LILLY HIATT
2026-03-27 20:30 (America/Chicago)
The last few years have been a little hazy for LILLY HIATT, who finds herself searching for answers on her striking new album, Forever. Recorded at home with her husband, Coley Hinson who produced and played most of the instruments, Forever grapples with growth and change, escape and anxiety, self-loathing and self-love. The songs are intensely vulnerable, full of diaristic snapshots and deeply personal ruminations, but they’re also broad invitations to find yourself in their unflinching emotional excavations. The result is a raw, unvarnished work of love and trust that walks the line between alt-rock muscle and singer/songwriter sensitivity, a bold, guitar-driven exploration of maturity and adulthood from an artist who wants you to know you’re not alone, no matter how lost you may feel.
Lilly will appear here solo.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in Tennessee, Hiatt first earned buzz with a pair of early solo records before breaking out with 2017’s Trinity Lane, which helped earn dates with the likes of John Prine, Margo Price, Drive-By Truckers, and Hiss Golden Messenger in addition to festival slots from Pilgrimage to Luck Reunion. NPR called the album “courageous and affecting,” while Rolling Stone hailed it as “the most cohesive and declarative statement of the young songwriter’s career.” Hiatt returned in 2020 with the similarly well-received Walking Proof, and in 2021 with Lately, which The Boston Herald said showcased her “knack for plainspoken, poetic lyrics” and Uncut proclaimed “captivating.”

AMY SPEACE/ JOHN SMITH
2026-03-28 20:00
Two gifted songwriters Amy and John will share the evening. Ticket link follows bios.
AMY SPEACE
Heralded by Rolling Stone, Billboard Magazine and The New York Times and featured on NPR’s “All Things Considered”, Amy was discovered by Judy Collins, who signed her to her record label and has recorded her songs. She’s the 2020 winner of the AMA UK’s International Song of the Year. Her newest record, “The American Dream,” was released October 18th and became the #1 record and the title track was named #1 song in the FAI Radio Charts for its first month out. Her song, “The Weight of the World” was named the #4 record of last decade by WFUV, NYC. As well, her song, “The Sea and the Shore” was named as one of the 100 best folk songs of the era.
She will be releasing a single of Woody Guthrie’s “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos” this summer accompanied by a video, to help raise awareness for the ACLU. A writer’s writer, her forthcoming debut collection of poetry will be published by Red Hen Press in Spring 2027. She holds an MFA in poetry from Spalding University and is a professor of creative writing at Cumberland University. This summer, she published, “To The Performer: A Singer-Songwriter’s Handbook” based on her 20 years of teaching performance.
“Amy Speace is a wonderful artist, a writer of songs, a performer who has beauty and transformation in her music and her writing. Amy Speace was one of the first people that I chose to sign to my label, Wildflower Records, and her songs have transformed my audiences as well as transformed my life.”— Judy Collins
“Amy Speace is on a roll. Each new release has brought an expansion of her voice and her art, and she has reached the level of absolute mastery. Folk music doesn’t get any better than this.”— Mary Gauthier
JOHNSMITH has been sharing his music all across America and abroad. He has become a favorite at festivals, clubs, and house concerts alike. In addition to being a Kerrville New Folk Winner, Johnsmith has released nine solo CDs to rave reviews, leads musical tours to Ireland, leads Idaho rafting trips, teaches songwriting, and has served as a staff songwriter in Nashville.

JASON DEA WEST & NORA JEAN
2026-04-03 20:30
JASON DEA WEST & NORA JEAN are brother & sister folk duo with roots in Northwest Wisconsin. Ticket link follows bio.Nora and Jason have been writing, recording and performing folk music around the country for some decades. In their early years they traveled the country by freight train, hitchhiking and questionable old vehicles, cutting their teeth as young buskers on the streets of New Orleans, Nashville, Austin, Chicago and San Fransisco.The two of them have toured extensively with different bands throughout the lower 48 States and Alaska, appearing in barn dances and taverns, theaters and music festivals, the circus and vaudeville circuits and on radio and in film, forging and delivering their own unique blend of American folk and western music. They are self-built, independent artists who have gained the attention of many passionate fans all over the world.
West’s poignant songwriting breathes new life into vintage sounds of country, folk and blues. From fierce guitar and harmonica instrumentals to humorous and heartfelt song and story, Jason and Nora never stray far away from their traditional untraditional anarchic punk-folk roots.They have shared the stage with various other artists including Matt Heckler, The Resonant Rogues and Larry And His Flask.

In recent years Jason has worked as direct support for Sierra Ferrel, Lostdog Street Band & The Bridge City Sinners.

