"Nobody but Prine could write like that" BOB DYLAN

Runtime: 90 min.

& POST-SHOW PANEL DISCUSSION

NOTE: Following the film and a brief intermission, a panel comprising WANDA FISCHER (Host, WAMC-fm’s “Hudson River Sampler,”), Margie Rosenkranz (8th Step) & musician ANNE HILLS (who was there) will discuss the explosive late ‘60s-early ‘70s Chicago folk music scene shaped by the music of singer-songwriters John Prine, Steve Goodman, Fred Holstein, Kris Kristofferson, and a host of other remarkable musicians including Michael Smith & Anne Hills.

Singer. Songwriter. Poet. Icon. John Prine was an artist’s artist with a list of admirers and collaborators that cut across musical genres and generations - names like Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Brandi Carlile, George Strait, Kurt Vile, Miranda Lambert, The Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris, among others.

**TIX AVAILABLE NOW AT 8TH STEP SECURE TICKET LINE: 518-434-1703**

AVAILABLE ONLINE SOON

Though he was born in Maywood, Illinois, in 1946, John declared himself “pure Kentuckian” throughout his life. His parents, William and Verna, were natives of Paradise, KY. The family would spend summers there in Muhlenberg Co, where John listened to bluegrass music and studied the guitar styles of country music hero Doc Watson and Merle Travis with his older brother, Dave.

In Maywood, he worked as a postman before being drafted into the army in 1966. It was as a postman that John began to write the songs that would connect with so many. He sang at Chicago Folk Clubs where he was introduced to singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson, who invited John to open for him in New York. It was there that Jerry Wexler, President of Atlantic Records, first heard Prine and offered him a recording contract. His self-titled debut album was released in 1971 and featured a list of songs now regarded as classics, including “Paradise,” “Angel from Montgomery,” “Illegal Smile,” “Hello in There” and the poignant “Sam Stone.”

Prine received the first of his 13 GRAMMY nominations in 1972 for Best New Artist. He would record three more albums for Atlantic and another three with Asylum.

His profound impact on American music was amplified in 1981 when John co-founded Oh Boy Records, an independent label where he released most of his subsequent work and which gave voice and respect to so many fellow singers and songwriters.

In his distinguished career, John won four GRAMMYS and the GRAMMY LifetimeAchievement Award (2020). He was a three-time recipient of the Artist of the Year Award at the Americana Music Honors & Awards, which also honored him with the LifetimeAchievement Award for Songwriting. He won the PEN/New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award (2016) and was enshrined in the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2019). In addition, John was named Honorary Poet Laureate of Illinois (2020).

John Prine passed away on April 7, 2020, due to complications from Covid-19, the outpouring of grief and love from his fan community was staggering. Over 500,000 viewers participated in an online memorial and tribute that raised more than 500K for COVID related community causes. In 2021, the Prine family created The Hello in There Foundation to honorJohn’s spirit of generosity towards those in need. Fiona Prine and her sons continue to operate and expand the reach of John's impressive catalogue of songs and his independent record label, Oh Boy Records.

Gather with us this darkest night of the year to celebrate nature’s New Year with Terry Leonino & Greg Artzner (Magpie), Kim Harris and special guest, Abenaki storyteller Joe Bruchac, joined via video by Reggie Harris & Matt Watroba, all celebrating nature’s Season of Light, heralding the gradual lengthening of days to come, taking us to Spring and the return to light: fertility, new beginnings, warmth.

This wonderful ensemble brings a diverse array of stunning harmonies & instrumentals, alternately powerful, touching, funny & charming. It’s a time when the warmth of camaraderie, harmony and fellowship create a circle of friends to include performers and audience alike for a reminder that the darkest days will give way to light.

From ancient times to the present, Winter Solstice has inspired such Midwinter celebrations as Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukah, Yule and more in cultures around the world. 

Opening the concert, as they have for many years: Pokingbrook Morris Dancers in full costume, performing the mesmerizing “Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, which originated in the small medieval villages, ancient Cotswold region of England.

New York’s popular Slambovian Circus of Dreams has been coloring ‘outside the lines’ of the Americana genre with their fantastic stories and performances since forming 20 years ago in the Hudson Valley. Their Woodstock-tinged psychedelia has a hint of southern rock, Celtic and Britisher folk combined with solid songwriting - a slice of Americana pie that is irresistIble! 

They’re a familiar and joyful sight and sound at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and virtually all major venues from NYC through Upstate, including dynamite full-band shows here at the Step.

In June ‘24 the band returned to the UK following on a wildly successful 2022 tour headlining Fairport's Cropredy Festival, Wickham Festival and more, where they were voted “Best Band” by fans and promoters alike. The Slambovians’ UK touring history goes back several years - they’ve played towns and festivals from Lochinvar to Penzance since 2008.

They look forward to celebrating the holiday season at home in New York State, and look forward to bringing good will, songs and a bit of magic to new audiences as well as the faithful.

Joziah Longo (resident shaman of Slambovia), leads with vocals described as "soothing and bewitching as a snake oil tonic.” Longtime bandmates Tink Lloyd (accordion, cello, mandolin, flute) and guitarist/mandolin wizard Sharkey McEwen bring their own magic to the Slambovian brew with “a little help from their friends” - RJ McCarty (keys, bass, sax), Bob Torsello (bass), and Matthew Abourezk (drums).

Their recent album release A Very Unusual Head was included in Rock’n’Reel Magazine’s‘Best Albums of 2022’ and described as “their finest work to date.” They explore the depths of Americana with an artful edge: elements of Dylan, Bowie, Incredible String Band, Syd Barrett, and The Waterboys flavor the exciting musical mix.

Fans include Garth Hudson (The Band), Dar Williams, Anthony Thistlethwaite (The Waterboys), Gary Burke (Bob Dylan, Joe Jackson), Ian Anderson - and us! Join us for this night in wild and wonderful Slambovia - a different holiday treat!

