The son of a small-town farming community, Cody Diekhoff logged plenty of highway and stage time under the name Chicago Farmer before settling in the city in 2003. Profoundly inspired by fellow Midwesterner John Prine, he’s a working-class folk musician to his core. His small-town roots, tilled with city streets mentality, are turning heads North and South of I-80.
Dar Williams has always followed her muse. When she was up in Somerville, Massachusetts, in the early nineties, knowing that she wanted to pursue music or theater, she worked backstage at the Opera Company of Boston and wrote plays on the side. But she was in Boston, and the muse led her into the myriad open mics and tip jar gigs of booming folk revival. She opened a trunk of old songs and started writing new ones. Dar still loves every minute of her job and always advises folks to “follow their muse.” She still goes wherever the muse leads her, which, presently, is right back on her couch, coffee on the coffee table, guitar in hand, writing her next batch of songs. Come by and pick up a copy of Dar's latest album, “I’ll Meet You Here.”
David Cook (and yes, the same David Cook who launched into stardom following his American Idol Season Seven win – breaking several Billboard chart records when 14 of his songs debuted on the Hot Digital Songs chart and 11 of his songs debuted on the Hot 100) certainly knows his way around a good song. His first album, “Analog Heart,” came out pre-Idol, and his last album, “Digital Vein,” nicely bookended that chapter of Cook's career, a chapter during which he sold more than two million albums (including his platinum-certified eponymous album) and, collectively, more than five million tracks (including two platinum-certified singles) worldwide.
The Whiskey Charmers are a Detroit-based band led by Carrie Shepard and Lawrence Daversa. Fans have often compared their sound to riding through the desert with the top down, or the feeling of being in some lonesome smoky bar off the side of an abandoned highway, or music from a Spaghetti Western. William P. Davis (Former Deputy Director of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville) says of the band, “I’ve heard a lot of good musicians. The Whiskey Charmers remind me of no one—and, to me, that is one of the best compliments an act can receive.” Many fans have become familiar with The Whiskey Charmers music through the video game Detroit: Become Human, a cinematic neo-noir thriller game that has sold more than five million copies worldwide.
Ann Arbor's electrifying musical maestro, Kyler Wilkins, is back for his triumphant third appearance on the Ark stage! But this time, he's not just bringing you music – he's taking you on an exhilarating journey through the sonic universe like never before. Prepare to be spellbound as Kyler, the mastermind behind the mesmerizing loop station magic of Ki5, reimagines your favorite R&B, pop, and soul hits with the finesse of an a cappella virtuoso. His music isn't just a performance; it's a soul-stirring experience that transcends genres and defies expectations.
What could be better than to kick off the holiday season with a Michigan folk music institution? Matt Watroba, longtime radio host and a Detroit Music Awards winner as Best Overall Folk Performer, is the kind of guy who makes friends easily: not only is he on a first-name basis with most of the major folk musicians in North America after several decades of sharing stages with them, but he also has the kind of rapport with audiences that makes them feel as if they’re sitting among friends in a living room. We think a Matt Watroba concert makes a great November tradition. Matt’s previous Thanksgiving shows have brought great special guests, so stay tuned!
Born in Flint and a true Michigan institution, Mr. B (Mark Braun) is a rare living link to the early days of boogie woogie, having learned directly from legends like Little Brother Montgomery and Blind John Davis. He plays in concert halls, he plays outdoors, he’s even played on a piano he towed by swimming out to Mackinac Island, but wherever you heard him, it’s an exciting show. Each year Mr. B stops in at The Ark for a Thanksgiving weekend concert, and it always brings something new—this year, Mr. B is bringing a 10 piece little-big band. He is bringing in musicians from around southeast Michigan and beyond for a boogie and jazz blowout to kick off the holiday season with a big dose of boogie woogie joy. You may think every town has a Mr. B, but you would be very, very wrong.
Gemini is the much-loved duo of Sandor and Laszlo Slomovits. They've been performing since 1973 and are now playing music for the third—or is it fourth?—generation of young fans and families. They write and perform acoustic music for children and families, celebrating with their audiences the warmth, fun, and joy of family life. A Gemini concert is a kinetic event, filled with rousing singalongs, hand motion tunes, folk tales, and music from around the world.
Special Guest: Carleton Stone
The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesIn November the Crash Test Dummies will bring their never-before-toured holiday release to Canadian and American audiences. The record, released in 2002 and recorded at the world famous “The Magic Shop” in New York City was best described by prominent American journalist Maron Keller. “There's more than a bit of delightful holiday camp and irony afoot in the Crash Test Dummies' Jingle All the Way collection, from Brad Roberts' slow-mo delivery of "White Christmas"--with its heavy Hammond Organ--to Ellen Reid's Patsy Cline take of "O Little Town of Bethlehem," done in a convincing country-western style complete with pedal steel guitar.
The Ark will hold the Annual Meeting of its Members on Monday, November 27 at 6:30 pm. This year’s Annual Meeting will be held virtually by Zoom. At this meeting, the Membership will hear about the current state of The Ark and conduct any membership-related business that may come before the group.
All current Annual Members and anyone who has become an Introductory Member since September 1, 2022 are eligible to attend. You must pre-register by email to receive a link to attend the meeting. An invitation will be sent in mid November to all eligible members who provided us with an email address and permission to use it.
Quebec folk-pop musician Geneviève Racette has captivated listeners with her gentle, yet compelling, emotional resonance, and garnered impressive industry support for her folk-pop tracks ever since her first EP in 2014. Through her vulnerable lyricism and ethereal vocals, Geneviève has emerged as a rising star in both French and English-speaking Canadian music scenes. The trajectory for Geneviève’s career has been on a tremendous incline since her album “No Water, No Flowers” catapulted her from Quebec recognition to national praise, including a Canadian Folk Music Award, performing on stage with City and Colour, rave reviews from media, music publications and blogs, and tracking on multiple radio stations right across Canada.
We remember Don Julin from the amazing duet shows that he did with Billy Strings, announcing a monster new talent. The Don Julin Trio, featuring Joe Wilson (dobro) and Kevin Gills (bass), takes listeners through a genre-bending instrumental journey that includes hints of bluegrass, jazz, Latin, funk, film score, and even a bit of baby boomer rock. The Trio includes three of Michigan’s top sidemen. The job of a sideman is to make the “star” look and sound great; these guys have helped many local and national “stars” and bands look and sound great. A short list includes Steppin’ In It, Claudia Schmidt, Greg Brown, Billy Strings, Wayne Hancock, Neptune Quartet, Wilson Brothers, Rusty Blaides, Bill Kirchen, Kenny Olson, and others. In this setting, they can shine the light on each other, showcasing their musical compositions and instrumental abilities.