First Wednesday of the Month : Local Cream Songwriter Showcase
Hosted by FocusMusic board member Annette Wasilik : Every first Wednesday of the Month singer/songwriter Annette Wasilik invites a collection of the best local and not-so-local singer/songwriters to perform with her at Hank Dietle's Tavern at 11010 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. The show kicks off at 8pm and is free to attend, but a suggested donation of $20 is... suggested!
Wednesday October 4th with Dirk Hamilton, Charlie Bryant and Erik Balkey - and your marvelous host Annette Wasilik.
Sat 9/30 - Anne Hills w Mary Gordon Hall and the LaDaDas (Charlottesville)
The Songmaker Series, FocusMusic and Unity of Charlottesville present Anne Hills and Mary Gordon Hall and The LaDaDas.
Unity, 2825 Hydraulic Cir
Charlottesville, VA 22901 | Saturday, September 30th, 2023 | 7pm | $20
Anne Hills is one of the most beloved voices of the contemporary folk music scene, receiving awards and recognition for her live performances, her unique solo and collaborative recording projects, and her overall artistry and benefit work.
Tom Paxton says, “Anne Hills is such an exquisite singer that it’s understandable that people might be swept up in the pure beauty of her voice and thereby overlook her writing. That would be a mistake. For me, Anne’s writing, in songs like ‘Follow That Road’ and many others, is as direct, melodic and deep as any work being done today. She is quite simply one of my absolute favorite songwriters.”
More about Anne Hills at annehills.com
Anne Hills will be joined by Mary Gordon Hall and The LaDaDas!
Mary Gordon Hall brings to the stage story songs from strong childhood memories of growing up in Virginia to a rich lifelong elementary school teaching career. Through her original folksongs, she blends humor, heart, and harmony, connecting you to your own stories. She’ll be joined by two wonderful musicians and dear friends, Betty Jo Taylor and Blair Jones, giving you a sample of their newly formed trio, The LaDaDas.
10/1 - Anne Hills (Gaithersburg)
“Anne Hills is such an exquisite singer that it’s understandable that people might be swept up in the pure beauty of her voice and thereby overlook her writing. That would be a mistake. For me, Anne’s writing, in songs like ‘Follow That Road’ and many others, is as direct, melodic and deep as any work being done today. She is quite simply one of my absolute favorite songwriters.” — Tom Paxton
FocusMusic and WFMA present Anne Hills.
Gaithersburg Arts Barn
311 Kent Square Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 | Sunday, October 1st, 2023
As a singer, actress, writer, and musician Anne Hills has continuously built a reputation of merit. During her career, she has received numerous honors and awards including, most recently, the 2019 Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2012 Posi Music Award in Social Justice (for the song That Kind Of Grace – co-writer David Roth), the 2009 Pennsylvania Partner’s in the Arts Project Stream grant award (she received the same grant for her 2005 premiere of The Heartsongs of Opal Whiteley and in 2007 for An Evening of James Whitcomb Riley) and the 2009 – Bound for Glory live radio show favorite – Ithaca, NY. She was the recipient of the WFMA 2002 Kate Wolf Memorial Award, and The Kerrville Music Foundation’s Outstanding Female Vocalist of the Year Award (1997). Her duet children’s recording, Never Grow Up, released in 1998 with Cindy Mangsen on Flying Fish Records, was chosen for the coveted Parents’ Choice Award.
More about Anne Hills at annehills.com
In-person tickets purchased in advance are $25. All virtual tickets are also $25.
Members of WFMA and Focus Music will receive a 10% discount on advance ticket purchases (both in-person & virtual).
If available, in-person tickets may be purchased at the door for $30 (non-members) / $25 (members), starting at 7:00 PM.
No tickets will be mailed. The list of all ticket purchasers will be at the door on the night of the show, starting at 7:00 PM.
All ticket purchasers (both in-person & virtual) will receive an email two days before the show with info about attending the concert in-person and instructions for viewing the live stream.
Sat 10/7 - Vance Gilbert w Sue Horowitz (Sterling)
Tonight with Sue Horowitz!
