33rd Lowell Folk Festival
The Lowell Folk Festival continues to provide the finest in traditional music, craft, foodways and more in downtown Lowell. This annual celebration is the best in traditional folk music, artisan crafts and ethnic foods, and will be returning to downtown Lowell with a full lineup beginning with the traditional parade of nations from Lowell’s City Hall Plaza to Boarding House Park. The free festival offers something for people of all ages all within the heart of Lowell National Historical Park.
Danielle Miraglia, Jenee Halstead and Lisa Bastoni bring their amazing vocal and instrumental talents and will share our stage!
Danielle Miraglia comes armed with a strong steady thumb on an old Gibson, an infectious stomp-box rhythm and harmonica with tunes ranging from heart-felt to socially conscious that will move both your heart and hips. Her latest “All My Heroes Are Ghosts,” released with her band, Danielle M and The Glory Junkies, touches on a lot of what might be on your mind these days – from the loss of so many musical heroes to our collective anxieties on “All On Fire,” and more. The music itself blends influences of some of Miraglia’s own musical heroes – The Rolling Stones, Prince, Janis Joplin along with Danielle’s lyrical ability to explore human nature at its best and worst. Danielle M and The Glory Junkies are nominated for a 2018 Boston Music Award for “Blues Artist of the Year” and Danielle was nominated for a 2015 Boston Music Award for Singer-Songwriter of the Year.
“Straddling the line where folk/roots meets rock/blues, Miraglia has a voice that can go from a raspy come-hither purr to an Etta James-esque powerhouse belt, although she may be best known for her lead thumb — a heavy, thumping strike on her Gibson that’s backdrop percussion in itself.” – Lauren Daley, The Boston Globe
If you detect something expansive and mysterious in the music of Jenee Halstead, a freedom that owes no debt to place and time — or even genre — you understand where she’s coming from. And where she’s headed … deeper into the essence of song. Her evolution from folk singer to ethereal rocker mirrors her journey from the West Coast to the East. As a youngster in Spokane, Washington, Jenee followed the lead of hippie parents and explored music freely. She heard something in it all — from medieval choral works, to Led Zeppelin to Dolly Parton — and it tugged at her, even as she earned her degree at Gonzaga. To build on her personal, almost-secret songwriting, Jenee moved to Boston, where the seeds for many of her influences were planted. While Berklee College of Music was part of the allure, the academic approach turned her off, and away. “They make everybody use a laptop,” Jenee says, lamenting that mechanical method. “I thought, ‘Bob Dylan didn’t write “Blowin’ in the Wind” on a laptop! I don’t need this.’” Her latest release, “Edge of the World,” adds to the indefinable soundscape in which her soft and supple voice floats so exquisitely that the Boston Herald felt it “like sorceress music, rings of smoke through the trees and the bells of Rhymney,” while comparing Jenee’s working relationship with new producer Sean McLaughlin to that of Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois for the way it “embedded a tremendous voice in an otherworldly, shadowy soundscape.”
Lisa Bastoni is a Northampton, Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter. Following a 10-year break from music, her album “The Wishing Hour” (2017), recorded in the kids’ playroom in the wee hours of the night, debuted as #1 most-played on Boston’s WUMB and led to a number of songwriting awards and an active performance schedule. Lisa is a 2019 Kerrville New Folk Finalist. Her upcoming album “How We Want to Live” will be released in Sept. 2019. The album was produced by Sean Staples, and features guest performances by Mark Erelli, Rose Cousins, Lula Wiles and more.
“Americana of the highest order…along the lines of Gretchen Peters or Patty Griffin.” (Maverick-UK)
Danielle Miraglia comes armed with a strong steady thumb on an old Gibson and an infectious stomp-box rhythm with tunes ranging from heart-felt to socially conscious that will move both your heart and hips. Her latest “Bright Shining Stars” debuted at #15 on the Billboard Blues Charts. Cascade Blues Association calls it “… tough as rawhide, but smooth as blended whiskey.” Released Oct 2020 with Vizztone Label Group, it’s a solo acoustic folk/blues record that highlights the one-woman-band live sound she’s honed over the years, featuring guest appearances by talented friends Laurence Scudder, Peter Parcek and Richard “Rosy” Rosenblatt. It includes originals as well as a collection of songs she covers at live shows, paying homage to influences like Big Bill Broonzy, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and more, plus the title track “Bright Shining Stars,” written by her husband, Tom Bianchi.