SHAUNCEY ALI QUARTET
2026-04-04 20:30
SHAUNCEY ALI is a fiddler, composer and educator who has won the coveted RockyGrass fiddle competition, performed with multi-Grammy Award winner Peter Gabriel, composed and recorded theme music for an Ambie-nominated podcast, and pioneered MadFiddle – a reimagined model for youth music education – work that has taken him across the U.S., Canada, Italy, Spain and Scotland.
​At the intersection of tradition and innovation, the SHAUNCEY ALI QUARTET captivates audiences with evocative melodies and daring arrangements that feel timeless, adventurous and refreshingly new. The ensemble artfully blends Americana, Celtic and Scandinavian fiddle styles with sensibilities influenced by pop, rock, classical music and a love for improvisation. ​​(Videos available on the website.)
​Together, the Shauncey Ali Quartet delivers a chamber-style interplay that is virtuosic yet accessible, rooted in tradition yet unbound by convention.

Hans Holzen grew up playing fiddle and guitar in Nashville where he was heavily influenced by traditional music and in close contact with some of Music City’s finest musicians. After studying jazz performance, Hans toured with Americana and folk acts including Carrie Rodriguez and Chip Taylor (Wild Thing, Angel of the Morning) and violinist/composer Mark O’Connor.
Nicholas Vanhaute is a multi-instrumentalist who picked up the guitar at the age of ten and never looked back. Originally from Arkansas, Nicholas fell in love with the raw authenticity of acoustic music in college and has become a fixture of the Madison bluegrass scene.
David Havas was a bassist before becoming a professor of psychology. His musical travels have taken him from the altitudes of the Colorado Rockies to the valleys of the Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains. Having toured with legendary Tennessee old-time string band, the Reeltime Travelers, he now brings a seasoned soulfulness, sensitivity and insight to his bass playing.

NEW ALBUM
Big news – I’m excited to announce that a full-length album of original material is now available for pre-order! Every pre-order helps make this project possible, and the rewards are a small way to say thank you for supporting independent music! I’m so excited to share this music with you. ​

MUSTARD'S RETREAT
2026-04-10 20:00
MUSTARD’S RETREAT has always sung the songs they enjoyed and cared about, regardless of the trends of the music industry and pop culture. They are committed to simply being themselves, not chasing fame or brass rings, while delighting in and connecting with their audiences as if they were family. The honesty of what they present onstage and the extensive body of outstanding original songs and recordings all contribute to a fiercely loyal audience that continues to grow. “Music to cure what ails you” was how one reviewer in the 1970s described them, and that is as true now as it was then. More bio below ticket link.

They’ve traveled more than a million miles and performed more than 6,000 shows, from pig roasts and pool parties to Lincoln Center Out of Doors, The Barns at Wolftrap and the Kennedy’s Center’s Millennium Stage.
Their performances are always joyful and uplifting, as well as intelligent, thought provoking and insightful. They’ve recently begun referring to their career and touring as “Defiantly Hopeful.” In part due to their long career, but more as a statement about what the music has meant to them. “Folk music is, at its heart, defiantly hopeful!” Tamulevich says. “We came of age in the 60s, at the confluence of Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan and the singer/songwriter revolution. We care much more about what we do and stand for and finding that common ground with our audiences, than fame or money: this is our community of choice, and we consider ourselves so fortunate to be here.”
Mustard’s Retreat is now a duo with David Tamulevich and Libby Glover.
“Mustard’s Retreat played to an enthusiastic crowd at the Indy Folk Series. David Tamulevich and Libby Glover charmed everyone with their songs and stories. Fine guitar picking, coupled with beautiful harmonies, carried the evening. Libby shined with her a capella songs and unique poems, she commands the stage. We had great comments about them from the audience, a tribute to their talent.”

LUKE HENDRICKSON
2026-04-11 20:00
In 2017, after years of playing in bands on weekends, LUKE HENDRICKSON began nurturing a career as a full-time gigging musician and songwriter. In the time since, he has performed in more than 40 states, Canada, England, and Wales….releasing 2 full-length albums, gathering nominations from the Midwest Country Music Association, for awards such as “Album of the Year” and “Songwriter of the Year”. Having emerged from the farmlands of rural Southern Minnesota, Luke is occasionally joined by his band “The Crop Circles”. Cosmic. Cornfed.”

