Folk Jam and Song Circle (CANCELLED)
2020-05-17 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
The Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam/Song Circle/Sing-Along affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills. Extending from 1-4 p.m. one Sunday each month at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station), the Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing. Visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections range across the broad folk milieu, but are often taken from the “Rise Up Singing” or the new “Rise Again” songbooks. Admission is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to bring their voices, acoustic instruments, and a snack/non-alcoholic beverage to share.
The library staff has asked us to stress that amplifiers are NOT permitted at these jams.
Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s website at www.fmsh.org for information about our Thursday night and Saturday night concerts. We would love to see you at these concerts.

The Promise is Hope + Robinson & Rohe (CANCELLED)
2020-05-21 19:30 - 22:30
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this event are available at the Cinema Arts Centre on the day of the performance. Prices are $10 for FMSH and Cinema Arts Centre Members / $15 for Nonmembers. There are no advance tickets for this event.
Check back later for details.

FMSH Co-Sponsors Aug 26th Picnic & Singing Party in Rockland County, NY (CANCELLED)
2020-08-20 11:30 - 12:30
FMSH President Michael Kornfeld, editor & publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com and vice president of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) board of directors, joins folk DJs Diane Crowe (WMCB LPFM, Greenfield, MA), Barbara & Graham Dean (WBCR LPFM, Great Barrington, MA), and Bill Hahn (WFDU-FM, Teaneck, NJ) in emceeing the event. Aside from the pre-selected artists performing at the main stage, there will be opportunities for people of all skill levels to participate in a jam and song circle led by banjo virtuoso Roger Sprung.
“This is the one day a year that we at The Borderline give back to the community that supports us as a non-profit all year round,” says Sol Zeller, president of The Borderline Folk Music Club and the event’s chair. “What better way is there to thank the good people of Rockland than by giving them a free afternoon of non-stop music with top- quality performers.” He noted that the club is able to do this gratis because of generous grants from area businesses.“The fact that a great personality like Si Kahn will be with us only makes this picnic so much better,” he adds.
Mara Levine, a folksinger and Borderline member, who is program director for the event, echoes Zeller’s sentiments. “Si is highly regarded in the folk community for his work and his music, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to play a role in an all-day festival in his honor.”
People who plan to attend the picnic should bring lawn chairs and a cold potluck dish to share with six other people. Soft drinks, paper goods and plastic ware will be provided. No alcohol will be served or permitted on the premises. Plenty of free parking is available both on-site and at the school parking lot across the street.
Although this is a free event, Zeller requests that people make reservations in advance by sending an email to solz1@optonline.net or calling (845)354-4586. Additional information is available online at www.borderlinefolkmusicclub.org.

Joe Crookston and Amy Speace (CANCELLED)
2020-08-20 12:00 - 13:00
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE SANDY. WE HOPE TO RESCHEDULE THESE ARTISTS IN THE FUTURE. ADVANCE TICKETS WILL BE REFUNDED VIA PAYPAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
About The Event
Joe Crookston an Ohio native now residing in Ithaca, NY, has been developing a reputation as an energetic, charismatic and thoroughly engaging live performer. He was among the artists voted “Most Wanted to Return” during the 2007 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in upstate New York and wowed attendees in 2008 with a mix of his own lyrically compelling, narrative-style songs and choice covers (including a solo acoustic version of Supertramp’s “The Logical Song”) — much as he did during the Falcon Ridge Preview Tour”s concert in Centerport earlier that year. A serious craftsman, Crookston has heeded his father’s advice to work with his hands (and heart) in metal and wood. His latest album, Darkling and The BlueBird Jubilee has received critical acclaim. His previous release, Able Baker Charlie & Dog, a collection of songs inspired by stories ordinary New Yorkers from the Finger Lakes region related to him during his year-long travels under a songwriting grant from The Rockefeller Foundation, reached the top of the folk/acoustic radio charts and was recognized as Album of the Year during the 2009 International Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, TN. His prior release, Fall Down As The Rain, was a Performing Songwriter Magazine Top 12 DIY independent recording. Joe Crookston also has been a finalist in several prestigious national songwriting contests.
Come and enjoy Joe as he stands on stage holding his Martin OM 28, stompin his foot, singing songs about ruby red dresses, drunk roosters, ex-slaves, window washers, Polish Immigrants, Tinian Island, rutabagas and the cycles of life & death — songs about the thread that runs through us all.
For more information on Joe, click here to visit his website.
Here are links to two videos featuring Joe:
The Nazarene
Freddy The Falcon
Amy Speace has been quietly but steadily making waves in the Americana/folk world for a few years now, and in the journey, gaining support from the likes of Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Guy Clark and other icons in the songwriting community. A self-described ‘late bloomer’ to songwriting, Speace was born in Baltimore, grew up the oldest of four, moving homes and states every few years. After College, she headed to New York City to pursue a life in theater. She studied acting at The National Shakespeare Conservatory, toured the US with the National Shakespeare Company, started her own theater company to direct and produce the plays she had written, and in the midst of her early 20’s, picked up a pawn shop guitar, wrote her first songs, and found herself with steady gigs at such storied venues as The Bitter End and The Living Room.
In 2005, a chance encounter with Judy Collins’ manager changed her life. Judy Collins signed Amy to her own Wildflower Records label in 2006, releasing Songs for Bright Street. The Killer In Me followed in 2009, with a rare duo appearance by Ian “Mott the Hoople” Hunter, who brought her to the UK for his Acoustic Tour. USA Today called her “a rising star”, NPR named the title track from Killer “Song of the Day” and wrote “her velvety, achy voice recalls an early Lucinda Williams.” In 2010, John Platt host of Sunday Breakfast on WFUV named Amy’s song “The Weight of the World” in the Top 5 of his list of the “Best Folk Songs of the Decade,” a song that Judy Collins herself would record and call “one of the best political folk songs I’ve ever heard”. In 2009, Amy shifted landscapes, moved south to Nashville, and began writing the songs for her latest album, Land Like A Bird. In its review of the album, the Houston Press wrote: “Amy Speace is the perfect torchbearer for the unconscious cool of true Americana”
For more information on Amy, click here to visit her website.
Here are links to a couple of videos featuring Amy:
Ghost
Haven’t Learned a Thing
Note: This 8:30 p.m. concert will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m.,for which sign-up begins at 7 p.m.

Claudia Gibson + Jordi Baizan – Live-Stream Concert
2020-09-17 20:00 - 22:00
Monthly Hard Luck Cafe Concert Series Resumes Online, September 17With Texas-Based Singer-Songwriters Jordi Baizan and Claudia Gibson
Although the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Folk Music Society of Huntington to cancel its spring season and prevents the organization from hosting in-person concerts this fall, the FMSH board of directors recognizes the importance of music in these challenging times and believes that the show must go on-line.
Accordingly, artists are being booked for both the monthly Hard Luck Café and First Saturday Concerts series, who will livestream concerts from their homes to yours via various social media platforms. The first of these will be the Hard Luck Café, held in partnership with the Cinema Arts Centre, on Thursday, September 17.
Beginning at 8 p.m., it will feature Jordi Baizan and Claudia Gibson, two talented Texas-based artists, who will engage in an online song swap. There will not be an open mic preceding the concert. Nor is there a fee to view and listen, although tips to the artists (via PayPal or Venmo), who have lost many gigs due to the ongoing health crisis, will be much appreciated. The concert may be viewed online @
http://www.facebook.com/CinemaArtsCentre/
http://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaGibsonMusic/
http://www.facebook.com/JordiBaizanMusic/
http://tinyurl.com/YouTubeClaudiaGibson/
Jordi Baizan is a first-generation American and native Texan songwriter. His songwriting, which American Songwriter has called “exquisite,” has garnered him recognition from the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competition, the Songwriter Serenade and the South Florida Folk Festival’s Singer-Songwriter Competition. Recently signed by Berkalin Records, label owner Brian J. Kalinec says “Jordi’s songs convey authenticity perfectly intertwined with memorable melodies. His unique voice and his stories draw you in from the beginning, and you can’t wait to hear the next page.” Lonestar Time (Italy) welcomed Jordi “into the great family of true troubadours.” Walt Wilkins, who produced Jordi’s June 2019 sophomore release, Free and Fine, says: “This is a beautiful record, full of grown-up but still joyous & hopeful songs by a true artist & deep soul.” The album debuted at #4 on the Euro-Americana Chart (Europe) and #20 on the monthly FAI Folk Radio Charts compiled by Folk Alliance International — remaining on the latter through earlier this year. Here’s a link to view a few of Jordi’s videos: http://jordibaizan.com/music-video/.
His tipjar addresses are Venmo: @Jordi-Baizan and Paypal: paypal.me/jordibaizan.
Claudia Gibson – A 2019 Kerrville New Folk Finalist and winner of the 2018 Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition for “Dreamers” from her current EP Louisiana Sky, Claudia writes memorable Folk/Americana songs featuring what the Houston Music Review terms “her beautiful voice and thoughtful lyrics.” Grammy-nominated songwriter David Lee calls Claudia “a songwriter’s songwriter.” A Wimberley, TX resident and lifelong singer-songwriter and guitarist, Claudia’s recent tours include listening rooms and theatres in Texas, New Mexico and New York. Her first CD, Step By Step, produced by Band of Heathens front man Gordy Quist, made the Roots Music Report’s 2017 Top Americana/Country radio chart. Claudia’s songs merge her long-honed musical skills with a lifetime’s experience, creating songs rich with human emotion. Whether it’s the purposeful journey chronicled in “Cleveland, Ohio,” the improbably successful domestic life of “Step By Step,” or the uncertain dual life lived by DACA recipients in “Dreamers,” Claudia’s songs ring true because she describes moments and emotions we all know and recognize. Here’s a link to view a few of Claudia’s videos: http://claudiagibson.com/video.
You can tip Claudia via Venmo @claudiagibsonmusic or paypal.me/claudiatgibson.
Established in 1973, the Cinema Arts Centre (www.cinemaartscentre.org)
seeks to bring the best of cinematic artistry to Long Island and use the power of film to expand the awareness and consciousness of our community. Long island’s only not-for-profit, viewer-supported independent cinema presents a wide array of films that are often accompanied by discussions and guest speakers.
Founded in the late 1960s, the Folk Music Society of Huntington (www.fmsh.org, 631-425-2925) generally presents two monthly concert series, a monthly folk jam, and an annual folk festival in conjunction with the Huntington Arts Council. Like the Cinema, FMSH is a member of the Huntington Arts Council and the Long Island Arts Alliance. Several FMSH leaders are active in Folk Alliance International and Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), with which the organization is also affiliated.