Instrumentalist wonder, a master at leading into a song with a story” THE SUN

“This is…Steinbeck with a guitar” FLAGPOLE

“The multi-instrumentalist wonder, a master at leading into a song with a story” THE SUN 

Master instrumentalist, powerful singer-songwriter-storyteller and multiple Grammy nominee, John McCutcheon surprises and delights with an ear for a good story, deft pen, and insights using the most ordinary experiences that resonate with universal meaning. His live performances, marked by hilarity, charm, and the ability to connect with listeners, are breathtaking - like a conversation with an old friend. 

As an instrumentalist, he is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments including guitar and banjo, and most notably the rare and beautiful hammer dulcimer.

His five-decade career has taken him around the world with his unique blend of stunning instrumental skills, incisive songwriting and seductive storytelling. He’s hilarious, heartwarming, stirring and always entertaining.

His first award-winning song, says he, was titled “The Ponderosa No-Cream-in-My Coffee Blues,” penned at a greasy spoon of the same name in his Wisconsin hometown. He was all of 15 years old and it won him his high school talent show. “My best friend claims that he still has a cassette of the song,” McCutcheon recently disclosed, “and if we ever have a serious falling out it’s going right up on YouTube.”

He has written hundreds of songs since, and garnered more than his share of accolades. His eclectic catalog of ballads, historical songs, children’s songs, love songs, topical satire, fiddle and hammer dulcimer instruments, and even symphonic works are among the broadest in American folk music. His 45 albums have earned six Grammy nods. His songwriting has been hailed by critics around the world; his song "Christmas in the Trenches" is considered a classic and was recently named one of Folk Alley's '100 Essential Folk Songs.’ 

He has also produced over 20 albums of other artists, from traditional fiddlers to contemporary singer-songwriters to educational and documentary works; his books and instructional materials have introduced budding players to the joys of their own musicality. His commitment to union work and other grassroots political organizations has put him, like his friend and mentor Pete Seeger, on the front lines defending issues important to communities and workers.

McCutcheon live onstage with guitars, banjo, hammer dulcimer and an occasional fiddle has a magic all its own. Join us to welcome him back!

NOTE: Gold Circle tickets include Priority Seating, and a Meet & Greet with John onstage, 6:30 pm (doors open at 7).

Tribute to Jackie Alper, Her Relentless Fight for Social Justice, and the Music That Inspired Her

…a folk musical written & directed by Andy Spence & Sarah Dillon

CAST: alphabetically: Kate Blain (vocals), Greg Giorgio (narration, vocals), Howard Jack (bass, vocals), Ruth Pelham (narration, vocals), Mike Slik (dobro, steel guitar, vocals), Charlie Rhynhart (guitar, bass, vocals), Toby Stover (keyboard, percussion, vocals), Alan Thompson (piano, vocals), George Wilson (fiddle, banjo, 12-string guitar, vocals).  

JACKIE ALPER was legend around the Capital Region folk music world, a familiar sight at folk concerts and activist events in the Capital Region recognized for her shirt or vest covered with message buttons. The host of "Mostly Folk," WRPI-fm’s long-running Sunday afternoon radio show, her on-air support of folk venues, festivals and artists helped make us one of the largest and most vibrant folk communities in America.

Her massive music collection stretched back many decades, and on air she played a wide range of genres.  Contemporary and traditional folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass, comedy, swing, Celtic, Gospel - you name it, were anchored by songs by such great progressive musicians (old friends and cohorts to Jackie) as Paul Robeson, Len Chandler, Bernice Reagan, U. Utah Phillips. Often you could hear her interview one of them on the air. Jackie was a charming force for good, a believer in speaking out, fun, humor and community, music for social change; and she just plain showed up. She believed in America and was a role model for all of us.

This tribute features the songs of the groups Jackie sang with over the years: the Almanac Singers (1930s-40s); anthems of the labor movement by Seeger, Guthrie, Sis Cunningham, Bess Lomax; and songs of the Priority Ramblers, a group that coincided with Jackie’s work with noted folklorist Alan Lomax at the Office of War Information in Washington, DC.

After WWII, she worked in NYC for People’s Songs, an organization working to unify musicians Leadbelly, Guthrie, Seeger and others with political activists, labor organizers and theatrical artists, toward social change through music and the arts.

A fine contralto, Jackie once backed Paul Robeson in concert, and co-wrote a song with Nina Simone. She was part of a tight circle of close - famous and infamous - musical activists from the 1940s on (see above) who believed music can hasten social change. Living in Schenectady, she was a much-loved figure in the activist community, putting seemingly relentless energy toward a host of regional organizations, groups and artists dedicated to music and social change. On-air and off, she loved and supported The Eighth Step, Old Songs, Caffe Lena, Pick'n & Sing'n Gatherin’, sloop Clearwater and more.

Ms. Music: the Jackie Alper Story is a folk musical - narration and song - written and directed by Old Songs founder & director emeritus Andy Spence & Sarah Dillon. The show title came from folk legend Ronnie Gilbert’s remarks onstage at Jackie’s 1993 Eighth Step retirement concert from WRPI-fm’ Mostly Folk” (though Jackie would later return to co-host the show for another year). Ms. Music was extensively researched thanks to input from family, close friends, co-workers at WRPI-fm, an interview with Jackie by Ruth Pelham, and more.

Come hear Jackie’s fascinating tale and the music that animated her over the years, sung by regional musicians who will always love and admire her.               

PROFESSOR ERASTUS BETTEROV-UNDERHILL & HIS CULT OF STORYTELLERS RETURN!

OTHERWORLDLY CAST: Kelvin Keraga, Patrick Kincaid, Barbara Chepaitis, Lale Davidson and Siri Allison

As the spirits prepare to roam, Professor Erastus Betterof Underhill and his WHISPERING BONES, crawl again out of the grave with a new mix of comic, creepy and thought-provoking ghost stories for 2025. Otherworldly storytellers Patrick Kincaid, Barbara Chepaitis, Lale Davidson, Kelvin Keraga and Siri Allison tell stories of haunted rooms, bodyless dogs and ghostly relatives. Your creepy host Dr Betterov-Underhill (a.k.a. Kelvin Keraga) will be on hand to promote his fine line of Dead People Products, including his Creme de Menthe Embalming Fluid, “The taste that stays with you forever, and for quite a while after that.”

