER!**

POSTPONED: PFS Presents Las Cafeteras

PFS is rescheduling the March 25th performance of Las Cafeteras to the month of October. We will update the event with an exact date as soon as it’s decided.

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$13 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $20 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Las Cafeteras

Las Cafeteras have taken the music scene by storm with their infectious live performances and have crossed-genre and musical borders, playing with bands such as Mexican icons Caifanes, Lila Downs, Colombian superstar Juanes, Los Angeles legends Ozomatli, folk/indie favorites Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and most recently with Talib Kweli.

Born and raised east of the Los Angeles river, Las Cafeteras are remixing roots music and telling modern day stories. Las Cafeteras create a vibrant musical fusion with a unique East LA sound and positive message. Their Afro-Mexican beats, rhythms, and rhymes deliver inspiring lyrics that document stories of a community seeking love and justice in the concrete jungle of Los Angeles. Using traditional Son Jarocho instruments like the jarana, requinto, quijada (donkey jawbone) and tarima (a wooden platform), Las Cafeteras sing in English, Spanish, and Spanglish and add a remix of sounds, from rock to hip-hop to rancheras. Las Cafeteras use music as a vehicle to build bridges among different cultures and communities, and create ‘a world where many worlds fit’.

LA Times described Las Cafeteras as “uniquely Angeleno mishmash of punk, hip-hop, beat music, cumbia and rock … live, they’re magnetic.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH LAS CAFETERAS COVER PETE SEEGER

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO LAS CAFETERAS ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LAS CAFETERAS

Thursday, March 26th at 7pm, PFS Co-op Artist Norman Taylor will be hosting a live stream concert!

Click Here For More Info

Thursday, March 26th at 7pm, PFS Co-op Artist Norman Taylor will be hosting a live stream concert!

Click Here For More Info

PFS Presents John Smith

Friday, April 17, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About John Smith

Essex-born John Smith has built a reputation as one of the UK’s finest guitarists and songwriters. Raised by the Devon seaside and making his bones in the bars and clubs of Liverpool, John has released five albums with over 33 million Spotify streams. He has played to audiences all over the world in living rooms, festival tents and sold-out concert halls. He is a genuine folksinger, an inquisitive truth-seeker, devoted song interpreter, and enchanting writer.

Steeped in the lineage of British folk, taking his cue from Richard Thompson and John Martyn, Smith has evolved a transatlantic blend of fingerstyle and slide guitar techniques. John’s intimate takes on love, loss and the journey we make, combined with his innovative guitar work, have won him a loyal following. His honey-on-gravel voice and mesmerizing fingerstyle guitar are undeniable. Sometimes using a slide, sometimes with guitar on his lap, sometimes detuning mid-song, Smith’s obsession with the instrument has made a master of him. Whether by way of album or concert, he leads the listener, enthralled in his presence, on a viscerally emotional journey.

A contributor and collaborator, John quickly and effortlessly earns the esteem of his comrades and heroes. He has opened for folk greats including John Martyn, Davy Graham and John Renbourn, who called John Smith “the future of folk music.” On the contemporary side, he has also opened for Iron and Wine, Tinariwen, and Ben Howard. He has guested with artists such as Jackson Browne, Martin Carthy, Richard Hawley, Jarvis Cocker, Jerry Douglas, Glen Hansard and Rodney Crowell; and in his occasional role as sideman, he has played guitar for artists such as David Gray, Lisa Hannigan, Lianne La Havas, Joe Henry and Joan Baez.

He has released five records – “Headlong” (2017) reached #15 in the Indie Breakers chart, #1 on iTunes’ Singer-Songwriter chart, and has amassed over 23 million Spotify streams.

His album “Hummingbird” was released worldwide in 2019 on his own imprint, Commoner Records, via Thirty Tigers worldwide.

PRAISE FOR JOHN SMITH:

“You’re smiling even as tears catch in your throat.” -MOJO
“He’s a magician.” -Ben Howard
“Spellbinding.” -Time Out
“the guitarists’ guitarist.” -The Sunday Times
“Staggeringly good.” -Acoustic Magazine

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JOHN SMITH

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO JOHN SMITH ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JOHN SMITH

Thursday, March 26th at 7pm, PFS Co-op Artist Norman Taylor will be hosting a live stream concert!

Click Here For More Info

PFS Presents Scott Wolfson & Other Heroes and Meghan Cary with Analog Gypsies

Saturday, April 25, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Scott Wolfson & Other Heroes

Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes sing the music of, by, and for outcasts and outliers.

When Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes take the stage, they’re not just playing a show. Their vibe is party, reunion, and catharsis in one – the energy of their tunes is hard to miss, but each song carries the weight of humanity’s dark corners. When Ron Olesko at Sing Out! Magazine wrote of “their inspiring set” creating “a spontaneous celebration,” he witnessed a celebration in the face of pain and loss – of outcasts finding their people.

A Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes show is an exercise in the unexpected. As No Depression said, “…Wolfson will not only defy the norm, but all expectations as well.” Their mix of talent and wit has brought acclaim as Most Wanted Artists in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Formal Showcase Artists at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and frequent performers at The Philadelphia Folk Festival. And now, with two airplay-charting albums under their belts, they have begun recording their most ambitious and expansive studio work yet.