JAMES LEE STANLEY
2026-04-12 19:00
We will open at 5:30 for this show.
Bio follows ticket link:

JAMES LEE STANLEY is an American singer, songwriter, musician, composer, and producer whose six-decade career spans numerous artistic mediums. He is the true renaissance man, born in Philadelphia, PA, and has been recording and performing since the age of fourteen, with 34 album releases and television and film credits to his name.
Bass player Mike Landauer will accompany him on this tour.
He has toured consistently since he returned from the USAF (as a Chinese linguist) and has performed up to three hundred dates a year since then, with such diverse acts as BONNIE RAITT, ROBIN WILLIAMS, NICOLETTE LARSON and even STEPHEN STILLS. STEVEN WRIGHT chose James Lee as his opening act for three years in a row; a testament to his professionalism and talent.
“So where have they been hiding James Lee Stanley? We could say that James Lee Stanley is probably the last great undiscovered singer-songwriter in America. But true as that may be let’s say something else, let’s say that a diamond has been smuggled into the wasteland … and here is where the wasteland ends” – Tom Robbins, Author of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
“It is simple, really. With James Lee you get great songs, great guitar playing, great voice and a gifted comedian as well. You are in for a very entertaining evening.” Village Voice

HIROYA TSUKAMOTO
2026-04-17 20:00
HIROYA TSUKAMOTO is an innovative guitarist, composer, and singer-songwriter from Kyoto, Japan who fuses together folk, jazz, and world music. He’s not only a dizzyingly agile fingerpicker, but a soulful and transcendent performer, with compositions that combine instrumental guitar work with lyrical performance and spoken stories from his life.
In 2000, Hiroya received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and came to the United States. He formed his own group in Boston “INTEROCEANICO (inter-oceanic)” which consists of unique musicians from different continents including Latin Grammy Colombian singer Marta Gomez. The group released three acclaimed records (“The Other Side of the World”, “Confluencia” and “Where the River Shines”). Hiroya has released five solo albums.
Hiroya is a two time 2nd place winner of International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship in 2018 and 2022.
“…chops, passion and warmth. Zealously recommended!” –Jazz Review.com
“Hiroya Tsukamoto may play the guitar with the skill of a virtuoso, and he may write compelling music that draws from many different cultures and genres, but if I had to choose one word to describe him it would be orchestrator. ” – Acoustic Guitar Magazine

BILL CAMPLIN (not lonesome) and MICHAEL HECHT
2026-04-18 19:30
Literary artist MICHAEL HECHT will read excerpts from speeches or literature, and BILL CAMPLIN will sing a song between each excerpt.
Bill & Michael have done this collaboration many times with different readings, and really enjoy the concept, as have those in attendance.
Readings from August Derleth, John Steinbeck, and others

WHAT'S HIS NAME & the OLDER GUY
2026-04-24 20:15
If y’all manage to arrive in a timely fashion so that we can get you fed before 8, show will start at 8. Please buy tickets at least a day in advance so we can plan for the evening.
WHAT’S HIS NAME & THE OTHER GUY are Brian (Looper) Lucas & Greg (Loopier) Valde . These two have been playing together around these parts for over 25 years – under an array of monikers. You may have known them as “Lost Souls” “Devil in the Outhouse,” or “Syd Hartha & the Monkeyminds.” Folks often ask if they are twins, but they’re not. Fun fact: same sperm, different mothers. As for music, expect some stirring and rousing americana, blues, country, and humor.
“Sure it’s juvenile and irreverent, but if you drink enough it’s not that bad.”

MARK HEMBREE BAND
2026-04-25 20:00
MARK HEMBREE BAND

Mark Hembree -bass, Michael Falk -banjo, Starr Moss -guitar, Paul Kienitz -fiddle, Nicholas Vanhaute -mandolin

It’s straight-ahead, traditional bluegrass: hot picking, solid rhythm, tight harmonies, good humor, and a wealth of great stories make for an enjoyable show anytime you see the Mark Hembree Band.

About That Hembree
Mark Hembree started his music career in Wisconsin in the 1970s, and before long he was hosting a live radio show from the Glenmore Opera House near Green Bay. After a couple of years in Denver with the Monroe Doctrine, he returned to Wisconsin briefly before an audition at a local festival netted a job with Country Music Hall of Fame legend Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music. He became a Blue Grass Boy in 1979 and worked with Monroe for five years, then was one of the founding members of the Nashville Bluegrass Band. While in Nashville he recorded with several well-known artists, including the all-star band Dreadful Snakes (with Jerry Douglas, Béla Fleck, Roland White, Blaine Sprouse, and Pat Enright) and Peter Rowan (on the Grammy-nominated album “New Moon Rising”). He returned to Wisconsin in 1989, played with local bluegrass groups the Rounders and Nob Hill Boys, and Western swing bands the Western Box Turtles (including Asleep at the Wheel steel guitarist Eddie Rivers) and his own group, the Best Westerns.

Additionally, Hembree has appeared as a guest lecturer and instructor at various music workshops, seminars, and film presentations, as well as in Bill Monroe tribute shows on “A Prairie Home Companion” and at North Carolina’s MerleFest (performing with Del McCoury, Roland White, Blake Williams, Peter Rowan, and Bobby Hicks). He also appears in the feature-length documentary film “Powerful: Bill Monroe Remembered,” directed by Joe Gray and produced by the International Bluegrass Music Museum.

