BACHA

Kossoy Sisters with Kate Seeger and Dean Spencer
2025-10-26 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | W. Newton, MA, Given with reservation
Newton Corner, MA
$20 at the door ($5 for students)
Reservations required: HouseConcerts@fssgb.org
The Kossoy Sisters, Irene Saletan and Ellen Christenson, performed at the first Newport Folk Festival, sang in the original Production of Woody Guthrie’s Bound for Glory, and recorded their legendary Bowling Green for Tradition Records. They are known for their clear belllike harmonies, which have inspired and influenced other singers. Although they sing mostly southern mountain songs, they have also adopted other traditional and contemporary songs, as well as written some of their own.
Irene and Ellen began singing in harmony at the age of 8 or 9, singing mostly what they heard around the house: songs of the 20’s and music hall songs. In their early teenage years, they became immersed in traditional songs and became part of the music scene in Washington Square in Greenwich Village. By the age of 20, they had performed widely in New York. In addition to Newport, the Kossoy Sisters performed at many other festivals and coffee houses, including the Fox Hollow Festival, University of Chicago Folk Festival, and the Eisteddfod in eastern Massachusetts. In 1997, Bowling Green was reissued as a CD by Rykodisc. The Kossoys resumed performing for the Folk Song Society of Greater Boston, the Folklore Society of Greater Washington, the Pinewoods Folk Music Club of New York, and participated in the Truly Acoustic Folk Festival in Cambridge, MA and the Summer Solstice Festival in southern California, among others. In 2001, the Coen Brothers included the Kossoy Sisters’ version of “I’ll Fly Away” in their movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou. Their album Hop on Pretty Girls was released in the fall of 2002.

Ellis Paul
2025-11-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Stone Soup Coffeehouse, 88 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02906, United States
Way back in the early 2000s, we first hosted Ellis Paul at our venue at Slater Mill Historic Site. It was a night to remember, as he was becoming a known entity in the singer-songwriter world of folk, and we had never had the opportunity to bring him to Stone Soup Coffeehouse. In a quick conversation, after a great night of music, he told me he had been trying to get a gig at our coffeehouse for a few of years. I responded that I had only recently started booking, and thanks to the recommendation of his agent, I was so glad to be given the opportunity to bring him to Stone Soup. And that begins our history with Ellis Paul and the many years he has returned to play on a Stone Soup stage, whether at Slater Mill, St. Paul’s Church or now at the beautiful Music Mansion in Providence. The show begins at 7 pm on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased in advance on our website. Please note, this show could sell out, so purchase your tickets early.
Parking at The Music Mansion at 88 Meeting St, Providence, RI 02906 is limited and carpooling, ride-sharing, and mass transit are highly encouraged. There is also available parking on Benefit Street, a short set of stairs will lead you right up to the Music Mansion.
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Ellis Paul doesn’t just write songs; he’s a guitar-carrying reporter who covers the human condition and details the hopes, loves, losses of those he observes, turning their stories into luminous pieces of music that get under your skin and into your bloodstream. And much like the artists who have influenced him, everyone from Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon to the singer-songwriter who is undoubtedly his greatest inspiration, Woody Guthrie, Paul weaves deeply personal experiences with social issues and renders them as provocative works that are as timely as they are timeless.
Born and raised in Maine, Paul attended Boston College on a track scholarship and in the evenings became a fixture on the city’s open mic circuit. After winning a Boston Acoustic Underground songwriter competition, he caught the ear of folk luminary Bill Morrissey, who produced his indie album Say Something in 1993. This led to a seven-album contract with Rounder Records and the 1994 album, Stories. His songs have appeared
in several blockbuster films (Me, Myself, and Irene; Shallow Hal, Hall Pass) and have been covered by award winning country artists (Sugarland, Kristian Bush, Jack Ingram). Through a steady succession of albums of his own – a remarkable 23 releases so far – and a constant touring presence around the world, Paul’s audience has grown into a loyal legion of fans.
Along the way, he has picked up an impressive number of awards including the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Award, 15 Boston Music Awards, An Honorary Doctorate from the University of Maine, the 2019 International Acoustic Music Awards Artist of the Year and most recently his album, The Storyteller’s Suitcase, was named the 2019 NERFA Album of the Year.His new album “55” touches on the necessity of gratitude in a difficult era of the pandemic and divided political stances on his own imprint, Rosella Records www.ellispaul.com
Phil Hoffman described Ellis so: “The storyteller closes his suitcase, but the worlds within it keep changing, the traveler keeps moving on, and brand new vistas keep opening up with each twist and turn in the road. From Maine to Big Sur, Okemah to Homer, Alaska, from hardscrabble rustbelt towns to peachy Georgia, from the plains of Texas to the snows of Alberta, these lands are our lands. This land is his land.“Born in Okemah shoes, with the Dust Bowl blues, a friend of the working man,” was how Willis Alan Ramsey described Woody Guthrie, a description that doubles to perfectly situate Ellis Paul’s exploration of the fractured, kaleidoscopic landscape of America’s soul. Ellis Paul shares his land with us. And in sharing it with us, the truth he reveals is that it is also ours.”
We hope you will join us because Ellis has certainly become a national treasure over the past 30+ years that he has been performing, and he is truly one of those artists you do not want to miss.