The songs are new, the stories universal, but their message is clear. As one of Scott’s lyrics says: “We may be broken, but we are not alone.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SCOTT WOLFSON & OTHER HEROES

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO SCOTT WOLFSON & OTHER HEROES ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SCOTT WOLFSON & OTHER HEROES

About Meghan Cary with Analog Gypsies

Meghan Cary didn’t mean to be a musician. When her fiancé unexpectedly died, she picked up his guitar, figured out how to play it, and wrote her debut, earning her Billboard Magazine’s Critic’s Choice for Best Newcomer. “I wrote my grief into song, and sang my way out of the abyss. I keep making music to help others connect with their own stories and find their joy.” Known for her unabashed willingness to connect with her audience, Cary brings listeners to their feet and at times to tears with high-energy tunes, masterful storytelling, and deeply personal lyrics that resonate universally. After pushing pause on performing to raise two children, Cary launched back onto the scene at Philly Folk Fest and was awarded an Emerging Artist Showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Cary’s smoky voice, emotional singing, and vulnerable writing garner favorable comparisons to Melissa Etheridge, Shawn Colvin, and even Bruce Springsteen.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF MEGHAN CARY

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MEGHAN CARY ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEGHAN CARY

PFS Presents Sarah Siskind

Friday, May 2, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Sarah Siskind

Sarah Siskind is one of today’s most respected and covered songwriters as well as a stand-out independent artist. Armed with a striking vocal style and solid guitar and piano work, she has toured with Bonnie Raitt, Paul Brady, Grammy winner Bon Iver (who also famously covered her song “Lovin’s For Fools”), Lee Ann Womack and The Swell Season. Her songs have been recorded by Alison Krauss (the GRAMMY nominated “Simple Love”), Wynonna, Randy Travis and many more. The hit TV show Nashville featured 22 of Sarah’s songs, including the unofficial theme song “A Life That’s Good.” Her songs can also be heard on MTV’s Teen Mom 2, MTV’s Awkward, ABC’s Pretty Little Liars, Lifetime’s Army Wives and HBO’s The Wire.

Modern Appalachia, slated for release in 2020, is Sarah Siskind’s most vulnerable and personal album to date, generously showcasing a reconnection to her roots in North Carolina. Recorded at Echo Mountain Recording Studio in Asheville, this album is conversation about humanity and how we relate to each other and to ourselves. Originally conceived as a way to describe a music style or sound, “modern appalachia” became much more over the last few years as Sarah settled back into her home state. It is a feeling; a little wild, a little old-fashioned. It’s a way of life; progressive, but rooted in long standing patterns.

The album features North Carolina musicians Jeff Sipe (drums), Mike Seal (guitar) and Daniel Kimbro (bass). Bill Frisell graces the title track “Modern Appalachia” with his masterful touch while Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) lends his unmistakable vocals to “Carolina.” Release date to be announced.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF SARAH SISKIND

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO SARAH SISKIND ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SARAH SISKIND

PFS Presents Jeff Mamett

Sunday, May 3rd, 2020
Doors 2pm | Music 2:30pm

FREE for Members *While Supplies Last* | $10 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

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About Jeff Mamett

“Guy Clark-style songwriting…he paints vivid worlds…Western flair and John Prine-level wordplay”

— Wide Open Country’s Artists to Watch: Bobby Moore, September 2018

“instantly classic…“Carry Me Back” Is A Cattle Drive Down The Plains With A Cowboy Poet ”

— Mark Joseph Engleson – Americana Highways September 2018

“Jeff Mamett is the real deal. This is a true Country and Western artist. ”

— Viola Krouse- Making a Scene Magazine September 2018

Jeff Mamett is a singer-songwriter whose country and western songs have an authentic, earthy quality. He is a storyteller, influenced by writers such as Guy Clark and John Prine, merging elements of American roots music into what some have called a “modern western” sound.
His new album, “Carry Me Back”, with 12 original songs, has been critically acclaimed. It was listed in Making A Scene Magazine as one of the top 40 Americana CD’s of 2018 and led to Mamett being included in Wide Open Country’s “Artists to Watch”. It was recorded in Nashville and produced by lifelong friend and Trace Adkins pedal steel player Wayne Addleman.

Jeff began performing at 13, working with older musicians, playing dances, bars and fraternity parties. After high school, he honed his skills hitting the road with club bands, before ending up in L.A. and then Nashville. There, he gained experience recording and touring with various artists.

Once he and his wife began to have children, Jeff made the decision to leave the road and the music industry to be a dad. The next 25 years would be spent in the cattle business.

In 2013, like Rip Van Winkle waking from his long sleep, Jeff began playing again and discovered a passion for writing and performing his own songs.

His first album, “Here’s Your Hat…”, with 10 original and 2 cover songs, was released in 2015.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF JEFF MAMETT

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO JEFF MAMETT

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PFS and the hosts ask that guests act in a respectful manner and be considerate of the performers and other attendees–if you do not, you may be asked to leave by PFS staff or the hosts.

Advance registrations for this performance are REQUIRED.

Admission is free for PFS members and $10 for Advanced Tickets for non-members.

The event will be held in Philadelphia, PA. You will receive the exact address upon registering.

Please bring something to share! Potluck at 2pm, music at 2:30pm.

PFS Presents Mama’s Broke

Saturday, May 9, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

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$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

About Mama’s Broke

Mama’s Broke is a powerful folk duo that deliver a compelling performance with heart and raw energy. Although highly influenced by their Canadian roots, Lisa and Amy are based out of nowhere and everywhere.

