Cafe Carpe

KAREN JOHNSON started performing at the Cafe' Carpe in 1998. After retiring early from teaching 4th grade, she treasures spending time with her golf-crazed husband, visiting with her two grown boys and wonderful new daughter-in law, taking care of her two cats, gardening, feeding her fine-feathered friends, and finding every excuse possible to get outside […]

Following the Southern Wisconsin Dulcimer Festival, headliners RICK THUM (hammered dulcimer), ERIN MAE (mountain dulcimer), and WENDY SONGE (multi-instrumentalist) will be throwing a Dulcimer Extravaganza concert here at Cafe Carpe. Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats. (You are welcome to show up at the door, but are not guaranteed a seat that way.) Learn more […]

THE fellows had car trouble, and can't make it to Wisconsin We hope they are traveling this way again sometime and can reschedule.  JACKSON GRIMM marries folk pop melodies with the lonesome sound of traditional Appalachian music. In a region with a strong music culture, it is no surprise that Grimm's songwriting is representative of his […]

Celebrate 40 years of Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Simply Folk” with two 2019 Grammy Nominees live in concert on Friday, June 7 at Shannon Hall in Madison. Dom Flemons, co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, headlines with Mary Gauthier, an award-winning singer-songwriter whose work has been covered by Blake Shelton, Bettye LeVette, Jimmy Buffet and others. […]

Unadulterated BILL CAMPLIN, wailing away on voice and guitar, all by his lonesome. Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

This five piece bluegrass ball of fire featuring vocals, banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass and mandolin appears here regularly on the 2nd Thursday of the month- except when they don’t. Its various members have been involved with traditional music locally, regionally, and nationally for many years. The Pioneer’s lead singer and guitarist, Jerry Wicentowski, has been described by […]

MARE EDSTROM and KENN FOX  have been playing, teaching and researching the blues together for over 14 years; and Kenn has spent his entire life archiving 20th century music, especially its foundation in the blues. They have released six critically acclaimed blues albums on the Wisconsin-based Spiritone label. Mare has been the subject of many feature articles […]

Bringing you vintage swing & country blues- Tom Waselchuk will be familiar to southern Wisconsin audiences from his work with his Americana band The Dang-Its (1998 to present) and Gypsy swing ensemble Harmonious Wail (2001-2011), with whom he toured the U.S. and abroad. He keeps up a busy schedule of solo and small ensemble performances including his newest […]

Round robin song circle led by TRICIA ALEXANDER– (performer, poet, healer, “with a voice, music and lyrics that resonate the heart”) done informally, not from the stage, no microphones. This is a lovely gathering of singers, songwriters, musicians and music appreciators, poets, and storytellers held regularly on the last Thursday of each month (except sometimes). Traditional Round Robin […]

DOUG COLLINS "A highly accessible, charming and dare I say wholesome collection of jangly, semi rootsy guitar pop with echoes of classy/classic songmen such as Roy Orbison and Nick Lowe"-  Chris Riemenschneider (Minneapolis) Star Tribune Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve.

MAX HATT/ EDDA GLASS have "an incomparable spook” (Nashville Scene) and a "unique sound" (Larry Groce, NPR) that's taken them across the county from NPR Mountain Stage to NYC's Lincoln Center, DC's Kennedy Center, and the Sundance Film Festival. Praised for her "impeccable vocal command" (PopMatters) and compared to a gamut of singers from Astrud Gilberto to Billie Holliday, Glass's […]

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