COME IN COSTUME FOR A FREE GOURMET DESSERT!!

There is a deep magic in ghost stories, a spell that brews in our wonderfully irrational passion for life! We transcend the expectations of our hearts and minds: we relish fear, terror, surprise. Something is out there and instead of turning away we embrace our mortality – dance in the graveyard, dress up in shadows, and sometimes laugh in the darkness.

Ghost stories come in many varieties – it’s a fascinating genre, from campfire stories to gothic creepers to great works of literature. Often the stories are not so much about the shosts but about the people who encounter them: what happens when we experience something beyond our understanding? How do we deal with it? What do the ghosts want from us? Blood? Forgiveness? How do we respond to something beyond our control stapping into our lives?

Step with us across the line between life and death, following characters caught in situations that evoke their – and our – deepest emotions!

This event is presented by the Betterov-Underhill Corporation, makers of the Grave Bright Night Light. “A premature burial need not be a tedious experience if your Loved One is provided with wholesome reading material and sufficient illumination.” -Dr B.U.

Matt Nakoa, piano accompanist

Matt Nakoa, piano accompaniment

“On the ivories (think of) a hot-handed phenom who can go from Chopin to beer-drenched honkytonk in one set..he drops jaws” BOSTON GLOBE

Young, international touring singer/songwriter Nakoa has already appeared at The White House, throughout India, and regularly accompanies folk icon Tom Rush. A multi-instrumentalist, he is a modern troubadour who makes his home on the highways and concert stages of America. Across the board his song craft has garnered awards. He has rapidly garnered attention and praise as uniquely dynamic, garnering multiple songwriting awards, including a win at Kerrville Folk Festivalʼs new folk competition. His album Antique Dances is a critically acclaimed throwback, old world piano record.

“Matt Nakoa is musically adept, one of those well kept secrets you just can’t help but celebrate: intimate and genuine, soulful and bittersweet, a rich poetic songbook sung in praise to a complicated, emotionally present world” WASHINGTON POST

Tales of stupid frogs, wandering cadavers, haunted bridges and techo-nerds, memories of small towns and high school, first loves and last…and places we’ve been or maybe just dreamed of...

 MUSTARD'S RETREAT (David Tamulevich & Libby Glover) has for decades been delighting audiences as raconteurs, storytellers and accomplished musicians (vocals, guitars, dulcimer, electric bass, mandolin, harmonica, pennywhistle). They weave the fantastic with the everyday, the romantic with the comical - deceptively simple, uniquely magical. An evening with the duo will leave you laughs enough for days and memories for years to come.

"Mustard's" was formed as a trio in 1975 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Tamulevich, Glover and Michael Hough. Back recently after a long hiatus, vocalist Glover now joins Tamulevich in taking the delightful music and joyful energy of Mustard's Retreat on the road.

Tamulevich & Glover call their shows “defiantly hopeful,” a statement of what the music and the folk community has meant to them.

 “Defiantly Hopeful,” confirms Tamulevich, a multitalented vocalist, songwriter and guitarist. "It's what folk music is about. Joy and fun, mystery and wonder, then heartbreak and resiliency...it's celebrating life. Woven throughout is community and finding common ground beyond politics and differences... charting our way through our times. In the current cultural climate, I’d call that 'defiantly hopeful.'

 Tamulevich and company have traveled more than a million miles and performed more than 7,000 shows from Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors to pool parties and pig roasts, concerts and festivals, to The Barns at Wolftrap, and the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. People locally know them from their performances at The Eighth Step, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, and from airplay on WAMC-fm, WSPN and WRPI, among others. They have released 14 critically acclaimed recordings of mostly original work, and another planned for next year.

KEMP HARRIS, piano & vocals; Adam Osgood, harmonica

“A truly riveting record of living history, Kemp Harris is poet of music who should never be allowed to step back from the microphone… that his voice [will] always be heard” LIVERPOOL SOUND AND VISION (UK)

“A master weaver of American music styles” BANDCAMP

“Inspired by Randy Newman & Joni Mitchell, folk, gospel and R&B” NEWTON BEACON

Whether he’s performing with members of his band, or in hushed meditation alone at his piano, Kemp Harris speaks truth the only way he knows how: by baring his soul. 
Onstage, his lyrics and music are crystal clear, his performance simply riveting, as shown in his recent live performance of “Goodnight, America” at Phil Ochs Song Night on Wanda Fischer’s “Hudson River Sampler” (WAMC-fm). In 2024 he was chosen - by audience vote - as a winner of the Emerging Artist Showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.

Harris’ powerful and profoundly moving new CD The America Chronicles (Release date July 4, 2025) reveals not only his considerable music chops, but his love of our country with all its natural beauty, flaws and current turmoil. The album was produced and arranged by Freebo, Bonnie Raitt’s former bass player, recorded at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL.

Years in the making, the album confronts the beauty, contradictions, and complexity of this country with clarity, compassion and soul. It’s not just a collection of songs – it’s a witness account, an offering, and an invitation to listen.

Adam Osgood is an electrifying mouth harp player and spoken word artist who draws his influences from Blues tradition and Beat Poetry. Comfortable in genres ranging from Folk to Funk, he has been a front, side and hype man collaborator of Kemp Harris for over thirty-five years.


Join us as we welcome Kemp Harris onstage for his 8th Step debut!

