South Shore Folk Music Club

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Duxbury, MA
South Shore Folk Music Club

A non-profit organization consisting of members dedicated to bringing acoustic music to the So. Shore

OPEN MICS are held once a month (with some exceptions) throughout the South Shore Folk Music Club at First Parish Duxbury season. Performers of all genres are welcome – poets, musicians, writers, comedians, etc. – if you want an audience, it’s yours. Signing up: On coffeehouse/open mic nights, sign ups begin when the doors open at 6:30 PM. There are no early sign-ups and you must sign up in perso

n on a first come, first served basis. Format: On coffeehouse nights, we book two paid sets – an opener starts the show at 7 PM and a featured act closes out the night. The Open Mic takes place in between, before the break and after the break. Open mic performers are each allotted up to an 8-minute set – ( a two (2) song maximum). Time limits must be strictly adhered to in order to give as many participants as possible a chance to perform. Sound: We have a great sound crew who will help you hook up and set up. If you have any special or unusual needs, talk to them before the show to find out what’s available.

06/04/2026

This Hurdy Gurdy is from June of 1983. On June 3rd, Lui Collins and Sally Rogers kicked off the month with a concert. Unfortunately, this was the day after Canadian folk singer Stan Rogers died in a flash fire inside a plane headed for Toronto when it made an emergency landing in Kentucky.
Both women played songs that memorialized Stan (no relation to Sally). I remember Lui Collins singing a Jackson Brown song, "For a Dancer." It was sad, but beautiful night. Was anyone else there?

The rest of the month there was the regular Contra Dance with Acres of Clams; a Coffeehouse on June 10th (and open mike) featuring Michael Holmes and the Generic String Band; and a concert with the Passim All Stars with Bill Staines, Mason Daring & Jeanie Stahl, Guy Van Duser & Billy Novick, and Stuart Schulman.
And last, but not least, another Coffeehouse/Open Mike with Larry Unger and Mustard Seed, plus a variety of open mikers, It was the last show before the summer break.
All memories are welcome.

05/05/2026

Well, it’s time for another HURDY GURDY from the club’s archives. This particular newsletter memorializes the music from May of 1983 at the Beal House.
The May 6th concert was band Solomon’s Seal featuring Rick & Lorraine Lee (banjo, piano and dulcimer), Sarah Bauhan (tin whistle), and Jane Orzechowski (fiddle). If you attended, please tell us about them.
The May 7th Contra Dancing was accompanied by Jacki Spector & Friends. Next, on May 13th the club featured a Coffeehouse/Open Mike with the Dennis Pearne band and Hazelgreen plus open mikers doing their things.
Another concert on May 20th featured the famous fiddler and Celtic music man Johnny Cunningham, a founding member of Silly Wizard. That must have been great!
Ending the merry month of May, on the 27th the club hosted another Coffeehouse/Open Mike featuring Jim and Dan Donnelly plus Brian and Lindsey O’Donovan of WGBH’s Celtic Sojourn radio show AND, of course, more open mikers.
If you remember any of these musicians or the shows, please share your memories or thoughts. ❤

04/09/2026

Better late than never . . . here's the next Hurdy Gurdy. It's from March of 1983. Kicking off on the 4th were Guy Van Duser and Billy Novick - with Van Duser on acoustic guitar and Novick on clarinet, alto sax, and pennywhistle. Sounds like something different. The contradance band on March 5th was Acres of Clams - who made regular appearances at the dances. Next up, on March 11th, an Open Mike featuring Anne English with Jack Vensinger & Ray Miller and, of course, a variety of open mikers. Anne was a local who played a lot around the area.
The concert on March 18th Joel Mabus and Caryl P. Weiss. Don't know much about them but they seem to have played together at folk music festivals around that time. If you saw the show at the Beal House, tell us more.
Last, but not least, March 25th Coffeehouse/Open Mic featuring Brown Creek (Bob Deane, Rich Hardy, and Bill Hardy) along with folk singers Mark Endresen and Allan Schlingenbaum . . . and, of course, open mikers.
Per usual, if you recognize any of these people or their appearances, tell us more.