Their two strong voices blend to create haunting harmonies, while they artfully juggle fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin, and incorporate traditional dance and foot percussion into their performance. Their original – and often dark – compositions push the boundaries of tradition and the constraints of genre. Drawing from old-time, Quebecois, blues, punk, Celtic, Balkan and doom metal, they create a soundscape that is both familiar and new.

Since forming the band in 2014, Mama’s Broke has been gaining momentum fast ; having already completed two European, and several Canadian and U.S. tours. They have performed in a wide range of venues, from circus shows in New Orleans, to pirate ships in Amsterdam, to concert halls in Ireland, to theatres in Brooklyn. In this way, they stay true to the transient nature of folklore, as they travel the world sharing and collecting song.

2017 brought the release of their debut album, Count the Wicked, which earned them a Canadian Folk Music Award for Ensemble of the Year as well as a nomination for an ECMA Rising Star Award.

The driving force behind this band is – and has always been – the commitment to challenge borders between people, places, and traditions; while encouraging freedom of expression and community through music.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF MAMA’S BROKE

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PFS Presents Dave Gunning

Friday, May 15, 2019
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$15 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $18 Not-Yet-Members | $20 Doors

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About Dave Gunning

Dave Gunning is best defined as a master craftsman. Over the course of 23 years and 11 earlier albums, the Nova Scotian folk singer/songwriter has diligently sharpened his skills, developing into a poetic storyteller and emotionally convincing singer with few equals.

The fruits of those labours are now vividly on display in his latest collection of songs, Up Against The Sky. The relaxed and intimate feel of the record reflects its method of creation. “I focused a lot on tones and the vibe, rather than strategic parts on this one. Many of these tunes were sung and played at the same time, and that prevented me from being able to go back and edit, forcing a little more honesty.”

The sessions in Dave’s home studio were co-produced by Gunning and Jamie Robinson. Gunning contributed the bulk of the instrumentation, including all the bass parts and even drums on every song but one. Musical guests include his close musical comrade J.P. Cormier on fiddle on “Celebrate The Crop,” and Andrew Alcorn on horns on “In The Time I Was Away”, while the Atlantic String Machine added subtle yet atmospheric strings on four tracks.

Eight of the ten songs here are co-writes, with Dave’s writing partners including Jamie Robinson, Ray Stewart, Thom Swift, Paul McKenna, and Mark Lang. The two solo compositions are “The Loyal Fisherman,” an epic ballad of love and betrayal, and “Celebrate The Crop,” a lovely fiddle-fuelled celebration of the simple pleasures of the farming life “everyone’s coming over and we’ll share all that we’ve got.”

The first single taken from the album is “In The Time I Was Away,” a gently reflective look at the changes wrought by absence. “When you’re away from home for large chunks of time on a regular basis you miss things that have happened. Sometimes they’re big things and sometimes they’re the little things,” says Dave. Written with Mark Lang, it is punctuated by a horns accompaniment that shows Gunning’s ability to add unconventional yet effective musical touches to his material.

There’s also a philosophical feel to “All That’s Yet To Come,” the opening track on Up Against The Sky, and another highlight of an album devoid of lowlights. It faces the future with an optimistic tone – “I’m proud of the past and all that’s yet to come.”

Gunning explains that this is one of a number of songs influenced by a local Pictou County issue that has taken a great deal of his time and energy in recent years. He is a very active member of a group opposed to the release of 70-90 million litres of treated effluent, per day from an older style bleached kraft pulp mill. The proposal is threatening the Northumberland Strait fishery and a Legislated commitment made to the Pictou Landing First Nation community to end what even the Premier of Nova Scotia has called “Environmental Racism.”

Another song inspired by this situation is “Wish I Was Wrong,” a mournful yet defiant tune that reaffirms Gunning’s ability to pen potent protest songs. “We want a safe harbour, we want a clean shore” he declares, while playing banjo in a tribute to a key inspiration, Pete Seeger.

Another politically-tinged tune that has had a major impact is “Sing It Louder,” from Gunning’s previous album, 2015’s acclaimed Lift. It was the most played song on folk radio in the US for the month of May 2016, and Dave says “I think that it may have resonated with people because it was released during the US election and it’s a call to action song.”

Last year, Dave Gunning and J.P. Cormier released a duo album, Two, one recently nominated for a 2019 East Coast Music Award. “It was just two guitars and two voices. We have played together on and off for 20 years so it is comfortable for us,” explains Dave.

Along with richly-deserved peer respect, Dave Gunning has earned a shelf full of music industry honours. That tally currently stands at eight East Coast Music Awards and two Canadian Folk Music Awards, plus a 2012 Juno Award nomination in the Roots & Traditional Solo Album of the Year category for his album … a tribute to John Allan Cameron, a compelling homage to another of Dave’s Maritime musical heroes.

His songwriting skill has also been internationally recognized, with tunes scoring victories and high placings in major international songwriting competitions. As a fervent hockey fan, Dave was also thrilled to win the CBC’s hotly-contested Hockey Night In Canada Song Quest in 2014 with “A Game Goin’ On”, a co-write with David Francey. Gunning has also remained in demand as a producer working with many artists.