“Tells our stories, his story, and the untold stories, as an American folk master can - with heart and unfettered perfection” SIRIUS XM RADIO

“The type of musician that will cause you to drop that morning newspaper or pull your car to the side of the road when you hear his songs” WFDU-FM

Touring musician, award-winning songwriter and blessed with an exceptionally resonant singing voice, JOE JENCKS is known for his exquisite and often haunting musical beauty, social consciousness and spiritual exploration. Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, he blends well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, delivering compelling musical narratives with heart, soul, groove and grit. But in the immediacy of performance, it’s first his voice that stuns an audience: Jencks reaches the far corners of any theatre with his lyric baritone voice, resonating with gorgeous tone and an edgy richness.

Jencks has penned several #1 Folksongs, including the ever-relevant and poignant “Lady of The Harbor,” and has become a fan favorite throughout North America. Co-founder and primary vocal arranger for the harmony trio Brother Sun, he is in demand as an arranger, with over 30 appearances as a guest vocalist on various studio recordings.

From coffeehouses to Carnegie Hall, Jencks has made a mark on the American music scene, singing and telling stories that educate, illuminate, and uplift. His regional debut at 8th Step has evolved into regular returns to our stage for solo shows, celebrations, and collaborations with such artists as Deidre McCalla and Susan Werner.

“The key to the future is people joining in. The music of Joe Jencks captures this essential spirit. Joe is a fantastic singer who carries on the traditions.” PETE SEEGER

Thoughts, Stories and Songs from a Beloved American Folk Legend

Pete Seeger up close and personal

David and Jacob Bernz intertwine readings from David’s recently published Pete Seeger book - co-written with Seeger - with some of the songs mentioned in the book, integrating more recent songs and original material. A lively mix of book reading and folk concert promises an evening sure to be fun, participatory and uplifting. Who couldn’t use a few Seeger songs just now?

Derived from years of conversations between Seeger and Bernz - his close friend and collaborator - Chopping Wood uses Seeger’s own words, minimally edited to preserve Seeger’s trademark cadence. Hear from Bernz tales of Seeger learning the banjo, traveling with Woody Guthrie; at The Peekskill Riots; how Pete wrote books and put together songs. Together they conjure a gentle, principled man immersing us for the evening in his humility and willingness to respect those whose opinions differed greatly from his own - vital qualities in these troubled and divisive times.

DAVID & JACOB BERNZ are a father-son team of singer-songwriters hailing from Beacon, New York, the town where Pete Seeger’s cabin overlooks the Hudson River. David Bernz’ ensembles have included “Dave, Perry, Rande,” “Stone Soup” and “Work o’ the Weavers”; he has released CDs with each. A two-time Grammy winner for producing two of Pete Seeger’s albums, he won Best Folk Album for Pete Seeger at 89 and Best Children’s Album for Pete Seeger & the Rivertown Kids: Tomorrow’s Children.

Jacob Bernz, a prolific young songwriter who has already released five CDs of original material. He combines many influences into a genre all his own with a uniquely poetic and personal style. Together David and Jacob weave a tapestry of songs old and new.

SLOOP CLEARWATER SAILS TO KINGSTON… PRESENTING PERFORMANCES ON TWO STAGES AT KINGSTON’S ANNUAL EARTH FAIR - ON THE WATERFRONT!

Two Stages, with:
TOM CHAPIN JOE JENCKS LISA GUTKIN ARM-OF-THE-SEA THEATRE M’BOLLO CUBORICUA UBAKA HILL GAIL ANN DORSEY KJ DENHART MATT MUNISTERI TRIO BIG JOE FITZ TRIO, ENERGY DANCE COMPANY MID-HUDSON JUGGLING CLUB NATIVE AMERICAN WATER CEREMONY

Local Farms E-Bike Test Rides Keegan’s Root Beer Floats

Homespun Merry-Go-Round Recycling

Solaris Tour Boat Electric Vehicles Showcase

Fine Local Restaurants Sustainable Living Info

Crafts Recycling Food Vendors & more!

Tickets: FREE [yes, believe it!] Rain or shine
Location: TR Gallo Park, 30 Rondout Landing - on the Kingston waterfront

Sloop Clearwater Sails: 10 am & 5 pm, Tix at Hudson River Maritime Museum

Festival by the City of Kingston with Hudson River Maritime Museum and generous Sponsors

Music by Clearwater, Inc, The 8th Step & Radio Kingston

Sandy O & Pat Humphries [with Special Guest Lisa Gutkin (The Klezmatics]

Fervent and heartfelt” NEW YORK TIMES

“Pat’s songs will be sung well into the 22nd century” PETE SEEGER (on “All Things Considered,” PBS)

“Beauty, power and ferocity, all mixed up with hope and love” KZUM-fm

Award-winning activist singer-songwriters EMMA’S REVOLUTION [Pat Humphries & Sandy O]] have long harnessed the power of music to shine a light on cultural issues, and promoted the power of people together working toward peace, environmental justice and human rights. Their reach is wide; their powerful songs have been sung for the Dalai Lama, praised and sung by folk icon Pete Seeger, Holly Near and scores of others.
They bring very special guest Lisa Gutkin, Grammy winning fiddler and singer and member of america’s premier klezmer band The Klezmatics. Three layers of harmony vocals, guitars, fiddle - an evening of fine music, honesty and heart when we need it most.

HOUSE CONCERT & ALBUM RELEASE: THIS HEN”S GONNA CROW SUNDAY MARCH 16, 3-5 pm, Albany

**SOLD OUT: Sorry, no walk-ins WAITING LIST: marsha.lazarus1130@gmail.com

Bilingual vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, COLLEEN KATTAU’s Latin-influenced indy folk and socio-environmentalist music, poetic originals and charismatic stage presence inspire hope and spark imagination - and often, audience participation! After a show she often hears, “You touched my soul.”

A long time musical activist, Kattau believes in the transformative power of song and all the arts to create a better world. Whether from the front lines of a social movement or center stage, her clear voice rings with truth; she was awarded the Jon Fromer String-buster songwriting award at the Great Labor Arts Conference in Silver Spring, MD.