Open Mic Night at The Music Mansion
2025-11-13 18:00 - 21:30, 2025-12-18 18:00 - 21:30 | Stone Soup Coffeehouse, 88 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02906, United States
Over the last couple years we have tried a lot of things on our open mic stage. In Season 42, we held workshops for developing musicians. in Season 43, we invited hosts of other open mics around the state to feature on our stage. We trained new sound engineers only to forgo all the tech. It’s now musicians and audiences in a room together – a room designed for music to flow and flourish.
Ed Dean returns as our open mic host, opening the doors to The Music Mansion. It’s a welcoming environment for beginners, new artists, and veteran local musicians. The Open Mic Series is one of the ways we practice what we preach and Ed is an incredible minister for this community. Hope to see you there.

John Henry's Hammer Open Mic
2025-11-14 18:30 - 21:30, 2025-11-28 18:30 - 21:30, 2025-12-12 18:30 - 21:30, 2026-01-09 18:30 - 21:30, 2026-01-23 18:30 - 21:30 | John Henry’s Hammer Coffeehouse, Worcester MA, 90 Main St, Worcester, MA, 01608, United States
Here are the usual IMPORTANT details for JHH Open Mic:
2nd and 4th Fridays (except when noted)
First Unitarian Church, 90 Main St, Worcester, MA
Doors open and performer sign-up at 6:30 p.m.
Performances begin @ 7 p.m.
10 minutes in the limelight- spoken word or music (usually two songs unless you choose to sing American Pie or some sea shanty with fifty verses). Duos or groups are considered one act and CANNOT sign up as single performers too. Stick on moustaches will NOT fool us. $3.00 admission for everybody. Performer or spectator. Payable to the lovely lady at the folding card table (please bring $1 bills). Refreshments & snacks (donation appreciated).
PLEASE enter State Street upper parking lot door. Handicap parking and accessibility at the other side of the church on Court Street by the Courthouse apartments. If you DO park on Court Street only park on the church side of the street or you could get towed. The parking meters on Main Street and State Street require money until 8:00 pm. The meter maids and dudes love to hand out tickets.
We are recording the performances. We intend on starting a NEW YouTube site in the future and would like to post selective performances. If you DO NOT want your video online please inform the JHH volunteer (Bob) recording with the smart phone at the center table.
Excellent alcohol-free venue for people from their teens and upward to perform in a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
Come to perform or just listen. The JHH crew is looking forward to seeing you! John Henry’s Hammer – It’s that traditional coffee house feel without the (cough!) cigarette smoke.

