Artists
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Andina & Rich

Recipe: mix Sandy Andina (Chicago's resident singing/guitar-and-dulcimer-slinging smart aleck) with Stephen Lee Rich (Madison, WI's friendly neighborhood yodeling cowboy), add harmony and humor, then shake and stir. Result: Andina and Rich!

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Barb Ryman

A natural storyteller with a deep compassion for the lost and forgotten voices of our culture, Barb Ryman expects music to be more than entertaining. With a crystalline voice and skillfully played guitar, Barb delivers a rich mosaic of contemporary folk, drawing from country blues, Celtic balladry, and old-time gospel/bluegrass.

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Bernice Lewis

With three decades of performing festivals, concert halls, coffeehouses, colleges, and house concerts, along with a half dozen acclaimed CDs, Bernice Lewis has built a solid national fan base. She is also a published poet, a producer, and an educator extraordinaire.

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Bev Barnett & Greg Newlon

Bev Barnett & Greg Newlon form the acoustic soul/folk rock duo Uncommon Dreamers. Greg’s 40 year musical history has taken him from musical theatre to rock-n-roll, country to blues – all converging to influence his unique contemporary acoustic style. Bev grew up in the woodwind section of various symphonic and jazz bands, finding her true voice later in life.

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Bonnie Lee Panda

Bonnie Lee Panda uses songs and stories to captivate and educate her young audience about important topics, such as self-esteem, finding ones truth, peer pressure and anti-bullying. With a Psychology Degree from the University of Connecticut, Bonnie Lee uses her experiences and musical talents to perform interactive, educational and irresistibly entertaining workshops for school age children, grades 2 through 6. Listed below are the programs Bonnie Lee develops in schools.

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Brian Rohr

Brian Rohr is a Storyteller, Writer, Poet and Healing Arts Practitioner who resides in the Pacific Northwest - a land of constant rain, Evergreen trees, mountains and the waters of the Pacific Ocean. In 2007, Brian left his hometown of Chicago and moved to Port Townsend, WA to study with Mythologist and Master Storyteller Daniel Deardorff.

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Charles Kiernan

Mark Twain

Storyteller Charles Kiernan, now retired from gainful employment, performs at theaters, listening clubs, schools, libraries, and arts festivals. He has, of late, been fobbing himself off as Mark Twain with some success.

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Charlie Mosbrook

Songwriter Charlie Mosbrook, a two time Ironman triathlon finisher now living with a spinal cord injury, tells his story from the finish line of the worlds toughest endurance race to the first few steps out of a wheel chair.

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Dana & Susan Robinson

Dana and Susans most requested program, Songs of the American Landscape is an entertaining travelogue of songs and stories developed over many years of travel and touring across the United States.

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David LaFleur

With a rich tenor voice and a mastery of the guitar, dobro, mandolin and dulcimer, David LaFleur has been performing his unique mixture of Appalachian, folk, blues and humor for over 20 years.

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Debra Cowan

Debra Cowan was once asked what kind of songs she writes. Her reply? “Bad ones. Besides, there are so many good songs out there written by others and they should be sung.”

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Denis Gessing

Denis Gessing is a world class storyteller, bringing to life tales of the old west, and traditional tales of the irish. His personas bring unique charm to his performance, no matter the topic.

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Dextre Tripp

Dextre Tripp has been captivating audiences all over the world for more than 20 years, bringing to the stage a blend of acrobatics, balancing tricks, unusual juggling & prop comedy and fun-for-the-whole-family comedic entertainment!

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Dr. Cory Hills

Percussive Storytelling

Storytelling is a method of communication that has spanned the ages. Whether the stories serve as oral histories, religious doctrines, or simple bedtime entertainment, they have become an important staple of mankind. Many of these stories are percussive; either in the rhythmic structure of the iambs, or in the onomatopoeia of the words. Dr. Cory Hills brings this to life.

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Dr. Mary Kleinsorge

classical guitarist / singer / songwriter

"Dr. Mary" Kleinsorge combines her life experiences in a journey through music and her classical guitar. You'll learn about the beginnings of guitar and how it relates to country, bluegrass, traditional classical and folk. You'll smile and sing along with songs that you remember and you'll love the original pieces that she's written for guitar and for her love of life and the people in it.