She has toured with Holly Near; shared the stage with legendary performers Tom Paxton, Reggie Harris, and Pete Seeger - who called her to praise her Sing It Down (the SOA) by Colleen with Jolie Rickman. She has performed at Northeastern Regional Folk Alliance, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and Phil Ochs Song Night; she’s been featured on NPR’s" “Morning Edition” and on Amy Goodman’s “Democracy Now,” appeared at The 8th Step with Reggie Harris, and in concert with Ruth Pelham, Terry Roben and others.

Donation $25, more or less as able. Co-produced by Marsha Lazarus, Colleen Kattau & The 8th Step. Proceeds to this warm, intimate and delicious event will benefit The 8th Step. (**Reminder: Seating very limited)

CD RELEASE: QUITE EARLY MORNING [Addy Theatre]

“Lush, luxurious”  DAILY FREEMAN

“Soul and feeling…a joy”  IRISH MUSIC MAGAZINE

If the mighty and romantic Hudson River had a voice it would surely sound like the harmonic quintet of BETTY & THE BABY BOOMERS! For this their sixth recording, 'The Boomers' wrap their distinctive four-part harmonies and sparkling guitar and dobro licks around songs from Jackson Browne, Woody Guthrie, Ireland's 'Bard of Peace' Tommy Sands & Pete Seeger, Carlos Varela, Paul Simon, American jazz singer-composer Alberta Hunter, the Boomers' own Jean McAvoy and more. This collection of songs speaks poignantly and pointedly to the current climate of unrest in America and beyond.

After almost four decades together and still going strong, the Boomers continue to add songs to their repertoire. It’s been eight years since their last recording, and the new songs – as well as a few others long performed onstage – wouldn’t be denied. Quite Early Morning takes its title from one of Pete Seeger's most moving songs and is mixed with others of hope, humor and sweet romance, messages especially fitting for this uncertain time at home and abroad.

From the Hudson Valley to Galway, Ireland, Steve Stanne (vocals, lead guitar, dobro), Betty Boomer (vocals, mandolin, whistling), Jean Valla McAvoy (vocals), Paul Rubeo (vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bodhran) & Robert Bard (vocals, bass, tambourine) belt out, croon or caress an astonishing array of traditional, contemporary songs and originals. Their seemingly endless repertoire includes songs heard while sailing and working on the Hudson aboard the environmental flagship Clearwater, tunes learned from years of playing with Seeger, McAvoy originals, tunes serious and silly, topical and whimsical: swing, folk, a cappella ballads and sea songs. Their close four-part harmonies are simply sublime, the instrumentals rich and varied.

The award-winning group tours regionally and often appeared onstage with Seeger, who regularly performed McAvoy’s song, “Down By The River” and included it on his Grammy-winning album Tomorrow’s Children. The Boomers appeared annually at Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival (now on hiatus); this January with Wanda Fischer on WAMC-fm's "Hudson River Sampler”; they perform at venues throughout the Northeast, New England and beyond. Over the past 15 years, the Boomers have become a familiar sound and sight alongside The Chieftains, Paul Brady and Christy Moore at Ireland’s enormously popular Clifden Arts Week, Ireland’s longest-running community arts festival.

The group’s numerous Eighth Step numerous performances have included: Phil Ochs Song Nights, numerous Pumpkin Sail kickoff concerts with Pete Seeger, Step anniversary galas, Seeger tributes including Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and many memorable concerts showcasing the Boomers themselves.

LIVE, IN GE THEATRE AT PROCTORS!

Baby, it’s cold and dark outside! Come celebrate the lengthening of days to come at Sing Solstice! Spend an evening with the irresistible foursome of Kim & Reggie Harris and Terry Leonino & Greg Artzner (Magpie) - a bright, warm and wonderful musical celebration of nature’s Season of Light that from ancient times to the present inspired such Midwinter celebrations as Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukah, Yule and more in cultures around the world. We’ll welcome the coming - and very welcome! Winter Solstice with music and laughter - its Midwinter, and we turn toward the light of Spring -join us to celebrate Mother Nature’s New Year!!

The enormously talented and charismatic foursome creates a transcendent, often otherworldly sound with stunning harmonies & instrumentals, alternately powerful, touching, funny & charming. Who better to greet the light?

Opening the concert: Pokingbrook Morris Dancers, in full medieval costume, performing the mesmerizing “Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, which originated in the ancient Cotswold region of England!

"A rare artist...strong poetry, complex melodies, clever wit”      SING OUT!

A perennial audience favorite, she comes onstage in simple jeans and shirt. She’s droll, irreverent, completely unselfconscious, poignant and hilarious…in short, absolutely brilliant.

It has always seemed as if there were two Cheryl Wheelers, with fans of the New England songwriter relishing watching the two tussle for control of the mic. There’s Poet-Cheryl, writer of some of the prettiest, most alluring and intelligent ballads on the modern folk scene. And then there’s her evil twin, Comic-Cheryl, a militant trend defier and savagely funny social critic.

Tickets: $30 Advance / $35 Day of Show / Gold Circle $50 [Priority Seating + 6:30 pm Meet & Greet onstage] Location: GE Theatre

Her plain-spun songs have been hits for such mainstream stars as Suzy Bogguss and Dan Seals, recorded by everyone from Bette Midler to Maura O’Connell, Peter Paul & Mary, Juice Newton and Garth Brooks; then on to Kathy Mattea, Holly Near and Melanie. While not strictly an activist performer, her smash song “If It Were Me” has gotten much airplay in this era of school shootings.

Her appearances on 8th Step stages have included several album release concerts, a sellout duo with Christine Lavin, and as part of the blockbuster On a Winter's Night with Patty Larkin, Cliff Eberhardt and John Gorka.

Wheeler is wonderful on CD, radio or YouTube - but Wheeler LIVE is - and we mean this - not to be missed!

