SFMS Resource List
Musicians
A roster of SFMS Members who are offering their talents to the public.
The Musicians category includes solo performers, individual band members, and musicians offering instruction on a variety of instruments.
Tim Alexander
Acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Tim Alexander of Monroe Township, along with his playing partner, Sandy Shalk of Smyrna, Delaware, are featured on the 2006 CD Giving Voice. Listen to samples or buy the CD at CDBaby.com.
This CD is the inaugural release of the Guitarist Presentation Series from the Piney Ridge Music label, intended to "showcase talented guitarists with the gift of making evocative and compelling music." Minor7th Webzine's review says: "a lovely disc of mostly gentle, traditional sounding tunes ... terrific guitar music.... [guitarist El McMeen]'s mentoring of these players has given us more terrific guitar music by which to light our days. We're the fortunate ones for hearing their voice."
Tim is always looking for fellow instrumental acoustic guitarists to swap tunes, tricks and trade secrets.
Contact Tim at tim.alexander (at) live.com [om18v (at) comcast.net until June 1 2009]
Angelo M.
Angelo M. (also on myspace/angelo-m) is a performing songwriter and virtuoso fingerstyle & slide guitarist who began touring a few years ago when the steel mill he worked at went bankrupt. His debut CD received FM airplay across the country (40 states /130+stations). He's performed at numerous festivals including the Johnstown Folk Fest where he received a standing ovation and the Kalamazoo Blues Festival where reviews called his performance "powerful" and "one of the highlights". Angelo has also appeared on numerous radio programs including the nationally syndicated River City Folk and WXPN's Folk Show. His music is featured in a PBS TV Series and won recognition in both the prestigious "Mountain Stage" NewSong Contest and Billboard's Song Contest. In 2008 Angelo M. won a main showcase performance at the Far West Folk Alliance Conference and a Tricentric Showcase at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance. In 2009 Angelo will release his sophomore CD, Steelwork, and tour in support of the release.
For booking, contact Jody Murphy 717-556-2559 or booking (at) angelom.com
Antonio Andrade
Antonio Andrade enthusiastically engages the audience with his energetic passion for "presenting the song". This singer/songwriter accompanies himself on guitar and harmonica as he delivers original songs along with classics (and "not so classics") that are lyrically affecting and stimulating.
Contact Antonio at lifeshakes.com
Jeanne Behnke
Jeanne Behnke was a music/voice major at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Since moving to Pennsylvania 23 years ago with her husband and two children, she has sung in many styles in many venues, including the Bel Canto Singers of York and the Bob Clay Orchestra. She currently sings with Jeanne and the Pianoman; Jubilate!; a harp-centric group The Muses; and The Sassy Lassies with Julie Swope and Cindy Hunt.
Contact Jeanne at joefor5 (at) aol.com or 717-266-1500
Alanna Berger & Blaise Liffick
Blaise Liffick and Alanna Berger perform Celtic music as the duo Clannamore, and both of them also play with Arcona Reel Band. Alanna plays hammered dulcimer and concertina; Blaise plays guitar, pennywhistle, octave mandolin, and bodhran. Alanna also teaches hammered dulcimer.
Contact Blaise & Alanna at liffick (at) clannamore.com or 717-361-2992
Robert Bobby
Robert Bobby (one of the best singer-songwriters you’ve never heard of) has received critical acclaim in publications such as Rolling Stone, The Village Voice and Sing Out! for his eclectic mix of humorous, irreverent heartfelt songs of love and life, sung with energy and passion. In addition to his own songs, audiences can expect to hear his versions of other contemporary songwriters from Bob Dylan to 1960s Motown favorites.
Contact Robert at mrbobby (at) robertbobby.com or 717-252-9066
Richard Broadbent
Richard Broadbent performs solo with 6 and 12 string guitars and harmonicas, playing his original music alongside traditional folksongs and cover tunes from Dylan to Merle Haggard, Iris DeMent to Steve Goodman. Richard’s first recording Christiana, released in November 2003, is a collection of songs 53 years in the making.
Contact Richard at browoowho (at) aol.com or 301-447-6290
Bruce Campbell
I play string bass in nearly any style imaginable. 40 years experience as a performing musician. As a side man for hire, you can routinely find me in the rhythm section for The Contra Rebels, The Canal Street Hot 6, Not Your Father's Bluegrass Band, the Gadjo Playboys, Octavia Blues Band and with jazz pianists Mark Huber, Trixi Greiner, Tom Pontz and occasionally Steve Rudolph if I get lucky. Sound man for SFMS for 14 years (retired in 2007). I'll wear a tux if I have to.
