The Mary Ellen CarterAs the Troubadour's Program Chairman, Mike Agranoff has been its public face for decades. Many regular attendees have heard snippets of music from him at an Open Stage or in informal music sessions offstage. But he's also a regularly touring seasoned performer, and a full set from him can be pretty impressive. His prodigious skills on guitar and concertina support a wide variety of music. Expect anything from irreverent parodies to traditional ballads; from blazing dance tunes to Bach concerti; from great chorus songs to his signature spoken-word recitations. In addition to some old favorites, expect brand new and long-abandoned songs from his vast repertoire along with musical help from some of the Folk Project's best musicians.

The Minstrel Open Stage is the place where a diverse collection of acoustic musicians perform for a welcoming, supportive, and attentive audience. We’re a listening room, not a noisy bar. We've often seen previews of our regularly scheduled opening acts for the first time at our Open Stage. Admission is $5.00 at the door, but is free for Folk Project members and anyone under the age of twenty-five. (Free-will donations are encouraged.) For information on how to sign up to perform at our next Open Stage, visit www.OpenStage.FolkProject.org.

RiverFor just about as long as anyone currently involved in folk music can remember, Bill Staines is the archetypical contemporary folk singer. People have been singing his songs on stage, in recording studios, and around campfires for over 40 years. He is responsible for such classics as "Roseville Fair", "All God's Critters Got a Place in the Choir", and "River", all with choruses that beg to be sung with. Come and see a true living legend.

The Greystone Singers consists of Hal Lindsay (guitar), Adam Siegler (bass), and Joe Seider (banjo), who have discovered and adopted the music of the Folk Revival of the '40s through the '60s. The band's name, of course, refers to the Morris County institution where Woodie Guthrie spent his final years. And it's Woodie's music, along with that of Pete Seeger, Peter Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan, and others that surprisingly and refreshingly comes from this trio of 20-somethings.

Doo-Wopera(Rescheduled from June 19)
An a cappella supergroup? Sounds paradoxical, absurd, perhaps even dangerous. Indeed, The GrooveBarbers are all these things. Each member of this all-vocal powerhouse quartet is a bona fide star in his own right: Sean Altman, Charlie Evett and Steve Keyes are alumni of the pioneering contemporary a cappella group Rockapella, and Kevin Weist is a renowned bald vocal guru. Collectively they have established themselves as the "go to" vocal group for rock, doo-wop, (and occasionaly doo-wopera!), jazz and even (no way!) barbershop! And the vocal pyrotechnics are enhanced with brilliant clowning, resulting in a thoroughly enjoyable show.

Dropping KeysThe Levins (pronounced The L'Vins), Ira and Julia Levin, combine harmony-driven acoustic folk rock with wistful overtones of the 1930s. Their original songs sound like The Mamas and The Papas having coffee with Cole Porter. They were the 2011 Winners of the Connecticut Folk Festival Songwriting Competition.

The Folk Project Open Stage is the place where a diverse collection of acoustic musicians perform for a welcoming, supportive, and attentive audience. We’re a listening room, not a noisy bar. We've often seen previews of our regularly scheduled opening acts for the first time at our Open Stage. For information on how to sign up to perform at our next Open Stage, visit www.OpenStage.FolkProject.org.

I Saw a StrangerJohn Gorka is perhaps the quintessential iconic singer-songwriter of the 80's folk scene. Hailing from New Jersey, but forged in the Geenwich Village Fast Folk scene, he honed his craft and persona into an unmistakable image. The shy, wry, insightful, and yes, sensitive singer-songwriter has been copied, mocked, and parodied. But the old coat he wove still fits, and still suits him well. The old songs ring as true as they ever did, and the new ones are just as good.

Details to follow

Details to Follow.

Stroll OnTo say that Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman play the Celtic Harp and guitar is like saying Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe pick out tunes on the banjo and mandolin. These two are past masters of their craft, and their craft is virtuoso performance on their chosen instruments. "Awesome" is a word overused these days, but I was drop-dead awe-struck by their performance. Their forte is the Irish and Scots repertoire, but they take detours into old-time American tunes and swing (!!) This is a must-see show even for people who are not into harp music. They are jaw-dropping mind-bending out-freaking-standing.