“Americana and blues practitioner Danielle Miraglia wisely avoids fuss and clutter on her latest album, Bright Shining Stars. Fingerpicking and strumming on acoustic guitar are central to her sound, with percussion frequently provided by the infectious stomp of her foot. Three of the 11 tracks here are solo recordings, reinforcing a truism that the artist frequently has proven on Boston-area stages: A charming voice and fluid guitar prowess are all an artist needs to keep a listener rapt.”
– Bobby Reed, Downbeat Magazine
“Straddling the line where folk/roots meets rock/blues, Miraglia has a voice that can go from a raspy come-hither purr to an Etta James-esque powerhouse belt, although she may be best known for her lead thumb — a heavy, thumping strike on her Gibson that’s backdrop percussion in itself.”
– Lauren Daley, The Boston Globe
This event will be held outside at 888 South Main Street, Mansfield
Beer and wine and limited “cookout food” available
“On A Winter’s Night” from veteran singer-songwriters Christine Lavin, John Gorka, Patty Larkin, Cheryl Wheeler and, Cliff Eberhardt. These are among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades.
CHRISTINE LAVIN
The New Yorker calls her, “wildly entertaining.” The Orlando Sentinel calls her, “a folkZinger.” She’s working on her 24th solo album. ASCAP awarded her book, Cold Pizza For Breakfast, the 43rd Annual Deems Taylor Award. Broadway stars Betty Buckley and Sutton Foster sing her songs. In April 2019 she’s inducted into the Rochester NY Music Hall Of Fame. When not making music, she makes videos. When not making videos, she bakes bread. But most of all she loves touring with musicians whose work she adores.
JOHN GORKA
Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement,” John Gorka is perhaps the quintessential singer-songwriter of the 90’s folk scene. Originally from New Jersey, John served an apprenticeship at Godfrey Daniels coffeehouse in Bethlehem, PA, then the Greenwich Village Fast Folk scene. Winning the prestigious New Folk award at the Kerrville Folk Festival, in 1984, he was then signed to Red House Records on which he released his landmark first of 17 recordings, I Know. Boston Globe penned Gorka “for the sophisticated intelligence and the provocative originality of his songs.” Recent accolades include 2016’s Indie Acoustic Project’s Best Singer/Songwriter CD of the Year for Before Beginning (Red House Records). 2018 brought his latest release, and 14th of his career, True In Time (Compass Records).
CHERYL WHEELER
Brilliant, hysterical performances and beautifully crafted songs, Cheryl Wheeler truly needs to be seen to be appreciated. Nothing you read in print, nor nothing you hear on her albums prepares you for how good a performer she is. You may not be familiar with Cheryl, but you have probably heard her music. Highly respected as a songwriter by her peers, Wheeler’s songs have been covered by artists like Dan Seals, Peter Paul and Mary, Kenny Loggins, Garth Brooks, Suzy Boggus, Melanie, Bette Midler, Maura O’Connell, Sylvia, Kathy Mattea, and Holly Near. “Strong poetry, complex melodies, clever wit.” (Singout!)
PATTY LARKIN
She redefines the boundaries of folk-urban pop music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising lyrics and vocals. Acoustic Guitar Magazine hails her, “soundscape experiments” while Rolling Stone praises her, “evocative and sonic shading.” She has been described as, “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly), and a “drop-dead brilliant” performer (Performing Songwriter). Recently an Artist-in-Residence at Berklee College of Music – and now on the faculty at Fine Arts Work Center – Larkin reflects, “I have been energized by the poets, writers and artists I have met while teaching, and find myself on a journey to break down some of the predictable pathways that songs can travel.” Her 14th CD, Bird In A Cage, is currently in production.
CLIFF EBERHARDT
One of the most original songsmiths currently on tour, Eberhardt is a highly intelligent, articulate artist whose penetrating and profound lyrics are sometimes overshadowed by his extraordinary guitar playing. Upon close listening, the Philadelphia-born singer’s gift for the English language is abundantly clear. The words that tumble from his mouth are framed by a raspy yet deeply elegant voice. Like John Hammond and Richie Havens, Eberhardt continues to carry the torch for traditional and contemporary folk music through his strong live shows. Whether he’s out on tour solo or with a small band, Eberhardt’s guitar playing, singing, and original folk songs and blues make for a compelling, thought-filled, emotional roller coaster of a concert.
Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss Ticket Info Here.
Friends since their early days in Nashville, they had only found a few opportunities to collaborate musically along the way, most notably with Teach Your Children, their Grammy-nominated track from 1994’s Red, Hot + Country compilation. They have “threatened” for years, and the fans have clamored for this pairing. Now, the wait is over. Longtime friends Kathy Mattea and Suzy Bogguss have individually carved out careers in popular music with a multitude of hits spanning over two decades. Suzy’s Outbound Plane, Aces, and Someday Soon are among the many songs beloved by music fans around the world, as are Where’ve You Been?, 455 Rocket, and Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses from Kathy’s deep well of material.
Kathy Mattea
Hailed by The Washington Post as “one of Nashville’s finest song interpreters,” Kathy Mattea has enjoyed much success and acclaim during her 35-year career in Country, Bluegrass and Folk music, including 2 Grammy wins, 4 CMA Awards, 4 #1 country singles, and five gold albums (plus a platinum Greatest Hits collection)
Suzy Bogguss
Suzy began her career in the 1980s as a solo singer. In the 1990s, six of her songs were Top 10 hits, three albums were certified gold, and one album received a platinum certification. She won Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music and the Horizon Award from the Country Music Association.
For 29 years Paul Rishell & Annie Raines have been hailed as one of the world’s best blues duos. They have recorded 6 albums together including the W.C. Handy Award-winning Moving to the Country (2000), and received numerous award nominations from the Blues Foundation. They have performed and recorded with John Sebastian, Susan Tedeschi, Pinetop Perkins and Rory Block. They have opened for Ray Charles, Dr. John, and Little Feat, and performed on international radio and TV shows including Late Night with Conan O’Brien and A Prairie Home Companion. They continue to perform American roots music and their own compositions at festivals, concert halls, and clubs all over the world. As a working team, Paul and Annie have racked up hundreds of thousands of miles on the road in the U.S. and Europe, collaborated on original songs, and released the Blues Foundation Award nominated TALKING GUITAR , I WANT YOU TO KNOW (Tone-Cool/Artemis 1996), MOVING TO THE COUNTRY (2000), the W.C. Handy Award winner for Acoustic Blues Album of the Year, and GOIN’ HOME (2004), which was nominated for two Handy Awards.
Paul Rishell and Annie Raines’s sixth project together, TALKING GUITAR was released in 2012 and received 2 Nominations for the Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Awards. It features Paul returning to the bare essence of country blues, with stunning solo performances of gems by Lead Belly, Blind Boy Fuller, Skip James and others, with Annie joining in on a few tunes. It is stark, stripped down and intimate. Their previous album, the live recording “A NIGHT IN WOODSTOCK” was released in 2008 as a CD and in 2009 as a DVD on their own Mojo Rodeo label, and distributed internationally by Burnside Distribution, each release earning multiple Blues Music Award nominations. The live concert features special guests John Sebastian, Bruce Katz, and Paul and Annie’s own backing band joining the duo for an eclectic, high-energy set of acoustic and electric originals and classic blues songs. The DVD includes extra features such as artist biographies, video guitar lessons and audio commentary by Rishell, Raines and Sebastian.
Paul and Annie are equally passionate about their craft and devoted to the study and performance of a wide range of blues styles, from the syncopated acoustic guitar wizardry of Blind Lemon Jefferson and Son House to Chicagoan “Little” Walter Jacob’s swinging amplified harmonica. Paul has reached what Boston Phoenix writer Ted Drozdowski called “a place deep and resonant as Robert Johnson’s crossroads, where authenticity, soul, and a sense of purpose and commitment ring out in every note he sings and plays.” Annie has added vocals, mandolin, piano, and other instruments to her musical arsenal, while being recognized by top professionals and fans worldwide as the “queen of the blues harmonica.” Says blues legend Pinetop Perkins, “She plays so good it hurts!”