Louise Coombe
2025-11-14 19:30 - 22:00 | Parish Center for the Arts, Westford MA, 10 Lincoln Street, Westford, MA, 01886, United States
Cabaret seating. BYOB & snacks Door open at 7:00 pm
$20 Members/ $22 non-members in advance ; $25 at the door (if available)

Louise Coombe grew up on a farm in middle TN with English parents; is a late bloomer; writes lots of Americana-folk songs and tells the stories behind them. Compared to Nanci Griffith, Emmy Lou Harris and Alison Krauss, she’s opened shows for America, Joe Ely, Jonatha Brooke, Allison Moorer, Greg Trooper, Malcomb Holcombe, Mindy Smith and Cliff Eberhardt. Her shows are warm, intimate, funny and thought-provoking, as she weaves together narratives between songs peppered with humorous personal stories and historical anecdotes with her unique Southern point of view.
Cabaret seating. BYOB & snacks!

North Reading Community Coffeehouse November, 2025 Showcase
2025-11-15 18:30 - 21:30 | North Reading Community Coffeehouse, North Reading MA, 147 Park St, North Reading, MA, 01864, United States
The North Reading Community Coffeehouse is proud to present its November, 2025 Showcase. The performers are Dolores Bourque with Ric Page and Tom Sullivan, Jim Gould, John Loretz and Anne Sandstrom, and Angela Masciale. We have a group of very talented musicians this month with a nice variety of music which will make for a very entertaining show. Each performer will do about a 30 minute set.The event is free but donations will be gratefully accepted and we will be offering refreshments with all the proceeds going to the Friends of the Flint Memorial Library in North Reading with whom we will be doing these concerts in conjunction with, to help support the library.

The event will also be livestreamed on the North Reading Community Coffeehouse Facebook page and on the YouTube channel the following day!
We are located in the Activity Room of the Flint Memorial Library at 147 Park Street in North Reading. There is plenty of free parking. We start at 6:30. Please come, sit back, relax and listen to some terrific music! If you have any questions, please contact Art Grossman at NRCoffeehouse@gmail.com.

Naomi Westwater
2025-11-15 19:30 - 21:00 | Live from the Living Room, Melrose MA, 647 Main St, Melrose, MA, 02176, United States

House of Hamil - Upcyled Celtic Folk
2025-11-15 19:30 - 21:00 | New Revival Coffeehouse, Stow MA, 353 Great Rd, Stow, MA, 01775, United States
Pennsylvania-based House of Hamil is a fixture on festival stages across the US, and have shared their music and stories on the country’s premier folk stages. Their original song “Banks of the Brandywine” was a Grand Prize winner in the 2024 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and the video for their all-violin cover of “Sweet Child O’Mine” amassed over 16 million views on Facebook, where it was shared over 400,000 times.
The band’s newest release, “Wildfire” marks House of Hamil’s most compelling work to date. Featuring their strongest and most exciting songwriting, “Wildfire” is filled with lyrical depth, sophisticated vocal and instrumental arrangements, and hooks that are simply irresistible. This album captures the vibrant energy and creativity that have become the hallmarks of a House of Hamil live show.
Whether they’re ripping through a set of original jigs and reels, adding lush three-part harmonies into traditional folk ballads, or cracking up an audience with stories from the road, House of Hamil puts on a show that captivates audiences from the very first note.
“Great hooks, eclectic arrangements and tuneful melodies that will certainly reach listeners from all walks of life.” – Jeff Goble, Folk N Rock
“Their songs are always on the edge of tradition and innovation… their performances are electrifying.” – Sarah MacArthur— Highlander Radio

See houseofhamil.com for more information.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the concert. Doors open at 7:00 and the show begins at 7:30. Go to Eventbrite to purchase tickets.
Click to buy tickets now.