Saturday October 7th, 2023
FocusMusic Presents Vance Gilbert and Sue Horowitz at Community Lutheran Church. 21014 Whitfield Place, Sterling, VA 20165 | 7pm | adv tickets $25, day-of $30 (member / congregation as-applicable $25 at the door)
“If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child, with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the results might have been something close to the great Vance Gilbert.” As the above quote from Richmond magazine suggests, Vance Gilbert defies stereotypes. It’s little wonder then that he also exceeds expectations. In this case, those two qualities go hand in hand. “I’m black, I sing, I play an acoustic guitar, and I don’t play the blues,” Gilbert insists. That may be a broad statement, but it rings with truth.
What he does do is make memorable music, as evidenced by the 13 albums he’s released so far, as well as the mark he’s made on the folk and acoustic music scenes in general. Over the course of a prolific career that extends back to the early ’90s, he’s recorded with his good friend Ellis Paul and shared stages worldwide with Aretha Franklin, Shawn Colvin, Arlo Guthrie, the Milk Carton Kids, George Carlin (150+ shows), Anita Baker, the Subdudes, Paul Reiser and any number of others.
He’s also made a prominent presence at some of the world’s most prestigious gatherings, among them the Newport, Winnipeg, Rocky Mountain, Calgary, Ottawa, and Falcon Ridge folk festivals, the Kate Wolf Music Festival, and Australia’s Woodford Folk Festival and Mullum Music Festival. “There was also that one nude festival in Maryland,” Gilbert recalls. “I don’t recall the name of that one, but I have to admit that the name wasn’t the first thing I would remember.”
Naturally, Gilbert can be forgiven for that minor oversight, given the amount of praise he’s received from the pundits. His remarkable rapport with his audiences and his free spirited performances inspired one critic to hail him as “a folkie trapped in a vaudevillian body,” with “a voice that could have been on the opera stage, a wit that could have been on a comedy stage and a songwriting talent that’s thrust him on the folk stage for decades.”
About Sue Horowitz:Sue Horowitz is an award-winning Folk/Americana and Spiritual music artist. With five albums of original music, Sue has been a touring singer-songwriter in the Jewish music world for over a decade and has recently released several folk albums. Her latest album, "Strings, Wings and Curious Things" debuted at #3 on the FAI charts and had several other charting singles. Sue was a recent national finalist at the 2022 Emerging Artist Grassy Hill Artist Showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. She was honored to be a featured artist in the DJ Showcase at the 2018 NERFA as well as the 2022 FARM. Sue has been published in multiple publications and has been a featured artist on numerous radio shows. An avid student of songwriting, Sue loves to lead workshops and runs a sold-out retreat twice a year. Her authentic, intimate, clear strong voice and guitar playing compliment her wise narrative songwriting. Christine Lavin says, "This is one first-rate songwriter". Nashville songwriter Stacy Beyer notes, "Sue is the songwriter that writes songs every other songwriter wishes they had written." Sue thinks that being a singer-songwriter is the best job in the world.
Advance tickets $25 / day-of and door $30 (member / congregation as-applicable $25 at the door) - Livestream offerings (unless otherwise noted) will be available for at least 48 hours after the event and is included with all tickets
FocusMusic encourages all attendees to protect themselves and others through vaccination and masks. If you are not feeling well, we ask you not to attend the event. (COVID policy updated 9/23/22)
Depending on payment method, you will receive 2-3 emails. Registration details will be EMAILED along with a receipt (and sometimes a third email from your payment service). You will receive an email with the subject line "Your ticket for..." For in-person events, there's no need to do anything further. Your name will be at the front desk! For virtual events there will be a link to click in this email, so please save it! If you do not receive that email - please check your spam folder. If you still cannot find details contacting tickets@focusmusic.org.
Sat 10/14 - Lynn Hollyfield, with Steve Wolf & Jimmy Brink
Saturday October 14th, 2023
FocusMusic and WFMA Present Lynn Hollyfield at Saint Aidan's Episcopal Church. 8531 Riverside Road, Alexandria, VA 22308 | 7pm | adv tickets $25, day-of $30 (member / congregation as-applicable $25 at the door)
Lynn Hollyfield, an award-winning singer-songwriter, is known as a heartfelt observer of the world and a powerful singer and guitarist.
