An Evening with Noel “Paul” Stookey
Noel “Paul” Stookey His performing career began in Birmingham, Michigan, where, as a lover of jazz, pop, and standup comedy, he formed a high-school R & B band called “The Birds of Paradise.” At Michigan State University he was a popular emcee at campus events and in 1959 he heading to New York City. Soon he discovered Greenwich Village, and landed a steady gig as a singer and master of ceremonies at the Gaslight Cafe. It was there he meet Albert Grossman, who was manager at the time of activist Peter Yarrow and was looking for two more singers to complete his vision of a trio. Noel agreed to take on ‘Paul’ as his middle name and ‘Peter, Paul and Mary’ soon became a popular music phenomenon. Releasing their first album in 1962 and with two more hit releases the following year, they energized the folk revival of the 1960s and brought songs of peace and social justice to a whole generation of rock ‘n rollers. Barely two years after their debut performance at the Village’s Bitter End, they were singing in front of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of 250,000 people, joining Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington. When asked in a 2020 interview what his most memorable time was in his five decades with the trio, Noel cited that day in Washington all those years ago. “It awakened me,” he said. “It awakened all of us.” Noel, Peter and Mary became an iconic ‘family’ both on and off stage; the affection between the three of them palpable and present. Performing over 200 concerts a year, they brought both traditional and newly written songs of justice and peace to a global audience. During its now legendary career, the trio won five Grammy’s, produced 13 Top 40 hits, of which 6 ascended into the Top 10 – as well as eight gold and five platinum albums. In 1969, after nearly a decade of constant travel and performing, Noel had an even deeper calling, this one of the spirit, reawakening his Christian faith and shifting his focus from the world stage to matters closer to home. “My perspective on everything changed,” he recalls, “and I am immensely grateful for it.” The following year, the trio began their “seven years off for good behavior,” and he released his first solo album. It included the widely popular “Wedding Song,” penned for the occasion of Peter’s marriage to Marybeth McCarthy. Since 1978, (following PP&M’s reunion concert and nearly 5 decades of trio performances prior to Mary’s death in 2009 and most recently Peter’s passing in January of 2025) Noel’s own songwriting style has addressed world issues straight on: as in “El Salvador” and “In These Times,” and often more intimately, in “Jean Claude,” and “The Connection.” These songs are included in “Just Causes,” his 2020 CD. The 87 year old ‘folkie’ (as he often refers to himself), continues to live in Blue Hill with his wife Betty Bannard Stookey, an ordained Congregational minister, former chaplain and co-creator with Noel of “One Light Many Candles,” a multi-faith presentation of readings and songs. “To sing folk music is, ultimately, to live its ethic,“ Noel has stated often in interviews, “and, whether in the context of my family, Peter, Paul and Mary, the Bodyworks band, or my long and abiding respect for my friends and fellow folkies, I am continually amazed and thankful for all of the often surprising circumstances that continue to make up my life
Michael Martin Murphey
Michael Martin Murphey’s musical journey has taken many unpredictable paths over the past 50 years. Topping the Pop, Country, Western and Bluegrass charts, Murphey has never been one to rest on his laurels. A loyal American son from Texas, Murphey is best known for his chart-topping hits “Wildfire,” Carolina In The Pines,” “What’s Forever For,” “Long Line of Love,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac”, “Cowboy Logic,” and many more across his 35 albums released to date. Murphey’s long-running incarnation as a purveyor of the music, lifestyle, and values of the American West is one of many musical mantles he has worn over the years. To track his career path is to span the country itself, from coming of age in the Texas folk music scene, to Los Angeles to Colorado to Nashville and then back to his native Texas. Murphey’s original songs have been recorded by The Monkees, Kenny Rogers, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Denver, Hoyt Axton, Johnny Cash, Tracy Byrd, Lyle Lovett, Jerry Jeff Walker, Dolly Parton, Johnny Rivers, Billy Ray Cyrus, and many others. During the early 1970s in Austin, TX along with artists like Jerry Jeff Walker and Gary P. Nunn, Murphey created the “Cosmic Cowboy” movement, which was pivotal in drawing artists like Willie Nelson to the scene and helped birth the “Outlaw” Country movement. In 1972, Murphey signed a major label deal. Discovered by renowned producer Bob Johnston (Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan), Murphey released his pivotal debut, Geronimo’s Cadillac. “On the strength of his first album alone,” proclaimed Rolling StoneMagazine, “Michael Murphey is the best new songwriter in the country.” In 1975 he topped the pop charts with his hit singles, “Wildfire” and “Carolina In the Pines” from the RIAA Certified Gold album Blue Sky -Night Thunder. Then, in the early 1980s, Murphey recorded a watershed country album for Capitol Records produced by Jim Ed Norman. He topped the Country Charts with the “Still Taking Chances” single, which solidified his relationship with country radio as a hit singer-songwriter, and exposed him to an entirely new audience. Twelve years after his first hit in Pop music, Murphey was awarded “Best New Artist” by the Academy of Country Music (beating out George Strait).