The Kennedys - Nov. 15, 2025
2025-11-15 19:30 - 22:00 | Rose Garden Coffeehouse, Mansfield MA, 17 West St, Mansfield, MA, 02048, United States
The Kennedys release their first CD of all newly minted original songs in five years!
“If you get a charge from a rich folk rock vibe, love a super sharp guitar lick, or appreciate a moving story song, you will find all of that on The Kennedy’s Headwinds. Pete Kennedy’s astonishing range on any guitar he touches deftly underpins every mood of Maura Kennedy’s warm, lyrical voice. You’ll get no resistance from these Headwinds, only pleasure.”
– Marilyn Rea Beyer, Host, WFMT’s The Midnight Special & Folkstage
Songwriting duo Pete and Maura Kennedy make a strong return to the studio and stage after three years of weekly live-streamed lockdown-era concerts. They took the opportunity to explore classic songwriting in depth, performing over a thousand songs during the pandemic. That vast overview strengthened and refined their own writing and laid the foundation for this new collection of original, socially-conscious songs.
“After such a deep dive into American roots music, we felt like we had a new set of writing tools. We were ready to create this body of work, and there’s just SO much to write about,” says Maura. “During our five-year hiatus from writing and recording, America changed in massive ways, divisive ways that have shaken our whole foundation. That has to be addressed by creative artists, those of us who have a voice to speak for others. Our love of the great things about this country, things that are under threat, is the reason we decided to make “Headwinds” the title track of the CD. Political and social headwinds are making it hard to get back “home’ to our greatness as a nation. We want to push back in a positive way against those winds.”
In addition to singing and writing, Pete and Maura are multi-instrumentalists. The thirteen songs are cast in a soundscape that draws from the classic canon of American roots, in keeping with the theme of getting back “home” as a nation. Acoustic and electric guitars, a vintage steel guitar, a gospel-inflected piano/organ mix, and even a slide ukulele all add colors to a songbag of sounds that have drawn us together during hard times. Pete and Maura believe that those sounds still have the power to pull us through again.
The Kennedys began their writing and touring life three decades ago as members of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra, developing their own sound as a frequent support act on Nanci’s tours across America, Ireland, Scotland and England. Collaborations with Nanci continued, culminating in Pete and Maura producing her final album, “Intersections.” Along the way, they hosted a nationwide radio program, “The Dharma Cafe” on Sirius/XM, wrote and released sixteen CDs of original music, and have been core artists on folk radio, expanding their audience further with the inception of the AAA and Americana formats.

Susan Werner
2025-11-21 19:30 - 21:30 | Follen Folk Nights, Lexington MA, 755 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
Over the course of her twenty five year career, Susan Werner has earned a reputation as “one of the most innovative songwriters working today” (Chicago Tribune). With formidable chops on guitar (she began playing at age 5) and piano (she was a guest on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz), along with a graduate degree in voice performance, her shows are a one-woman master class in musicianship. Although best known as an acoustic songwriter that came up through coffeehouses and folk festivals, the Chicago-based artist has written songs in the style of Gershwin and Cole Porter, gospel music, traditional Cuban “son”, and New Orleans junk piano.
Lexi Ugelow will open

Cold Chocolate
2025-12-12 19:30 - 21:30 | Parish Center for the Arts, Westford MA, 10 Lincoln Street, Westford, MA, 01886, United States
$20 (members) in Advance; $22 (non-members) in Advance ;$25 at the door (if available )
Cabaret seating. BYOB & Snacks. Doors open at 7:00 PM
Cold Chocolate is a genre-bending Americana band that fuses folk, funk and bluegrass to create a unique sound all their own. Led by Ethan Robbins (vocals/guitar/mandolin) and Ariel Bernstein (vocals/percussion/banjo), the Boston-based duo released their fifth full-length album in the fall of 2023. Punctuated by tight harmonies and skillful musicianship, Cold Chocolate has quickly gained recognition for their original music and high-energy shows. The band has shared bills with Leftover Salmon, David Grisman, and Angelique Kidjo, and regularly performs at venues and music festivals across the country.
Cabaret seating. BYOB & Snacks.

Catie Curtis
2025-12-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Stone Soup Coffeehouse, 88 Meeting Street, Providence, RI, 02906, United States
About Catie
For over 25 years, Catie toured full-time as a singer/songwriter in the US and Europe, releasing 14 recordings and selling over 250,000 CDs (not to mention streaming and downloads). She has recorded her acoustic folk-rock tunes for major (EMI Guardian) and independent (Rykodisc, Vanguard and Compass) labels, collaborating with some of the finest musicians and producers in the country. Her songs have been featured in several films and multiple tv shows, and she performed several times at the White House during the Obama administration. Her audience knows she’s not afraid to speak up about political issues and to stand up for the LGBTQ community. She’s intensely grateful for those years on the road, and honored to know that her music has been an integral part of so many people’s lives.
In 2017, Catie explored a desire to work locally rather than spending so much time on the road. She got a master’s degree in counseling and is now a psychotherapist in Newburyport, MA. She seeks a balance between her work as a therapist and an artist. “I still need and want to create music. Writing is still how I make sense of my life and the world around me. I still love getting out to play shows and connect with people.” Fortunately, it’s important to her fans, too.