03/30/2026

If it's Sunday, it's time for another Hurdy Gurdy. In February of 1983, the month was kicked off with Orrin Star and Gary Mehalick in Feb. 4th concert. Star was known for his traditional country voice and his prize-winning flatpicking. Gary Mehalick, also a flatpicker, made an album with Orrin on Flying Fish Records titled Premium Blend. The Contradance band on Feb. 5th was Geese in the Bog featuring Kerry Elkin (calls and fiddle), Dan Cohen (fiddle), Carol Entin (accordion), and John Alden (guitar).
The Coffeehouse/Open Mike on Feb. 11 with openers Rich & Carol Merrill and Gary Popovich's All Male Review (well, that sounds interesting! Maybe Gary can tell us about it).
Another concert followed with the 5-piece Scottish band called Ossian on Feb. 18th. I believe I heard them on the WATD as a live broadcast from the Beal House. They blended Gaelic songs with original compositions and traditional instrumentals. Very good, if I recall. Last but not least, the All Night Open Mike was on Feb. 25, without any openers or features. Just anyone who wanted to own the stage for a few songs, poems, or whatever.

03/25/2026

Okay . . . back to Hurdy Gurdy history. This issue is from January 1983. I went to the first concert - the one with Spider John Koerner. His great folk music sets were broken up with mini-intermissions. He would wear an arrow through his head. This was to indicate it was time for another joke. My favorite punchline was "Well, you don't eat a pig like that all at once."
The other concert on Jan. 21st featured Leo Kretzner and Martha Burns. Does anyone remember them? Tell us about it if you did. The Contradance bandmembers were Tony Parkes, Donna Hinds, and Cindy Smith for the monthly dances. And finally !!TWO!! (count 'em) Coffeehouses - on the 14th and the 28th: the first with Mark, Kelly & Kerry Ryer and Woodsmoke; and the last one with Jim Palana and the North River Boys plus both with Open Mikes.

03/16/2026

Look who won an Oscar last night. Congratulations, Chris. Check out the short film "The Singers" on Netflix.

03/13/2026

I know this is late but I wanted to feature the upcoming ANNUAL YOUTH BALLAD SINGING CONTEST on our page for a little longer. I'm so pleased that the Channing Church in Rockland picked up the contest. It is set for the March 21st. Check out details on poster below.
Now, back to the Hurdy Gurdys. This one is from November 1982. The first concert featured Bruce "Utah" Phillips, the real thing, a union member, veteran, and train hopper. He wrote songs about his life on the rails and social ills and loving his country. The other concert was with Cindy Kallet (a friend of the club) and Nick Plakias. As I recall Cindy was a fan of sea chanties and had a beautiful voice. There was also a contradance with Swallowtail and a coffeehouse/open mike featuring Kevin Hubbard and Grace Haraty along with open mikers. As usual, post your memories of any of these events you attended.

03/04/2026

The Traditional Ballad Singing Contest CONTINUES! The South Shore Folk Music Club was the Contest’s home for 18 years (Thanks, SSFMC!). This year’s Contest will be held on March 21st at Channing Church, ROCKLAND! Kids and Young Adults, sign up now. Audience welcome – hear some great young singers sing some of the most enduring story songs - $10 Adults, $5 Kids (through HS).

03/02/2026

Time for the Sunday Hurdy Gurdy. Hope everybody is warm and plowed out. This one is from 1982. The concert featured folk music royalty - Odetta. Known as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement," she had a deep voice and sang blues, spirituals, folk songs, and jazz. On this night she and Pat Hamel did two shows to accommodate the audiences. The monthly Contra Dance had favorite Acres of Clams band to accompany their steps. The Coffeehouse/Open Mike featured the Generic String Band and Laurie Downing. If you witnessed any of these events, please tell us what you remember about them.

02/23/2026

Sunday . . . and waiting for the mighty storm. This Hurdy Gurdy is from November of 1981. Starting with a Joe Val and the New England Bluegrass Boys concert at the top of the bill. Homegrown bluegrass was a treat for this area. Also playing that night were Bob Wey and Bernadine Beroch. The other concert in November featured Claudia Schmidt and Caryl Weiss with a middle set with Paul & Karen Egan & friends - Dick Mullowrey, Jack Edward, & Brendon Riordan. Plus a Contra Dance and a Web of Life Benefit featuring Rick Anderson, Bruce Houghton, & Cindy Kallet with Ellen Maxwell AND an open mike.
Phew! That was a busy month.

Address

842 Tremont Street
Duxbury, MA
02332

Website

http://www.southshorefolkmusicclub.org/

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