fiddle tunes and tight vocal harmonies, Saturday, November 12th, including country, vaudeville, hits of 8pm, Price $15/$20: Scott Ainslie the 1920s and 1930s, and original songs Scott Ainslie‘s mother found him at the and tunes. Nikki Grossman and Joe family piano picking out melodies from Hart are known for the light touch and the records she listened to during the sense of humor they bring to their day when he was three years old. He’s performance. Welcome the Sapsuckers been a musician all his life. Ainslie to their Focal Point return! came of age during the Civil Rights era, The recently-married Southwest and cultivated a powerful affinity for Watson Sweethearts live in a one- cross-cultural exchange. He has studied bedroom bungalow near the with elder musicians on both sides of intersection of Southwest and Watson the color line – in the Old-Time streets in south-city St. Louis, Missouri. Southern Appalachian fiddle and banjo Ryan Koenig (of Pokey LaFarge, Rum traditions, as well as Black Gospel and Drum Ramblers, and Lonesome Blues. He plays this music with November 2016 Cowboy Ryan and His Dried up affection, authority, and power. Armed NOTE: advance tickets for listed Teardrops) plays leads on harmonica, with a variety of instruments – vintage concerts may ONLY be purchased fiddle, dobro, and banjo, and Kellie guitars, a fretless gourd banjo, a one- Everett (of The Hooten Hallers, Loot string, homemade diddley bow (aka at brownpapertickets.com until Rock Gang, and the Sidney Street cigar box guitar) and carefully chosen noon the day of the show. Shakers) holds down the rhythm on historical personal anecdotes of his guitar. The duo’s main strength lies in encounters with senior musicians across How Can I Keep from Singing? their timeless vocal harmonies, well- the South – Ainslie brings the history, paired vocal timbres, and memorable roots music, and sounds of America Friday, November 4th, 8pm, $15/20: melodies. alive. Dennis Stroughmatt et l’Esprit Creole Friday, November 11th, 8pm, Sunday, November 13th, 7pm, Dennis Stroughmatt et l’Esprit Creole! $20/$25: Randle Chowning $30/$35: John McCutcheon In the Heart of North America is a story and Larry Lee, original Ozark John McCutcheon: A special concert that remains to be told, the story of the Mountain Daredevils, along with from folk music’s renaissance French creoles who founded the Illinois David Wilson of Radio Flyer man, master instrumentalist, powerful country over three hundred years ago Bluegrass Band! singer- songwriter, storyteller, activist, along the Wabash and Mississippi David Wilson, formerly of the Radio and author. “John McCutcheon is not River corridors. Today they remain Flyers Bluegrass Group, along with only one of the best musicians in the with their songs, stories and language, Randle Chowning and Larry Lee, USA, but also a great singer, and one music group continues to carry original members of the Ozark songwriter, and song leader. And not the torch of this enduring Mountain Daredevils, have teamed up just incidentally, he is committed to culture: Dennis Stroughmatt et l’Esprit for a classic bluegrass helping hard-working people Creole. Old-time country stringband spectacular! Randle and Larry were everywhere to organize and push this with an exotic twist: fiddle-driven awarded the prestigious Quill Award in world in a better direction.” --Pete songs and tunes you ALMOST know 2015 and inducted into the Missouri Seeger … a great night with brilliant music! Writers Hall of Fame, the only songwriters to be given this honor. Friday, November 18th, 8pm, Saturday, November 5th, 8pm, With the dissolution of their respective $20/$25: Muriel Anderson $10/$15: The Yellow-Bellied bands, all three of these talented singers One of the world’s foremost fingerstyle Sapsuckers with The Southwest and multi-instrumentalists have guitarists and harp guitarists, Muriel Watson Sweethearts continued to play solo and with various Anderson is the first woman to have The clothes don’t tell you others at festivals and concert venues won the National Fingerstyle Guitar everything: The Sapsuckers may take across the country. A meeting of these Championship. An engaging performer, their sartorial style from a combination three giants will be something to her obvious joy of music, humor, and of “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” and witness, and it will happen right here on facility across musical genres is revered “Bonnie and Clyde” but they are in