Doug Farrell

“Southern New Hampshire singer songwriter Doug Farrell has been plying and honing his craft throughout central New England since escaping New Jersey for the sanity of New Hampshire in the late 90s. Doug’s songwriting is shaped by his artisan carpenter eye, the ear of a poet, and the heart of an artist. His songs, ranging from humorous to dark, are simple yet deceptively layered with nuance, wit, and substance that render them easy to hear and hard to forget.

“Doug’s seasoned songwriting, storytelling, and musical melodies are deeply rooted in the hills of New England where he now lives. He moves his audience with warmth, humor, a smooth voice, and unpretentious musical vision. His witty observations and poetic engaging lyrics will leave you wanting more”. - Jeffrey Starrett, WOOL FM

“Doug Farrell’s down home style could be described as John Prine meets John Gorka.” - Jack Kidd, Parish Hall Open Stage

Cool & Collected

COOL & COLLECTED is Bill Wightman's keyboard and vocal performance of music and songs selected from his extensive repertoire. Bill often creates ensembles comprised of the finest musicians from his roster, inviting them to join him. This date is no exception as he features an amazing flutist and recent JOSA artist, CINNAMON, along with bassist JOCK IRVINE, and percussionist ED RACZLA.

Their musical offerings will include unique renditions of songs by artists such as Van Morrison; Leon Russell; Billy Preston; Stephen Sondheim; Dave Brubeck; Joe Cocker; along with some jazz & funk standards!

The Lion Sisters

The Lion Sisters are a sibling duo from New Hampshire whose music is defined by the natural synchronicity that comes from growing up and creating together. With Josi on fiddle and vocals, and Lily on guitar and vocals, their tight harmonies and effortless onstage connection form the core of their sound and set them apart in the modern acoustic landscape.

Their music blends folk and bluegrass with Irish fiddle, vintage country, and subtle pop and rock influences, creating a style that feels both rooted and refreshingly original. Rather than fitting into a single genre, The Lion Sisters have shaped a musical identity that is distinctly their own—warm, melodic, and contemporary while honoring traditional acoustic foundations.

Raised on a small family farm surrounded by animals and open fields, the sisters draw inspiration from the natural world and their rural upbringing. The farm remains an authentic backdrop to their creative life, adding depth to their songwriting and visual storytelling.

This past summer, The Lion Sisters performed throughout New England, including at Ossipee Valley Music Festival and various summer concert series. Supported by a close-knit family team, they bring professionalism, authenticity, and a clear artistic vision to every stage.

With their signature sister harmonies and genre-blending sound, The Lion Sisters continue to emerge as a notable new voice in today's folk and acoustic music scene.

Dylan Patrick Ward

"He's funny. He's also as serious as an ax handle." - Peter Mulvey

Dylan Patrick Ward is a folk misfit from Vermont's dirty south. Equal parts compassionate and irreverent, his songs delve into the minds and lives of oddballs, outcasts, misfits and people on the brink.

He has a sharp sense of humor and an instinctive sympathy for the underdog, and has been compared to great musical humorists like John Prine and Randy Newman, as well as indie-rock/antifolk legends like the Mountain Goats and Paul Baribeau.

Since arriving on the scene in 2021, he's become increasingly respected as a writer and performer, and has shared the stage with beloved acts like Bill Callahan, Peter Mulvey, Jeffrey Lewis, Guy Davis, Michael Schneewais and others.

Traditional Irish Music Session

Traditional Irish music (the jigs, reels, slides and songs) are intimately connected to the history and culture of the Irish. It is a part of the soul of a people who have come through incredible hardship and struggles.

An Irish “seisiun” is a gathering of accomplished musicians who not only know many of the traditional Irish tunes and songs, but often know a lot about Ireland – it’s history and culture. There is often one or two people (the especially accomplished musicians) who are informal leaders. One or two folks will start a tune (music without singing) and everyone who knows the tune will join in – tunes are often played in sets of two or three tunes in a row.

There is often discussion between sets and tunes about where the tunes came from and who may have written or performed it originally.