NO-John Henry's Hammer Open Mic
2025-12-26 18:30 - 21:30 | John Henry’s Hammer Coffeehouse, Worcester MA, 90 Main St, Worcester, MA, 01608, United States
Sorry, but JHH Open Mic is taking the day after Christmas off so we can stay home to play with our new toys that Santa brought. See you in the new year.

Cormac McCarthy
2026-01-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Parish Center for the Arts, Westford MA, 10 Lincoln Street, Westford, MA, 01886, United States
Cabaret Seating. BYOB & Snacks. Doors open at 7:00 PM
$20 Members/ $22 non-members in advance ; $25 at the door (if available)

Rooted in rural New England since the age of ten, McCarthy grew up in towns where the economies teetered on marginal subsistence from logging and paper and woolen mills. It wasn’t until his sister made a visit home from college, bringing an armful of recordings by Dylan, Baez, and Eric Anderson, that things clicked musically for McCarthy: he traded his clarinet for a Western Auto guitar, purchasing the Black Diamond strings across the street at the barber shop. Through his music Cormac has succeeded in bringing lyrical magic to some of these rougher edges of life.
Cormac has performed nationally on many stages including three times at the Newport Folk Festival, twice on NPR’s Mountain Stage Live Radio Show, Boston’s WUMB Folk Radio 10th anniversary celebration, headlined at the Night of Humor and Songwriters and American Troubadours with Eric Andersen and Townes Van Zandt at Boston’s Somerville Theater, Ben & Jerry’s One World, One Heart Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and more.
Cabaret Seating. BYOB & Snacks.

North Reading Community Coffeehouse January, 2026 Showcase - Special Event
2026-01-17 18:30 - 21:30 | North Reading Community Coffeehouse, North Reading MA, 147 Park St, North Reading, MA, 01864, United States
The North Reading Community Coffeehouse is proud to present its January, 2026 Showcase. Unlike our usual Showcase events, we have only two performers – Ric Page and The Fretbenders (Dee and Bob Kordas) These are three exceptionally talented musicians and performers and they will each be doing extended sets of an hour, each. They will provide a nice variety of music which will make for a very entertaining show. .The event is free but donations will be gratefully accepted and we will be offering refreshments with all the proceeds going to the Friends of the Flint Memorial Library in North Reading with whom we will be doing these concerts in conjunction with, to help support the library.

The event will also be livestreamed on the North Reading Community Coffeehouse Facebook page and on the YouTube channel the following day!
We are located in the Activity Room of the Flint Memorial Library at 147 Park Street in North Reading. There is plenty of free parking. We start at 6:30. Please come, sit back, relax and listen to some terrific music! If you have any questions, please contact Art Grossman at NRCoffeehouse@gmail.com.

The Lion Sisters
2026-01-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Not Just Another Coffeehouse, Sharon MA, 4 North Main St., Sharon, MA, 02067, United States
The Lion Sisters grew up on a farm in rural New England surrounded by music. They began learning fiddle (Josi) and guitar (Lily) at an early age and soon began creating music together. Josi and Lily work together writing their songs, combining topics they care about as well as stories their imaginations create. Their music is a fresh and contemporary take on their Bluegrass, Country, Celtic and Folk roots, and the lyrics are both playful and meaningful.

