Rodney Crowell is the songwriter’s songwriter and an icon among giants. Native Texan, Crowell is a multi-Grammy Award-winning troubadour with fifteen number one hits. Over the course of his career, Crowell has gracefully blended his own mainstream success as an artist with a prolific catalog of songs cut by the likes of Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Keith Urban and more, making him a master among his peers.
BIIRD are an all-female trad supergroup that have been mystifying the masses with their lively, zealous set and uncompromising dedication to Irish design since their inception last year. Bringing the trad session vibe from the corner of a pub to a global audience, their energy is unmatched. This is a sisterhood born out of a shared passion for keeping the tradition of Irish music alive, giving it a new look and keeping it on its toes. When they’re performing together, a magic flows between them, and that mix of skill and sorcery make them incomparable.
The Ann Arbor Django Reinhardt Festival returns to The Ark for a joyous celebration of the music and legacy of jazz guitar pioneer Django Reinhardt. Hosted by guitarist Andrew Brown, a longtime champion of Hot Club music in Michigan whose performances and educational efforts have helped cultivate the region’s Django community, this year’s festival features guitarist Sam Farthing, one of the most exciting young voices in jazz manouche today, known for his virtuosic technique, expressive improvisation, and appearances at major Django festivals across North America and Europe. Joining him is acclaimed violinist Grant Flick and the full Djangophonique crew—clarinetist Tyler Rindo, vocalist Katie Lynne, guitarist David Bendena, and bassist Jorian Olk-Szost.
Mike Dawes is an English guitarist known for composing, arranging, and performing multiple parts simultaneously on a single guitar. He is regarded as one of the world’s most creative modern fingerstyle guitarists, with a repertoire spanning original viral videos and popular arrangements, alongside mainstream chart success performing with Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues.
Critics often draw comparisons between The Tallest Man on Earth and Bob Dylan, citing similarities in both songwriting and vocal style. Matsson himself has acknowledged Dylan's influence, revealing that he started listening to him at the age of fifteen. Fascinated by Dylan's covers, he delved into their origins, which gradually introduced him to early American folk artists like Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. However, Matsson is quick to distance himself from being part of any specific tradition, stating, “I don’t want to be part of a tradition. I just want to do what feels natural to me. This is how I play, and this is how I write songs.”
Michigan Theater
603 East Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
From the team that brought you Come See Me in the Good Light, join us for Andrea Gibson’s Love Letter from the Afterlife— a multimedia event bringing together film, live poetry, music, orchestral accompaniment, and intimate storytelling in a celebration of one of the most beloved voices of a generation.