The Band
As experienced journeymen of the WI bluegrass scene, Michael Falk, Starr Moss, ‘Nick’ Vanhaute, Paul Kienitz (Bigtooth, Squirrel Gravy, Shauncey Ali Quartet, New Pioneers, Nob Hill Boys, etc.)…you can count on solid back-up, a unique blend of driving classics, original songs and masterly instrumentals that support the bands sound.

ROUND ROBIN w/ TRICIA ALEXANDER
2026-04-29 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-05-27 18:30 - 20:30
Round robin 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 somewhat regularly on the last Wednesday of each month.
Traditional Round Robin protocol applies – everyone is part of the circle and has an opportunity to: play, pass or request a song from someone in particular or from anyone in the circle.
Everyone is welcome to attend. $5 cover for musicians and audience. Come early and have a bite to eat- therein lies our sustenance.

CASH BOX KINGS w/ Queen Lee Kanehira SOLD OUT
2026-05-01 20:15
For a moment, this was scheduled for Saturday May 2. Now it is scheduled for Friday May 1.
Alligator Recording artists the CASH BOX KINGS are bona fide blues royalty. Co-led by real-deal Chicago blues vocalist and songwriter OSCAR WILSON and songwriter, harmonica giant and singer JOE NOSEK, the band plays masterfully raw and unvarnished houserocking blues. Wilson’s huge, gritty vocals and Nosek’s powerhouse harmonica fuel their razor-sharp original songs. BILLY FLYNN is on guitar.
The Kings will be joined by QUEEN LEE KANEHIRA, recognized as one of the premier blues and boogie woogie piano players in the world today. She was the winner of the inaugural 2019 Chicago International Blues Piano Competition. She regularly tours throughout Europe, Asia, and North America as a solo artist (and as a member of the Cash Box Kings). She was a featured artist for the Otis Span Tribute concert at the 2024 Chicago Blues Festival.

Mixing tough Chicago and Delta blues, jumping proto-rock ‘n’ roll, and steamrolling “bluesabilly” (their original mix of Chicago blues and Memphis rockabilly), they attack every song they play with contemporary authority and old school authenticity. With their top shelf musicianship and trademark good humor, the Cash Box Kings are a one-of-a-kind blues band. In the words of MOJO magazine, the band is “flawless.”

SUNNY GABLE/ Carl Koeppel
2026-05-02 20:00
SUNNY GABLE is a talented musician, award winning songwriter, and the charismatic front woman for the band Mean Irene. She was born and raised in Illinois and Colorado, where she developed a love for music at a young age. Sunny’s passion for singing and songwriting led her to pursue a career in music, and she has been performing for audiences across the country for many years.
Currently residing in Mancos, Colorado Sunny continues to create and perform music with her band Mean Irene, blending rock, country, and blues to create a unique sound that is all their own. Her powerful vocals and commanding stage presence have won over fans and critics alike, and she has become known for her electrifying live performances.
“The music of Sunny Gable — created in the foothills of the San Juan Mountains, in southwest Colorado — is not only good, it’s contagious!” “a delicious blend of soulful folk, a pinch of Bluegrass and a gallon of heartfelt lyrics.” DC Duncan
Local hero Carl Koeppel will open, doing some originals, plus other songs from his large multi-genre repertoire. The tuba will not be featured for this show.

GARNET ROGERS SOLD OUT
2026-05-04 19:00
We will open at 5:00.
GARNET ROGERS
Rumored to be his last tour to the States. Glad and grateful that he has added this show to his tour to honor our long history.
IMPORTANT NOTE regarding FOOD: This show being on a Monday, when we are not usually open, we are offering a limited menu of just 2-3 items, and we will be sending an e-mail a week before the show to ask you to choose between them so we can prepare properly and serve quickly.

MARK ERELLI
2026-05-07 20:00
MARK ERELLI is a critically acclaimed American singer-songwriter, producer, and guitarist known for his distinctive blend of rock, folk, and Americana. His music is known for its lyrical depth and intricate instrumentation, drawing influence from classic rock icons. Mark has collaborated with artists including Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, and Anaïs Mitchell; opened for the likes of Marc Cohn, Watchhouse, Josh Ritter, and many others; released fourteen solo albums and three albums with his bluegrass band Barnstar!; and produced two records for GRAMMY-winning artist Lori McKenna.