Monica Rizzio - Jan. 17, 2026
2026-01-17 19:30 - 22:00 | Rose Garden Coffeehouse, Mansfield MA, 17 West St, Mansfield, MA, 02048, United States
A bonfire on a beach. A couple of days with the one you love. Simply doing…nothing. The little joys in life. Americana singer-songwriter Monica Rizzio’s new album, Sunshine Is Free, is all about the simple things that make it all worth it. The concept for Sunshine Is Free was born on the road, as Rizzio spent time under open skies while touring. Realizing she needed to step outside of a New England winter to write the follow-up to 2016’s Washashore Cowgirl, Rizzio spent the fall of 2018 traveling from her home in Cape Cod to Nashville for writing sessions. Over a week in April at Skinny Elephant Recording, she and producer Michael Rinne (Caroline Spence, Erin Rae & The Meanwhiles, Kelsey Waldon) as well as a stacked lineup of guest musicians including Mindy Smith, Maya de Vitry, Gwen Sebastian, Joe Pisapia, Will Kimbrough, and Eamon McLoughlin, Rizzio created a collection that focuses on finding joy in simpler things and looking for the silver lining of difficult situations.
Title track “Sunshine Is Free” is an upbeat number, expanded by an infectious bass line and a rollicking banjo. The Boot says the song is “a reminder of the beautiful, happiness-inducing parts of life, from the free to the pricey, the minuscule to the massive.” “Nothin’” romanticizes a perfect day without a to-do list, spent reading Hemingway and sipping on a glass of wine. Billboard noted the track’s “delicate acoustic guitar, steady percussion, soaring electric guitar parts and warm vocals.” The upbeat rocker “Story of My New Year” showcases Rizzio’s versatility as a singer and declares that as a new year rolls in, the future is boundless. Wide Open Country shined an early spotlight on “My Sweet Heart,” a love song advising a younger self whose heart is aching.
Rizzio collaborated with longtime friend Mindy Smith for the first time on “While With You,” with PopMatters noting that the “love song [sinks] into its soothing groove early, with beautiful mandolin-driven instrumentation filling the spaces between the layered serenity of Rizzio and Smith’s vocal performance.” Featuring a Jerry Garcia-esque electric guitar, “The Shire” perfectly captures the ethos of The Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, where it was written. Growing up in a small town in East Texas, Rizzio did what many people do in such settings: she learned to sing gospel hymns in church and received an education in classic country music, listening to Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, Connie Francis and Dolly Parton. “Don’t Keep Me Up Waiting” is a waltz inspired by years of endlessly spinning Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger album, premiered by The Bluegrass Situation. “Little Bit of Truth” centers around an eye-opening 30 days during Washashore Cowgirl’s album release tour, which found her reconciling evangelical childhood lessons with her current beliefs. On “Sunday” she examines the intricacies of a relationship gone wrong — the track focuses on her faith and how that’s changed since she was a child.
Throughout Sunshine Is Free, it’s clear Rizzio has a keen ability to connect; her songs are often autobiographical, yet delivered through a fictional approach that creates a universal experience for the listener — whether expressed using her trademark sense of humor or with such striking honesty that the pain in her voice is tangible.
“Left with no choice to go my own way, out here looking for a little bit of truth,” she sings, and you can bet she’ll be happy to share the lessons she’s learned soon.

North Reading Community Coffeehouse - Performing Artist Series Featuring "The Loose Change Trio"
2026-01-24 19:30 - 21:30 | North Reading Community Coffeehouse, North Reading MA, 147 Park St, North Reading, MA, 01864, United States
The North Reading Community Coffeehouse (NRCC) is proud to welcome again The Loose Change Trio” featuring Gary Dolinsky, Dominic Priolo and Larry Plitt.
While they are each outstanding musicians in their own right, they complement each other beautifully.
The Loose Change Trio performs songs that spans several generations creating a unique and pleasing mix of old and new!
Their songbook includes classic country, blues, Motown, pop music, folk, bluegrass, and even a few “standards”. They are three distinct voices accompanied on acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica and ukulele bass. Dominic Priolo, Larry Plitt and Gary Dolinsky are three seasoned performers who have played on stages large and small throughout the Northeast since the 1970’s.
A Loose Change performance is always fun!
The concert is free, but there will be a “Suggested Donation” of $10, if you are in a position to do so. The important thing is join us if you can and do what we can to help keep live music alive!
For more about The Loose Change Trio, you can go to their Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/loose.change.trio
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Friends of the Flint Memorial Library in North Reading with whom we will be doing these concerts in conjunction with, to help support the library. We are located in the Activity Room of the Flint Memorial Library at 147 Park Street in North Reading. There is plenty of free parking. Please come, sit back, relax and listen to some terrific music! This event is partially sponsored by the North Reading chapter of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. If you have any questions, please contact Art Grossman at NRCoffeehouse@gmail.com.“