For now, though, his concentrated focus is on Up Against The Sky. The record, and all that’s yet to come from this compelling artist, can be looked forward to with great anticipation.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF DAVE GUNNING

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PFS Presents David Myles

Saturday, May 16th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$12 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $15 Not-Yet-Members | $18 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

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About David Myles

“Nattily dressed in a suit and tie, wearing his trademark specs, he looks like Buddy Holly transposed to an after-hours supper club. But Myles’s music conveys a populist appeal that leaves no one lacking.” – No Depression

The role of the song and dance man is a noble calling. But restricting himself to only a couple creative pursuits would just not be enough for David Myles. Sure, the Maritime music maker’s song and dance mastery keeps getting more and more impressive—2017’s award-winning, vintage rock ‘n’ roll hip-swiveler Real Love and the spectacular, lush Francophone pop of 2018’s Le grand départ stand testament to that—but Myles is compelled to sally forth toward new challenges and accomplishments. This past year he released Santa Never Brings Me a Banjo, a children’s book based on his beloved modern holiday classic, and dove back into the world of public radio, broadcasting his smooth baritone over Alberta’s CKUA airwaves on his new show Myles From Home. Not to mention he does it all while adhering to an unrelenting tour schedule that has seen him and comrades Kyle Cunjak (bass) and Alan Jeffries (guitar) grace stages ‘round the world.

One could argue that this astounding rate of production was in the cards for Myles all along. The New Brunswick-born songwriter grew up in Fredericton surrounded by musicians. It was through family that he was exposed to classical music and musical theatre—which might explain why he’s such a natural on stage, under the bright lights—and thanks to them that he found himself working through the intricacies of trumpet with Canada’s Royal Conservatory. Eventually, he found himself grooving and crooning to the classic sounds of legends like Elvis, Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash. But it wasn’t until he found himself studying Chinese in Hangzhou, China, writing songs on a $30 plywood guitar, that he realized he had to make a radical change in direction. Instead of heading to law school, he decided on a life dedicated to music, and symbolized his devotion to the craft by promising his father, Jim Myles, that he’d wear a suit and tie every single day he went to work. The elder Myles, a former science teacher who directed musicals, and passed away in 2017, left an indelible mark on his son, informing the heavy, poetic spirit of Le grand départ. And David continues to don well-tailored suits on every stage he sets foot on.

His work ethic, too, has paid dividends. Since making that promise, David has gone on to release a dozen records in just over a decade, building a catalogue that spans numerous genres, has spawned countless musical friendships, and helped soundtrack the lives of music fans all over the globe. Real Love’s retro rock and country and Le grand départ’s adventurous chansons are just the most recent sonic territory he’s explored. You can find unabashed, bouncy pop on Here Now; delicate, romantic folk tunes and old-school rhythm and blues on So Far; and classic crooning and swingin’ arrangements on In The Nighttime. He’s dusted off the sleigh bells and put his vibrant stamp on yuletide classics—as well as penning a few new original ones—for It’s Christmas, which continues to delight December audiences every year. And he’s partly responsible, along with fellow east coaster Classified, for Canada’s best-selling rap single of all-time, the deliriously catchy, JUNO Award-winning “Inner Ninja.”

If there’s a musician on earth who can keep up this wild pace and keep growing as an artist, it’s the incomparable David Myles. One need only get themselves down to the theatre or auditorium or club that he’s headlining in their town—singing his big heart out, dancing his slick shoes ragged, and relishing every moment of it—to confirm that. There’s no other kinda life for this song and dance (and radio and writing and everything else) man. “I don’t care if it kills me,” Myles sings on fan favourite “When It Comes My Turn,” over a life-affirming swell of pedal steel. “I’m gonna do what it takes to keep some warmth in my heart and a smile on my face.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF DAVID MYLES

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PFS Presents GoldenOak with Special Guests The Naked Sun

Thursday, May 21, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

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About GoldenOak

When you think of trendy musical scenes, Portland, Maine might not be first on your list. Yet the homespun, heartwarming music of family-oriented indie folk group GoldenOak provides evidence that the dense woods of the Pine Tree State might just be a better muse than the slick streets of New York and LA.

GoldenOak is driven by the songwriting and harmonies of the brother-sister duo Zak and Lena Kendall. After a bit of a recording hiatus and a shift in personnel, the group is back with an enchanting pair of songs. “River” and “Poet And The Painter” find this collective simultaneously building on previous strengths while also striking out in an interesting new direction.

Zak Kendall explains that he and his sister had a heart-to-heart about how the band should sound once some intra-band changes took place. “With the original lineup, we were very much a four-piece group. Everybody had similar roles in the band and there was not really much of a lead, per se. As the band evolved and those two bandmates left, Lena and I kind of sat down and said, ‘What we were doing is changing up, but what’s staying the same is our relationship to each other, our musical journey as siblings.’ I think with this music we’ve kind of settled into that role. We’ve learned to really understand and work with each other, write together more, bounce ideas off each other.”

The pair leaned into the family-oriented dynamic when they dove into the new material, recorded at Rustic Studios in Portland. “The new stuff is built around that relationship and particularly our vocals and our harmonies,” Zak says. “Like on ‘Poet And The Painter’, there’s no lead vocals on it. It’s us singing harmonies the whole time, kind of like Simon & Garfunkel’s early stuff. When I wrote ‘River’, I said to Lena, “I’m writing this song, but I want you to sing it.” That was the first time that I had written lyrics for Lena to sing. And so it really became the closest to a partnership that it’s ever been for us. We were really working closely together on this new stuff.”