Hollyfield began writing songs in her teens and draws from influences that include jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald to more contemporary artists of John Hiatt, Shawn Colvin and CSNY. Hollyfield’s voice, described as “rich, warm, inviting,” is supported by her crisp, acoustic guitar style. “Your songs, voice and guitar arrangements, fit together as a beautiful whole.” (Bob Gramann, Fredericksburg Songwriter’s Showcase). Hollyfield has received multiple awards for her songwriting from the Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest, The Indie International Songwriting Contest and most recently as a semi-finalist in the Bernard Ebb Songwriting Competition. For performance and her recordings, she has received multiple WAMMIE Nominations from the Washington Area Music Association.
For this concert, Lynn will be accompanied by bassist, Steve Wolf and percussionist, Jimmy Brink.
More about Lynn at lynnhollyfield.com
In-person tickets are now on sale through WFMA below!
In-person tickets purchased in advance are $25.
Members of WFMA, Focus Music and St Aidan’s congregation will receive a 10% discount on advance ticket purchases (both in-person & virtual).
If available, in-person tickets may be purchased at the door for $30 (non-members) / $25 (members), starting at 6:30 PM.
No tickets will be mailed. The list of all ticket purchasers will be at the door on the night of the show, starting at 6:30 PM.
All ticket purchasers will receive an email two days before the show with info regarding attending the concert in-person.
Sat 10/21 - The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet (Columbia)
“Ken & Brad are both exceptionally talented musicians and they have created a tight, top-notch sound.” – Bluegrass Today
Saturday October 21, 2023
FocusMusic and One World Coffeehouse Present The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet at Owen Brown Interfaith Center – Sanctuary C
7246 Cradlerock Way Columbia, MD 21045 | 7:00 pm | $25 | all tickets include access to OWC's Livestream of the event.
Back by popular demand, Ken and Brad Kolodner bring their world-class bluegrass band featuring hammered dulcimer and clawhammer banjo.
“Ken and Brad transport the listener to a distant, dusty crossroads across the sea making ancient music that touches a place inside of us that some of us didn’t even know was there.”
“…oozing with variety. From trad standards to new classic folk songs to lush originals, the repertory found here is both dependable and enjoyable. The arrangements include barn-burning twin-fiddle ragers, mellow meditations on hammered dulcimer, and bluegrass settings with solos on the breaks and three-part harmony vocals.”
More about The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet at kenandbrad.com
One World Coffeehouse shows open doors half an hour before performance. This event is open to fully vaccinated individuals only. All performers and venue staff have been fully vaccinated. Performers will not be required to wear masks while performing. All tickets for this show are $25 and may be purchased in advance online or at the door with cash, check, or credit card. Ticketholders must present a printed ticket or a scan code via their smart phone on arrival at the venue. Additional details: Your ticket entitles you to view a live stream of the show via Zoom should you be unable to attend in person. Your ticket confirmation information email will include details about the live stream. Please do not share this information with anyone. On Zoom, only individuals whose names match the ticket purchaser will be admitted to the live stream. Note that this live-stream service is intended as an added benefit for those who are unexpectedly unable to attend the show. No refunds will be provided related to quality problems or other issues with the streaming service. We recommend that you test your systems before the show to ensure you are able to participate online. We will do our best to assist anyone who requests our help during the show, but do not have dedicated volunteers for this purpose, so we cannot guarantee we will be available.
Sat 11/11 - David Roth (Charlottesville)
FocusMusic and Unity of Charlottesville present David Roth.
2825 Hydraulic Cir
Charlottesville, VA 22901 | 7pm
David Roth strikes many chords, hearts, and minds with his unique songs, offbeat observations, moving stories, sense of the hilarious, and powerful singing and subject matter. As singer, songwriter, recording artist, keynote speaker, workshop leader, and instructor, David has earned top honors at premier songwriter competitions – Kerrville (TX) and Falcon Ridge (NY) – and taken his music, experience, and expertise to a wide variety of venues in this and other countries full-time for three decades.
More about David Roth at www.davidrothmusic.com
Tickets available from Unity of Charlottesville.
Sat 11/18 - Joan & Joni - Kipyn Martin & Allison Shapira (Columbia)
"That was one of the best tributes I can recall. It was totally respectful to the originals. Allison and Kipyn don't try to copy Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell; they play the songs in their own way. It was one of the most enjoyable shows of the year for me." Anne Saunders, Artistic Director, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival
Saturday November 18, 2023
FocusMusic and One World Coffeehouse Present Joan and Joni
(Kipyn Martin and Allison Shapira) at Owen Brown Interfaith Center – Sanctuary C
7246 Cradlerock Way Columbia, MD 21045 | 7:00 pm | $25 | all tickets include access to OWC's Livestream of the event.
Two outstanding area singer-songwriters — Kipyn Martin and Allison Shapria — present the songs of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell along with their own original music. This show is not to be missed!