An Evening with Richie Furay
After an astonishing 60-year career in music that included pivotal positions in Buffalo Springfield, Poco, the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, induction in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Colorado Music Hall of Fame, plus several solo albums, RICHIE FURAY is releasing his newest album, In The Country, where he focuses on his love of country music in a brand new way. Recorded with Grammy-winning producer/engineer Val Garay, who has worked with Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Kim Carnes, and many other iconic artists, it is the kind of collection an artist often waits their entire life to make. Focusing on country songs that Furay has been listening to, some for decades and others more recently, it captures his voice with such incredible depth and beauty that even those who have been long-time fans and followers will be caught with wonder. It is truly an artistic moment of reckoning that can come once in a lifetime. He describes it as an “inner optimism” that really took him into the heart of becoming a professional musician. It has been a career of constant progression and unending achievements. Once Stills and Furay joined with Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, Buffalo Springfield instantly became one of America’s great bands. As they toured and recorded for the next three years, the group solidified their place in the history books. And when Furay left to form Poco with Jim Messina, Rusty Young, Randy Meisner, and George Grantham in 1968, his permanent influence in Country Rock became assured.
əkoostik hookah!
əkoostik hookah əkoostik hookah’s annual fall visit to The Kent Stage – hookah incorporates many genres of music into their own style, from folk to psychedelic rock, bluegrass to blues, extended jams to concise rock-n-roll, əkoostik hookah’s style includes many musical genres for a sound that in the end is distinctly “hookah”. With well over 100 original songs, and a large catalogue of cover songs to choose from, you will never hear the same show twice. The band is known for its live shows and its ability to feed off of the crowd’s energy, using it to fuel the improvised set lists that create unforgettable musical experiences.
Robert Earl Keen – Then & Now tour
No two creative lives unfold the same way, and for Robert Earl Keen, the story was never going to end with a quiet retreat. After decades on the road, with 21 albums, countless shows, songs sung by legends like George Strait and The Highwaymen, and honors ranging from the BMI Troubadour Award to the Texas A&M Distinguished Alumni Award, he might have had every reason to slow down. But Keen has always seen the open road as a beginning, never an end. Rather than closing the book, Keen has turned the page to something vivid, unpredictable, and wide open. A new chapter not so much about winding down as it is about doubling down. And if the last year is any indication, he is just getting started. Keen’s calendar is fuller than ever, and the stages are getting bigger. This year alone, he made his Grand Ole Opry debut, joined Tyler Childers for a sold-out performance at the Hollywood Bowl, and helped his longtime friends Turnpike Troubadours bring the house down at Red Rocks Amphitheater. He continues to headline iconic venues across the country, host his Americana Podcast: The 51st State, write a forthcoming book, and currently working on a new studio album. This creative bloom is not a resurgence, but a renaissance. Keen moves through it with the clarity and confidence of someone who knows exactly what he wants to express, and precisely how to shape it. Long admired for his painterly approach to songwriting, Keen writes with a visual sensitivity that brings scenes and emotions into sharp focus. His songs unfold like carefully rendered portraits or landscapes, each line adding color, texture, and depth. He captures fleeting details—a gesture, a glance, a shift in light—and transforms them into something enduring. His ability to balance specificity with subtlety gives the listener a sense of place and presence. Keen’s songwriting creates a fine line between complex story-telling and audience appeal. Beneath it all is not just momentum, but a quieter, hard-earned joy, a rhythm that comes from moving forward with purpose and the steady confidence of someone who has found his true pace. But even as he looks ahead, Robert Keen keeps his roots close. His Annual Homecoming Weekend—an ever-growing celebration of friends, family, fans, and music—culminates in the free Fan Appreciation Day concert at John T. Floore’s Country Store, a beloved Texas institution. The event reflects Keen’s signature combination of authenticity and altruism, and his enduring connection to the people who have walked alongside him throughout his journey. This year, he also led Applause for the Cause, a major benefit concert raising over three million dollars for flood relief in the Texas Hill Country. It was a testament not just to his influence, but to his commitment to the community that has nurtured him for over two decades. Onstage, Keen and his band are sharper, and more alive than ever, playing not to prove anything, but to celebrate everything. And every night, as the lights go up and the chorus swells, one truth becomes unmistakably clear: the road goes on forever, the party never ends, and Robert Earl Keen is still at the center of it all, guitar in hand, moving forward with grace, grit, and boundless imagination.