James Maddock – Live-Stream Concert
2020-10-03 20:00 - 21:00
James Maddock, an acclaimed NYC-based British singer-songwriter, will be the featured artist when the Folk Music Society resumes its monthly First Saturday Concerts’ series. Since the ongoing pandemic prevents the nonprofit organization from hosting in-person concerts, the concert will be live streamed online via the artist’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/jamesmaddockmusic/) beginning at 8 p.m. There will not be an open mic preceding it.
“Unlike our live concerts at the Congregational Church of Huntington, where James has graced our stage twice, there is no admission fee for this online concert,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of the FMSH board of directors. ”However, like other musicians, James has had most of his gigs cancelled, is unable to tour now, and would appreciate donations via his online tip jar while you are viewing the concert. You can also visit his website (http://www.jamesmaddock.net) and purchase James’ new album, No Time to Cry, and/or his previous ones.”
Since 1999, James Maddock’s boldly vulnerable songwriting, honeyed rasp, and distinct folk and Americana aesthetic have garnered acclaim from icons, peers, and taste-making media outlets like NPR, American Songwriter Magazine, Relix Magazine, and CMT Edge.
“James Maddock possesses the kind of lived-in, craggy voice that would sound authoritative if he were singing the sports pages,” notes Relix. “Fortunately, he doesn’t need to do that because his compositional skills are a match for his delivery.” His consistency as a recording artist and a captivating live performer has attracted a devoted fan-base.
A noted songwriter, raspy voiced crooner and guitarist, Maddock first gained attention with the band Wood, whose debut recording, Songs from Stamford Hill, was featured prominently on the TV show Dawson’s Creek. After fronting the band, he moved from England to New York City 17 years ago. His 2009 release, Sunrise on Avenue C, won a New York Music Award for Best Americana Album, while its follow-up, Wake Up And Dream, ranked among the top albums of 2011 in WFUV’s Radio’s Listener Poll.
Here’s a link to the official video for James Maddock’s song, “My Old Neighborhood”:

And here’s a link to view the official video for his song “Another Life”:
http://jamesmaddock.net/video
Maddock has earned the respect of masterful songwriters Bruce Springsteen and Willie Nile, with whom he’s also performed. He has been a guest on major national TV shows, an artist in residence at Rockwood Music Hall (the Manhattan club at which he also recorded a live album), and has had coveted official showcases at Folk Alliance International conferences.
Established in the late 1960s, the Folk Music Society of Huntington generally presents two monthly concert series, a monthly folk jam, and an annual folk festival in conjunction with the Huntington Arts Council. It hopes to resume these once it is safe and feasible to do so.

Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale and Chicks With Dip Livestream Concert
2020-10-15 20:00 - 21:30
The Folk Music Society of Huntington’s Virtual Hard Luck Café concert series, held in partnership with the Cinema Arts Centre on the third Thursday of each month, continues on Oct. 15. Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale share the bill with Chicks with Dip from 8-9:30 p.m. EST.
“Although the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Folk Music Society of Huntington to cancel its spring season and prevents us from hosting in-person concerts this fall, the FMSH board of directors recognizes the importance of music in these challenging times and believes that the show must go on-line,” said Michael Kornfeld, FMSH’s board president. Accordingly, artists are being booked for both the monthly Hard Luck Café and First Saturday Concerts series, and will livestream concerts from their homes to yours via various social media platforms.
“Unlike our concerts at the Cinema, there is no admission charge on Oct. 15.” Kornfeld noted. “However, tips for the artists — who have lost many gigs and are unable to tour due the ongoing health crisis — would be most appreciated.” Information about online tipping via PayPal will appear on your screens during the concert that may be viewed online at any of these three links:
http://www.facebook.com/CinemaArtsCentre/
http://www.facebook.com/MilesandMafale/
http://www.facebook.com/ChicksWithDip/
Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale are married co-conspirators in song. They are word nerds and recovering actors. They are two scoops of modern folk with a generous sprinkling of pop-catchiness, topped off with the wit and flair that comes of their theater backgrounds.
Catherine’s voice – resonant, expressive, a powerhouse. She’s got range and she’s not afraid to use it. Jay’s guitar – percussive, melodic, thoughtful. He propels and punctuates the narrative. Their shared experience has taught them about perseverance and perspective, and those strengths are evident in their song craft. They invite folks inside their songs with a story to be told, a friend they want you to meet, a villain or hero presented with a flourish.
In addition to appearing on venerable stages and festivals across the country, their songwriting has earned them recognition as Most Wanted Emerging Artists at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, three-time Kerrville New Folk finalists, South Florida Folk Festival/Vic Heyman Award finalists, and Honorable Mentions in Mid-Atlantic and Braver Angels song contests. They have performed as juried showcase artists at the Northeast Regional (NERFA), Southeast Regional (SERFA), Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM), and Southwest Regional (SWRFA) Conferences.
Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale bring a candidness and playful approachability to the stage, disarming audiences and opening hearts wide enough to let some light in.
Here are links to view a couple of videos by Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRsI0brTNBE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bypj6Ka_AGQ
Chicks With Dip is an informal collective of songwriting women who enjoy mutual respect and the pleasure of each other’s company around good conversation, good songs, and good dip. The Chicks have been gathering in friendship and professional support for nearly two decades.
The Chicks’ expansive and resoundingly successful tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of Joni Mitchell’s Blue (2012-2014) began with humble roots at a fundraiser for one NYC coffeehouse. That tour clearly demonstrated their collaborative power. A global pandemic and all the societal flaws it exposed has inspired these accomplished women to publicly join forces again in a substantial way.
In May 2020, Chicks With Dip collaborated on a remotely recorded video of “What a Wonderful World” (mixed and edited by Chicks member Katherine Etzel). Though delighted by the positive response to their soothing take on an American classic, they were eager to dig deeper, feeling called to even more meaningful action in an environment that felt increasingly unstable.

As our divided nation faces perhaps the most consequential election season in living memory, Chicks With Dip have combined their skills once again to release a new collection, Stomping on Eggshells. The eight songs featured on Stomping on Eggshells comment on multiple aspects of the current socio-political climate. Chicks With Dip believe music is a strong and potent healer with the power to rise against injustice, stand for what is right, and inspire positive change.
Don’t sit this one out. Make your voice heard. VOTE!
Here’s a link to view the Chicks With Dip video of “What A Wonderful World”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBHoBr4jvZc
More information about the featured artists may be found at http://www.milesandmafale.com/ and http://chickswithdip.bandcamp.com .
Established in 1973, the Cinema Arts Centre (www.cinemaartscentre.org)
seeks to bring the best of cinematic artistry to Long Island and use the power of film to expand the awareness and consciousness of our community. Long island’s only not-for-profit, viewer-supported independent cinema presents a wide array of films that are often accompanied by discussions and guest speakers.
Founded in the late 1960s, the Folk Music Society of Huntington (www.fmsh.org) generally presents two monthly concert series, a monthly folk jam, and an annual folk festival in conjunction with the Huntington Arts Council. Like the Cinema, FMSH is a member of the Huntington Arts Council and the Long Island Arts Alliance. Several FMSH leaders are active in Folk Alliance International and Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), with which the organization is also affiliated.

Dan Navarro – Live-Stream Concert
2020-11-07 20:00 - 21:00
To view the introductory video CLICK HERE at 8:00 PM
To view the Concert Click Here (This link will be activated at 8:05 PM)
“While disappointed that we are unable to present Dan live at the Congregational Church of Huntington, as planned, on November 7, we are delighted that he will be performing for us via livestream from his home in California that evening,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of the FMSH board of directors. “Unlike our concerts at the church, there is no admission fee for this online one. However, like other musicians, Dan has had most of his gigs cancelled, is unable to tour now and would appreciate donations via his online tip jar while you are viewing the concert.”
Dan Navarro has written, sung, played and acted his way through a rich and varied career for more than 30 years — and he’s poured his heart and soul into his music.
It was as a songwriter that Dan Navarro started his career, mostly in collaboration with Eric Lowen, for artists as diverse as Pat Benatar (the best-selling Grammy-nominated classic “We Belong”), The Bangles, Jackson Browne, Dave Edmunds, Keb’ Mo’, The Tempatations, Dionne Warwick, and many more.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Dan recorded and toured with Lowen in the acclaimed acoustic duo Lowen & Navarro that released 12 albums prior to Eric’s retirement in 2009. Dan has since transitioned into a growing solo career — usually touring nearly 100 dates annually across the U.S. His latest album, Shed My Skin, was released in 2019.
He’s also moonlighted as a singer, voice-over and voice actor for nearly 30 years in major motion pictures, TV series, video games, commercials and recordings. His credits include The Book Of Life, The Lorax, 2007 Best Animated Feature Oscar-winner Happy Feet, Rio (on the Oscar-nominated song “Real In Rio”), Ice Age 2 & 3; smash hit video game Fallout 4; TV series American Dad, Family Guy, and Prison Break; Turbo Fast, Prison Break; recordings with Andrea Bocelli, Jose Feliano, Luis Miguel, and Neil Young; and hundreds of commercials.
A past president of the Folk Alliance International board of directors, Dan is a vice president on the SAG-AFTRA national board and an advisory trustee for the Golden West chapter of the ALS Association engaged in fighting the neuromuscular disease better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, which tragically took Eric Lowen’s life in 2012. An outspoken advocate for independent artists, Dan has also devoted countless hours to lobbying and testifying in Washington on intellectual property, copyright and performers’ rights legislation.
Here are a couple of live performance video links:

