John Flynn

John Flynn calls himself a "hopeful pessimist." The pessimism comes from a heartbreaking, clear-eyed honesty in assessing the condition of the world we live in. The hope comes from a deep-rooted faith in the beauty and resilience of the human spirit. The tension inherent in these seemingly contradictory points of view yields the kind of songs that moved Ramblin' Jack Elliott to boast "John Flynn is the John Lennon of the plasma
generation!"

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Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem

So, what's a daisy mayhem? Wicked grooves, sublime lead singing, great harmonies, sparkling original songs, and a deep repertoire that spans 200 years of American music. The Boston Globe described their music as "neo old-timey with cosmopolitan splashes of contemporary pop and jazz." This is a band that picks up what's lying around – from tin cans to traditional music – and creates something new.

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Susan Werner

Susan Werner has become one of the defining artists of the folk music genre. Her songs effortlessly slide between folk, jazz and pop, and are delivered with a sassy wit and classic midwestern charm. As Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune wrote, "Werner is one of the most innovative songwriters working today."

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Girlyman

Girlyman's harmony-driven style veers from contemporary folk to country rock to pop. Each member switches off songwriting duties, lead vocals, and a range of instruments, including acoustic guitar, djembe, banjo, baritone guitar and mandolin.

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Richard Shindell

Shindell's songwriting is truly eclectic, ranging from lighthearted ballads and adulterous love songs, to dirges and diatribes that skillfully skewer politics, prejudice, war and religion. He has a unique ability to morph into the soul of the many and varied personalities he casts as narrators in certain songs – songs that are veritable novellas framed in haunting acoustic melodies

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Tanglefoot

Tanglefoot is a thunderous live band with a reputation for spectacular vocal harmonies. It is also a band of adept songwriters who specialize in portraying the Canadian experience. "One of Canada's most accomplished musical mythologizers," wrote Robert Reid of the Kitchener-Waterloo Record.

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Special Guest Emcee

Greg Greenway

Greenway is one of those difficult-to-categorize performers who have found a home in the modern acoustic genre. His center is in the singer/songwriter tradition that traces it roots all the way back to the social awareness of Woody Guthrie. His central appeal is that it all comes through the singular lens of Greenway's humanity and his easy affinity for the audience.

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