The James Hunter Six
The James Hunter Six returns with their first album on Easy Eye Sound, delivering another dose of timeless rhythm & soul. British singer, songwriter and GRAMMY-nominated James Hunter has been a legendary fixture in the scene for over three decades with his gritty voice and sharp songwriting earning him acclaim around the world. This new record features a rare duet with longtime collaborator Van Morrison (‘Ain’t That A Trip’), marking a full-circle moment for the artist hailed by MOJO magazine as “The United Kingdom’s Greatest Soul Singer.”Hunter and his six-piece band have toured the world for decades from tiny clubs to large festivals, with Hunter also sharing the stage to support legends including Mavis Staples, Aretha Franklin, BB King, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, and Van Morrison. Whether belting out up-tempo R&B or crafting candle-lit ballads, James Hunter is a must-see artist who effortlessly draws from the depths of his musical well, leaving audiences captivated and craving more. Set for release January 16th, ‘Off The Fence’ is a landmark album for James Hunter himself for a number of different reasons. In many ways it represents his past, his present and his future. The new album is the perfect amalgam of everything that is great about James Hunter’s songwriting, delivery and outlook. It also marks a fresh start. His first release on Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) Easy Eye Sound label, 2026 is going to be a big year for Hunter, striking the world with music that matters. Get ready to ride with The James Hunter Six. Socials:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJamesHunterSixInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameshuntersix/
Blues Beatles
It took one band member’s love of The Beatles and the rest of the bands’ love of the Blues to formulate one of the most entertaining Blues Outfits in the world today…Blues Beatles. Their sound is intimately appealing but at the same time powerful and infectious. They always become an “instant sensation” wherever they go and perform: New York City, Las Vegas, Chicago, Memphis, Orlando, Charlotte, Montgomery, Chattanooga, Petit-Rocher, Aarhus, Randers, Trandal, Esbjerg, Brasilia, Goiânia, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte among others … it’s a long list! The first version of the Beatles songs that caught people’s attention was Ticket To Ride. The video now has more than two million views on Facebook. The band has worked and reworked many different songs since it was formed, but only the ones that sound natural to their ears stay in the repertoire. Most of the vocal melodies are kept in their original form, but interpreted with Marcos Viana’s unique voice, in an unpretentious and heart-felt way. The arrangements combine blues and soul grooves that suit the vocals of the songs while adding a different feel to them. Instrumental solos and improvisation, typical elements of the blues, are an integral part of the Blues Beatles style. The band has more than 300,000 fan page followers (Facebook), more than 20 million views of their videos, and has appeared on Brazil’s biggest TV shows (Altas Horas, Ronnie Von, Rede Vida.) They have recorded two CDs, have thousands of CD downloads, 16 tours since 2017 (including 11 in the USA and 5 in Scandinavia and Europe) performing in the largest and most expressive festivals of the genre. After the release of their acclaimed debut CD, Get Back to The Blues, the band released and promoted their second CD, Let It Blues, recorded in 2019 at AS Studios, Brazil. For this CD the band brought explosive and intense new renditions on classics like Drive my Car, Come Together, Let it Be, Yer Blues, Chains, Can ́t Buy Me Love, One After 909 and Love Me Do; their takes on Something and Oh Darling bring that calm yet intense vibe that Blues Beatles are known for. Their fiery live performances showcase their individual and collective skills as soloists, so they decided to register the full energy of the performances and released a digital CD, Live in Texas, recorded at The Woodlands, TX on their 2019 USA tour, with guitarist Igor Prado.
John Scofield Electrospective featuring Oteil Burbridge, Adam Deitch & Larry Goldings
John Scofield’s Electrospective featuring Oteil Burbridge, Larry Goldings, and Adam Deitch! Through his 54-year career, 3-time Grammy Award winner John Scofield has occasionally detoured from the traditions of straight-ahead jazz, exploring a blend of funk and jazz that has led to some of his most popular projects. In late autumn of 2026, Scofield looks back at many of his now classic fusion groove compositions with Electrospective. Not intending to replicate the earlier fan favorites, he plans instead to revisit them with the seasoned perspective of several decades; culling tunes from his Blue Matter, Uberjam, and AGoGo bands – each responsible for a few recordings – as well as new material in the same vein. Scofield looks forward to teaming up with a stellar band of colleagues, Electrospective will rely on interpretative input from Scofield alum and super funk drummer/producer Adam Deitch (Lettuce), multidimensional Larry Goldings (Scary Goldings, James Taylor) on keyboards, and legendary bassist Oteil Burbridge (Dead & CO., Tedeschi Trucks, Allman Brothers). With this repertoire so frequently (and loudly) requested by audience members, Scofield is glad to have a band that will truly do the music justice.