(“Shed My Skin” and “We Belong”)
This concert is FREE, however tips are greatly appreciated. Tip jar link is:
CLICK HERE to tip Dan via PayPal
There will be an “After-Party” on Zoom for FMSH Members only immediately following the concert. Members will receive an invitation via email and registration is required. Non-members and those who prefer not to join via Zoom may view the party at the following link:
To view the After-Party CLICK HERE (This link will be activated at the conclusion of the concert)

A Conversation with Josh Chapin
2020-11-08 19:00 - 20:00
The Folk Music Society of Huntington is pleased to partner with the Cinema Arts Centre in presenting A Conversation with Josh Chapin, the son of Harry Chapin, on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. EST. Dylan Skolnick (the Cinema’s co-director) and Michael Kornfeld (president of FMSH’s board of directors and editor & publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com) will pose questions during this special free online program that coincides with the recent release of Harry Chapin: When in Doubt Do Something, an acclaimed documentary on the life and impact of the beloved singer-songwriter that is currently screening online.
Sign-up for the free Q & A session with Josh Chapin here:
CLICK HERE
Award-winning singer-songwriter Harry Chapin (“Taxi” and “Cats in the Cradle”), who lived in Huntington with his family, spent his fame and fortune chasing a dream to end world hunger and poverty. In the process, he inspired, changed, and saved the lives of millions of people. HARRY CHAPIN: WHEN IN DOUBT, DO SOMETHING is a vibrant, music-filled, energetic, and rousing appreciation of an artist whose songs are a permanent part of the American lexicon and whose passion for helping others continues to be an inspiration.
The film features Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Pete Seeger, Sir Bob Geldof, Kenny Rogers, Graham Nash, Pat Benatar, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Robert Lamm, Richie Havens, and Harry Belafonte intimately reflecting on Chapin’s larger-than-life impact on music and the world including his founding, along with Bill Ayres, of WhyHunger – the nonprofit organization leading the movement to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food in the U.S. and around the world. Harry also founded Long Island’s first food bank, Long Island Cares, which continues to serve thousands of individuals and families in need.

Deeper Than The Skin (Greg Greenway & Reggie Harris) – A Musical Presentation on Race – Live-Stream Concert
2020-11-19 20:00 - 21:30
“This is Deeper Than the Skin.”
The presentation begins with a song followed by another song … that moves into a poem and then an invitation.
This is not just an evening of talk.
This is not just a concert of songs that just entertain.
Deeper Than the Skin is an experience of singing and listening – of experiencing a connection so deep that it makes you laugh, smile, cry and reconsider what you know about our history. It’s an invitation to open your heart and your mind to a story of shared humanity that resonates with your own.
Two friends… one Black, one White… one from the North… one from the South! Musicians, storytellers, students of history and world travelers, born three days apart! Two separate narratives forged into one powerful friendship aimed at finding common ground and helping others to do the same.
Deeper Than the Skin brings together a remarkable journey that started 30 years ago and is now offering hope to people all over the nation. It’s a presentation that ends with an open dialogue that moves the audience from emotion into action – that gives voice and direction to the question “What can I do?”
Deeper Than the Skin is an interactive, engaging invitation to take a step into a new reality. It’s an affirmation of the notion that a more perfect union begins… with us!
Reggie Harris and Greg Greenway have a unique story. Born three days apart, ancestry flowing through the same portal of history – Richmond, Virginia – they are on a pilgrimage together – one that began three decades ago. The racial divisions that are the reality of America started them in two different worlds, but the amazing bonds of music, respect, admiration and shared vision have brought them together as friends and colleagues.
[For artist bios and more information on Deeper Than The Skin, visit www.deeperthan theskin.com and their individual artist websites.}

The Nields – Live-Stream Concert
2020-12-05 19:00 - 20:15
The Nields will be the featured artists during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s virtual First Saturday Concerts series on Dec. 5 from 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM EST. Since the ongoing pandemic prevents the nonprofit organization from hosting in-person concerts, this one will be live-streamed to The Nields’ Facebook page CLICK HERE and to their YouTube Channel CLICK HERE.
“While we are unable to present Nerissa and Katryna Nields live, we are delighted that they will be performing for us via livestream from Massachusetts,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of the FMSH board of directors. “Unlike our live concerts, there is no admission fee for this online one. However, like other performing artists, The Nields have had most of their gigs cancelled, are unable to tour now and would appreciate donations via their online tip jar while you are viewing the concert.”
Tip Jars: paypal.me/nieldsband or venmo:@thenieldsband or checks: 241 Main St, Easthampton, MA 01027
Nerissa and Katryna Nields have been making, performing and recording their special brand of infectious, quirky and emotive songs professionally for more than 30 years. The Nields have been favorites at the annual Falcon Ridge Folk Festival for many years and have also impressed FMSH audiences with their sibling harmonies and folk-rock sound. Once a five-member indie folk-rock band, The Nields streamlined to become, in essence, a duo, a number of years ago. The Nields have released 20 albums to date. Its latest CD, November, is a collection of songs focused on current socio-political issues. Since becoming mothers (each sister has a daughter and son), Nerissa and Katryna Nields have broadened their repertoire with children’s CDs, a DVD and a book — All Together Singing in the Kitchen: Creative Ways to Make and Listen to Music as a Family. More information may be found on their website, www.nields.com.
The Zoom After-Party (For FMSH Members Only) will begin shortly after the Livestream Concert ends.
Zoom ID: 992 8632 5995
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Hard Luck Café HOLIDAY HOOT
2020-12-17 20:00 - 23:00 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
In lieu of our usual concert and in the spirit of community that folk music embraces, FMSH partnered with North Shore Original Open Mic (NOOM) and the Cinema Arts Centre in presenting a number of local artists in a virtual song-swap that was livestreamed to FMSH’s YouTube channel (CLICK HERE) and NOOM’s Facebook page (CLICK HERE) from 8-11 p.m.
In order of appearance
1 Steve Robinson
2 Annie Mark
3 Frankie Matos
4 Faith Krinsky
5 Richard Parr
6 Gary Schoenberger
7 Marci Geller
8 Joe Iadanza
9 Suzanne Ernst
10 Jon Goldstein
11 Nancy Boehm
12 Karen Bella
13 Matt Ponsot
14 Marian Mastrorilli
15 Stuart Markus
16 Linda Sussman
17 Andy Romanoff
18 Nico Padden
19 Joe Bouza
20 Hank Stone
21 Lauren Jayne
22 Roger Silverberg
23 Josie Bello
24 Eli Maniscalco
25 Rorie Kelly
26 Katherine Congdon Caldwell
27 Joe Roccanova
28 Laurie Creus
29 Les Stoller
30 Splatt (Rob Appelblatt)
31 Bryan Gallo
32 Ben Diamond
33 Toby Tobias
Founded in the late 1960s, the Folk Music Society of Huntington (www.fmsh.org) generally presents two monthly concert series, a monthly folk jam, and an annual folk festival in conjunction with the Huntington Arts Council. Recognizing the importance of music in these challenging times, FMSH is continuing both its First Saturday Concerts and Hard Luck Café series online. Like the Cinema, FMSH is a member of the Huntington Arts Council and the Long Island Arts Alliance. Several FMSH leaders are active in Folk Alliance International and Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), with which the organization is also affiliated.
NorthShore Original Open Mic (NOOM) is a weekly gathering of Long Island-based songwriters with varying levels of experience who are dedicated to the craft of writing and singing their songs. Hosted by singer-songwriter Toby Tobias, the Wednesday night‬ sessions provide a supportive collegial environment for the performing songwriters. They are also open for other music lovers to enjoy. In light of the ongoing pandemic, NOOM is currently being streamed online via its Facebook group — with participants performing live from their homes in a song-swap format via Zoom. Singer-Songwriter Richard Parr coordinates the livestreams.
Established in 1973, the Cinema Arts Centre (www.cinemaartscentre.org) seeks to bring the best of cinematic artistry to Long Island and use the power of film to expand the awareness and consciousness of our community. Long island’s only not-for-profit, viewer-supported independent cinema presents a wide array of films that are often accompanied by discussions and guest speakers.