fact our stage! by guitarists and audiences worldwide. true masters of traditional old-time She has recorded with country legend Chet Atkins, performed in New York Saturday, November 26th, 8pm, Third Mondays with Les Paul, across the globe solo, in $10/$15: The Dust Covers of every month: Irish set dance, ensemble, and with orchestras. She is a The Dust Covers, made up of four open to all; prolific composer of music on guitar likeminded musicians, bring a ragged Fourth Mondays: English country and harp guitar. but sharp edge to the blade that is dancing happens. American music. Before the recording Fourth Tuesdays: Saturday, November 19th, 8pm, industry in the 1920’s, genres were not $10/$15: The Fall Ball with The Cree used to differentiate styles in the same we host the St Louis Poetry Society; Rider Family Band & ‘Misisipi’ Mike way they are today. The Dust Covers Second Wednesdays: we have Cajun Wolf are a testament to this fact and dances hosted by Donna Eckberg. St. Louis’ own, The Cree Rider Family exemplify the old approach, playing Wednesday, November 23, Band, stays true to its own instincts to rags, old-time fiddle tunes, and some of Songbird Cafe. create a modern honky-tonk country the most lonesome blues being played All other Wednesdays: Capering sound that is rooted in tradition, but today. Brian Curran, Adam Andrews, Roisters Morris Dancing7:30-9:30 firmly planted in the here and now. Colin Blair, and Nick Pence make up And NEARLY EVERY Thursday Vocals and harmony are a focus, but this powerhouse string band. You are there is a jam session, which also the full band expertly compliments each in for a special night of “songs you welcomes all comers. song. Known for their energetic and don’t know by dead guys you ain’t engaging live shows, the Cree Rider never heard of.” Family Band has been called a For River Rats Morris call Judy “subversive country band that wears its Friday, December 2nd, 8pm, Price at 314-560-2778 heart on its sleeve.” $10/$15: Wee Heavies CD Release For Tango, email Russell at The Cree Rider Family Band will be Party! [email protected] joined by Cree’s long time friend and Four incredible singers (Jay Harkey, For Cajun/Zydeco dancing contact collaborator Misisipi Mike Wolf. Born Peter Merideth, Steve Neale, and Aaron Donna at 314-822- on the gulf coast of Mississippi, but Schiltz) make up the Wee Heavies. 0310 or www.dancindonna.com now hailing from San Francisco, CA, They’re an a capella quartet dedicated For English country dancing call Misisipi Mike is a songwriter in the to music in the Anglo-Celtic Paul at314-288- vein of John Prine and Merle Haggard. tradition. The Heavies sing mainly 9105 or www.stlecd.org His music has been featured on their own arrangements in an eclectic For Irish set dancing call Erin nationally broadcast radio and mix that runs the gamut from the television and he has been twice voted traditional to the modern. Whether at 314-607-3806 as “Best Singer/Songwriter” by readers singing at major festivals or at more for Acoustic Jam call Dan at 314- of the San Francisco Bay Guardian. intimate gatherings, their ability to 968-7064 connect with their audiences For Songbird Cafe go Friday, November 25th, 8pm, immediately and in a meaningful way is to www.songbird-stl.com $10/$15: Sins of the Pioneers, back in notable. The rapport of the group and for The Capering Roisters action! brings humor to their shows, and their Morris call John Long at 314-647- A multi-generational, Roots Music musical storytelling combined with the 1804 band featuring some of St. Louis’s best fine blend of their voices makes their musical veterans. Band members singing memorable. include Mark “Sunnyboy” Mason, Tom … AND this is the release party for Check out our website: Mason, “Wild” Bill Mason, John “The their new CD – produced by the www.thefocalpoint.org Conqueror” Webb, Geoff Seitz, and eminent Brian McNeill, one of Scottish Gentleman Jim Brennan. You may hear folk music’s leading lights. This will Or visit us on Facebook: songs from the likes of Louis be a night to remember! Focal Point Concerts Armstrong, Louis Prima, Louis Jordan, (“LouieLouieLOUIE?”) Dewey Balfa, Focal Point Concerts are partly Roy Acuff, Bob Wills, Chuck Berry, or Other Stuff: funded by the Regional Arts anything else that suits their fancy– it Sunday afternoons, 3:30, FREE-- Commission, by Schlafly Breweries, goes on. River Rats Border morris, and by Schwab Charitable fund. newcomers welcome Sunday, Nov 20: TANGO!