Even as Zak and Lena found a new direction by honoring their musical bond, which they first started to form during campfire singalongs as youngsters, the new members of the band, bassist Mike Knowles and drummer Jackson Cromwell, also helped determine the sound of this single. Zak explains the process since the release of the band’s 2017 EP Foxgloves: “It’s been like a year-and-a-half or so since we released music. We were touring with a cellist and a trumpet player at the time. They were big focal points of a lot of our arrangements and a lot of our writing. When they left, we started playing with Mike and Jackson. And they started shaping the direction of what we were going to be putting out, because we wanted it to sound like our live set was sounding. It took a long period before we started working on new stuff because we were adjusting to having a new lineup and getting to know each other as musicians and bandmates. As we felt we were starting to click, we started working on a new stuff.”

Speaking of that new stuff, “River” manages to seamlessly connect two different pieces of music that Zak had been writing. The moody music, accompanying verses about how political shifts are mirrored by the changing seasons, segues into a more upbeat outro, connected by a gorgeous moment of brother and sister singing a cappella, “I’ve come to witness the things I can’t see.” Meanwhile, “Poet And The Painter” find the two in close-harmony throughout, but the shuffle of the rhythm section adds some momentum to the lyrical musings on the potency of nature.

In many ways, the themes of GoldenOak’s music are driven by their home base. “Maine is such an interesting place to be an artist,” Zak says. “It’s so remote in a lot of ways. And the landscape and the woods are so inspiring. People are often spread out, but there’s also this amazing artistic community, not only in Portland but also in the towns all over Maine.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF GOLDENOAK

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CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GOLDENOAK

About The Naked Sun

The Naked Sun may or may not have coined the phrase, but “honest rock” has unquestionably been their ethos since their start back in 2011—and few bands embody its spirit like they do. With songs that echo the rawness and sincerity of the cities around which its members grew up—Detroit, Baltimore, Philadelphia—the band blends the basics of roots rock and folk with layers of bolstering piano and organ, intricate pedal steel leads, and melodic choruses backed by satisfying vocal harmonies. Rooted in the songwriting of frontman Andrew Wesley Harris, The Naked Sun strive equally toward Petty’s pop genius, Springsteen’s storytelling, Dylan’s social consciousness, and the energy of My Morning Jacket.

The Naked Sun released their debut LP, War with Shadows, on January 27, 2018. It was produced by Brian McTear at Miner Street Recordings (The War on Drugs, matt pond PA, Sharon van Etten).

The band released the self-recorded, self-produced Pickled Hearts EP in May 2015 and its first studio EP, Space, Place, and Time, in 2013.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NAKED SUN

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE NAKED SUN ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE NAKED SUN

Join the Philadelphia Folksong Society for a getaway weekend in the Poconos at Camp Canadensis, filled with workshops, song circles, sings, and jams in a beautiful lake-side setting! Reconnect with music and nature in a welcoming and creative community.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

At Spring Thing, folkies of all ages take over a sprawling summer camp as a pop-up community of musicians and music-lovers, a magical “Folk Brigadoon” weekend in the woods.

Attendee-led music and craft workshops, song shares, and sings fill the days, as well as all your favorite Summer Camp activities: swimming, boating, and kayaking in the lake; perfecting your waterslide form in the pool; basketball and other sporting facilities; and miles of wooded trails with plenty of serenity for nature lovers.

Evenings, enjoy dinner in the spacious dining hall or deck overlooking the lake, followed by endless musical and leisure opportunity: perform or take in the open mic or kid’s open stage; set up an impromptu songwriting session with new friends; take in a movie at the camp theater; or wander the grounds following the sounds of cabin jams.

For night owls, head to the campfire for s’mores and jamming all night long—a Spring Thing tradition that keeps the Fest vibes going all year long.

Bring your instruments, your friends & family, and your favorite tunes: Spring Thing’s a-coming!

For more information, photo evidence, and a sample schedule, visit pfs.org.

Registration Process

Step 1: Register here! You will be asked to provide information on EACH ATTENDEE, including dietary restrictions, bunking preferences, and preferred activities.

Step 2: If you indicated you would like to run a workshop or activity at Spring Thing, you will receive a follow up email confirming your workshop idea and requesting scheduling preferences. To be included in the preliminary schedule, all information must be received before May 1.

Step 3: Preliminary workshop schedules (subject to change) will be distributed with workshift sign ups in early May. Please check your email so that you don’t miss important information!

Step 4: You will receive additional information, including updated schedules, confirmed work shifts, and cabin assignments the week before the event so you can plan for your exciting weekend away!

Helpful Information to Note

– Spring Thing registration includes Friday 2pm – Sunday 10pm with meals (Friday is a potluck dinner!). There are optional add-ons to stay over Sunday night ($20/$25 with breakfast).

– Spring Thing is a great getaway for families and friends alike! There is plenty to do at Camp Canadensis for everyone; you don’t have to play an instrument to have a great time and all are welcome.

– All attendees sign up to either run a workshop or activity, or pitch in on a work shift. It’s part of the fun of Spring Thing!

– There are discounts available for groups of 10 or more! Contact Molly at mhebertwilson@pfs.org or 215-247-1300 for more information.