Nobody's Girl (BettySoo, Rebecca Loebe & Grace Pettis)
2021-01-21 20:00 - 21:30 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Nobody’s Girl, an all-female Austin-Texas-based trio that bridges the great divide between Americana, folk and heavenly pop, will perform for the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s Virtual Hard Luck Café concert series, held in partnership with the Cinema Arts Centre, on Thursday, Jan. 21. Singer-Songwriters BettySoo, Rebecca Loebe and Grace Pettis will showcase their talents live from 8-9:30 p.m. EST via FMSH’s YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland).
“Although the COVID-19 pandemic prevents the Folk Music Society of Huntington from hosting in-person concerts now, the FMSH board of directors recognizes the importance of music in these challenging times and believes that the show must go on-line,” said Michael Kornfeld, FMSH’s board president. Accordingly, artists are being booked for both the monthly Hard Luck Café and First Saturday Concerts series, and will livestream concerts from their homes to yours via various social media platforms. “ There is no admission charge for this online concert, “Kornfeld notes: “However, tips for the artists — who have lost many gigs and are unable to tour due to the ongoing health crisis — would be most appreciated.” Information about online tipping will appear on your screens during the concert.
Nobody’s Girl evolved from a one-time, three-week song swap in late 2017 when the three longtime friends decided to embark on a tour together. BettySoo, Rebecca Loebe and Grace Pettis have been accomplished artists in their own right, with more than 15 albums between them, and each has been a winner in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition. But it’s the gorgeous sound of their voices, be they harmonizing as one [which they, unfortunately, can’t do online from separate locations] or trading leads with the graceful, elegant precision of aerial silk dancers, combined with the revelatory nature of the songs they co-write, that sets them apart as a trio.
“In a lot of ways, I think of Nobody’s Girl as a super fun project that lets us blow off steam, because it gives us a whole different channel to tap into,” says Rebecca. “But most of all, I’m always really moved by the power of what we’re able to access as a trio: just the power of three voices onstage together, carrying the same message.”
Until the pandemic curtailed touring last spring, they had carried that message for the better part of two whirlwind years, playing more than 100 shows together from Texas to Ireland in support of a 2018 EP entitled Waterline and a handful of singles released in late 2019. That “power of three” will be even more strikingly captured on the trio’s self-titled full-length debut that is set for release on July 30.
On Thursday night, January 21, online viewers and listeners will get more than a glimpse of what BettySoo playfully calls their “”bubblicious” sound. “By that, I don’t mean that it’s flaky or light,” she explains, “because I think our songwriting instincts are all honed from the folk world. But I do think that the textures we tap into when we write together for Nobody’s Girl are definitely more pop.”
“And I don’t think there’s anything bad about that,” adds Grace. “I think for some people, ‘pop’ is almost like a dirty word – especially in a town like Austin that’s all about ‘serious’ music with integrity. But sometimes something fun is good in its own right. The kind of songs I want to write are the ones that have something to say, but that also make your foot tap and that you want to play really loud in your car and sing along to. And in a lot of ways, those songs are a lot harder to write, at least for me. But as a band, I think we are able to really do that sometimes. I don’t know what it is about the combination of our different backgrounds that brings that out though, and it actually really surprised us when we started recording that EP… We were all [saying] “Oh, wow – these are pop songs!”
Says FMSH’s Kornfeld: “However you describe them, tune into our livestream on January 21 and enjoy Nobody’s Girl’s original songs interspersed with delightful banter, and, perhaps, a choice cover or two as only these three talented women can sing them.” More information on the trio, along with a few videos, may be found online at http://www.wearenobodysgirl.com.
Established in 1973, the Cinema Arts Centre (www.cinemaartscentre.org) seeks to bring the best of cinematic artistry to Long Island and use the power of film to expand the awareness and consciousness of our community. Long island’s only not-for-profit, viewer-supported independent cinema presents a wide array of films that are often accompanied by discussions and guest speakers.
Founded in the late 1960s, the Folk Music Society of Huntington (www.fmsh.org) generally presents two monthly concert series, a monthly folk jam, and an annual folk festival in conjunction with the Huntington Arts Council. Like the Cinema, FMSH is a member of Folk Alliance International, the Huntington Arts Council and the Long Island Arts Alliance.

Jesse Terry
2021-02-06 19:00 - 20:15 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Award-winning singer-songwriter Jesse Terry will showcase his talents during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s virtual First Saturday Concerts series on Feb. 6 from 7:00 – 8:15 p.m. EST. Since the ongoing pandemic prevents the nonprofit organization from hosting in-person concerts, this one will be livestreamed to our YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland).
“Unlike our live concerts, there is no admission fee for this online one,” says Michael Kornfeld, FMSH’s board president. “However, like other performing artists, Jesse Terry has had most of his gigs cancelled, is unable to tour now, and would appreciate donations via his online tip jar while you are viewing the concert.”
Tip Jars: http://www.paypal.me/jesseterrymusic
Venmo: http://venmo.com/jesseterrymusic
Merch Store: http://stores.portmerch.com/jesseterry/
A true musical journeyman, the New England-based artist has made it his mission to share his love of music fully and completely, without regard for shading his emotions or tempering his convictions. The ability to create a connection, to bare his soul and express his feelings through his songs has been the defining thread in a career that began in 2010 and has spawned five albums and numerous EPs.
To date, Terry has played more than a thousand shows around the world — including performances at such notable festivals as Bonnaroo, 30A Songwriters Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival and the Americana Music Association’s AmericanaFest, and collaborations with Dar Williams, Cary Ann Hearst of Shovels & Rope, Liz Longley, Kim Richey, Erin Rae and Sarah Darling. Terry has been a Grand Prize winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the NSAI/CMT Song Contest and has also secured several song placements on television shows.
John Platt, host of Sunday Supper on WFUV, has referred to Jesse Terry as “a force to be reckoned with” and noted that “His well-crafted songs rank right up there with Ryan Adams … and other masters of alt Country.” Writes Nick West of RnR Magazine: “This is music to revel in, so just revel til the starlight fades.”
There will be a Zoom After-Party immediately following Jesse’s concert (approximately 8:15 PM).
Join Zoom Meeting
http://zoom.us/j/98804677881?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 988 0467 7881
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Eric Schwartz and Shanna in a Dress
2021-02-18 20:00 - 22:00 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Eric Schwartz, Shanna in a Dress to Share Their Humorous Songs & Banter in Virtual Concert On Feb. 18 as part of the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s Monthly Hard Luck Café Series.
Witty Singer-Songwriters Eric Schwartz and Shanna in a Dress will swap songs live online from their respective homes on Thursday, Feb. 18, as part of the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly virtual Hard Luck Café concert series that is held in partnership with the Cinema Arts Centre. The concert will livestream from 8-9:30 p.m. EST via the FMSH YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland).
“Although the COVID-19 pandemic prevents the Folk Music Society of Huntington from hosting in-person concerts now, the FMSH board of directors recognizes the importance of music in these challenging times and believes that the show must go on-line,” said Michael Kornfeld, FMSH’s board president. Accordingly, artists are being booked for both the monthly Hard Luck Café and First Saturday Concerts series, and will livestream concerts from their homes to yours via various social media platforms. “There is no admission charge for this online concert,” Kornfeld notes: “However, tips for the artists — who have lost many gigs and are unable to tour due to the ongoing health crisis — would be most appreciated.” Information about online tipping will appear on your screens during the concert and also at Shannainadress.com/support .
An award-winning singer-songwriter, musical satirist, multi-instrumentalist and entertainer, Eric Schwartz (aka Eric “Red” Schwartz) has been prodding and wooing folk audiences for 25 years. Starting in the trenches of Greenwich Village’s Bleecker Street bars (remember the Back Fence?) and moving on to folk venues (NYC’s iconic The Bottom Line, Nashville’s The Bluebird Cafe, and Cambridge, MA’s Passim among them) and festivals (Philadelphia, Falcon Ridge, Kerrville and more), Schwartz uses his combination of cutting wit and soulful ballads to entertain and challenge. He’s often political, sometimes profane, and always honest.

Schwartz recently went on a global walkabout — across the United States, Europe, Africa, India and Southeast Asia (including a ten-hour stopover in Tokyo, where he gleefully consumed sushi in its home country). What he found was, well, the world has lots of people and most of them have cellphones. He’s thrilled to return to performing after a hiatus. He’s reinvigorated and ready.
Schwartz’s songs have been sung by Ronny Cox, Holly Near and Van Dyke Parks. His latest CD releases are The Aristocrat, which Paul Zollo (Songwriters on Songwriting) calls “a comic treasure” and The Better Man, about which the UK’s Rock ’n’ Reel writes “Eric is a great wordsmith…lots to enjoy here” and Berkeley, CA’s KALX Radio’s Brian Keathley hails as “a great collection of tunes with humor, and social commentary – some of which is damn profound.”

Shanna in a Dress, a winner in the prestigious 2020 Kerrville New Folk Competition, is your quirky best friend who refuses to wear pants. In her songs, she says what everyone is thinking but no one else will say, and you’ll get an uncensored journey of clever humor and heartbreak, along with a hefty side of entertainment at her shows that are also noted for her spontaneous banter and playful stage presence. Think Jason Mraz mixed with Ingrid Michaelson with a twist of Phoebe Buffay from TV’s Friends all wrapped up in a sweet voice accented by guitar, piano and ukulele.
Shanna started her musical career while a student at the University of Virginia, biked across the country and fell in love with Colorado. She now lives in Boulder, where she hosted a monthly Women in Song show prior to the pandemic. A clever wordsmith, she pens smart but accessible lyrics that have drawn accolades recently. Besides being chosen as one of six Kerrville New Folk Winners from among more than 700 applicants, Shanna was named the winner of the Great River Folk Fest Song Competition and a semifinalist in the Songwriter Serenade in 2020. She also performed in the Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase during the virtual Falcon Ridge Folk Festival last summer.