VANCE GILBERT
2026-05-08 20:30
VANCE GILBERT
He’s back! You can’t keep a good man down.
“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.
Vance’s new album, “The Mother Of Trouble”, features Grammy winner Lori McKenna on background vocals, Juno award recipient and Bonnie Raitt Grammy hit song co-writer Joey Landreth on guitars, and Americana-Roots master mandolinist Joe K. Walsh. With 4 bullies, 4 deaths (3 of them murders), 3 moms, 2 accidents, 2 Black people, 2 dogs, 1 dog ball, 1 gay kid, and 1 missed flight thanks to gas station sushi, this album benefits from the gifts of time and experience honing songwriting skills that put this most vital of acoustic storytellers at the top of the game.
Oh, and Management wants to make sure to tell you that this is the 14th release for this acoustic stalwart.

30 years into his career, the songwriter’s influence can be felt all over the contemporary Folk and Americana realm as he has helped pave the way for many of the BIPOC artists who have followed.
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. Word spread like wildfire about Gilbert’s stage-owning singing and playing, and Shawn Colvin invited him to be special guest on her 1992 Fat City tour where he took much of America by storm and by surprise. “With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god..” wrote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Noted not only for being the ever consummate performer, Gilbert has recorded 13 albums, including 5 for Philo/Rounder Records. Along with being opener of choice for artists as varied as Arlo Guthrie, Anita Baker, The Milk Carton Kids, and Southside Johnny, the mid 2000’s found Gilbert opening 150+ shows for comedian George Carlin.
Gilbert has also been a prominent presence at some of the world’s most prestigious gatherings and halls, among them the Newport, Winnipeg, Rocky Mountain, Calgary, Ottawa, and Falcon Ridge Folk festivals, the Kate Wolf Music Festival, and Australia’s Woodford Folk and Mullum Music Festivals, Mountain Stage, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Nashville’s Lyman Auditorium, The Barns at Wolftrap, and a private party for his veterinarian where there was terrific lo-mein.
Most recently he’s been the opener of choice for Mad About You/Stranger Things star Paul Reiser’s stand-up shows (50 +) for the last 7 years, along with his own busy acoustic music touring and coaching schedule. That current schedule includes Vance’sMondayNightAcousticPajamaParty on YouTube. Having started the first week of the pandemic in 2020, Vance has played a live, themed, weekly 90 minute mixed bag of originals and cover tunes to a rotating following of about 200 folks. 10 to 20% of his weekly tip jar is donated to a local 501(c)3 of his choice. At the time of this writing, having done 155 of these shows has become newsworthy in itself.
Gilbert has been a songwriting, performance, and voice coach all around the world, kinda, from Australia to Winnipeg, at all the festivals above plus The Kerrville and Rocky Mountain Song Schools, he is currently on staff as Instructor/Professor at the University Of Colorado Denver and has a decade worth of summer programs at the Berklee College Of Music under his belt. What? Private coaching? Yes, 6-10 students weekly too.
Considered by many to be an integral part of the national folk scene, his previous record “Good Good Man” features an eclectic roster of musical types including rocker Mike Posner, world renowned Celtic harpist Aine Minough, bluesman Chris Smither, and Al Green’s organist Stacey Wade.
Gilbert runs 3 to 4 miles ever so slowly 5 days a week to stay sharp for the road and does historical aviation research and model building just for great nerdy fun.
He even has a tune on a Grammy Nominated children’s album. How rounded is that?

Write on the River OPEN MIC
2026-05-09 18:30
This is a city-wide arts event.
Our portion of it is a poetry open stage from 6:30 to 7:30, and a music open stage at 7:30.
● WRITE ON THE RIVER will continue all day along the River Walk in Fort Atkinson. Stroll to destinations of your choice.
● 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. FARMERS MARKET Local authors will be present with their books.
● 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. CHALK THE WALK, Kids and Adults will create colorful sidewalk squares, some filled with poetry on 100 block of South Main Street and the Main Street Bridge. Chalk will be provided.
● 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. PLEIN AIR PAINTERS (Outside) Painters will be on the Main Street Bridge and along the River Walk.
● 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Visit the Hoard Historical Museum for local history exhibits including the Lorine Niedecker room and mural of Blackhawk Island. They will acknowledge poet Lorine Niedecker’s birthday and provide a give-away.
● 12:00 noon – 1:00 Screening of the 50 minute film “Welcome Poets” at the Dwight Foster Public Library. This beautiful story highlights poets Lorine Niedecker and Fort Atkinson resident Nick Gulig.
● 2:00 – 3:30 WRITE IN, along the river at the Fort Atkinson Club Community Center. Vicky Daniels will
facilitate an opportunity to observe the environs and your connection to it. All are welcome. Bring your favorite pen and paper. In case of inclement weather, we will move inside.
● 5:00 p.m. – Writers may gather at the Café Carpe to discuss observations from the day. Carpe will be open for dinner.
● 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. POETRY OPEN MIC at Cafe Carpe – Bring what you wrote during the day or bring a favorite piece to share with the audience. A sign-up sheet will be available at 5:00 p.m. at the Cafe Carpe. Sharon Daley will moderate.
● 7:30 MUSIC OPEN MIC