Fiddler, singer and songwriter Kathleen Parks
2026-01-31 19:30 - 21:00 | New Revival Coffeehouse, Stow MA, 353 Great Rd, Stow, MA, 01775, United States
Kathleen Parks is a fiddler, singer, and songwriter who brings joyful and creative energy to the stage and studio.
Her writing leans toward Pop, Folk, and classic Jazz, while her virtuosic fiddle blends and reimagines traditional and modern musical styles with boundless groove, and a playful improvisational spirit.
Her deep grounding in Celtic and American roots music blends with her love for pop songwriting, funk rhythms, soulful vocals, and groove-based improvisation, making every performance unexpected yet familiar: a musical journey from beginning to end.
For Kathleen, music is not about perfection, but feeling. This is what has always driven her to write, sing, and play. Without feeling, why play music? Music is a means to express and release our emotions. Understand the feeling, move the energy, and bring joy and healing in. Connection to yourself is key to playing, to playing with others, and moving an audience. Kathleen strives to always bring this musical value to her teaching and performances alike.
Kathleen is also a founding member of Twisted Pine and the duo Kat and Brad.
“Goosebump-inducing vocal performances from Kathleen Parks…”– Glide Magazine –
See kathleenparksmusic.com for more info.
Tickets are $20 in advance at Eventbrite.com and $25 on the day of the concert. Doors open at 7:00 and the show begins at 7:30.
Click to buy tickets now.

John Henry’s Hammer Coffeehouse – Open Mic Friday 2/13/2026
2026-02-13 06:30 - 21:30 | John Henry’s Hammer Coffeehouse, Worcester MA, 90 Main St, Worcester, MA, 01608, United States
2nd and 4th Fridays (except when noted)
First Unitarian Church, 90 Main St, Worcester, MA
Doors open and performer sign-up at 6:30 p.m.
Performances begin @ 7 p.m.
10 minutes in the limelight- spoken word or music (two songs). Duos or groups are considered one act and CANNOT sign up as single performers too. $3 admission for everybody. Performer or spectator.
Refreshments & snacks (donation appreciated).
PLEASE enter State Street upper parking lot door. Handicap parking and accessibility at the side entrance on Court Street by the Courthouse apartments. If you do park on Court Street only park on the church side of the street or you could get towed. The parking meters on Main Street and State Street require money until 8:00 pm. The meter maids and dudes love to hand out tickets.

Vance Gilbert
2026-02-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Follen Folk Nights, Lexington MA, 755 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
“If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child, with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the results might be something close to the great Vance Gilbert”, says Richmond Magazine. One of the originators of the finally recognized R&B/Folk/Jazz crossover-sub-genre, Vance 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. Noted not only for being the ever consummate performer, Gilbert has recorded 13 albums, including 5 for Philo/Rounder Records.

North Reading Community Coffeehouse February, 2026 Showcase
2026-02-21 18:30 - 21:30 | North Reading Community Coffeehouse, North Reading MA, 147 Park St, North Reading, MA, 01864, United States
The North Reading Community Coffeehouse is proud to present its February, 2026 Showcase. The performers are Uri and Lance Bourque, Cynthia Keefe and Kevin Kelley and The Lion Sisters – Josi and Lily Lion. We have a group of very talented musicians this month with a nice variety of music which will make for a very entertaining show. Each performer will do about a 40 minute set.The event is free but donations will be gratefully accepted and we will be offering refreshments with all the proceeds going to the Friends of the Flint Memorial Library in North Reading with whom we will be doing these concerts in conjunction with, to help support the library.