Ellis Delaney
2021-03-06 20:00 - 21:15 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Ellis Delaney will be the featured artist during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s virtual First Saturday Concert series on March 6, 2021 8:00 PM to 9:15 PM EST (7:00 PM to 8:15 PM Central). Since the ongoing pandemic prevents the nonprofit organization from hosting in-person concerts, this one will be live-streamed to the FMSH YouTube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland).
“While we are unable to present Ellis live, we are delighted that she will be performing for us via livestream from Minneapolis,” said Michael Kornfeld, president of the FMSH board of directors. “Unlike our live concerts, there is no admission fee for this online one. However, like other performing artists, Ellis has had most of her gigs cancelled, is unable to tour now and would appreciate donations via her online tip jar while you are viewing the concert.”
Click here for –> Tip Jar Information
There’s just something about Ellis Delaney. She is at once funny and wise, thoughtful and uninhibited, and her captivating voice is matched by her uplifting lyrics. If you looked up the definition of open-hearted in the dictionary, you just might find her photo there. Ellis’ performances are transformational; she leaves her audiences better than she finds them, with softened edges & opened hearts.
Ellis is a woman with a mission. She believes music is healing, and she offers her music for free / pay what you can online. For the last year, she has been hosting a weekly “Right On Time” hotline message that supports resilience by offering different grounding / mindful practices she’ll be focusing on that week as well as a reminder that we are interdependent and worthy of love and belonging. As her song asks, “What if we are right on time?”
A transplant from Texas to Minnesota at age 16, Ellis got her start at open mics, and grew her following touring full time. Ellis has been recognized both for her songwriting skills as well as her engaging performances. She became a mainstay at several folk festivals, and has been a repeat performer and voted audience favorite at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Moab Folk Festival, Sisters Folk Festival, and Rocky Mountain Folk Festival.
The Zoom After-Party will begin shortly after the Livestream Concert ends.
Time: Mar 6, 2021 09:15 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
http://zoom.us/j/93034899022?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 930 3489 9022
Passcode: [REDACTED]
For Ellis’ video “Ordinary Love” click the link below
http://youtu.be/YeJXeaYJl4g

Natalia Zukerman's "The Women Who Rode Away"
2021-03-18 20:00 - 22:00 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
In observance of Women’s History Month, the Folk Music Society of Huntington is pleased to present singer-songwriter Natalia Zukerman’s The Women Who Rode Away as part of its monthly virtual Hard Luck Café concert series that is held in partnership with the Cinema Arts Centre. The multimedia one-woman show will be screened from 8-9:30 p.m. via the FMSH YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland). Although there is no admission charge for this online show, tips for the artist — who has lost many gigs and is unable to tour due to the pandemic — would be most appreciated.
Venmo: @Natalia-Zukerman
PayPal: paintings@nataliazukerman.com
About the Artist
Musician, painter and educator Natalia Zukerman grew up in New York City (the daughter of violist –conductor Pinchas Zukerman and flutist-writer Eugenia Zukerman), studied art at Oberlin, started her mural business (Off The Wall) in San Francisco, began her songwriting career in Boston, and now resides, writes, plays, teaches and paints in the Hudson Valley.
Zukerman has released eight independent albums and has toured internationally as a solo performer since 2005. Her music can be heard on the soundtrack of several seasons of The L Word and ABC Family’s Chasing Life. Alongside her touring career, Zukerman continues to paint private and public murals as well as illustrate children’s books, design and paint sets for plays in New York City, and paint private portrait commissions. In February 2017, she became a Cultural Diplomat for the U.S. Department of State — playing concerts and conducting workshops with her trio, The Northern Lights, throughout Africa. Zukerman teaches private songwriting lessons and has taught at various programs and festivals throughout the US and in Canada. Last March, she co-produced an online music festival called Shut In and Sing which ran for eight weeks and provided immediate financial relief to hundreds of independent musicians at the beginning of the lockdown. Since then, she has been performing livestream shows, teaching, coaching, running an integrative wellness platform, painting, gardening, studying for her yoga teacher certification and is the artistic director and the director of youth and family programs for SoulCall Global.
About The Women Who Rode Away
While an artist in residence at the cell theatre in New York City in May 2018, Zukerman developed her multimedia one-woman show, The Women Who Rode Away. Edifying and entertaining, the show seamlessly melds the talents of the songwriter, painter, and storyteller into a moving evening of reflection and perseverance. Featuring original music and projected paintings by Zukerman, this intimate portrait recounts the artist’s journey of finding her own voice through the stories of the women in her life that paved the way.
http://www.nataliazukerman.com/the-women-who-rode-away
Bill Hurley, producer of The Extended Play Sessions, calls The Women Who Rode Away “ one of the most compelling and riveting events we have ever hosted.” He says: “It speaks of empowerment, struggle, tolerance, perseverance and history, and the timeliness of this project could not be more poignant. A woman, seated alone on a stage, paying tribute to women… with beauty, style, grace and a boatload of talent!” Says Jenna Kunselman (Inside Off The Wall): “Zukerman highlights each of these women through story, song, and visual art, revealing a remarkable songwriting ability, notably exceptional guitar skills, a lovely voice, and an extraordinary artistic vision.”
# # #
“Natalia’s voice could send an orchid into bloom while her guitar playing can open a beer bottle with its teeth.” –New Yorker

Ronny Cox “Songs, Stories, and Out & Out Lies”
2021-04-03 20:00 - 21:30 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
FMSH presents a video concert featuring Ronny Cox, a noted actor, singer-songwriter and storyteller. Entitled Songs, Stories, and Out & Out Lies, the video will be streamed to the FMSH YouTube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland).
Songs, Stories, and Out & Out Lies is the first major video release by Ronny Cox. A few of Nashville’s top studio musicians join him in an extraordinary musical collaboration.
Ronny Cox has an extensive body of work with over 150 movie, television and stage credits to his name. He is best known for his highly acclaimed movie roles and stints in award-winning television shows — including his work in the movies Deliverance, RoboCop, Total Recall, and Beverly Hills Cop I and II, and his starring role as George Apple in the TV series Apple’s Way and his portrayal of Dr. John Gideon in St. Elsewhere’s final season.
But even though he’s recognized as the face and voice of countless film, TV and stage characters, from his indelible debut in Deliverance (his guitar-strumming scene is widely considered one of the most iconic moments in cinematic history) to his more recent turn in the final season of Nashville, Ronny confesses: “I don’t love it as much as I do the music – and here’s why, With acting, there is – and must be – that imaginary fourth wall between you and the audience. With my show, there’s a profound one-on-one sharing that can take place” – an experience that he characterizes as addicting and undeniable.
“FMSH regrets that Ronny Cox was unable to perform live for us, as initially planned, due to the pandemic, but is delighted to present a live performance recording from earlier last year,” says Michael Kornfeld, the nonprofit organization’s board president.
Although there is no admission charge for this online show, tips for the artist — who has lost many gigs and is unable to tour due to the pandemic — would be most appreciated. Here’s a link to Ronny Cox’s virtual tip jar: http://paypal.me/ronnycoxmusic.
Recorded in the days before the pandemic, on February 4, 2020 at Ocean Way Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, “Songs, Stories, and Out & Out Lies” features a number of Nashville’s top session players including the legendary Jelly Roll Johnson. “My show is unique,” said Ronny Cox, “in that my heart has always been with sharing stories and making a connection with the audience. The connection you make with the stories in music that you can’t make in the movie world means everything to me.”
“I want it to feel like when we were kids sitting in the living room or the kitchen or on the front porch, sharing stories and songs with our family,” he continued. He also discourages big introductions, preferring to disclose the details of his colorful life in his stories. “To me, the story is equally as important as the song. If I don’t have a story for a song, I’ll make one up. So I don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. Picasso once said, ‘Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth.’”
Session musicians appearing in Songs, Stories, and Out & Out Lies include Kris Donegan on electric guitar, Tammy Rogers on fiddle, mandolin and vocals, Jelly Roll Johnson on harmonica, Tom Ryan on bass and vocals, Steve Nathan on keys, Tim Lauer on accordion, Biff Watson on acoustic guitar, and Mark Beckett on drums.
Ronny Cox was inducted into the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame in 2019 and continues to delight audiences with his music from coast to coast, when not in the midst of a pandemic.
A more extensive bio of Ronny Cox can be found on his website (ronnycox.com), along with some performance videos and information on his recordings (including the 2020 release Live at the Kitchen Sink).
A Zoom After-Party will begin shortly after the Video Concert ends.
Join Zoom Meeting
http://zoom.us/j/98784912077?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 987 8491 2077
Passcode: [REDACTED]

An Evening of the Blues with Suzie Vinnick and Jon Shain & FJ Ventre
2021-04-15 20:00 - 21:30 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Acclaimed blues artists Suzie Vinnick and Jon Shain & FJ Ventre are the featured performers during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s virtual Hard Luck Café concert series, held in partnership with the Cinema Arts Centre, on Thursday night, April 15. Thy will showcase their talents live from 8-9:30 p.m. via FMSH’s YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland).
“Although the COVID-19 pandemic prevents the Folk Music Society of Huntington from hosting in-person concerts now, our board of directors recognizes the importance of music in these challenging times and believes that the show must go on-line,” said Michael Kornfeld, the nonprofit organization’s board president. He noted that although there is no admission charge for the concert, tips for the artists — who have lost many gigs and are unable to tour due to the ongoing health crisis — would be most appreciated.
Jon & FJ and Suzie will be splitting any amounts that are contributed: to these virtual tip jars:
PayPal: flyinrex@jonshain.com and Venmo: @Jon_Shain. Information about online tipping will also appear on your screens during the concert.
Suzie Vinnick – a Saskatchewan native transplanted to the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada – is the proud owner of a gorgeous voice, impressive guitar and bass chops, and an engagingly candid performance style. In addition to winning 10 Maple Blues Awards, she is the recipient of a Canadian Folk Music Award, a two-time winner in in the blues category of the International Songwriting Competition, and is a three-time Juno nominee. Earlier in her career, she received the 2012 CBC Blues Great Canadian Blues Award and was named the 2012 SiriusXM Canada Blues Artist of the Year. Most recently, she received the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival 2019 Special Recognition Award.
Jon Shain, a Durham, North Carolina-based singer-songwriter and guitarist, is the 2019 International Blues Challenge winner in the solo duo category. Shain had the good fortune to learn directly from a number of NC’s older blues players, and became a member of Big Boy Henry’s backing band. He got his start playing his own music with NC roots rockers Flyin’ Mice. Jon was a finalist (along with FJ) in the 2009 International Blues Challenge in Memphis and the 2008 and 2018 winner of the Triangle Blues Society’s Blues Challenge and 2006 winner of NC’s Indy award for Best Folk Act. Besides performing and recording, Jon teaches Piedmont blues guitar.
FJ Ventre and Jon began playing music together in 1982 when they met in high school. FJ went on to University of Massachusetts-Lowell, earning a B.A. in Music Performance and Sound Recording. He remained in the Boston area, performing in the city’s vibrant music scene. Since relocating to Chapel Hill, NC in 2000, FJ has performed with his own group, The Swang Brothers, as well as most of the Triangle’s roots acts. In addition to playing bass as a sideman, he spends his time behind the mixing board, engineering at his own Good Luck Studio. With Jon, they have become sought-after producers in the folk/Americana genre and have produced several charting Folk albums over the last few years.
Videos:
Crazy ‘Bout Lovin’ – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hS6Z8BrTXo
Danger Zone – http://youtu.be/p-58ce8Abxc
Sometimes I Think I Can Fly – http://youtu.be/CRtOWFDAsBU
Seven Thieves – http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gdaI7Cfa2mM