ORDINARY ELEPHANT- SOLD OUT
2026-05-14 20:00
Mesmerizing folk duo ORDINARY ELEPHANT has spent the better part of the last decade on a never-ending tour that’s earned married couple Crystal and Pete Damore widespread critical acclaim and made fans of luminaries like Tom Paxton and Mary Gauthier. In 2017, the pair took home the International Folk Music Award for Artist of the Year on the strength of their breakout album, Before I Go, and two years later, they returned with the similarly lauded Honest, which the Associated Press hailed as “one of the best Americana albums of the year.”
The band’s new stripped-down, self-titled collection is the purest distillation of their sound yet, showcasing the arresting power of the couple’s gorgeous harmonies and intricate fretwork. The songs are timeless, rooted in rich, character-driven storytelling, and the performances are similarly transportive, fueled by delicately intertwined banjo, guitar, and octave mandolin. Though the songs were born out of a period of deep uncertainty, the record itself is a work of profound self-assurance, one delivered by a duo whose personal and professional lives embody the limitless possibility of honest, organic collaboration. Press play on Ordinary Elephant and you’ll hear more than just a husband and wife; you’ll hear the sound of sincerity and commitment, of patience and gratitude, of learning to let go of expectation and revel in the simple beauty of the moment.

Nominated for 2024 IFMA Album of the Year by Folk Alliance International
“…earthy economy of the songwriting, where songs are plucked and crafted with care. It results in something ornate, carefully curated, a neatly woven tapestry, time and experience in every stitch.”
— Tom Harding, Americana UK
“I’m a big fan of Ordinary Elephant—their intimate songs, the weaving harmonies, and the stories that draw you in as if you were gathered around an enchanted campfire.”- Eliza Gilkyson
“It is pure. It’s masterful. It is brilliant in the simplicity of two voices and two instruments spinning together, intertwining in utter beauty and perfection, even in its imperfections.”- Red Line Roots
“Ordinary Elephant showcase folk music at its best. Commentary of social issues, a focus on the importance of family and seeking out the highest human aspirations, delivered with tender care and precision – never over-playing or needing to throw in tricks.”- Listening Through The Lens

CAROL MONTAG
2026-05-15 20:00
“CAROL MONTAG is a genuine discovery and the best to come out of Iowa since Bonnie Koloc.” Upon receiving the album Marigolds he described the recording as “…excellent in songwriting style, performance, and production.”– Tom Paxton, folk music legend
“Upon hearing her music I was stunned and couldn’t wait to write about her. Once I even rented a bus and took a bunch of Register reporters and editors on a trip across Iowa to hear Carol sing at Stone City. Carol has a true gift and is a true Iowa treasure. Her music is powerful, beautiful, harmonic, soulful, and real... I’d match her voice and ability to engage an audience with any female vocalist anywhere.” – Julie Gammack, former Des Moines Register reporter
“Carol has a touch of homespun about her, but she takes the stage like a pro.” – Chuck Mitchell, songwriter and actor

SATCHEL PAIGE w/ Ruthie McQuinn & Nick Lang
2026-05-16 20:30
SATCHEL PAIGE has been playing here for 41 years.
Catalyzed into songwriting by Kurt Cobain’s spirit after a decade within the walls of this folk haven, Satchel’s influences are many and eclectic. It could be said he bends or blends genres, but that’s just happenstance. He simply goes wherever his feelings take him, and learns how to express them as he goes. Thankfully, he has some friends who can pick up what he’s putting down. Though a blessing and a curse in equal measure, Satchel has lived among performing songwriters for over forty years, and if you enjoy the music of those who pass through here, you’re likely to enjoy his tunes, too.
RUTHIE MCQUINN (of the Krause Famiy Band, the Ramblin’ Kind, Slipjig, the Pretenders, etc.) on vocals and violin & NICK LANG (of Long Mama and multiple other Milwaukee area bands) on drums will be picking up what he’s putting down. I hope they recycle it instead of putting it into the trash.