For this Irish session we will have the following very special performers –

• Randy Miller
• Jane Orzechowski
• Natalie Backus

Come see and hear what real Irish sessions are like as played by some of the finest Irish music musicians anywhere.

Kevin Connolly

Kevin Connolly has been in and out of trouble with words, music, and the truth for over two centuries. Raised on raw clams and sarcasm from the mud flats of the Irish Riviera south of Boston, he's been making noise—often musical, sometimes poetic, occasionally questionable—for most of his life. He's written 324 songs, 132 poems, made thirteen albums, two children, and approximately 1,213 friends, depending on the day.

For over thirty years, Connolly has carved out his own way of writing American songs—blending roots, folk, rock, and stubborn Boston charm. Somewhere between John Prine's storytelling, Lucinda Williams' grit, and John Hiatt's ragged charm, you'll find Connolly—narrating the world through worn characters, backdoor confessions, and an occasional punchline

Thomas Strayhorn

Thomas Strayhorn is a Portland, Maine based singer-songwriter originally from the piedmont of North Carolina. “His simple melodies draw from folk but veer toward alt-country, likely thanks to Strayhorn's brassy twang. They're adorned with little more than bare-bones arrangements (think: Joe Pug or Langhorne Slim), but Strayhorn's songs tell stories that unfold poetically and genuinely...” - Patrick Wall.

“The push-and-pull is almost palpable… His lyrics capture 'the conflicting emotions of having so many reasons to stay somewhere but still wanting to leave.'” — Madeline Crone

Rupert Wates

Rupert Wates was born in London and studied at Oxford University. He has been a full time songwriter since the late 1990s, when he signed a publishing contract with Eaton Music Limited. His contract required him to write material in all kinds of styles and genres, for all kinds of artists. He worked extensively with Jazz vocalist Liz Fletcher, and wrote the album 'Blue Afternoons' (Mainstem, 2002) specially for her voice. Moving in 2001 to Paris, Wates formed his own quartet and began playing live regularly. In fall 2006 he came to the US. He is now based in New York City and Colorado.

Since coming to the US, Wates has won more than 30 songwriting awards.

His music is an eclectic mix of acoustic, melodic art/folk, with flavors of jazz, vaudeville and cabaret. He has released seven solo CDs. They have been very well reviewed in the online press and tracks from them have been played on radio all over the world. Wates' songs have been recorded by other artists in the UK, Canada and the US. In 2015, Nashville-based performer Roxie Rogers released Crazy Puzzle, an album of songs from Wates' back catalog

Despite Wates' British background, and underpinning the universality of his music's appeal, Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange has called him "a prime figure in American music'' and goes on: "This is one gifted sonofabitch... If you're not hip to this guy yet you're missing out."

Audiences everywhere respond to Wates' brand of melodic art/folk—haunting songs that ring true.

Beverly Rush

Beverly Rush is a New England-based folk singer-songwriter known for warm, story-driven songs that blend humor, heart, and a strong sense of place. She weaves intimate stories of love, family, and New England life with warm vocals and acoustic charm.

Cosy Sheridan

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Cosy Sheridan has been called "one of the era's finest and most thoughtful singer/songwriters" She first appeared on the national folk scene in 1992 when she won the songwriting contests at The Kerrville Folk Festival and The Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Since then she has released 10 cds, written a one-woman-show and her music has appeared in books and film. She has taught songwriting, guitar and performance workshops at music camps for the past 15 years, including The Puget Sound Guitar Workshop and The Swannanoa Gathering. She is the director of The Moab Folk Camp in Moab, Utah.

"Her user-friendly musical philosophy sets her happily apart from the myopic, self-involved songwriters... she is a wonderfully lively, very funny and enormously amiable entertainer with a keen and wicked eye for the excesses of our fast-food, tv-happy and noisome culture." - The Boston Globe

"A Buddhist monk in a 12-step program trapped in the body of a singer/songwriter." - The Albuquerque Journal

"Sheridan is frank, feisty, sublimely and devilishly funny. She fuses myth with modern culture, Persephone with Botox." - Cornell Folksong Society