Ordinary Elephant (Crystal & Pete Damore)
2021-05-01 20:00 - 21:30 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Ordinary Elephant, a husband-and-wife duo (Crystal & Pete Damore) that was named Artist of the Year in the 2017 International Folk Music Awards presented by Folk Alliance International, will share their emotionally powerful and vulnerable songs during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s virtual First Saturday Concert series on May 1 from 8-9:15 p.m. EDT. Since the ongoing pandemic prevents the nonprofit organization from hosting in-person concerts, this one will be live-streamed via Crowdcast. Advance registration is required for this concert, and a link to view it will be sent to your email address.
Click here to register for the concert: http://ordinaryelephant.net/fmsh . Don’t wait until the night of the concert to register. Please register in advance. The minimum registration cost is $0 and you will be able to tip the performers during or after the show.
A “Donate” button will be visible during the concert or you can tip the performers via Venmo: @ordinaryelephant or via PayPal: info@ordinaryelephant.net .
Click Here for Videos of Ordinary Elephant
What Others Are Saying About Ordinary Elephant:
“Two become one, in song … hand-in-glove harmonies surprise the listener with focused intensity and musical mastery.” – Mary Gauthier
“There is nothing at all ordinary about this elephant. They are smack dab in the tradition that I have always loved but have both (all four?) feet in the 21st century. This is rich ground. Listen!” – Tom Paxton
“Keep kind all that rises from your chest to your tongue. Don’t ever let your words undo the work you’ve done,” sings Crystal Damore on “Worth the Weight,” a song that beats at the heart of Ordinary Elephant’s potent new album, Honest. In the song, it’s a two-line enjoinder from an adult to a kid. In life, though, it’s a mission statement for ourselves as much as for others. And the work that Crystal, along with her husband Pete, has done on Honest is both filled with kindness and worthy of praise.
Interestingly, if not ironically, in order to accomplish this new work, Crystal and Pete had to set aside the work they’d done previously, as a veterinary cardiologist and a computer programmer, respectively. The two met at an open mic in College Station, Texas, in 2009 and soon moved to Houston together. With her on acoustic guitar/lead vocals and him on clawhammer banjo/harmony vocals, the work of music continued on the side as both had full-time jobs, until they threw all caution to the wind and hit the road in an RV.
Leaving the stability of a day job and the security of a career didn’t come easily for Crystal. “It took a lot of time — and help from Pete — for me to get to the point that I was okay with leaving the career I spent my whole life in school working toward, to the degree that I was leaving it,” she admits, adding, “to be okay with the fact that it may not be what other people want, but it was what I needed, and that was the important part.”
Bitten by the creative bug at an early age, Crystal had set most of that aside to focus on school and work: “Living on the road, before doing music full-time, gave my creative side the breathing room it need to come back out.”
And, boy, has it ever come out now that they’ve both committed fully to Ordinary Elephant. In song after Honest song, the Damores take on what it means to follow your heart and eschew all the expectations, assumptions, and limitations projected upon you by others. They also use their own life experience to point out that the “safe” route can be anything but safe, as they do in “Rust Right Through.”
“I had a safe job and was on a safe life trajectory, financially,” Crystal says, “but those things were like a safety rail you reach for — a habit, a comfortable familiarity… something you’re expected to reach for. I was letting those things hold me up instead of learning to stand on my own. And one day, down the road, I would retire, and that job and those people who I thought I needed to please, would fall away, and I’d be left with me, not having lived the life I truly wanted or felt called to. That is not safe to my well-being.”
Another track that takes aim at playing it safe is the spirited bounce of “Jenny & James.” It’s the story of an interracial couple, though, really, it’s the story of any non-traditional couple targeted with shunning and shaming for being in love. As Crystal notes, “The ‘safe’ route of pairing up with someone of your same race and opposite gender is not safe to the well-being of many.”
The choices we make are not always easy or safe, but they are important. The songs on Honest speak, again and again, to being our truest, best selves, no matter who we are or where we come from. Indeed, every of us has a heritage, a legacy, a story, of which we are a part, for better and for worse. Each moment and memory a lesson leading us to who we will be.
The album’s spunky opener, “I Come From,” looks back at the things in our upbringing that are worth holding on to. The more sober “Scars We Keep,” on the other hand, tosses out the things that must be cast aside. In it, Crystal sings, “These times are hard, and it’s harder to heal, when where you were born decides what you fear. It’s time to be a brother, not my father’s son. I was born to be a bigot, but that don’t mean that I am one.”
As Pete explains, “Detangling tradition from any particular negative aspect is complicated, and sometimes impossible. But it’s necessary to change the tradition for it to live on and, hopefully, preserve its core as our culture tries to correct its failings.”
Pete grew up in Austin, Texas, in a big Italian family who gathered for big Italian meals, and he’s quick to admit that we all live in bubbles of our own making or choosing. “I can only imagine growing up in a toxic environment,” he offers. “Without the perspective gained from travel and experiencing other cultures, it’s nearly impossible to realize how toxic your world actually is. I can’t fault anybody not overcoming. I’m not in their shoes. I know I can’t change them by telling them they’re wrong, but I do know that people can change when they see new things.”
People can also change when they hear new things, as a fan did when Ordinary Elephant played “Scars We Keep” on the main stage at Kerrville Folk Festival in 2018. Around 2 am, a man walked up to them in the campground, tears in his eyes, and said, “I want to thank you for that song you did tonight … You changed my point of view.” Their response: “That is why we do this. Songs speak, and they can heal.”
Songs can also draw our attention to people and problems that we might not otherwise notice, as in “The War,” which takes on both the travesty of what war does to service members and the tragedy of what society does to returning veterans. It also connects the dots between different kinds of trauma and loss. For the song’s protagonist, the war never ended.
“It caused him to lose his significant other, his home, his ability to maintain a job, and drove him to become an alcoholic,” Crystal says of the character. “The narrator represents the majority of the population, in that he does not know, first-hand, the experience of war, but the story shows him having compassion for this veteran and understanding that some choices are made for you and this can lead to an inability to make good choices for yourself down the line.”
Much like Patty Griffin and Gillian Welch, taking on the male perspective as a female singer/songwriter is something that Crystal does with ease and equanimity, though the reverse is not something that happens very often. Pete theorizes that, “In a historically male-dominated world, there’s not been a lot of practice on the male side of idolizing women, or even being encouraged to empathize with their situations. Also, the expectation for men to be masculine is tightly woven through our culture and the everyday lives of men. A hesitation, conscious or not, would certainly present itself before performing a song on a big stage that’s overtly from a female perspective, especially for a man who’s not very secure.”
For Crystal, though, it’s just about telling the story in the truest, kindest way. “I think part of it could also have to do with empathy,” she says, adding, “and empathy can take the form of telling someone else’s story in song, no matter what gender that person is.”
Which brings us back to “Worth the Weight” and its stunning chorus: “You will wonder if it’s worth the weight, the worry that wears you down. Half your life spent figuring out how to make the other half count.” Honest is worth so much more than its weight, and Ordinary Elephant makes every kind word count as it rises from their chests to their tongues.
A Zoom After-Party will begin shortly after the Video Concert ends.
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Young Canadian Folk: The Gilberts and Angela Saini
2021-05-20 20:00 - 21:30 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Canadian artists The Gilberts and Angela Saini are the featured performers during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s virtual Hard Luck Café concert series, held in partnership with the Cinema Arts Centre, on Thursday night, May 20. They will showcase their talents live from 8-9:30 p.m. via FMSH’s YouTube channel.
“Although the COVID-19 pandemic prevents the Folk Music Society of Huntington from hosting in-person concerts now, our board of directors recognizes the importance of music in these challenging times and believes that the show must go on-line,” said Michael Kornfeld, the nonprofit organization’s board president. He noted that although there is no admission charge for the concert, tips for the artists — who have lost many gigs and are unable to tour due to the ongoing health crisis — would be most appreciated. Virtual tip jar information is posted below and will appear on your screen during the concert:
http://www.paypal.me/TheGilbertsMusic
http://www.paypal.com/paypalme/AngelaSainiMusic
THE GILBERTS are a Nova Scotia-based sibling contemporary folk trio who were named Young Performers of the Year during the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards in April. Frieden, Reuben and Maisie Gilbert bring vibrant three-part harmonies, soulful lyricism and melodious alchemy to their songs and stages. Since emigrating to Canada from the UK as toddlers in 2003, The Gilberts grew up on folk festival fields around Nova Scotia before stepping up to open mics, then performing at small events, leading to main stage performances at festivals throughout the province at which they were the youngest artists to appear. Although vocal harmonies are at the heart of their music, all three are multi-instrumentalists and their song arrangements can include guitar, mandolin, ukulele, pedal steel, saxophone, trumpet, flute, percussion, and theramin. The trio released its debut album, The Gilberts: One, in 2020, followed by Tell Me early this year. Diverse musical influences inform their songwriting, performance and choices – including choral music, musical theater, 1970s soft rock and pop, singer-songwriters, and folk music from the 1960s to now. The siblings have also found ways, both intentional and incidental, to synthesize elements of the rich Canadian East Coast musical heritage and the lives and influences left behind in the UK.
Here’s a link to view a few of the trio’s videos: www.thegilbertsband.com/videos.
ANGELA SAINI is a Canadian prairie-raised, Toronto- based folk-pop Americana artist with a positive and uplifting outlook on life. She is all about second chances and empowering others. A 2020 Independent Music Award Nominee and 2017 Toronto Independent Music Award winner, she uplifts and inspires audiences with sing-alongs and storytelling about courage and finding joy in surprising places. Angela has five Canadian tours under her belt, as well as several treks across Germany, The Netherlands and the UK. A positive and upbeat songstress, she has been called “massively talented” by BBC Radio and “one of Toronto’s best indie songwriters” by The Examiner. Angela is best known for her sunshine-soaked song “Living on the Bright Side.” She has showcased her talents at the Philadelphia Folk Festival and at a number of Canadian music festivals. Her ability to combine humanistic and honest themes laden with catchy hooks and memorable melodies make her entertaining as well as relatable. Angela has gone from fronting her high school rock band and loving grunge music to returning to her roots on the album Hope on the Stereo (2019). Among the artists who she cites as early influences are Ani Difranco and Dolly Parton.
Here’s a link to view a few of Angela’s videos: www.angelasaini.com/videos.
Established in 1973, the Cinema Arts Centre (www.cinemaartscentre.org)
seeks to bring the best of cinematic artistry to Long Island and use the power of film to expand the awareness and consciousness of our community. Long island’s only not-for-profit, viewer-supported independent cinema presents a wide array of films that are often accompanied by discussions and guest speakers.
Founded in the late 1960s, the Folk Music Society of Huntington (www.fmsh.org) generally presents two monthly concert series, a monthly folk jam, and an annual folk festival in conjunction with the Huntington Arts Council. It hopes to resume these in-person events once it is safe and feasible to do so. FMSH is a member of Folk Alliance International, the Huntington Arts Council and the Long Island Arts Alliance.