– Spring Thing uses tiered ticketing, with a limited number of tickets at each price level. Register early for the best price!

PFS Presents The East Pointers

**Please Note: This is a MIXED seated/dancing room show. Please arrive early for best seating**

Sunday, May 31, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$18 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $20 Not-Yet-Members | $25 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About The East Pointers

Redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with Billboard-worthy pop hooks, deep acoustic groove, trance-like trad breakdowns and three-part harmonies, Tim Chaisson (vocals/fiddle/percussion), Koady Chaisson (banjo/tenor guitar/moog) and Jake Charron (guitar/keyboards), already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, have made sure their new album, Yours To Break, will light a path for a new generation of music lovers who don’t care for labels.

What We Leave Behind was one of the international standout albums of 2017, nominated for the ‘Traditional Roots Album of the Year’ at the 2018 JUNO Awards and attracting over four million streams on Spotify. In the short time between their 2015 JUNO Award-winning debut Secret Victory and the upcoming album Yours To Break, the band has performed over 450 shows in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the UK, Europe, Mexico, the USA, and Canada.

Yours To Break sits uneasily in a classic genre demarcation. The East Pointers have always been musically complex and technically brilliant, the core is definitely traditional Celtic, but on the new album, fiddle tunes are grounded in complex rumbling bass lines, a dirty Americana exploration turns on a dime into a lighthearted guitar feature with flamenco reference palmas, playful keyboard tones turn traditional solos into urgent dance-party journeys, and off-the-leash festival jam sessions give rise to vocal numbers that are either perfect pop songs or moving tributes to the home and people they love. “I feel like this album is the best expression to date of the band’s appreciation for so many different types of music and the fact that we as a band are comfortable enough in our own musical voice to start expressing those influences and loves.” says Koady Chaisson, who plays either banjo or tenor guitar on stage, along with the bass pedals underpinning much of the groove of this album.

Taken from a line in the song ‘Elmira’ – a tune named for a town in Prince Edward Island near where fiddler, Tim Chaisson, and his cousin, banjo player Koady Chaisson, grew up – Yours To Break puts a pin in the creative landscape in which the band currently sits, as well as where they may be headed.

Although conceived as a “love letter to home,” Tim Chaisson says: “’Elmira’ is as much about getting back to the places and things that matter as it is about not being afraid to break away from what’s holding you back. It’s about all the relationships and connections you form throughout life, and that it’s in your control to keep those connections, or part ways and take a different path.”

That’s a sentiment the band picks up on lead single, ‘Wintergreen’.

“I was diagnosed bipolar about five years ago and there was so much darkness, so many extreme highs and extreme lows,” Koady says. “It’s actually a song I kind of wish I could have heard then; a vote of confidence from the perspective of someone who loves you regardless of which end of that spectrum you’re at.”

At the core, ‘Wintergreen’ is about offering a light in the darkness to those who need it. That theme is woven into the material on Yours to Break; a decision the band made to be wholeheartedly themselves and to speak to the relationships and connections formed in life with people, places, items or substances, and the choice we have to either keep these connections or part ways. Koady says “There is also an element of trust, surrounding yourself with the right people, getting back to the place and things that matter the most. And musically, trusting your foundation and traditions, which give you a strong platform to break away and do your own thing. Ultimately, musically and philosophically we have a lot of hope for humanity despite our frailties – that’s the essence of Yours to Break.”

The album was written across the globe, with Koady in Australia, Jake in England and Tim in Costa Rica while they were working on the album. Each of those experiences and sense of place played into the creation of the album.

Produced by Nova Scotia-born, multiple Grammy and JUNO Award winning songwriter and producer, Gordie Sampson (LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts), Yours To Break finds the band drawing on their historical Canadian Celtic roots and looking forward in equal measure.

“We’ve always had a hard time putting our music in a specific genre,” Jake says, “so with this album we stopped thinking about that and just made music that felt fun to play.”

Yours To Break also showcases the band’s willingness to let loose themselves and expand dramatically on the traditional music they grew up playing and singing. Doing so was a big part of The East Pointers’ mission this time out – a mission that’s clearly reflected on purely instrumental tunes like ‘Country Cable’ and ‘Power To Move’ – a fearless blend of traditional and modern textures that’s as relentlessly hooky as it is powerful.

“We wanted to make an album someone could put on and basically have a dance party to” Koady puts in. ‘We’re passionate about tradition, yes, but it doesn’t belong in a box in the attic, getting dusted off for special occasions and boring the pants off kids. Traditions belong to the people who shepherd them into the next generation.”

In addition to their own songwriting and touring, The East Pointers run the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival on Prince Edward Island, originally founded by Tim and Koady’s grandfather in 1976. Jake Charron, now an honorary islander, has been an in-demand touring musician for the majority of his life and met Tim and Koady on tours to Atlantic Canada.

The East Pointers’ ten-track album Yours To Break is out October 25, 2019, followed by worldwide touring, including a national Canadian tour in November 2019.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE EAST POINTERS

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE EAST POINTERS ON SPOTIFY

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EAST POINTERS

PFS Presents Earth Radio EP Release with Apache Trails & Rare Spirits

Friday, June 5th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$10 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $12 Not-Yet-Members | $15 Doors

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

CLICK HERE TO RSVP ON FACEBOOK

About Earth Radio

FEST FAVORITES FROM THE 2018 PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL BRING THEIR NEW EP TO THE PFS VENUE!