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Dr. Robert E Pyatt PhD

Dr. Robert Pyatt is an Assistant Director of the Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics Laboratories at Nationwide Children's Hospital and an Assistant Professor at Ohio State University. For the past 10years he has been presenting science workshops around the eastern half of the United States.

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Driftwood Fire

Pop-tastically Pleasing!

Driftwood Fire is constantly bridging the gap between traditional roots music and contemporary pop. They are the First Place winner of the 2007 International Narrative Song Competition's category for original Historical music as well as a VH-1 Suggested Artist.

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Ed Pettersen

Songwriter and producer Ed Pettersen was presented with a unique challenge to engage childrens interest in the history of our country through song, by then Attorney General Janet Reno. To craft a compelling story of universal appeal Pettersen collaborated with Dr. Deane Root, Director of the Center for American Music at the University of Pittsburgh, and carefully selected popular songs that were part of the social fabric of each era and which described or alluded to a specific historical event, cultural or social movement

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Emily Ann Thompson

From fast, high-energy jigs and reels to captivating airs and ballads, Emily Ann Thompson’s performance is lively, passionate, and homegrown with an American flare. Drawing from a wide variety of world music styles, she plays traditional Irish, Scottish, and Canadian fiddle tunes in fresh, original arrangements.

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Hans York

This German-born, award-winning, internationally acclaimed performing songwriter got his musical roots from being born into an occupied Germany and fed a rich diet of American music. His potpourri of influences include Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Peter Gabriel, The Beatles, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Debussy, Earth Wind & Fire, and Eric Clapton, to name a few.

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Jan Seides

Jans show will awaken your favorite musical memories and have you tapping your foot and singing along. The Golden Age of Broadway reveals the stories and histories behind the songs and shows.

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Jason Edwards

Author of Will Allen and the Great Monster Detective

Mom’s Choice Award winning author, Jason Edwards is a man of many hats, including storyteller, developer and performer of children’s programs, teacher, father, coach, champion athlete, and an authority on children’s anxieties.

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Jennings & Keller

Fusion Folk Americana

The synergy created from these two diverse talents is apparent in the responses they are getting from festival directors, club owners, and audience members. Laurie's and Dana's music is not easy to define, but will leave a lasting impression on all who listen.

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Joshua Safford

Trickster Tales & Magic

Joshua Safford makes learning mythology fun through a fusion of storytelling, audience participation and magic. Joshua creates live special effects that bring new sparkle to old folklore that teaches cultural diversity and empowers children.

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Kathleen Finnegan

Celtic Harpist

Kathleen Finnegans family hails from County Armagh in Northern Ireland. Through her harp she brings the history and culture of Ireland and other areas of the Celtic world to a variety of venues.

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Ken O'Malley

In this captivating show, the Dublin born singer-songwriter will transport his audience to his beloved Ireland with his rich, resonant voice and engaging stage presence accompanied by his remarkable talent on guitar and mandolin.

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Ken Waldman

Alaska's Fiddling Poet

Ken Waldman has drawn on his 25 years in Alaska to produce poems, stories, and fiddle tunes that combine into a performance uniquely his own.

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Kerry Grombacher

Western troubadour, singer, storyteller

In the spirit of the troubadours of old, he paints vivid portraits and tells fascinating stories that are set in the landscape where hes worked and toured, from his home on New Orleans Bayou St. John to the desert Southwest, and up to Montana and the Northwest forests.

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Les McGehee

Plays Well with Others is an award-winning comedy show based upon the book of the same name. Author Les McGehee (Plays Well with Others, Dalton Publishing) hosts hilarious games and stories from his life as a working Improvisational Comedian. It is a book and a show that uplifts and entertains. It is full of laughter and energy, it is interactive and playful, and it is clean enough for mixed audiences of all types.

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Lisa Laird

Pockets full of Fun

Lisa Laird, her husband Alan and their two sons, Matthew and Daniel, have been using puppets to teach and entertain at their local church and in other churches since the year 2000. Lisa branched out into ventriloquism in 2005 to use the benefits of puppetry in her preschool classroom.