The Black Feathers (Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler)
2021-06-05 19:00 - 20:15 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
The Black Feathers, a UK-based husband and wife duo, is the featured act during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s virtual First Saturday Concert on June 5. The show will stream live from the duo’s home in Wales from 7-8:15 p.m. via FMSH’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland) and YouTube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about).
“Unlike our live concerts, there is no admission fee for this online one,” says Michael Kornfeld, FMSH’s board president. “However, The Black Feathers had most of their gigs cancelled, have been unable to tour due to the ongoing pandemic, and would appreciate donations via their online tip jar while you are viewing the concert.”
About the Artists
The ability to write songs that are both modern and ancient is a rare thing. It’s the product of an arcane art of weaving in traditional influences so thoroughly that they become the warp and weft of fresh creations.
Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler first became aware of the magic between them while collaborating on several musical projects. They joined forces to become The Black Feathers and life partners in 2012.
“Once in a blue moon, the whole soars far above the sum of its parts. That’s what happens when The Black Feathers perform live”
– Black Mountain News, North Carolina
Americana, folk and acoustic indie rock sensibilities coexist comfortably in the duo’s musical world, with Hughes’ guitar work buoying the kind of harmonies often only heard in family bands. The duo’s sound has been likened to that of The Civil Wars and Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings. Its 2016 debut album, Soaked to the Bone, reached the top 10 on the UK Americana Chart. Although The Black Feathers’ music quickly drew the interest of listeners, it is the stage chemistry that will keep you riveted.
Having built up a loyal following on the other side of the pond, The Black Feathers have been spreading their wings across the U.S. The duo has performed at the Philadelphia Folk Festival and AmericanaFest, and impressed Long Island audiences in 2019. The Black Feathers also had coveted official showcases at Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) and Folk Alliance Region-West (FAR-West) conferences.
With a new single and a live album in the pipeline, these are exciting times for what the British music publication FATEA refers to as “a duo of undeniable talent.”
You can check out a few of The Black Feathers’ videos at http://theblackfeathers.com/videos before joining us for a live performance from Wales.
A Zoom After-Party will begin shortly after the Video Concert ends.
Time: Jun 5, 2021 08:15 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Claudia Nygaard + Rupert Wates
2021-06-17 20:00 - 21:30 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Singer-Songwriters Claudia Nygaard and Rupert Wates will share their songs during the Folk Music Society of Huntington’s virtual Hard Luck Café concert series, held in partnership with the Cinema Arts Centre, on Thursday night, June 17. They will showcase their talents live from 8-9:30 p.m. via FMSH’s YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJ9zJQXl2ml128-TIPRFLg/about) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FMSHLongIsland).
“Although the COVID-19 pandemic prevents the Folk Music Society of Huntington from hosting in-person concerts now, our board of directors recognizes the importance of music in these challenging times and believes that the show must go on-line,” said Michael Kornfeld, the nonprofit organization’s board president. He noted that although there is no admission charge for the concert, tips for the artists — who have lost many gigs due to the ongoing health crisis — would be most appreciated. Information about online tipping will appear on your screens during the livestream concert.
Claudia Nygaard delivers songs that are heartfelt, humorous, scrappy, and sensual, and so are the stories she tells in between them. Her music straddles the fence between folk and country. She has been a winner in the prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition, while her song “Lucky Girl” won the Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Competition and became the title track of her latest album, which made the best albums of 2019 list published by Making A Scene online magazine. Her previous CD, Let The Storm Roll In, rose to the coveted #1 spot on the Cashbox Roots Country chart and #8 on the international Folk DJ Chart. Claudia is an emotive vocalist with what Rich Warren, the former longtime host of The Midnight Special, a nationally syndicated radio program emanating from Chicago’s WFMT, calls an “amber honey” voice. She cut her songwriting teeth as a staff writer on Nashville’s music row before walking away from that job to expand her creative horizons as a touring singer-songwriter. Since doing so, Claudia has performed across the USA, and in more than a dozen foreign countries.
Here’s a link to view some videos by Claudia Nygaard: http://www.claudianygaard.com/video
Rupert Wates’ music is an eclectic mix of acoustic, melodic art/folk, flavored with elements of jazz, vaudeville and cabaret. London-born and Oxford-educated, he has been a full-time songwriter since the late 1990s. Rupert has won more than 40 awards for his songwriting and performing skills since relocating to the U.S. nearly 15 years ago. He was twice voted Artist of the Year by the international house concert network Concerts in Your Home and has been a finalist in the Kerrville New Folk Competition, among others. Rupert also was cited for Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting in the Great American Song Contest (2018) and was selected for juried official showcases at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) conference and other conferences hosted by regional affiliates of Folk Alliance International (FA!). Prior to the pandemic, Rupert averaged 120 live shows yearly across the U.S., Canada and Europe. His latest album, Lamentations, was among the most-played albums on folk radio in in February, according to the FAI Folk Chart. Many other artists have also recorded his songs.
Here’s a link to view some videos by Rupert Wates: http://rupertwatesmusic.com/video
Established in 1973, the Cinema Arts Centre (www.cinemaartscentre.org)
seeks to bring the best of cinematic artistry to Long Island and use the power of film to expand the awareness and consciousness of our community. Long island’s only not-for-profit, viewer-supported independent cinema presents a wide array of films that are often accompanied by discussions and guest speakers.
Founded in the late 1960s, the Folk Music Society of Huntington (www.fmsh.org) generally presents two monthly concert series, a monthly folk jam, and an annual folk festival in conjunction with the Huntington Arts Council. It hopes to resume these in-person events once it is safe and feasible to do so. FMSH is a member of Folk Alliance International, the Huntington Arts Council and the Long Island Arts Alliance.

Huntington Folk Festival
2021-07-17 13:00 - 22:00 | Heckscher Park, Huntington, Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue, Huntington, NY, United States
Huntington Folk Festival Set for July 17 at Heckscher Park
Long Island-based Americana band Quarter Horse headlines the 15th annual Huntington Folk Festival on Saturday, July 17, at Heckscher Park, located off Main Street (Route 25A) and Prime Avenue, in Huntington, NY. Opening for the group on the park’s [Harry] Chapin Rainbow Stage at 8 p.m. that evening will be The Honey Dewdrops, an Appalachian-inspired, now Baltimore-based husband-and-wife Americana duo. Extending from 1-10:30 p.m., with a dinner break from 6-7:30 p.m., the free event is co-presented by the Folk Music Society of Huntington and the Huntington Arts Council as part of the 56th Huntington Summer Arts Festival.
Quarter Horse is a six-member ensemble that was voted the Most Wanted to Return Emerging Artists at the 2018 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Elements of folk, rock, alternative, country, blues, and jazz are all part of its Americana sound.
Prior to the evening concert, Michael Kornfeld, president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington and editor & publisher of AcousticMusicScene.com, will conduct an on-stage conversational interview with the evening’s featured & opening artists at 7:30 p.m. He also hosts a series of amplified showcases and a harmony workshop (presented by The Honey Dewdrops) from 1-6 p.m. These will take place near a canopy tent on the upper lawn area overlooking the stage and will feature artists from throughout LI and the New York metropolitan area.
Artists slated to showcase their talents during the afternoon include Josie Bello, Roger Street Friedman, Loretta Hagen, Ray Lambiase, The Levins, Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale, Kate Mills, Dave Murphy, Open Book, Nico Padden, Queler/Farber Family Band, The Royal Yard, Rachael Sage, South Country String Band, Christine Sweeney, and Toby Tobias.
The complete schedule for the Huntington Folk Festival appears below:
1:00 Ray Lambiase
1:15: Song Swap: Rorie Kelly, Nico Padden & Christine Sweeney
2:00 South Country String Band
2:15 Josie Bello
2:30 Roger Street Friedman
2:45 The Royal Yard (sea shanty duo)
3:00 Dave Murphy
3:15 Loretta Hagen
3:30 Kate Mills
3:45 Open Book
4:00 Harmony Workshop with The Honey Dewdrops
4:45 Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale
5:00 The Levins
5:15 Queler/Farber Family Band
5:30 Toby Tobias
5:45 Rachael Sage
6:00 Dinner Break
7:30 On-Stage Conversation with Quarter Horse and The Honey Dewdrops
8:00 Evening Concert on the Chapin Rainbow Stage
Festivalgoers are advised to bring lawn chairs and blankets and a picnic supper (or they can walk into Huntington Village and enjoy a meal at one of its many restaurants). The festival’s evening concert will also be livestreamed via the Huntington Arts Council’s Facebook page.
The Huntington Summer Arts Festival is produced by the Town of Huntington and presented by the Huntington Arts Council. Additional support is provided by Presenting Sponsor Canon U.S.A., with partial funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, Suffolk County, and Darin W. Reed – Allstate Insurance Agent. The Honey Dewdrops’ performance is sponsored in part by a grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.

