MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT

TWO-TIME GRAMMY® Award Winners, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer are an eclectic folk festival on their own terms. They have entertained the Queen of Thailand, been keynote singers for the AFL-CIO, performed at hundreds of folk festivals, appeared on the "Today Show" and on National Public Radio. Their superb harmonies are backed by instrumental virtuosity on the guitar, five-string banjo, ukulele, mandolin, cello-banjo, and many other instruments. Their eclectic repertoire includes classic country to western swing, Django style jazz to old-time stringband and bluegrass, contemporary folk and original gems. While their versatility defies a brief description, perhaps “well rounded Americana” does it best.

From dance inducing Old Time rhythms and foot stomping Irish melodies to hard-driving Bluegrass, Baltimore-based acoustic roots quartet Charm City Junction creates a fresh soundscape that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats wondering where they'll go next. Featuring fiddle, clawhammer banjo, button accordion and upright bass, this quartet isn’t afraid to take roots music to new places — but always with an eye on tradition.

Formed in 2014, Charm City Junction has taken the acoustic music scene by storm performing around the country gaining high praise along the way for their high-energy, captivating and dynamic performances. Patrick McAvinue, 2017 IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year, takes charge with his virtuosic, powerful and musical approach to the fiddle. Clawhammer banjo wizard Brad Kolodner adds his playful, driving, melodic and groovy Old-Time touch. Sean McComiskey, soars through the tunes and fills the gaps with his soulful button accordion playing. The versatile bassist Alex Lacquement drives the train, locking everything together with his commanding and tasteful choices.

Drawing from separate musical backgrounds, the four members have found a common ground on which to develop their unique approach. Since releasing their highly anticipated debut album Charm City Junction on Patuxent Music in the fall of 2015, they have performed prestigious festivals including Grey Fox, Old Songs, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival and an appearance at the Kennedy Center. They released their second full-length album, Duckpin, in the summer of 2018. The record debuted at #6 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts.

Virginia raised and Maryland based, Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish of The Honey Dewdrops began touring in 2009 and have called the city of Baltimore home since 2014. With several albums and fourteen years of playing shows on the road, Laura and Kagey continue to expand their experimental folk sound while maintaining a commitment to deepening their understanding of the world through the lens of music. No Depression says of the new album, Light Behind Light, “The Honey Dewdrops have a way of filling their songs with humanity, using their beautiful playing and harmonies to emphasize what connects us all.”