Discography and more info at www.fatfiddle.com
Contact Bruce at bruce (at) fatfiddle.com
Todd Clewell
Todd Clewell plays fiddle with the Contra Dance band Contra Rebels and guitar with "Strings on Wings". He also performs with Late For Supper, a banjo/fiddle/guitar trio featuring vocals and instrumental pieces from a variety of sources with a strong old-time influence.
Contact Todd at info (at) ToddClewell.com or 717-235-4504
Henry S Cohen
Henry Cohen and his wife Lynn Colgan Cohen are two members of the Celtic group Inishowen. Henry teaches private lessons on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, tenor banjo, and hammered dulcimer.
Contact Henry at shipinclouds (at) yahoo.com or 717-940-0824
Beverley Conrad
Beverley Conrad has been playing fiddle since she was knee high to a grasshopper. She has performed on fiddle from coast to cast and teaches folk fiddle from her home in Selinsgrove, PA as well as over the Internet. As a contributing editor to the National Old Time Fiddler's News she pens the "Ask Beverley" and "Teacher's Tips" columns. She has been featured in Fiddler Magazine and has written for it as well. Her website, The Fiddle: Legends, Lore and Helpful Tips offers a wealth of information on playing the fiddle as well as many good stories. Bev appears as a strolling fiddler at many regional events, and is also half of the duo The Lowlander Highlanders — fiddle and drum from the northern Appalachians and old world highlands.
Contact Beverley at bevconrad (at) yahoo.com or 570-374-2647
Pat Cusick
Patrick (Pat) Cusick is a crypto-optimist who delivers his off-kilter view of things through song. A guitar-playing singer-songwriter, Pat effortlessly jumps from groove to groove, and from genre to genre. Because of this difficult-to-define characteristic, he is often labeled somewhere between Folk, Americana, and Adult Album Alternative.
Contact Pat at 717-896-8964
Bob and Jill Davidson
Great Highland Bagpipes, providing lessons and personal appearances. "A Piper For ALL Occasions."
Contact Bob and Jill at piobbeag (at) aol.com or 717-545-5092
David Fishel
Dave Fishel has been performing guitar and vocal music professionally since 1970, both in Europe and the United States. In addition to his own songs, his repertoire also includes songs from a wide range of other songwriters and performers, from folk and classical to jazz and R&B. Dave performs on acoustic guitars, harmonicas, recorders, voice, and whistling. He has produced seven CDs of original compositions.
Contact Dave at 717-737-3799
Martin Gangl
Martin is known for his steel string acoustic guitar fingerstyle compositions and flatpick interpretations. His latest release, Conjuring the Muse, is a beautiful collection of mostly original compositions featuring classical, Celtic, and Americana influences. Excerpts can be heard at CDBaby.com.
Contact Martin at martin-amy (at) comcast.net
Randy Heisley-Cato
Randy Heisley-Cato plays clawhammer style 5-string banjo (also some guitar and harmonica). His talent is not so much as an instrumentalist, but as singer/song leader. He also has his own P.A. system. Old-time gospel songs are an area of special interest. See also Randy’s entry under Support Services.
Contact Randy at asbury (at) pa.net or 717-486-8869
Tom Jolin
Tom Jolin plays traditional American music and has recorded five albums. He was a founding member of The West Orrtanna String Band that was active from 1972 to 1987. They recorded two albums on Revonah Records and also several short historic folk music segments for National Public Radio. From 1987 to 1998 he performed with the Orrtanna Mountain Steamers who recorded two more albums. He is currently member of the duet Orrtanna, along with Catharine Roth. They’ve performed together since 1974 and have released five albums. He has been a solo performer since 1978, playing the hammer dulcimer, button accordion, banjo, harmonica and more. He has performed for former Vice President Gore and for Garrison Keillor. See also Tom’s entry under Support Services.
Contact Tom at 717-642-8053
Keith Kailian
Keith Kailian from York, PA is a student of prewar (WW2), solo acoustic blues in both the Piedmont and Delta styles. Using vintage instruments from the period, Keith enjoys performing material from the original masters including Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Blind Willie McTell and Blind Blake. Keith has learned through the teachings of several contemporary players who have had direct access to the original masters who were still alive and rediscovered during the 60s acoustic blues revival. Listen to sound samples at www.myspace.com/kkailian.