KENNY WHITE comes to the world of the touring singer-songwriter following a long and successful musical journey. Long List of Priors, his aptly named newest album, collects his latest original songs - snapshots of the human condition from heartwarming to humorous. Radio favorites are “Cyberspace,” and “A Road Less Traveled” featuring David Crosby on harmony vocals.

Hailed by reviewers from The New York Times to the San Francisco Chronicle for his thrilling and unique piano playing, talented singer-songwriter White is also a successful NYC-based record producer. He has written, performed, and produced music for hundreds of TV and radio commercials, and film soundtracks including four by independent filmmaker John Sayles. He has toured with stars Judy Collins, Stephen Stills and Tom Jones, among others, and appeared on dozens of recordings by other musicians.

PROFESSOR ERASTUS BETTEROV-UNDERHILL & HIS CULT OF STORYTELLERS RETURN!

CAST: Barbara Chepaitis, Catherine Danforth, Gabriel Fabian, Kelvin Keraga, Tony Malinowski, Mary Murphy, David Steele

It's Halloween, the night when ghosts and spirits roam the Earth…

Once again Dr. Betterov-Underhill and Friends will haunt the halls of The Eighth Step with a new mix of creepy, comic, and thought-provoking ghost stories. Dr. Betterov-Underhill will of course shamelessly market his fine line of Dead People Products, including his world-renowned Crème-de-menthe embalming fluid. Join us on a spooky and sometimes silly journey to the dark side of our imagination.

COME IN COSTUME FOR A FREE GOURMET DESSERT!!

Halloween's origins date back more than2,000 years. On what we consider November 1, Europe's Celtic peoples celebrated their New Year's Day, called Samhain (SAH-win).

On Samhain—what we know as Halloween—spirits were said to walk the Earth as they traveled to the afterlife. Fairies, demons and other creatures were abroad, intermingling with humans just this one night of the year.

For hundreds of years storytellers have taken us by the hand and led us into old houses filled with apparitions: phantoms woven from memories and dreams, exploring the dark core of our humanity.

These tales reflect our souls, where characters cross the line between life and death, caught in situations that often draw out their deepest emotions. The supernatural explore the natural: frailty and strength, loss and recovery. Behold the nurturing power of imagination!

Tickets: $20 Adults, $8 Children Under 12
Location: Addy Theatre (3rd floor via lobby elevator in Box Office arcade, turn left)

"From the deeply rooted Celtic traditions of Cape Breton to the rapid fire guitar work of Chet Atkins and Doc Watson, Cormier sings the songs in a mellow baritone and frames them with virtuosic playing on a bevy of instruments, including fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and piano” ACOUSTIC GUITAR

“Gunning is the next big thing in the True North of Song, an artist as compelling, as assured and attentive to every nuance of the writing process, as Lightfoot, Cockburn and Stan Rogers before him” TORONTO STAR

Two of Canada’s greatest and much-honored solo roots singer-songwriters return to once again create their unique, soaring musical synergy that is simply otherworldly. Gunning & Cormier are great friends, frequent collaborators, co-writers and touring partners; the pair share a rare musical and personal affinity. For the past few years they've lived down the road from one another in Canada's beautiful Nova Scotia and the neighborhood has exploded with their great music.

Every song has to meet their very high, combined standards and they don't take it lightly. “We really put our heart into it,” says Gunning.

Tickets: $28 Advance / $30 Concert Night /$45 Gold Circle [Priority Seating + Meet the Artist 6:30 pm onstage] Location: GE Theatre

Widely celebrated for both his Celtic and Blues music, Cormier had spent 10 years immersed in the U.S. Blues world, playing memorable nights at the Grand Ole Opry with artists such as Waylon Jennings, Marty Stuart, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Charlie Louvin and Vince Gill. Now he was back home in Canada.

“We were totally blown away by J.P.’s playing,” recalls Gunning. “I remember him saying if you ever do a CD, I want to play on it.” That happened, and much more. They played together and wrote together whenever they could, coming up with songs that graced both their projects, over the years showered with awards and nominations on the East Coast and nationally.

“Dave is such a part of my life,” says Cormier. “Dave is like my family, he’s like a blood relative to me, and he’s always been that way.” Says Gunning, “We love singing together, we love playing guitar together, it just works.”

In their music you can hear passion, power and their mutual delight in their intricate guitar interplay and in their gorgeous vocals. "You sometimes can’t tell us apart," says Gunning of their . "When we sing together we find a sibling harmony - we blend like brothers.”

Two songwriters, interpreters, guitar players, and singers at their peak bring to the stage the power of song between two friends, brothers, uncompromising performers. We're thrilled to listen - in person!

“Perceptive…clever…right up there with The Beatles and Bob Dylan” NEW YORK TIMES

David Roth: "His voice is clear, his words are poetry, his heart is open, and it makes me open the windows of my car and smile at strangers" BOSTON GLOBE

Anne Hills: “A stunning soprano tone has made her one of contemporary music’s premiere vocalists … Her knack for writing heartfelt songs [has] brought her to the upper echelon of her craft” ALL MUSIC GUIDE

A glorious evening bringing together Anne Hills, one of the most beloved voices of the contemporary folk music scene, joining perennial favorite David Roth, with his unique songs, offbeat observations, moving stories, sense of the hilarious, and powerful singing and subject matter!

Tickets: $27 Advance / $29 Day of Show / $45 Gold Circle [Priority Seating & 6:30 pm Artist Meet & Greet onstage]

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. Singer, songwriter, recording artist, keynote speaker, workshop leader and instructor, David has earned top honors at premier songwriter competitions and taken his music, experience, and expertise to a wide variety of stages in this and other countries full-time for three decades.