Earth Radio is a high-energy, USDA certified organic, grass-fed, cage-free Philadelphia based folk-rock band. Blending together the unique spirits of two folk singers (Jani Duerr & Joanna Osborne), a funky bassist (Jay Jolly), and a jazz-inspired drummer (Dan Lord), their music uplifts the heart, awakens the spirit, and makes the body move. ​The dynamic duo of Joanna and Jani’s vocals balances out in each note, giving the audience a stunning blend of voices in countermelody and harmony. Best of all, the band brings a genuine joy to every moment on stage, resulting in an electric live performance that will pull you out of your seat and put a smile on your face!

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE VIDEO OF EARTH RADIO

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About Apache Trails

They’re a band that promises nothing less than a rowdy, unbridled, and altogether good time that’ll leave the soles of your feet singing a tune of their own. Featuring a thunderous double-bass slapping alongside, soulful lead guitar, a freight-train rhythm, and a howling lead vocal. This musical arrangement might best be described as a rootsy amalgam of folk, country, blues and whiskey.

​Apache Trails are Jason Webb(vox/guitar), Matthew Messatzzia (bass), and Jeremy Worthington(drums), backed with accompaniment from a phenomenal cast of rotating artists on instruments including but not limited to guitar, mandolin, banjo, piano, and fiddle.

The group began in summer of 2014 when singer-songwriter, Jason Webb brought 3 original songs to the attentive ears of friend and fellow musician Matthew Messatzzia. Together they adopted the name Apache Trails after the famous rocky road leading through Arizona’s mysterious Superstition Mountains, steeped in history and drenched myth, the name presented an instant muse for Webb’s writing as reflected in songs like “Superstitions, Rumors, Notions” and “Hope at the Well” off of the band’s 2015 Ep recorded and engineered at Baby Snake Studios by Peter Scobell. The 6 track EP presents a collection of songs that helped to comfortably seat the group within the Americana genre.

​The self-titled album in addition to being the group’s debut also provided the perfect opportunity for a much larger musical effort featuring collaboration with guests from over 12 other local Delaware and Pennsylvania bands including Michael Davis of The Bullets, Devin Zito of The Hold-Up, Gordon Lippincott of Mad-Sweet Pangs, and James Dukenfield of New Sweden lending their talents on guitar, Emma Sue Webb and The Splashing Pearls on backing vocals, David Berry of The Sin City Band on piano, and Clinton Hoffman drums.

Now in their 3rd year, what had started as 3 songs has since grown into hours worth of original material. Apache Trails has been featured on local radio receiving airplay on Philadelphia’s 88.5 WXPN and performed live in-studio for shows like 93.7 WSTW’s Hometown Heroes. They have had the wonderful opportunity to perform at a variety of venues and festivals throughout the east coast including the long running Philadelphia Folk Festival( PA), Musikfest (PA), Rockwood Music Hall (NY), The Avalon Theater (MD), The Queen Theater(DE), Boot and Saddle (PA), and World Café Live (PA).

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE VIDEO OF APACHE TRAILS

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About Rare Spirits

Frequent faces various stages at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Rare Spirits serve up high-proof Roots music with verve, humor and aplomb. Sweet harmonies, rollicking rhythms, and an electrifying stage presence combine to sing songs of drinking, cheating, lying, stealing, shucking, jiving, killing, dying…and the occasional haunting. The band features Molly Hebert-Wilson on upright bass, Robare Pruyn on banjo and guitar, Noam Berg on mandolin and guitar, and Alex Bell on drums and percussion, each bringing their own special ingredient to the cocktail. They perform original songs, old time music with a twist, and a special set that tells the history of Prohibition through song and story, from the Whiskey Rebellion all the way up to repeal in ’33. Pour yourself a double shot, and come see where booze, bluegrass, old time, and rock n’ roll meet on the other side.

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PFS Presents: Mara Levine and Gathering Time

Sunday, June 7, 2020
Doors 3:30pm | Music 4pm

$10 for Members Advance | $12 Not-Yet-Members Advance | $15 Doors | Kids 12 and under $5

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About Mara Levine
Called one of the best singers of her generation by Christine Lavin, and “Golden Voiced” by David Amram, international touring artist Mara Levine is known as an exceptional song-finder, selecting and then creating beautiful interpretations of fine traditional and contemporary songs. Her new CD FACETS OF FOLK, was the #1 album, with the #1 song and #1 artist positions on the International Folk DJ Chart for January 2019. On FACETS OF FOLK, Levine presents a number of songs of social conscience with themes of taking a stand, making a difference and considering the treatment of others. Those tunes, written by popular contemporary songwriters as well as emerging talents, are all carefully set among folk favorites and lesser known songs.

Levine’s second CD, Jewels and Harmony, received stellar reviews and was the #1 album, with the #1 song and #1 artist positions on the International Folk DJ Chart for January 2013, placed #3 overall for 2013, and was named #4 Cover Album of 2013 by Cover Lay Down. She was selected for a Juried showcase at the 2014 NERFA conference, and a Folk DJ Showcase prior to that, and she tours nationally, often sharing shows with the trio Gathering Time, who appear on 5 of the songs on FACETS OF FOLK. They toured Germany and Ireland together in 2018. Mara also performs in duos with Caroline Cutroneo and Terry Kitchen. She has appeared on numerous radio programs and performed at various venues and festivals throughout the country.

