The Shawano Folk Music Festival's 2024 Artists
John Stano is the Festival’s 2024 Honorary Director. A singer and songwriter from Milwaukee, he serves up a distinctive blend of acoustic and slide guitar, harmonica, expressive vocals and insightful songwriting developed over many years of performance and study. His music ranges from blues, folk and Americana to anything else that strikes his fancy, both original and classic. It’s spiced with a little mandolin, cigar box guitar and banjo. “Sing Out” compared him to an early Bob Dylan, and he reminded “Dirty Linen” of Country Joe McDonald. He’s also possibly the only Festival performer whose songs have been played on NPR’s “Car Talk.” We welcome John back to Shawano. More at johnstano.com
Gaines and Wagoner is Mary Gaines (cello, guitar, bass, vocals) and Chris Wagoner (violin, mandolins, lap steel, ukulele, guitar, accordion, vocals). They play an eclectic mix of Americana—original and classic tunes ranging from folk to jazz, bluegrass to blues, honky-tonk and a little singer-songwriter on the side. They do it all – that’s why producer Mark Williams called them “… the Swiss Army Knives of string players” and why Andy Moore of Wisconsin Public Television’s “30 Minute Music Hour” said they’re “… masters of string swing music … equal parts Hawaiian luau and Parisian wedding party.” Between songs, they insert folk-style storytelling and light-hearted riffing with the audience. Gaines and Wagoner is John Stano’s “Director’s Choice.” We think he chose well. More at gainesandwagoner.com
Known for fearless, truth-telling lyrics and melodies you can’t resist singing, Emma's Revolution is the award-winning activist duo of Pat Humphries & Sandy O, whose songs have been praised by Pete Seeger, covered by Holly Near and sung at justice events around the world. Performances feature the duo's signature soaring harmonies and lush acoustic accompaniment, in songs that span folk to jazz and funk to rock. A feature documentary, “Keep on Moving Forward", is being made about Emma’s Revolution, their songs and their work on the frontlines of peace and social justice movements by an award-winning independent filmmaker whose films have won festival awards and been aired nationally on public television.
Emma’s Revolution 2024 concerts are part of a “Raise Your Voice” Get-Out-The-Vote Tour to push back against voter suppression and inspire engagement in this crucial election year, where democracy is on the line. All of our voices are needed to create the country and the world we want to live in. Emma’s Revolution are winners of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize and the Phil Ochs Award. The duo has shared the stage with Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Joan Baez, Amy Goodman, Indigo Girls, Jane Fonda, Rev Jesse Jackson, Rev William Barber and Bill McKibben, among others. Emma’s Revolution has released six studio recordings, including “Evolution” a celebration of their 20+ years or writing, performing and recording together.​
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For this year’s Shawano Folk Music Festival, Emma’s Revolution is thrilled to be accompanied by renowned multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Vicki Randle on bass, cajon and voice and Cajun fiddler and singer/songwriter extraordinaire Gina Forsyth.
Gina Forsyth is a fiddler, singer/songwriter, and guitarist who lives in Breaux Bridge, LA. Gina is the longtime fiddler with Bruce Daigrepont’s Cajun band, and appears on three of Bruce’s recordings, including his latest, Bienvenu Dans Sud de la Louisiane. Her 2015 CD, Mid-City Aces, is part of the Cajun trio with Cameron Dupuy on accordion and his father, Michael Dupuy on guitar. She has toured nationally, solo, with emma’s revolution, and The Malvinas. Known and loved for her fiddling, she has performed and taught at Fiddle Tunes, in Port Townsend, WA, Augusta Heritage Center, in West Virginia, and at Dewey Balfa Creole and Cajun Heritage Week, in Louisiana. Gina is a master of the dance hall style of Cajun fiddle, which she infuses with a love for country, blues and old-time fiddle tunes.
Mark Dvorak is a modern day troubadour whose performances are more comfortable than an old shoe and more refreshing than a cool drink of water. They’re journeys that bring traditional music to life and puts contemporary into a historical context and he invites all of us to join him on the musical travels. Mark makes the music look and sound easy – and always fresh. His concerts are a mix of the familiar and the new, traditional folk and standards from the American songbook. He plays authentic country blues guitar and picks great old-time banjo. When he sings, the audience can’t help but join in. Mark first appeared here in 1994. He’s become one of our favorite performers because he’s just that good. He sings for us, and he sings with us, and we sing with him and that’s the way we like it. That’s why we keep inviting him back. More at markdvorak.com
Lil’ Rev is a singer, songwriter, storyteller, performer, music historian and teacher. He’s one of the most versatile performers you’ll find anywhere. Traditional old-time music, Stephen Foster minstrel songs, Delta holler blues, ragtime, blues, old standards, country, Yiddish theater music, Tin Pan Alley and original songs – Rev performs them all to perfection, accompanying himself on the ukulele, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, guitar and recorder. He’s a wizard on the ukulele and if he’s got a harmonica in his hands he’s nothing short of amazing. In 2003, Lil’ Rev was inducted into the Traditional Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame, and in 1996 he won the Hohner’s National Blues Harmonica Championship. Lil’ Rev never disappoints. More at lilrev.com
Heather Styka is a singer and songwriter from Chicago with strong family ties to Wisconsin’s north woods. She writes intricate stories into her songs and sings them with a voice that might make you think of Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday, but she describes herself as a cross between Leonard Cohen and Patsy Cline. Her songs and stories belong squarely in the folk and Americana traditions, but they’re also gritty country and catchy pop. Heather does it all and it’s a real good mix. Onstage, she’s energetic and intimate, quirky and funny. Help us welcome Heather to her first time on our Shawano festival stages. For more, go to heatherstyka.com
Ken Lonnquist and the O’Darby Irish Pub Band is bound to be a good time for all of us. The band plays traditional Irish Pub songs, ballads, improvisation and humor, along with original songs “in the tradition.” The band consists of Pete Burns (the sweet-voiced guitarist), Doug Brown (the fiddle, banjo and flute player), Ken Lonnquist (the boisterous singer and guitarist) and Espere Eckard-Lee (the engaging accordionist). No matter what they’re doing, it’s bound to be a foot-stomping good time. For more info: www.odarbyirishfolkband.com
Rusty Nails The Rusty Nails is a trio that sings the Blues. Steve Heiner (resonator & acoustic guitars), Ben Lillge (blues harp & upright bass), and Cindy Lillge (vocals) celebrate musicians like Blind Blake, Bessie Smith, & Big Bill Broonzy. Most of all they have fun reminding everyone what makes this music great. We enjoyed them so much last year that we invited them back. Learn more at ReverbNation.com/RustyNailsBlues