Contact Keith at kkailian (at) comcast.net
Ryck Kaiser
Ryck Kaiser is a fiddler/ violinst with over 25 years experience. He plays Appalachian, Celtic, swing and Cajun music. He performs at concerts, dances and private events in the mid-Atlantic region. He regularly teams up with piano, guitar, banjo and mandolin players for his various performances. Ryck is also the violinist in the band "Hot Club du Jour" which specializes in hot club swing music, also known as gypsy jazz. The music, played in the tradition of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli's ensemble of the 1930's, the "Quintet of the Hot Club of France" represents a musical confluence of early American jazz and gypsy folk traditions. Ryck also performs as part of Medicinal Purpose.
Contact Ryck at ryck_kaiser (at) juno.com or 717-957-4387
Henry Koretzky
Henry Koretzky plays guitar and mandolin in the old-time vocal duet Rootbound, Contradance bands The Contra Rebels and Unbowed, and with singer/songwriter K.J. in Sweet Nothings. He also performs solo and with other groups playing bluegrass, old-time, Celtic, Folk and Swing. He teaches mandolin and guitar.
Contact Henry at hrk2 (at) psu.edu or 717-574-0266
Eileen Kozloff
Eileen Kozloff is a powerful lead and harmony singer as well as an award winning autoharpist, fine mandolin player and keyboard accompanist. As a songwriter, she appreciates the beauty and staying power of the old-time songs. She breathes new energy into traditional American songs while giving that old time feel to contemporary and original material.
In addition to radio and TV appearances, she has performed and taught at numerous festivals, concert venues and dance venues. For several years she was a Rostered Artist with the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. She was also an Artist-in-Residence at the Pittsburgh Children's Museum for their Found Sound Series. Eileen has just released a solo CD, Solitary Rider, and also has two recordings with the Well Tempered String Band.
Contact Eileen at ekabrams (at) aol.com or 717-932-3522
Pat McCaskey
Pat McCaskey is a folk singer of the “old school” starting in San Francisco in the 60s, Boston in the 80s and Central PA now. Interests are writing, researching and performing songs. He sings traditional tunes, love songs, ballads, and just about anything else that he likes and thinks others will like as well.
Contact Pat at pat (at) patmccaskey.com
Wendy McCormick
Wendy McCormick lives near Williamsport and teaches private lessons on the Celtic harp. She performs as a harp soloist, and also as part of a flute and harp duo. As a member of the ensemble Black Bear Crossing, she plays the harp, hammered dulcimer and accordion.
Contact Wendy at mmccormi (at) cub.kcnet.org or 570-398-1387
Jason Mundok
Jason Mundok is a singer-songwriter from Lancaster, PA, who creates a blend of acoustic, folk and country music. He performs at coffee shops, pubs, art galleries, living rooms, and back yards in and around Central and Southeast Pennsylvania. His latest full-length CD, Order's Up, was released in May 2009. Jason’s original songs explore a wide range of human experiences from heartache to hope through the eyes of fictional characters that help make the music com alive. In addition to his folk and country act, Jason sings and plays guitar in the Lancaster area eclectic Celtic duo Fire in the Glen.
Contact Jason at jmundok (at) gmail.com
Kevin Neidig
Kevin Neidig is half of the duo Voxology. Neidig has been a guitar instructor for over 14 years and currently teaches at the Neidig Guitar Studio in Mechanicsburg, PA. He has had three original instrumental pieces featured in performance of the Hanover Academy of Dance in Hanover, PA.
Contact Kevin at voxology (at) ezonline.com or 717-795-6206
Jamie O’Brien
Jamie O’Brien is a singer and guitarist who mainly plays Irish and Celtic music. He played extensively throughout western Europe before arriving in Pennsylvania in the late 1980s. His eclectic repertoire extends from the music he learnt from his London-Irish family to contemporary Irish and on to Hawaiian music. He has appeared across the mid-Atlantic region and further afield, including Hawaii, as a solo performer, a group member and as an accompanist. He is currently a member of Fanai (traditional Irish) the Laune Rangers (Irish/Celtic), and Medicinal Purpose, (old-timey/contradance). He also appears regularly as part of Celtic Aloha, a project which combines Irish and Hawaiian music.
Details of his new album, Many's the Mile, Love... can be found on his website at www.launies.com.
