John McCutcheon's art grew out of his absolute mastery of American traditional music and instruments. He's a legend of the guitar, the hammered dulcimer, and several other instruments, and a prolific songwriter, and there's nobody more qualified to own the folkmusic.com domain name! The result is a body of classic American song, rooted in the best our musical tradition has to offer.
Whether you're looking for your big break, want to perfect your live performance skills, or just want to perform live for the sheer fun of it, Open Stage nights offer supportive audiences and a terrific space. Performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Doors open at 7:30, and names are drawn at 7:55 and 8:30. If your name isn't chosen, bring your raffle ticket with you next time, and you'll double your chances. Tickets at the door.
Mama's Broke is a powerful 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.
Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Mark Erelli is a Boston-based veteran of the folk and roots music scene, renowned for his emotional honesty, craftsmanship, and warmth. Erelli exploded out of the gate in 1999 when he won the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Award in the wake of his “auspicious debut” (Billboard), joining the ranks of previous honorees like Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith. Now, on his fourteenth solo album Spring Green, Erelli delivers his most cohesive and emotionally resonant work to date—a meditation on vulnerability, endurance, and renewal.
The annual Pete Seeger Birthday Concert returns to The Ark with an all-star celebration honoring the life and work of singer, songwriter, activist, and national conscience, Pete Seeger, who passed in 2014. The evening will be filled with storytelling and singalongs in the true uplifting Seeger audience participation tradition.
Special Guest: Improvement Movement
Michigan Theater 603 East Liberty, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesIron & Wine is the musical project of singer-songwriter Sam Beam. Born and raised in South Carolina, Beam is a former film professor who got his start making home recordings before landing on Sub Pop Records. Iron & Wine’s 2002 debut, The Creek Drank the Cradle garnered both critical and popular acclaim, vaulting Beam into the spotlight of the burgeoning indie folk/Americana scene as one of its new and leading voices.
It's hard to believe, because each show is fresh and new, but the RFD Boys have been delighting Michigan audiences since 1969 with their fabulous musicianship and sly, exquisitely timed between-song humor. They're legends of Michigan bluegrass, but they're more than that too. With an appearance on the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited, with songs recorded by the likes of the Country Gentlemen, and with performances alongside bluegrass greats like Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley, the RFD Boys are a part of America's bluegrass tradition. Tickets available at the door. There are no advance tickets for this show.
Five-time Grammy® nominated children’s musician Justin Roberts has been creating the soundtrack to families’ lives for 25 years. Now, with his 16th full length album, Space Cadet, Justin’s rock journey goes interstellar with feel-good songs rooted in themes of inclusion, acceptance, and self-discovery. Inspired by his life as a new dad and experiences in isolation, Space Cadet offers feel-good fun for the whole family.
For over a decade, David and Martin Howley have been at the heart of a musical revolution. As founding members of We Banjo 3, the Galway-born brothers brought Irish traditional music to new heights — blending it with Americana, bluegrass, and contemporary songcraft to create a sound beloved across the world. Now, the brothers return with a brand-new project: Howley — a re-imagining of that signature sound for a new era.
Special Guest: Sam Robbins
The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesVance was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. Starting out hoping to be an R&B and jazz singer once at college, there he discovered his affinity for the storytelling sensibilities of the acoustic singer-songwriter thing. Word spread like wildfire about Gilbert's stage-owning singing and playing, and Shawn Colvin invited him to be special guest on her 1992 Fat City tour where he took much of America by storm and by surprise. “With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god..” wrote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Ann Arbor's Community High Jazz is one of the best programs of its kind anywhere. The Ark is proud to host this year's students on stage for two shows: one at 6:00 and another at 8:00. Tickets available at the door.
Davina Sowers and the Vagabonds have created a stir on the national music scene with their high-energy live shows, level A musicianship, sharp-dressed professionalism, and Sowers’ commanding stage presence. With influences ranging from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom Waits, the band is converting audiences one show at a time, from Vancouver to Miami and across Europe.