Touring internationally at festivals, clubs, and concert halls, and teaching workshops and seminars, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines have earned loyal fans around the globe. Paul and Annie are featured in the new jug band music documentary, Chasin’ Gus’ Ghost, which debuted at the San Francisco Film Festival in August 2007. They have performed on diverse radio and TV shows including A Prairie Home Companion, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and PBS’s Arthur. They have performed and recorded with Susan Tedeschi, John Sebastian, Pinetop Perkins, and Rory Block. Susan Tedeschi recorded an “unplugged” version of Paul’s Blues on a Holiday with Paul and Annie for her 2003 release, Wait For Me.
Annie Raines was born in 1969 in Boston and grew up in the suburb of Newton, Massachusetts. She picked up the blues harp at 17 and made her stage debut at the 1369 Jazz Club in Cambridge a few months before her high school graduation. Enthralled by the recordings of Muddy Waters, Little Walter Jacobs, Big Walter Horton and Sonny Boy Williamson, she became a fixture at Boston area blues jams. She briefly attended Antioch College and 1988 interned with Washington, DC homeless rights activist Mitch Snyder, who persuaded her to drop out of school to pursue her musical career. One of the few female blues harmonica players in the country, Annie played the New England club circuit with local bands, and traveled to Chicago where she met and played with many of her musical idols including Pinetop Perkins, Louis Myers, and James Cotton. She also enjoyed yearlong stints with the Tarbox Ramblers and the Susan Tedeschi Band, going on to perform on Susan’s first three albums. She lives in Boston with her number one musical hero, Paul Rishell.
Paul Rishell was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1950, descended from a long line of Methodist preachers and Norwegian painters. At the age of ten, he discovered that he could keep time on the drums, though his feet didn’t reach the pedals. He started a band a few years later, playing surf music and rock ‘n roll, until a friend turned him on to the country blues records of Son House, Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, and Blind Lemon Jefferson. He immediately took up the guitar and in the early 70’s Paul moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts and had the chance to play with many of the first and second generation of blues masters — including Son House, Johnny Shines, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Howlin’ Wolf. Paul Rishell’s debut recording, BLUES ON A HOLIDAY (Tone-Cool) was released in 1990 to resounding critical acclaim. The album was half acoustic, half electric, and established Paul as a masterful, versatile blues player and as well as a deeply soulful singer and songwriter. He followed that with SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH in 1993, which featured heart-stopping solo performances as well as guest artists Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters and “Little”Annie Raines. Paul’s original music has been used in plays, films, and countless television shows including Friends, Oprah, and A&E’s Biography. He has built up a stellar reputation over 40 years as a performer, teacher, and torchbearer of the country blues tradition. His former students include Susan Tedeschi and Michael Tarbox. Dirt Road Blues, Paul’s instructional video/CD-Rom for Truefire.com, was released in 2008 with detailed demonstrations and transcriptions of his original songs and songs by Scrapper Blackwell, Blind Boy Fuller, and many others. He is currently serving as a visiting artist at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
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James Montgomery is coming to the Mass Arts Center for the first time to perform under the tent outdoors on Sunday, August 20, at 3 pm. Montgomery has rocked the blues scene for over four decades with his harmonica and vocals, earning a Grammy nomination along the way. He has collaborated with stars like Johnny Winter, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, and Bruce Springsteen, and he is recognized as one of the finest blues performers in the country. He will be joined by his band, which features some of the best musicians in New England. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy a fantastic blues show under the tent at the Mass Arts Center next to the beautiful Norton Reservoir. Reserved tickets under the tent are $50, and VIP seating is available in the first two rows for $75, including a 2 p.m. meet-and-greet with James. General lawn seating is also available (bring your chairs and blankets) for $35.
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Presented by Patio Records
Laurie Young (vocals, trumpet) brings the role of the goddess to the forefront and co-fronts the band
Joe Donnelly (drums) of the Del Fuegos, Swinging Steaks, and Wall of Grass
Pat Dreier (Keyboards, vocals) of the Lines and the Drive
Dave Weden (guitar/banjo) and Clayton Young (bass, vocals) of John Cate and the Van Gough Brothers
Dennis Semprebon (drums and percussion) of Craig Carter and the Hurricanes
Brad Kohl (saxophone) of Hot Acoustics and Group Therapy
Presenting the Reunion Tour of “On A Winter’s Night” from veteran singer-songwriters that remain among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades. In 1994 Christine Lavin gathered them together, along with folk and Americana artists to showcase music of the Winter Season on the now-classic On A Winter’s Night CD, followed by several years of touring collaborations. These artists have released dozens of recordings and toured steadily through the decades, with fond memories of their touring days together. The winter season is again celebrated by these unique and popular performers, back together by popular demand.