The event will also be livestreamed on the North Reading Community Coffeehouse Facebook page and on the YouTube channel the following day!
The links to the Facebook page and YouTube Channel are:
https://www.facebook.com/nrcoffeehouse
https://www.youtube.com/@NRCoffeehouse
We are located in the Activity Room of the Flint Memorial Library at 147 Park Street in North Reading. There is plenty of free parking. We start at 6:30. Please come, sit back, relax and listen to some terrific music! If you have any questions, please contact Art Grossman at NRCoffeehouse@gmail.com.

Ellis Paul
2026-02-21 19:30 - 21:30 | New Song, Bedford MA, 10 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA, 01730, United States
Ellis Paul is a songwriter, author, illustrator, and teacher. A constant presence on the American folk circuit for over 30 years, he has released 22 albums of original music and performed more than 5,000 shows. His songs have been featured in blockbuster films and covered by Grammy Award–winning artists.
His stage performance is a combination of humor, improv, and poignant story songs. He has performed at the Newport Folk Festival, Carnegie Hall, and clubs and coffeehouses all over the world and was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Maine and inducted into the Maine Music Hall of Fame. He has received 15 Boston Music Awards and the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Award. His album The Storyteller’s Suitcase was named NERFA album of the year, and he was named IAMA International Acoustic Artist of the Year. His most recent album, 55, further deepens his reputation as one of folk music’s finest touring artists.
“Despite his success and sense of history, [Ellis Paul] remains an artist with his eye on the future and an interest in discovering the transformative potential of his music.” -The New York Times
“…one of the defining voices of American songwriting.” -Direct Curren

Charlotte Morris / James Lee Baker ~ A split bill - Feb. 21, 2026
2026-02-21 19:30 - 22:00 | Rose Garden Coffeehouse, Mansfield MA, 17 West St, Mansfield, MA, 02048, United States
James Lee Baker
Winner 2024 Rose Garden Performing Songwriter Competition
Birthed from the dusty high plains of the bible belt, wordsmith James Lee Baker sources the essence of his craft from a small-town past and a journey of self-discovery as the way out. Laced with mysticism, his emotive and thought-provoking songs speak to the shared, tender heart of our human condition.
​In 2020, he released 100 Summers – a full-length LP of songs centered around a theme of change. The title track reached #1 on the FAI Folk charts that month, garnering nearly half a million streams across platforms. Two of the songs on the project –Returning to Paris and The Last Cowboy in Hutchinson County – were selected as finalists for several nationally-known songwriting contests.
In 2022, he released a cover project called “Impressions”, recorded by Chris Bell (U2, The Eagles) and produced by Roscoe Beck (Eric Johnson, Leonard Cohen), which was released in 2022. The single “Did Galileo Pray?”, a cover of Ellis Paul, charted #10. John Apice from Americana Highways said “Baker’s cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Just Like a Woman’ is one of the finest I ever heard. He captures the lyric, understands it and possesses it as a first-class interpreter.”
Charlotte Morris
Winner 2025 Rose Garden Performing Songwriter Competition
Growing up near Philadelphia, Charlotte Morris found her passion for music early, learning multiple instruments and writing songs by age twelve. Influenced by folk classics and female storytellers like Joni Mitchell and Brandi Carlile, she developed a genuine, raw, and emotional style.
After touring with “Lonesome Traveler” in 2018, performing alongside folk legends, Charlotte released her debut EP “To New York, with Love,” followed by the “Sputnik” EP and a national acoustic tour. Her first full-length album, “Songs For My Next Ex” (2020), received critical acclaim, prompting her move to Nashville in 2021.
There, she participated in The Johnny Mercer Foundation’s Songwriters Project, mentored by industry greats. In 2022, Charlotte partnered with Charlotte Avenue Entertainment, releasing impactful singles like “Good Kind of Hurt” and “Tennessee.” Her second studio album, “Wild Child” (2023), gained international recognition. After a 30-city international tour in 2024, Charlotte returned to Philadelphia, with new music and tours on the horizon. She holds a degree in Theatre from Northwestern University.

John Henry’s Hammer Coffeehouse – Open Mic Friday 2/27/2026
2026-02-27 18:30 - 21:30 | John Henry’s Hammer Coffeehouse, Worcester MA, 90 Main St, Worcester, MA, 01608, United States