Details to follow.

You Show Up at the Strangest TimeTrout Fishing in America is the long-standing, and yet seemingly unlikely musical partnership of Keith Grimwood and ezra Idlet. As individuals, they are about as different as one could imagine. But together, they blend seemlessly in a way that has captured audiences of all ages for over three decades. A willingness to at once make fun of our most annoying daily habits, and then to touch our hearts with tender and passionate images of family life is what makes the connection between the Trouts and their audiences so compelling and poignant.

If I Had the Copyright (The F-Word Song)Carla Ulbrich is a comical singer-songwriter and guitarist with a rapier wit and a keen observational eye for the absurdities of everyday living. With a love of wordplay and some pretty fancy guitar chops, she creates songs on topics as diverse as wedgies, Waffle House, Klingons, and how rich she would be if she had the copyright on the 'F' Word. She is a longtime favorite on the Dr. Demento show, and puts on an utterly hilarious live show.

This is Why I Need YouRescheduled from May 22nd.

Those who remember Jesse Ruben's bravura performance opening for the Loose Canons back in January will surely be back for his feature set tonight. Jesse is a young Brooklyn-based songwriter, who can bounce between frenetic, wordy, cleverly written, almost manic ditties to incredibly tender and specific love songs in the blink of an eye. He is at once spontaneous and beautifully crafted in his delivery, and a real charmer to boot.

Details to follow

Robert Jones & Matt Watroba, sharing common chords for over 30 years; a black man and a white man, obviously great friends, on stage singing and talking about the roots music that tells our story. A music we all have in common, that reflects history, social change, hopes and dreams. Music that is rich, diverse, direct, and powerful. All of this makes for an evening that is not just a powerhouse of entertainment, but a deeply impressive message that resonates to the soul.

The Folk Project Open Stage is the place where a diverse collection of acoustic musicians perform for a welcoming, supportive, and attentive audience. We’re a listening room, not a noisy bar. We've often seen previews of our regularly scheduled opening acts for the first time at our Open Stage. For information on how to sign up to perform at our next Open Stage, visit www.OpenStage.FolkProject.org.

The Accordion Door StorySome of you may remember Don White from his split-bill appearance with Christine Lavin in 2014. Don is a blue collar intellectual and a true old-school troubadour. He is a comedian-author-singer-songwriter-raconteur, whose introductions to his songs are wonderfully crafted tales that are as hilarious as the songs themselves. He is such a beloved character in his hometown of Lynn, MA that last year the mayor proclaimed an official Don White Day and gave him the key to the city.

Touch and GoMatt Nakoa is an award-winning songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. A modern troubadour, he makes his home on the highways and concert stages of America, and appears regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush. The Boston Globe says of Nakoa, “Between his piano chops and heartfelt originals on guitar, he drops jaws.” His stage presence is electrifying, bringing audiences to their feet at concerts and festivals throughout the country. If you've not seen him, this will be an unforgettable show.

An evening of songs for the audience to sing. Details to follow.

The Folk Project Open Stage is the place where a diverse collection of acoustic musicians perform for a welcoming, supportive, and attentive audience. We’re a listening room, not a noisy bar. We've often seen previews of our regularly scheduled opening acts for the first time at our Open Stage. For information on how to sign up to perform at our next Open Stage, visit www.OpenStage.FolkProject.org.

A holiday show featuring member musicians of the Folk Project to benefit the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship.
Details to follow

The Folk Project Open Stage is the place where a diverse collection of acoustic musicians perform for a welcoming, supportive, and attentive audience. We’re a listening room, not a noisy bar. We've often seen previews of our regularly scheduled opening acts for the first time at our Open Stage. For information on how to sign up to perform at our next Open Stage, visit www.OpenStage.FolkProject.org.

Hickory HillThis concert has been rescheduled from its original date of May 8, 2020. Tickets are not yet available for this concert.

Deeper Than the Skin is an examination in song and story of the issue of race in America by Reggie Harris and Greg Greenway, two of our favorite artists who have lived that issue, and come to grips with it. It will be an evening of singing, of narrative, and of listening; of experiencing a connection so deep that it moves us to laugh, cry, and reconsider what we know about our history. This will be an experience to be long remembered.