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Marc Black

Mr. Black has brought his creative genius together in a presentation that features live performance of his original songs, a documentary film, and finally, a time for questions and sharing of experience.

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Matthew Gurnsey

The Kilted Man

"Like Early Clancy Brothers, hale and hearty!" Matthew breathes new life into a music that will never die. "Through his music you can feel the green shamrocks underfoot, catch the aroma of a distant salt sea, and taste the highland rain upon your lips!"

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Mila Levine

Mila Levine is a Kiev-born singer-songwriter and poet from New York, whose Russian and English songs are filled with passion, longing, dreams, hope, and inspiration, and whose repertoire includes Russian, Gypsy, and Yiddish hits.

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Natalie Brown

Natalie is a Suzuki and classically trained violinist who mixes rock, Celtic, jazz, funk, folk, bluegrass, fusion, new age and other styles into her own personal style with no parameters! High school orchestra educator. String improvisation specialist.

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Oba William King

Oba William King is founder of JUSTUS Arts Programs for Youth. He has produced, performed in, and directed countless presentations and educational workshops designed to introduce students to the power of the spoken word and the magic of literature. His interactive performances, storytelling, drama workshops and lectures involve participants in a stimulating variety of self-image, self-esteem building activities. Programs are designed to celebrate diversity.

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Robert Clover-Brown

Shakespeare Man

Inspired by his love of theatre - on and off stage, literature and history Robert has created his one man shows in which he performs, in costume, as William Shakespeare, the man behind the words.

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Son Lewis

Son Lewis has been an active figure on the Blues music scene for some time. His work as a modern day exponent of the Blues, and R&B, has led him to recognition as a performer and recording artist. Son began playing Blues guitar in the 1960’s, influenced greatly by artists as diverse as Robert Johnson, Otis Rush, and Elmore James

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Sonny & Perley

Themed concerts from International and Great American Songwriters

Our programs are designed for Black History month ( Feb ) and Womens History month,( March ) as well as many other theme programs. We presently offer 19 Theme Programs that are each based on different aspects of the Great American Songbook and International Cabaret. All of the programs are educational, engaging, musical, entertaining, and are designed specifically for Libraries.

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Spook Handy

Musical programs for Children, Adults, Teens and Seniors! Featuring "The Works of Pete Seeger, and "The Songs of Peter Paul and Mary" Spool Handy is a great way to keep audiences entertained.

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Stephanie Bettman & Luke Halpin

Stephanies music is new and catchy; an engaging mixture of folk, roots, bluegrass and jazz with memorable lyrics and killer instrumentation. Joined by masterful multi-instrumentalist Luke Halpin, the two of them raise the roof with their soaring harmonies and foot tapping fiddles.

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Steve Brooks

Cross two famous guys named Brooks - Garth and Mel - and you get Austin folksinger Steve Brooks. He's got a song for every occasion, from the sublime to the ridiculous and back. His tunes range from comic commentary and crackerbarrel philosophy to lyrical love ballads and sharp-edged snapshots of Texas and the world.

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Steve Eulberg

Award-winning multi-instrumentalist and singer

From fun-loving smile-inducing folkgrass, to soaring John Denver-style country folk to a kicked back feet teetering on Jimmy Buffett in Appalachia.

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Susie Glaze & the Hilonesome Duo

In their tribute to the great American folk music pioneer Jean Ritchie, they share with audiences the great, rich traditional music that came to this country along with the first immigrants from England, Ireland and Scotland.

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Terra Taylor Knudson

Terra is a storyteller/playwright based in the Los Angeles area that has performed at numerous schools & theaters.

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The Rambling Sailors

Bringing the High-Seas to you!

The Rambling Sailors deliver their songs the way they were meant to be heard, with strong harmony and rhythm, accented with concertina and guitar. Don't be surprised to find yourself and the entire crew clapping and singing along

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Walter Strauss

If you havent heard Walter Strauss play, then youve never heard music like this before. This California guitar maestro's songs are full of the groove and fire of an African dance party, the dynamics and textures of a string orchestra, and the back-porch soul of American roots music. Its out of this world music.

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