David’s stunningly lyrical songs have found their way to Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, several Chicken Soup for the Soul books, the Kennedy Center, Peter, Paul, & Mary’s “Discovered” (Warner Brothers), the Kingston Trio’s “Born at the Right Time,” NASA’s Goddard Space Center (“Rocket Science” went up on the Space Shuttle Atlantis’s May 2009 mission to repair the Hubble Telescope). Winner of 4 Positive Music Awards and the 2015 Grace Note (Unity Worldwide) for Outstanding Contribution to New Thought Music,

David teaches at the Augusta Heritage workshops, SummerSongs, Common Ground on the Hill (MD), the Woods Dance & Music Camp (Canada), WUMB’s Summer Acoustic Music Week (NH), Moab Folk Camp (UT), Rowe Center (MA), Pendle Hill (PA), Lamb’s Retreat (MI), the Swannanoa Gathering (NC), the National Wellness Institute (WI), and for many other songwriting groups and associations around the country. Founder/director of the Cape Cod Songwriters Retreat, he is creator/host of Cape Cod’s “Full Moon Open Mic” which, for 12 years has provided a forum for musicians while at the same time collecting donations ($14,000 to date) for local non-profits to help neighbors in need.

ANNE HILLS: Whether singing her own songs, the words of six-year-old Opal Whiteley, or her song settings of the Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley; whether playing guitar, banjo, or simply a Tibetan bell, Hills puts her whole heart and soul into the musical moment. She tours extensively, winning over audiences with her warm, lively and humorous performances.

She has received numerous awards and much recognition for her live performances, her unique solo and collaborative recording projects, and her overall artistry. Recognized as one of folk music’s finest voices, her song “Follow That Road” was the title cut of the Martha’s Vineyard Songwriter Retreat and has long been a certified folk classic. (And if you love her writing, be sure to check out her “Haiku a Day” shared via her Facebook page!)

“Especially eloquent mixture of the old and the new” NEW YORK TIMES

“There probably aren’t too many bands hiding on the misty moors who can match the Tannahill Weavers for consummate musicianship…and the kind of group cohesiveness that borders on telepathy” KNIGHT-RIDDER

“Formed from a Paisley pub session in 1968, seminal trailblazers the Tannahill Weavers now also rank as national treasures” SINGOUT!

Traditional Celtic music at its best! With fire-driven instrumentals and songs, haunting ballads and a good dose of humor, Scotland’s iconic Tannahill Weavers have transformed traditional Scottish material and brought it into the modern world, vitally alive and kicking!

Members of the Scottish traditional Music Hall of Fame, “the Tannies” have been joined by exciting piper and fiddle player Iain MacGillivray, Scotland’s youngest Clan Leader Iain and a fluent Gaelic speaker who has worked on the popular “Outlander” and “Men in Kilts” series, and other high-profile productions.

“Scotland's Tannahill Weavers play acoustic instruments, but the atmosphere at their shows is electric…Tight and as versatile as any band in the Celtic music revival… can summon rock 'n roll intensity or haunting introspection” BOSTON GLOBE

“Location: GE Theatre at Proctors

Tickets: $28 Advance / $30 Day of Show / $50 Gold Circle [priority seating + Meet & Greet 6:30 pm onstage]

The Tannahills have turned their acoustic excitement loose on audiences with an electrifying effect. They have that unique combination of traditional melodies, driving rhythmic accompaniment and rich vocals that make their performances unforgettable.

From reflective ballads to foot-stomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits.

“The Tannahill Weavers - properly harnessed - could probably power an entire city for a year on the strength of last night's concert alone. The music may be old time Celtic, but the drive and enthusiasm are akin to straight ahead rock and roll." WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

CD Release: The Legend of Sugarbelly

“Truth be told, there just aren’t many who can deliver Americana in as interesting and entertaining a manner – or give acoustic traditional blues such a contemporary sound – as Davis, and it sure is a lot of fun hearing him explore the different sides of the genre” BLUZ POWR BLOG

"Skilled singer & guitarist…combines a folklorist’s encyclopedic knowledge of the blues with an actor’s intensity and flair” SUNDAY GAZETTE 

“Intimate, richly nuanced tales….stomping acoustic blues” BLUES REVUE

American Roots, Blues, Folk, Spoken Word, New Artistic Renaissance, he does it all, on vocals, 6 & 12 string guitar, harmonica, 5 & 6 string banjo, didgeridoo.

Guy Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, a musician, actor, author and songwriter. Guy uses a blend of Roots, Blues, Folk, Rock, Rap, Spoken Word, and World Music to comment on, and address the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events and common life struggles. His theater background shines through the lyrical storytelling of songs “God’s Gonna Make Things Over” about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, “Welcome to My World,” and “Got Your Letter In My Pocket.” His storytelling is sometimes painful, deep and real, an earthy contrast to modern-day commercial music; he means to create thought, underlined by gentle tones from his guitar or banjo fingerpicking.

He recently added Broadway Composer to his CV by writing the incidental music for the recent Tony nominated revival of his father’s play - that would be stage legend Ossie Davis' play, "Purlie Victorious."

Meanwhile, he has won a Keeping The Blues Alive Award, and was nominated by The Blues Foundation for Best Song of the Year, Best Acoustic Album of the Year, Best Acoustic Artist of the Year, and Best Instrumentalist. It’s a fact that he's been nominated nearly two dozen times by the Blues Foundation.

Among hundreds of print appearances, he's been featured in articles or reviews by VillageNew York Times, Voice, Boston Globe, Pulse Magazine, Blues Magazine, Acoustic Guitar, Dirty Linen, Songlines, Blues Blast Magazine, Living Blues, Down At the Crossroads, The San Francisco Chronicle, Association For Independent Music (formerly NAIRD), Playboy Magazine, National Public Radio (NPR), "Folk Alley", and several Sirius channels.

Asked about his experience as a performer, Guy replied, “There is no tale so tall that I cannot tell it, nor song so sweet that I cannot sing it.” True words from a delightful and monstrously talented performer.

Tickets: $29 General Admission / $27 Advance / $45 Gold Circle [Priority Seating + Meet the Performer with Guy 6:30 pm onstage]

Location: Addy Theatre at Proctors

SLOOP CLEARWATER SAILS TO KINGSTON… PRESENTING PERFORMANCES ON TWO STAGES AT KINGSTON’S 10TH ANNUAL EARTH FAIR - ON THE WATERFRONT!