The Wallflowers – Bringing Down The Horse – 30th Anniversary Tour
The Wallflowers 30th Anniversary Tour for Bringing Down the Horse The band will perform their classic album in its entirety, in sequence. Originally released on May 21, 1996, Bringing Down the Horse was a critical and commercial triumph. The album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and was certified quadruple platinum, cementing the band’s place in ‘90s rock history. The LP yielded four hit singles: • “6th Avenue Heartache” – Two Grammy nominations (1997) • “One Headlight” – Reached #1 on the Billboard singles chart, winning two Grammy Awards (1998). The songranked #58 on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Pop Songs” • “The Difference” – Grammy nomination (1998) • “Three Marlenas” – Released as the album’s final single in October 1997 Influenced by a slew of first-generation American songwriters including The Band and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, The Wallflowers will also pay tribute on the upcoming tour to the 50th anniversary of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ by playing Petty’s 1982 album Long After Dark in its entirety and in sequence as well. Jakob Dylan, the band’s chief songwriter, remains a vital performer in American rock music. As part of three decades of work, in 2002, he inducted Tom Petty into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. In 2018, he performed in the critically acclaimed documentary Echo in the Canyon, collaborating with artists ranging from Neil Young and Eric Clapton to Beck, Cat Power, Norah Jones, Regina Spektor. Dylan also contributed songs to several soundtracks, including The Wallflowers’ cover of “Heroes” for the 1998 Godzilla film soundtrack and “Arms of a Ghost” to television series, NCIS Los Angeles and “Nothing But the Whole Wide World” to Friday Night Lights. In 2025 The Wallflowers supported Eric Clapton on his US tour as they have done in the past for him as well as the supporting performances for the Who and The Rolling Stones.
Leo Kottke
Leo KottkeAcoustic guitarist Leo Kottke was born in Athens, Georgia, but left town after a year and a half. Raised in 12 different states, he absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone, before abandoning Stravinsky for the guitar at age 11.After adding a love for the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt to the music of John Phillip Sousa and Preston Epps, Kottke joined the Navy underage, to be underwater, and eventually lost some hearing shooting at lightbulbs in the Atlantic while serving on the USS Halfbeak, a diesel submarine.Kottke had previously entered college at the U of Missouri, dropping out after a year to hitchhike across the country to South Carolina, then to New London and into the Navy, with his twelve string. “The trip was not something I enjoyed,” he has said, “I was broke and met too many interesting people.”Discharged in 1964, he settled in the Twin Cities area and became a fixture at Minneapolis’ Scholar Coffeehouse, which had been home to Bob Dylan and John Koerner. He issued his 1968 recording debut LP Twelve String Blues, recorded on a Viking quarter-inch tape recorder, for the Scholar’s tiny Oblivion label. (The label released one other LP by The Langston Hughes Memorial Eclectic Jazz Band.)After sending tapes to guitarist John Fahey, Kottke was signed to Fahey’s Takoma label, releasing what has come to be called the Armadillo record. Fahey and his manager Denny Bruce soon secured a production deal for Kottke with Capitol Records.Kottke’s 1971 major-label debut, “Mudlark”, positioned him somewhat uneasily in the singer/songwriter vein, despite his own wishes to remain an instrumental performer. Still, despite arguments with label heads as well as with Bruce, Kottke flourished during his tenure on Capitol, as records like “Greenhouse” (1972) and the live albums “My Feet Are Smiling” (1973) and “Ice Water” (1974) found him branching out with guest musicians and honing his guitar technique.With “Chewing Pine” in 1975, Kottke reached the U.S. Top 30 for the second time; he also gained an international following thanks to his continuing tours in Europe and Australia.His collaboration with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, “Clone”, caught audiences’ attention in 2002. Kottke and Gordon followed with a recording in the Bahamas called “Sixty Six Steps”, produced by Leo’s old friend and Prince producer David Z.Kottke has been awarded two Grammy nominations; a Doctorate in Music Performance by the Peck School of Music at the U of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and a Certificate of Significant Achievement in Not Playing the Trombone from the U of Texas at Brownsville with Texas Southmost College.