MARQUES MOREL/ SIMON CROPP
2026-05-21 19:30
Ticket link follows bios
Simon will do a solo set, and then accompany Marques on his set.
SIMON CROPP is a flatpick guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and country and bluegrass songwriter. His performance is equal parts dive bar bravado and fireside introspection.
Simon’s songwriting style is plainspoken storytelling, channeling classic country themes of love, heartbreak, and the landscapes he travels through. Both as a solo act and with his band Slapdash Bluegrass, Simon has shared stage with songwriting inspirations in The Last Revel, Possessed by Paul James, Margo Cilker, Clay Street Unit, and Joseph Huber.
Simon logs thousands of miles as a touring multi-instrumentalist, equally comfortable on pedal steel guitar, electric guitar, and bass. With a dreadnought guitar in hand, Simon’s flatpicking style blends country-inspired crosspicking with melodic sensibility to produce a sound that is as comfortable on a front porch as it is on a festival stage.
MARQUES MOREL is a Midwestern folksinger and storyteller, guitar-thumper/harmonica wailer, street-performer/wandering troubadour, steadfast woodcutter/migrant worker and a friend to all.
In response to his latest record, NO DEPRESSION stated- “There’s no filler here. Every song on ‘Tales and Tellings’ is packed with plenty of ear candy, revealing Morel’s wry wit that never turns smarmy. It’s delivered from the heart, dusty and roadworn, but undaunted.
Originally from the Illinois corn country, he has performed just about anywhere that anybody would listen: big city street corners around the world, county fairs, folk festivals, hole in the wall taverns/divebars/honky tonks, cabin porches, backyard barbeques, listening rooms, theatres large and small, and beside many campfires and woodstoves amongst the ghosts of his songwriter heroes.
Marques has had the honor of sharing stages with some of the great songsters of our time- Charlie Parr, Arlo McKinley, Joe Pug, Willy Tea Taylor, Riley Downing, Billy Don Burns, Pokey LaFarge, and Chicago Farmer to name a few of his favorites.

THE TURKEY BUZZARDS
2026-05-22 20:15
Dylan Nicholson (Greensboro, NC) and Eric Patterson (Lodi, CA) formed the THE TURKEY BUZZARDS in Morro Bay, CA and have shared stages with John R. Miller, Robert Earl Keen, Jeffrey Martin, The Deslondes, Dawes, White Buffalo, Brothers Comatose, and frequently join Willy Tea Taylor as members of The Fellership.
“Much like the duo themselves, the songs range near and far, from the sticky humidity of the Carolinas to the arid and dusty cellars of the West, telling stories of simplistic beauty that unravel through gritty vocals and thoughtful harmonies. The bare authenticity of each song sweeps up the listener for a ride that might wander but will certainly not end in the same place where it began.”

LONESOME BILL CAMPLIN
2026-05-23 20:00
Our very own-er, Mr. Lonesome, goes it alone. Finally found a place to sing.

SARAH MORRIS/ NIKKI LEMIRE cancelled
2026-05-29 20:15 - 20:30
Regretfully, the show has been cancelled due to illness of one party and low advance ticket sales.

UPDATE: Kelley Smith had to cancel. NIKKI LEMIRE will be here with Sarah.
A special evening shared by 2 Minnesota songwriters: ticket link follows bios.
SARAH MORRIS ‘s endearingly honest, expertly penned songs encourage audiences to pull away from the big picture and get caught up in the magic of our everyday minutia, the rainy day ache in her sunlit voice granting us permission to escape into stories at once hauntingly familiar and uniquely her own.
In 2016, Sarah was a top four finalist in the NewSong Music Contest at Lincoln Center in New York City, 2nd place winner of the Chris Austin Songwriting Competition at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC, and an Americana semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. In 2018, she went on to win the Kerrville New Folk Competition, collecting an honorable mention at the Telluride Troubadour contest along the way. More recently, Sarah was named Midwest Country Music Organization’s Songwriter of the Year for the third time.
In 2023, Sarah released her 5th album of originals, ‘Here’s To You’, which was recently awarded ‘Album of the Year’ by the Midwest Country Music Organization.
Produced by Dave Mehling, Dave Franklin of The Big Takeover said of Here’s To You,
“It’s a triumph. An album of space and restraint, any note played, every word uttered feels perfectly and purposely placed. The album is a beautiful blend of groove and grace, intimacy and entertainment, fun, and feeling. What more could you ask for? What indeed?”
“Rootsy singer Sarah Morris offers a Norah Jones-like approach to Americana, smoothing overs its rough edges with a butter-velvety voice and an intimate songwriting style.” Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune.
Inclined toward the intimacy of live performance, Sarah spends a remarkable amount of time on stage.
Deeply committed to the Twin Cities’ life-giving music community, Morris hosted an online interview program called, “Hey, I Miss You,” to amplify the work of her peers, and currently can be found online collaborating with musicians for a Youtube series of under-rehearsed cover songs filmed in her laurel green bathroom.
As a writer, lover, mother, and witness, Morris invites us to join her in missing the forest for the trees, with songs that count and celebrate the glorious details of our messy, magical, everyday lives.
NIKKI LEMIRE spins her life around her music, making space to perform in multiple fields and genres. Her songwriting features her expressive vocals over layered and hypnotic accompaniment. She dives deep into moving themes surrounding motherhood, love and loss.
Employing modern harp techniques, loop and electric pedals, her songs sit somewhere between the old folk bedrock of Joan Baez, the musical innovation of Joni Mitchell, and the influential pop stylings of Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift. Nikki artfully shapes the music to her words, creating a sound that refuses to adhere to any one particular genre, somehow feeling old and new at the same time.
Nikki performs as a solo artist and with her four piece all-female band of fiddle, upright bass and hand drums weaving intricate textures and harmonies within her luscious soundscape.
As featured on Smouse in the House for Adventures in Americana, Nikki reflects on her musical roots and the legacy passed down through her family. She shares how music has become a thread connecting generations — from her own childhood to her children today — and how performing and storytelling remain central to her connection with community and family.