Just Wild About Harry (Harry Chapin Tribute) - New Date!
2021-07-26 20:00 - 22:00 | Eisenhower Park Bandshell
More than two dozen of Long Island’s top folk and rock musicians will take to the stage in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow to perform the music of Harry Chapin, the late singer, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and social activist. The rescheduled “Just Wild About Harry” tribute concert on Monday night, July 26, will feature multiple acts, including concert organizer Stuart Markus and his trio Gathering Time, performing some of Chapin’s classics including “Taxi” and “Cat’s in the Cradle,” plus many lesser hits and fan favorites like “WOLD” and “Mr. Tanner.” The concert, set for 8:00 p.m., is free, but concertgoers are asked to bring donations of nonperishable food to support Long Island Cares, Inc., the regional food bank founded by Chapin in 1980.
“The annual Harry Chapin Tribute Concert in Eisenhower Park is always a very special event for all of us at Long Island Cares because so many of Harry’s fans attend and are extremely supportive of Long Island Cares and the work we do to assist the more than 316,000 Long Islanders struggling with domestic hunger and high food insecurity,” said Paule Pachter, the nonprofit organization’s chief executive officer.
Markus added, “This year marks the 40th anniversary of Chapin’s death on the LIE at the age of 38, while en route to perform on the Eisenhower Park stage that now bears his name.”
In addition to collecting donations of non-perishable food at a tent near the entrance to The Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Long Island Cares’ staff and volunteers will also be selling tee shirts and Harry Chapin CDs, as well as distributing literature about the organization’s programs and services.
Guests should bring their own lawn chairs or picnic blankets to The Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre at the park, which is located off Merrick and Stewart Avenues in East Meadow. The concert will be held rain or shine, precluded only by thunderstorms. For more information, visit http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/1767/Parks-Recreation-Museums.
(Photo of Harry Chapin by Robert Berkowitz/RSBImageWorks)

Fiddle & Folk Festival at Benner's Farm
2021-09-12 12:00 - 20:00
The Folk Music Society of Huntington is pleased to be a sponsor of the ninth annual Fiddle & Folk Festival that is being presented by Homestead Arts and the Greater Port Jefferson-North Brookhaven Arts Council on Sunday, Sept. 12, from 12-8 p.m., at the historic, organic Benner’s Farm on Gnarled Hollow Road in East Setauket.
Chris Smither, who has previously performed for FMSH, makes an all-too rare local appearance during the family-friendly festival that also features a number of talented Long Island-based artists (including the Americana band Quarter Horse that headlined the Huntington Folk Festival in July). There will be several stages this year, artist-led workshops, opportunities to jam, and an open mic on the back of a 1924 Model T truck, as well as activities for children all afternoon. FMSH will also have a table at the festival.
Tickets (priced at $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $13 for children) will be sold on-site. In the interest of protecting public health during the ongoing pandemic, attendees are advised to wear masks when within six feet of other people. More information about the festival — including a complete schedule and artist bios—can be found online at fiddleandfolk.com.
Thank You for supporting the Long Island Live Music Community
__________________________________________________________
About FMSH
Founded in the late 1960s, the Folk Music Society of Huntington generally presents two monthly concert series, a monthly folk jam, and an annual folk festival in conjunction with the Huntington Arts Council. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, FMSH presented concerts virtually – via its Facebook page and YouTube channel during the 2020-2021 season that ended in June. FMSH hoped to resume presenting in-person indoor concerts this fall and intentionally delayed booking artists due to the changing pandemic environment and the different needs and skills required in presenting indoor vs. virtual concerts. FMSH’s board of directors does not feel it is yet safe and feasible to present live indoor concerts. The booking committee will be announcing virtual concerts shortly.
In the meantime, FMSH reaches out to the music community to help fill its current needs. Among these are additional support for efforts such as Constant Contact, website content management and updating, technical skills (including livestreaming, creating Facebook and YouTube events), and artist booking.
If you are interested in volunteering your time, services and talents, please email president@fmsh.
Thank You

Volunteers Needed
2021-10-31
To all FMSH Members and Long Island Folk Fans,
The Folk Music Society of Huntington, founded in the late 1960s, has been in continuous operation for more than 50 years. Running an organization that puts on two monthly concerts, a monthly acoustic jam and an annual folk festival can be challenging under the best of circumstances, let alone during a prolonged pandemic.
Although Covid-19 has prevented us from hosting live concerts since March 2020, we have found ways to present concerts online for the entertainment and enrichment (and stress relief) of our audience and to help many talented acoustic musicians and songwriters support themselves through the many months of shutdown. We also managed to stage our annual summer Huntington Folk Festival and maintain our relationship with the Huntington Arts Council, and support other worthy events in the folk realm — including the annual “Just Wild About Harry” Chapin tribute concert at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow and the L.I. Fiddle and Folk Festival in East Setauket.
But the pandemic is only one of the challenges we face. Both our audience and our volunteers are getting up in years or moving away from Long Island; some of our board members have done the same, or wish to step down after years or even decades of service.
All of this means, we’ve got a place for YOU in Long Island’s premier folk and acoustic music presenting organization!
Do you have experience in running nonprofit arts organizations, or in organizing and promoting concerts and other music events, have a knack for promotion (including social media), community outreach, audience and membership building, coupled with a love of singer-songwriters, traditional or other acoustic music? If so, there may be a place on our board or in another volunteer capacity for you
Right now — and in order to resume hosting virtual concerts this fall — we are in particular need of folks who are experienced in live streaming and managing a YouTube channel, as well as website content management (WordPress) and preparation and distribution of e-blasts via Constant Contact.
If you don’t have a lot of experience but love the music, have time and would like to help out in various ways, we’d still like to talk with you about being a volunteer!
Please contact any FMSH board member or reach out to us via our website with your ideas or offers to volunteer NOW.
Board member contact information is on our website: www.FMSH.org (Click CONTACT.)
Sincerely,
FMSH Board of Directors
Michael Kornfeld, president

Enjoy the Music of the 2021 Virtual NERFA Conference, Nov. 11-14
2021-11-11 08:00 - 2021-11-14 17:00 | Live-Streaming to Your Home
Enjoy the Music of the 2021 Virtual NERFA Conference,
Nov. 11-14
In addition to serving as president of the Folk Music Society of Huntington, I led the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA), a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International (FAI), as its board president from 2016-2020 and still serve on its board of directors, as well as that of FAI. Each year, several other FMSH board members join me and some 700 performing artists, presenters, promoters, agents and managers, folk DJs, and others actively engaged in contemporary and traditional folk music for NERFA’s annual conference. In light of the ongoing pandemic, this year’s conference is taking place online only, Nov. 11-14, and its music showcases (through which we have discovered and booked many talented artists to perform for our audiences) are being opened to folk music fans.
You can purchase a Music Only virtual ticket for $20 (plus a $2.97 processing fee) and enjoy hours of music by artists from across the U.S. and Canada from the comfort of your own homes over this Veterans Day weekend and for 30 days afterwards (since all of the showcases are being recorded for later viewing). Although the conference also includes panel discussions and workshops, keynote speakers, peer group sessions, and awards presentations, the $20 Music Only ticket enables music lovers to enjoy curated online showcases only. These include all juried Formal Showcases, the Suzie Wollenberg Folk DJ Showcase, a BIPOC Showcase, open mics, and late-night guerrilla showcases.
For information on the conference and to purchase a virtual Music Only ticket, visit www.nerfa2021.com/tickets .
Michael Kornfeld
President, FMSH board of directors

FMSH Folk Jam & Sing Along
2021-11-14 13:00 - 16:00
Nov. 14 FMSH Folk Jam & Sing-Along
The Folk Music Society of Huntington’s monthly Folk Jam and Sing-Along resumes on Nov. 14 at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station) from 1-4 p.m. This free Sunday afternoon event affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing and hone their performance skills in a supportive and welcoming environment.
The monthly Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections can range across the broad folk milieu.
Your health and safety is important to us. Since the jam involves singing in an enclosed space, we strongly advise that participants be vaccinated for COVID-19. A link to the library’s protocols follows:
http://shpl.info/covid-protocols

FMSH Folk Jam & Sing-Along
2021-12-12 13:00 - 16:00
December 12 FMSH Folk Jam & Sing-Along
The Folk Music Society of Huntington’s next monthly Folk Jam & Sing-Along will take place on December 12 at the South Huntington Public Library (145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station) from 1-4 p.m. This free Sunday afternoon event affords musicians and singers of all experience levels an opportunity to play, sing, and hone their performance skills in a supportive and welcoming environment.
The monthly Folk Jams are completely acoustic, unplugged events attended primarily by amateur musicians and those who love to sing, although visitors who just want to listen are also welcome. Song selections can range across the broad folk milieu.
Your health and safety are important to us. Since the jam involves singing in an enclosed space, we strongly advise that participants be vaccinated for COVID-19. A link to the library’s protocols follows:
http://shpl.info/covid-protocols