Contact Jamie at jobrien (at) launies.com or 717-802-5783
Ray Owen
Ray Owen, candidate for GRAMMY Nomination, award winning songwriter and national recording artist, is as savvy as a kids and family performer in schools, libraries, fairs and festivals, as he is master of the concert stage. He has made numerous appearances at the Kennedy Center, the Strand-Capital Performing Arts Center, Wolf Trap, the Whitaker Center, the American Music theatre and more. Realizing the way traditional music dovetails with certain contemporary forms, Ray’s music spans folk, Americana, blues, Celtic, bluegrass, swing, country-eastern, roots rock and topical comedy in the tradition of Mark Twain, Will Rogers and the Guthrie Legacy. Ray has toured and performed with many a legend. Call for a complete promotional package for more details.
Contact Ray at 717-334-8631
Rodney Owens
Rodney Owens performs Celtic music on the Highland Pipes, the Irish Uilleann Pipes, whistles, bodhran, and neo-Irish harp, individually and with the traditional Irish music band, Irishtown Road.
Contact Rodney at rowens53 (at) comcast.net or 717-512-8052.
Ed Rech
Ed Rech is an American Traditional & Modern Folk & Acoustic Blues Music Balladeer. He plays the six and twelve-string guitars, six-string banjo, square and round-neck resophonic slide guitars, with some mandolin and lap dulcimer thrown in. He's now working on getting his autoharp playing up to speed. Besides singing solo folk and Delta & Piedmont Blues ballads, he plays and sings with the Over & Out Folk Trio and the Wesley Bluegrass Gospel Group. He was named Poet-Laureate in 2000 by the Perry County Council of The Arts.
Contact Ed at 717-730-2191 or ed17011 (at) comcast.net
Greg Rohrer
I play mandolin, mandola and some guitar (just chords). I play mostly bluegrass but I am also interested in fiddle tunes and waltzes, and I am learning some Celtic music.
Contact Greg at grrohrer (at) hotmail.com or 717-651-5258
Jill Smith
Jill Smith offers private lessons on hammer and mountain dulcimer in her home. She also provides hammer dulcimer music for weddings and receptions, and the like. She plays piano in four contradance bands, which play traditional fiddle music (Irish, Old-time, New England) for local or out-of-the-area contradances, square dances, wedding receptions, private parties, and stage performances.
Contact Jill at jgsmith7 (at) verizon.net. or 717-392-7509
Lisa Barter Spaar
Lisa Barter Spaar is a professional singer-songwriter-guitarist in Harrisburg, PA. She has performed solo and in several bands including Gossamer, Shanti, Acousticology, and Flying Colors. Lisa’s songs are positive and uplifting, reflecting elements of folk, pop, and rock. She has performed at many festivals, coffeehouses, bookstores, churches, pubs, restaurants and parks throughout central Pennsylvania. She has hosted open mic nights, gives guitar instruction to adults and children and worked in the music therapy department at Summit Quest Academy. Her music has been used in film and in video promotional materials in Philadelphia.
Contact Lisa at lisabspaar (at) hotmail.com or 717-234-8098
Karl Williams
Karl Williams is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, folk artist, nonfiction innovator, novelist, poet — and most recently playwright. Williams broke into the music scene in 1985 with his first album, Living at the End of Time. “It’s A Pleasure to Know You”, a song from that album, has been recorded on Rounder, Flying Fish, and many other labels. Karl does folk and blues originals, kids’ songs, and songwriting workshops.
Contact Karl at cannylark (at) aol.com or 717-238-0744
Maria Wilson
Maria Wilson has a well respected name in Central PA as a professional guitarist-bassist, talent broker and educator. She has over 20 years of performing and music business experience and has performed over 2,000 events as a guitarist. Maria has opened for Roger McGuinn, Livingston Taylor, John Renbourn, Dar Williams, Naked Blue and numerous other singer-songwriters. She has has six instrumental guitar albums. Maria is currently teaching private guitar, electric bass and drum lessons, playing solo, and also is the guitarist for Acoustic Crossover (guitar and violin duo). See also the entry for Maria Wilson Productions (talent agency) under Support Services.
Contact Maria at mariawilsonprod (at) yahoo.com or 717-564-2424 or 717-330-3185
Randall Zwally
Randall Zwally is Director of Guitar Studies and Senior Lecturer in Music at Messiah College. He has Master's Degrees in Guitar Performance and Music Librarianship, and a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education.
Guitar teacher: Acoustic Steel String (general, country flat pick, finger styles, praise/worship) & Classical
Banjo teacher: 5-string (folk and bluegrass)
Performer and Lecturer/Presenter: Solo and duo performances involving the above musical styles, and presentations about their histories. Specialty areas: Wedding music and presentations about the history of the guitar in Spain. He co-leads Messiah College's cross-cultural course to Spain.
Contact Randall at 717-766-2511 ext 2400