ACOUSTIC OPEN STAGE
2026-05-30 18:30 - 20:30
This is an acoustic open stage, sound system set up in advance, just sit or stand up and play.
Share your songs (or stories- storytellers welcome) in a two song (think 7-9 minutes) rotation with whoever else is there to play, being respectful of others.
Please support our business by buying drink and/or food.

PIPER ROAD- SOLD OUT
2026-06-06 20:00
Showtime is at 8 pm if everyone comes early enough to get fed by that time. We will be serving a very limited menu as we will be attending a memorial for a dear friend in the afternoon.
PIPER ROAD SPRING BAND was born into the age of rock & roll with individual backgrounds diverse as classical, cowboy, folk, blues and Dixieland. Influenced by some live performances of Doc Watson and Bill Monroe and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band release of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” in the early 1970’s, they put away the electric amps and guitars and developed a unique acoustic/bluegrass style. They never completely abandoned their musical roots and have blended Irish fiddle tunes with American country, big band, novelty and space-aged Grateful Dead inspired jams.
The current Piper Road Spring Band Presents continues to perform with a revolving roster of skilled musicians. The band continues to swing with a strong and loyal fanbase since 1973! With their strong bond of friendship, commitment to quality musicianship PRSB invites you to join them along the road as their music continues to evolve.
FOR THIS SHOW: Brian Lucus (Looper) leads fellow FIENDS Bill Kangaroo, Bob Mason, Mark Hembree, and Mike Schmidt to the Listening Room @ the historic Café Carpe. Special Guests are expected.

ANDREA FLEMING
2026-06-12 20:30
Tina Turner, Donna Summer, and the women of Motown go acoustic! If you love an upbeat, soulful vibe and the calm, meditative atmosphere of an indie folk performer, this show is for you. ANDREA FLEMING is an award-winning singer, actor, and multi-instrumentalist known for her work internationally and across the States. After years of singing tributes to Donna Summer, Tina Turner, Motown, and other great women of soul, she’s reinvented their styles into an intimate acoustic medley that leaves you relaxed and rocking to the groove.

She will be joined Nathan Yates Douglass on upright bass and Will Riddle on acoustic guitar.

PARRY LAMONT/ CROWES PASTURE
2026-06-13 20:00
Two acts new to the Carpe will share the evening. Bios follow ticket link

An evening with CROWES PASTURE is both intimate and expansive, a masterful blend of luminous harmonies, banjo and guitar textures, and story-driven songwriting rooted in the American folk tradition. Twice nominated as “Roots Act of the Year” by the New England Music Awards and winner of “Best Bluegrass/Country Song” at the 2024 International Acoustic Music Awards, the New England duo has placed nearly a dozen songs in the Top 10 on the Folk Alliance International Folk Chart.
Monique Byrne and Andy Rogovin have performed at renowned venues including Club Passim, Shalin Liu Performance Center, and Rockwood Music Hall, touring extensively across the U.S., Canada, and the UK. Americana Highways praised their sound as “a wholly vintage vocal parfait,” noting the warmth and expressive depth that defines their live performances.
Now at work on their fifth album with producer Don Mitchell of the acclaimed indie-folk band Darlingside, Crowes Pasture continue to evolve while staying grounded in the tradition that first inspired them. Their concerts are heartfelt, reflective, and quietly powerful evenings of music that linger long after the final note.
Born beneath the wide, wind-combed skies of a small Minnesota farming town, PARRY LAMONT grew up surrounded by the quiet poetry of rural life—the hum of tractors across distant fields, snowfall settling over empty roads, and the long, reflective silence of prairie sunsets. Though rooted in that landscape, his path carried him through the musical crossroads of Seattle, Chicago, and New Orleans, where coffeehouse stages and late-night barrooms added new color to his sound. Along the way, he gathered stories the way some men gather scars—honestly earned and quietly carried.
Influenced by the plainspoken songwriting of Texas troubadours, Lamont’s music values truth over ornament. His songs are raw, deliberate, and lived-in, delivered with both gravel-road grit and a surprising tenderness. On stage, his voice and lyrics turn personal stories into shared ground, inviting listeners to hear their own hopes, heartbreaks, and hard-won humanity reflected back through the music.
