Description

Celebrating 35 YEARS of Presenting

Singer/Songwriter Concerts in Ozaukee County

PRESENTING SPONSORS

DeWitt Law Firm * The Muther Family

Various other individuals wishing to remain anonomous

 Deidre McCalla  has long stood at the forefront of acoustic singer-songwriters reshaping expectations of how Black folk do folk. She learned early on that life begins with an acoustic guitar, and Deidre’s songwriting carries an unyieldingly honest perspective expressed with a lyric touch that relentlessly celebrates the power and diversity of the human spirit. As a performer Deidre McCalla doesn’t merely take the stage - she owns it. Affectionately dubbed a "dreadlocked troubadour" by the Miami New Times, Deidre McCalla blends folk, rock, country, and pop into a expression entirely her own.

        Deidre’s most recent album, Endless Grace, debuted at #1 on the June 2022 FAI Folk Radio Chart and was named one of the 10 Best Folk Albums of 2022 by PopMatters, Rhythms Magazine, and the Folk Alley Listener Favorites Poll. In 2023 her song Shoulder to the Wheel won the 19th Annual International Acoustic Music Award for Best Folk/Americana/Roots Song, making her the first woman to win that category in IAMA history.

    Sing Out! calls Deidre McCalla "one of our generation's most important singer-songwriters.”

      Joe Jencks is a 25-year veteran of the international folk circuit, an award-winning songwriter, and celebrated vocalist based in Chicago, IL. Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, Joe delivers engaged musical narratives filled with heart, soul, groove, and grit. Joe is noted for his unique merging of musical beauty, social consciousness, and spiritual exploration. Blending well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, Joe Jencks serves it all up with a lyric baritone voice that has the edgy richness of a good sea-salt caramel.

     Having penned several #1 folk songs, including the ever-relevant Lady of The Harbor, Joe has become a fan favorite throughout North America and is the co-founder of harmony trio, Brother Sun. Joe also toured the Caribbean with the U.S. State Department as a Cultural Ambassador.

"The key to the future is people joining in. The music of Joe Jencks captures this essential spirit. Joe is a fantastic singer who carries on the traditions." - Pete Seeger

“A man with a golden voice who has a great feeling for history, and the role that songs play in documenting that history.” - Luka Bloom