GUY DAVIS MAGPIE EMMA’S REVOLUTION SUNDUB ARM-OF-THE-SEA PUPPETS PIEDMONT BLUZ PULSO de BARRO THE RIX TAINA ASILI & ENSEMBLE B2S SONGS OF PETE SEEGER

Food Kid’a Activities Clearwater Sloop Tours Green Exhibitors Face Painting Clean Energy Local Farms E-Bike Test Rides Keegan’s Root Beer Floats Homespun Merry-Go-Round

Solaris Tour Boat Electric Vehicles Showcase Fine Local Restaurants Sustainable Living Info Crafts Recycling Food Vendors & more!

Tickets: FREE [yes, believe it!] Rain or shine
Location: TR Gallo Park, 30 Rondout Landing - on the Kingston waterfront

Festival by the City of Kingston with Hudson River Maritime Museum & More

Music by Radio Kingston, The Eighth Step & Radio Kingston

Four of Contemporary Folk’s Finest Voices Unite & Ignite!

**LIVE & LIVESTREAM

Sally Rogers: “Sterling guitar-banjo-dulcimer work…achingly sweet voice imbues her ballads with classic poignance” WASHINGTON POST

Claudia Schmidt: ”Talent and the fire of genius” BOSTON GLOBE

Emma’s Revolution: “Fervent and heartfelt” NEW YORK TIMES

Boundless energy and truth-telling lyrics on original and borrowed songs from four of folk music’s finest and most outspoken musical voices…

Soaring harmonies and sterling instrumentals abound in a concert celebrating mothers as women, artists and change-makers, part of the foursome’s second annual “Every Day is Mother’s Day” tour from New England to the West Coast. The group banded together to “lift up mothers and foremothers, trail blazers and hell raisers of all kinds,” says Pat Humphries. “The actions we can take and the songs we can sing to make this world a better place are the focus of our lives’ work and will take center stage," says Sally Rogers.

Performing with Rogers & Schmidt has deep meaning to Humphries. She relishes this tour as an opportunity to showcase women’s contributions to music, remembering the specific effect on her as a young aspiring musician. “When I was in college considering music as my full-time career, Jean [Ritchie] and Hazel [Dickens] and Alice [Gerrard] were busy breaking ground for women in a field full of male performers. These women carved the path for the next generation of singers and songwriters. That’s where I found Claudia Schmidt and Sally Rogers. Seeing Claudia and Sally among the names on concert series and festival rosters gave me hope there might be room for me. Both drew from the rich traditions of the past and carried that influence into their own writing - through the lens of their current life experience. Their example paralleled my trajectory and helped propel me forward in pursuit of my place on that continuum. Sandy & I are excited to be sharing the stage with Claudia and Sally.”

For all their different styles, the four accomplished, award-winning singer-songwriter-instrumentalists share a passionate dedication to humanity and social justice, creating luscious harmonies backed by stellar instrumentals: guitars, dulcimers - and with a nod to Humphries’ mentor Pete Seeger, maybe a little banjo.

Exuberant, joyful, warm, magical. Join us!

**Use Code Step for $5 off General Admission tickets - live show only!

CLAUDIA SCHMIDT & SALLY ROGERS: With heart-opening harmony and musical chemistry like no other, they have long been weaving their voices, dulcimers and guitars into uniquely lush music, singing with a joy that audiences find so irresistible they frequently join right in. Each a solo master of her craft, together they tell story-songs and rich vignettes set to stellar instrumentals. Time has deepened and enriched the music created by these long-time friends and performing partners.

EMMA’S REVOLUTION (Pat Humphries & Sandy O): They are known for fearless lyrics and melodies you can’t resist singing whether at a protest or a concert. Their inspiring songs - from hard-hitting cultural commentary to ringing anthems - have travelled around the world, sung for the Dalai Lama, praised by Pete Seeger and covered by Holly Near. The dynamic pair’s signature sound soars with harmonies and ringing acoustic instruments on songs that span folk to jazz and funk to rock.

TICKET NOTE: Gold Circle includes front center section seats & 6:00 pm Artist Reception Onstage
Location: GE Theatre at Proctors

The Same Storm marks another career milestone for one of Canada's most inspiring and accomplished singer-songwriters, a captivating performer currently nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards including Best Solo Artist. Self-effacing and very, very funny, he is a master of his craft: his knack for perfectly timed on-stage banter and gracious storytelling has endeared him to audiences and fellow performers alike. He has shared the stage with legends like Ron Hynes, Rita MacNeil, Stuart McLean, and Stompin’ Tom Connor and of course, J.P. Cormier, with whom he performed a blockbuster show on our stage last season..

His knack for connecting with audiences is lifelong, preceding the skills and experience he’s earned on the road—Gunning shares the same sort of relationship with music as an eagle does with the sky. From a very young age, music has been Gunning’s way of interpreting the world around him, the lens through which he sees it, and the medium by which he engages with his community and his audiences.

He has never needed to look far beyond his Pictou County, Nova Scotia backyard for inspiration. That’s where the characters live. That’s where the stories come from. Often shining a light on the well-deserving underdogs, he’s never shies away from tougher topics, staying true to the folk music tradition. In recent years, those topics have tended to be more social and environmental in nature - causes that he holds near and dear. Nowhere has that been more evident, or public, than Dave’s strong stance against a local bleached kraft pulp mill - a proven polluter in the community.

Called “a voice of Nova Scotia,” Gunning combines a finely-tuned balance of sincerity and impeccable performance that makes him one of the country’s most engaging entertainers.

The Same Storm continues along a similar path similar to its predecessors - celebrating moments big and small, lending a voice to the folks that need it most, and indulging in a bit of nostalgia on the way - but always with an eye toward the future and the stories it will bring.

Tickets: $27 Advance / $29 Day of Show / $40 Gold Circle 
Location: Addy Theatre