One of the most original songsmiths currently on tour, Eberhardt is a highly intelligent, articulate artist whose penetrating and profound lyrics are sometimes overshadowed by his extraordinary guitar playing. Upon close listening, the Philadelphia-born singer’s gift for the English language is abundantly clear. The words that tumble from his mouth are framed by a raspy yet deeply elegant voice. Like John Hammond and Richie Havens, Eberhardt continues to carry the torch for traditional and contemporary folk music through his strong live shows. Whether he’s out on tour solo or with a small band, Eberhardt’s guitar playing, singing, and original folk songs and blues make for a compelling, thought-filled, emotional roller coaster of a concert.
Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement,” John Gorka is perhaps the quintessential singer-songwriter of the 90’s folk scene. Originally from New Jersey, John served an apprenticeship at Godfrey Daniels coffeehouse in Bethlehem, PA, then the Greenwich Village Fast Folk scene. Winning the prestigious New Folk award at the Kerrville Folk Festival, in 1984, he was then signed to Red House Records on which he released his landmark first of 17 recordings, I Know. Boston Globe penned Gorka “for the sophisticated intelligence and the provocative originality of his songs.” Recent accolades include 2016’s Indie Acoustic Project’s Best Singer/Songwriter CD of the Year for Before Beginning (Red House Records). 2018 brought his latest release, and 14th of his career, True In Time (Compass Records). True In Time (Compass Records).
On A Winter’s Night
“A truly gifted performer…full of enchanting songs” (New York Times). Blending country, folk and pop styles, Lucy has the unique ability to make every song sound fresh, whether singing her own sweet originals, covering country classics by June Carter Cash and Gram Parsons, or singing pop favorites by Lennon/McCartney and Nick Lowe. Lucy’s iconic voice has been featured in film and on television, including commercials like Chevrolet’s iconic “Heartbeat of America” jingle. A Billboard-charting singer and one of the top-selling artists on Red House Records, she has topped the folk and Americana radio charts and has been featured on shows throughout the world from NPR’s Weekend and Morning Editions to BBC Radio to CBS Sunday Morning. One of the most in-demand harmony singers, Lucy has sung on countless records, performing with Suzanne Vega, Bryan Ferry, Nanci Griffith, and Shawn Colvin.
She redefines the boundaries of folk-urban pop music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising lyrics and vocals. Acoustic Guitar Magazine hails her, “soundscape experiments” while Rolling Stone praises her, “evocative and sonic shading.” She has been described as, “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly), and a “drop-dead brilliant” performer (Performing Songwriter). Recently an Artist-in-Residence at Berklee College of Music – and now on the faculty at Fine Arts Work Center – Larkin reflects, “I have been energized by the poets, writers, and artists I have met while teaching, and find myself on a journey to break down some of the predictable pathways that songs can travel.” Bird in a Cage, her 14th CD now available, puts poems from ten notable poets to song, including US Poet Laureates William Carlos Williams, Stanley Kunitz, Kay Ryan, Robert Pinsky, and Billy Collins, for a new and haunting collection that pulses with the magic of lyricism. Poems are made to be shared aloud, and with Bird, Patty takes up that tradition and sets it aglow.
You’ll undoubtedly be warm On This Winter’s Night.
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Danielle Miraglia comes armed with a strong steady thumb on an old Gibson and an infectious stomp-box rhythm with tunes ranging from heart-felt to socially conscious that will move both your heart and hips. Her latest “Bright Shining Stars” debuted at #15 on the Billboard Blues Charts. Cascade Blues Association calls it “… tough as rawhide, but smooth as blended whiskey.” Released Oct 2020 with Vizztone Label Group, it’s a solo acoustic folk/blues record that highlights the one-woman-band live sound she’s honed over the years, featuring guest appearances by talented friends Laurence Scudder, Peter Parcek and Richard “Rosy” Rosenblatt. It includes originals as well as a collection of songs she covers at live shows, paying homage to influences like Big Bill Broonzy, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and more, plus the title track “Bright Shining Stars,” written by her husband, Tom Bianchi.
For More Last Dance Productions events, click here.