More at joanandjoni.com
One World Coffeehouse shows open doors half an hour before performance. This event is open to fully vaccinated individuals only. All performers and venue staff have been fully vaccinated. Performers will not be required to wear masks while performing. All tickets for this show are $25 and may be purchased in advance online or at the door with cash, check, or credit card. Ticketholders must present a printed ticket or a scan code via their smart phone on arrival at the venue. Additional details: Your ticket entitles you to view a live stream of the show via Zoom should you be unable to attend in person. Your ticket confirmation information email will include details about the live stream. Please do not share this information with anyone. On Zoom, only individuals whose names match the ticket purchaser will be admitted to the live stream. Note that this live-stream service is intended as an added benefit for those who are unexpectedly unable to attend the show. No refunds will be provided related to quality problems or other issues with the streaming service. We recommend that you test your systems before the show to ensure you are able to participate online. We will do our best to assist anyone who requests our help during the show, but do not have dedicated volunteers for this purpose, so we cannot guarantee we will be available.
Sat 1/6 - Dan Navarro (Gaithersburg)
Saturday January 6th, 2024
FocusMusic Presents Dan Navarro at Island Pride Oasis. 617 S Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 | 7.30pm | adv tickets $25, day-of $30 (members $25 at the door) | Livestream will be available for at least 48 hours after the event
Dan Navarro has had an eclectic 40+ year career as a songwriter, recording and touring artist, session singer and voice actor spread over 17 acclaimed albums, thousands of concerts, singing and voice acting in films like Oscar-winners Coco and Happy Feet, The Book of Life and Pirates of the Caribbean 5, TV series American Dad, Prison Break and Mr. Iglesias, hit games Fallout 4 and Red Dead Redemption II, hundreds of commercials in Spanish and English, and writing songs for Pat Benatar (the Grammy-nominated classic “We Belong”), The Bangles, Dave Edmunds and more. In early 2019, after 20+ years with Lowen & Navarro, he released his first studio-recorded solo album, “Shed My Skin”, to rave reviews. He’s the personification of the engaged Renaissance artist, even in COVID lockdown, with over 200 housebound live streams since March. Dan insists that art is food, music is love, and sleep is for babies.
More about Dan Navarro at dannavarro.com
Advance tickets $25 / day-of and door $30 (member / congregation as-applicable $25 at the door) - Livestream offerings (unless otherwise noted) will be available for at least 48 hours after the event and is included with all tickets
FocusMusic encourages all attendees to protect themselves and others through vaccination and masks. If you are not feeling well, we ask you not to attend the event. (COVID policy updated 9/23/22)
Depending on payment method, you will receive 2-3 emails. Registration details will be EMAILED along with a receipt (and sometimes a third email from your payment service). You will receive an email with the subject line "Your ticket for..." For in-person events, there's no need to do anything further. Your name will be at the front desk! For virtual events there will be a link to click in this email, so please save it! If you do not receive that email - please check your spam folder. If you still cannot find details contacting tickets@focusmusic.org.
Sat 3/23 - Joe Jencks (Charlottesville)
FocusMusic and Unity of Charlottesville present Joe Jencks.
2825 Hydraulic Cir
Charlottesville, VA 22901 | 7pm
Joe Jencks is an 25-year veteran of the international folk circuit, an award-winning songwriter, and celebrated vocalist based in Chicago. Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, Joe delivers engaged musical narratives filled with heart, soul, groove and grit. Having penned several #1 Folksongs including the ever-relevant Lady of The Harbor, Jencks is also co-founder of the harmony trio, Brother Sun. From Festivals like Falcon Ridge, Kerrville, Mariposa, and Old Songs, to venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Jencks has enthralled diverse audiences with his approachable style. Joe is noted for his unique merging of musical beauty, social consciousness, and spiritual exploration. Blending well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, Jencks serves it all up with a lyric baritone voice that has the edgy richness of a good sea-salt caramel.
More about Joe Jencks at www.joejencks.com
Tickets coming soon from Unity of Charlottesville.