“With Facets of Folk, Mara Levine solidifies her position as a folk force to be reckoned with. As on her previous CDJewels and Harmony, her signature sound shines through: Thoughtful song choice, creative harmonies, rich instrumentation, her own exuberant singing. With an emphasis on songs that make a difference, Mara has created music that is very much for today, but also for years to come.” – Si Kahn

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About Gathering Time
Start with the 1960s folk tradition of Peter, Paul & Mary; add the vocal complexity and electric energy of Crosby, Stills & Nash, a dash of the Byrds and a jot of Joni Mitchell, and you have Gathering Time, a folk-rock/Americana harmony trio that has been turning heads for nearly a decade on the northeastern folk circuit and beyond. Gathering Time swept the international folk radio chart Folk DJ-List in March, 2016, as their new original CD Keepsake took the #1 album and #1 song slots which, with five other songs in the top 25, landed them as the #1 artist as well. This followed on the heels of When One Door Closes (#3 album, January 2014) and Red Apples and Gold (#5 album, September 2012).

With a vocal blend oft-described as seamless, inspired guitar playing and precise percussion, Stuart, Hillary and Gerry evince deep roots in ‘60s folk-rock, with a healthy dash of traditional folk in the mix. Their stage chemistry makes clear that they take the music (if not themselves) very seriously, yet their infectious energy wins over even fans who never considered themselves folkies. To date, Gathering Time has had a record five juried showcases at NERFA (Tricentrics in 2009 and ’10, a Formal in 2011, a mini-NERFA showcase in 2013 and a Quad in 2015); they were one of the three Emerging Artists at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in 2012 voted “Most Wanted” to return in 2013.

Whether a tribute show of ‘60s classics or a concert of (mostly) originals, a night with Gathering Time will make evident why they were voted one of “Long Island’s Best” by the Long Island Press.

“Gathering Time has harmonies that can charm the birds out of the trees, strong original songs, and a savvy repertoire of cover songs, ranging from traditional folk to classic rock. They appeal to audiences of all ages.” – John Platt, WFUV (NYC)

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PFS Presents Corey Laitman

Thursday, June 11th, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$8 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $10 Not-Yet-Members | $13 Doors

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About Corey Laitman

WBUR Tiny Desk finalist and 2018 Passim Iguana Fund recipient Corey Laitman has released Seafoam, their lush and lyrical sophomore album, ushered into the world with a sold-out show at The Parlor Room in Northampton, MA. Produced by Mark Miller (J Mascis, The Pixies) and Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist Anand Nayak (Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, Pamela Means, Alastair Moock), Seafoam boasts 13 expertly crafted alternative folk-pop ballads with hushed, spiritual undertones.

Laitman’s music is set apart by its layered, poetically conceived narratives that surprise and disarm. The complexity of the songs on Seafoam inspire repeated listening: They are protective of their vital mystery, present in their comfort.

Nayak colors the album with electric guitar, banjo and mandolin arrangements as generous and soaring as the songs themselves.

Like the work of Deb Talan or Anais Mitchell, Laitman’s characters are stark, compelling, and deeply human. Worlds of people are woven and realized; the beings inhabiting these worlds of song are imbued with searing imagery, and undeniable integrity.

In a testimonial, Laitman’s work was praised by American poet Gordon Massman as being among “those few singer-songwriters who, through undeniable talent, climb over the competitive frenzy into the public sphere. Corey Laitman is of that caliber, and I entreat you to listen.”

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PFS Presents Screaming Orphans

Friday, June 12, 2020
Doors 7:30pm | Music 8pm

$14 for Members *While Supplies Last* | $16 Not-Yet-Members | $20 Doors

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About Screaming Orphans

Screaming Orphans, an all-sister band from Bundoran, Co. Donegal, Ireland, are one of the most sought after Celtic bands with a powerful, award-winning sound, combining their original melodic pop songs with a unique take on traditional Irish music and song. From an early age, the Diver sisters performed with their mother Kathleen Fitzgerald (a well-known céilí singer in Ireland) and when they hit their teenage years, they formed their own Celtic pop band, Screaming Orphans, which led to a signing by Warner Music UK.

As Screaming Orphans, the band first came to prominence when Sinéad O’Connor asked them to tour with her as her back up vocalists and opening act. The band are renowned for their trademark spine-tingling four part harmony which has led to many collaborations on recordings with artists such as Martin Furey, Baaba Maal, Afro Celt Sound System, Peter Gabriel and Joni Mitchell. The band continues to tour and play extensively across North America and Europe.

The band’s 2017 Folk/Irish album Taproom charted No. 1 in the iTunes World Music charts and No. 10 in the Billboard World Albums charts. Taproom was named 2017 Folk/Pop/Rock Album Of The Year by the Folk’n’Rock magazine.

Screaming Orphans’ 2019 pop album, Life in a Carnival, produced by internationally distinguished producer John Reynolds, charted No. 24 in the iTunes Pop Music charts (U.S.), No. 7 in the Billboard World Albums charts, No. 1 in the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts (IE), and No. 3 in the overall iTunes music charts (IE).

As of this year, the band has released 14 albums of both original pop and Folk/Irish music.

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