Michigan Fingerstyle Guitar Society

10/12/2026

Strings & Things going on in October

Pursell Lutherie is hosting several events this month.

MFGS's own Bear Whitmer https://www.albertowhitmer.com/ workshop and followed by Bear in Concert!!!
Join us for an immersive fingerstyle guitar workshop exploring DADGAD guitar tuning. Whether you're drawn to Celtic sounds, folk traditions, or contemporary arrangements, this hands-on session will introduce you to the rich, resonant textures that make DADGAD so special. Artists like Tony McManus & Pierre Bensusan are prominent DADGAD artists.
https://www.purselllutherie.com/events/dadgad-workshop

David Rogers — Classical Crossover Guitar https://www.davidrogersguitar.com/
Saturday, November 14, 2026
6:30 PM 9:00 PM
https://www.purselllutherie.com/events/david-rogers-classical-crossover-guitar
Termed “a prominent guitarist” by the New York Times, and praised by The Washington Post for his “astonishingly florid” improvisations, David Rogers Fuses classical, jazz, and world music into beautiful, expressive and virtuosic performances..

And our friends at Trinity House Theatre are always putting on top notch talent. Perhaps not straight up 'Fingerstyle' there are a couple that stand out!

Sarah McQuaid 10/23/2026
October 23rd @ Trinity House Theatre (7:30–9:45PM)
https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/event/sarah-mcquaid-october-23-2026/

And the amazing guitarist/singer/songwriter David Wilcox! https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/event/david-wilcox-november-13-2026/

Our friend, Kyran Daniel, will be hitting the West Coast and has several compositions up for Grammy consideration. Please check out his beautiful artistic work here https://www.kyrandaniel.com/fyc

Finally, MFGS has many supporters and we like to acknowledge our friends in the music world.

Minor 7th's Autum Acoustic Guitar Reviews featuring Goran Ivanovic and Adam Cantor amongst many other great guitarists.
https://minor7th.com/

Can't forget our friends at Candyrat Records which is where a lot of these guitarists got their start or their inspiration. Please check them out

And ofcourse Pursell Lutherie Buy, Sell or Fixing guitars! Andy and his crew are the best.

If you'd like to receive our newsletter please sign up at www.fingerstyle.org

If you hear of any other contemporary acoustic guitar shows please keep us in mind. As a non profit organization we are here to support the artists and the venues.

Ciao for now!

Join us for an immersive fingerstyle guitar workshop exploring DADGAD, the alternative tuning that's captivated everyone from Led Zeppelin to Ed Sheeran to traditional and modern fingerstyle masters. Whether you're drawn to Celtic sounds, folk traditions, or contemporary arrangements, this hands-on

09/26/2026

Great shows coming up ! 7 PERFORMANCES!!!!

Thursday, October 1st - MFGS's longtime friend, Calum Graham is performing 3 shows, starting at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion https://calendar.20frontstreet.com/shows/calum-graham-01-oct

Friday, October 2nd, he Rochester Symphony will be hosting An Tran, a brilliant young guitarist. He is a professor at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts and also teaches at the University of Illinois Chicago and Northern Illinois University. The Boston Globe described Tran in a March 2022 review as playing with "subtle, graceful virtuosity," drawing "a low pentatonic melody with his thumb while the other four fingers murmured over the higher strings."Hope to see everyone there. Should be a great show. https://rochestersymphony.com/event/latin-hearts-european-souls/

Saturday, October 3rd. Calum Graham @ Trinity House Theatre in Livonia. Doors at 7pm, show at 7:30 https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/event/calum-graham-october-3-2026/

Sunday, October 4th, Calum Graham in Marine City at the Mariner!
https://mariner-mc.com/calum-Calum Graham

Saturday, October 17, 2026
A night with Bluegrass Legend, David Grier
At Pursell Lutherie
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/event/calum-graham-october-3-2026/

Saturday, October 24, 2026
DADGAD Workshop @ Pursell Lutherie with MFGS's Bear Whitmer
6:30 PM 7:30 PM https://www.purselllutherie.com/events

Saturday, November 14, 2026
David Rogers — Classical Crossover Guitar
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Termed, ‘a prominent guitarist,’ by the New York Times and praised by The Washington Post for his ‘astonishingly florid’ improvisations, David Rogers presents an evening of Spanish, Classical, flashy settings of Popular Music, Middle Eastern as well as music by J.S. Bach. https://www.purselllutherie.com/events

If you know of other shows featuring the acoustic guitar please let us know.

To receive our newsletter please sign up at
www.fingerstyle.org

09/15/2026

Upcoming Music Events

We just realized that Beppe Gambetta will be performing at Trinity House Theatre on Friday, September 25 @ 7:30 pm - 9:45 pm
Beppe is an amazing artist and Mike Joyce of the Washington Post describes Beppe's music as a style that “sometimes calls to mind what a duet by Doc Watson and Leo Kottke might sound like”

Beppe has traveled the world multiple times and even teamed up with Tony McManus for an album titled 'Round Trip'.

Get your tickets for Beppe here - https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/event/beppe-gambetta-september-25-2026/

The California Guitar Trio
Thursday, September 17 @ 8:00 pm @ The Ark in Ann Arbor
https://theark.org/event/california-guitar-trio-260917/

Calum Graham is back in town with 3 Shows!

Long time friend of MFGS, Calum Graham, is coming back from a couple year hiatus where he last performed at the internationally acclaimed Interlochen Center For The Arts. Calum has a remarkable connection with the guitar, inspired by Michael Hedges and mentors Don Ross and fellow musicians Antoine Dufour. In 2014 Calum's passionate solo acoustic guitar prowess earned him a place in Acoustic Guitar Magazine's "World's Top 30 Guitarists under 30'. Calum has since continued his prowess on the baritone, harp and 6 string guitar and expanding his artistry with his voice! This guy's really good!
Thursday, October 1st @ 20 Front Street in Lake Orion https://calendar.20frontstreet.com/shows/calum-graham-01-oct
Saturday October 3rd @ Trinity House Theatre in Livonia.
https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/.../calum-graham.../
Sunday October 4th @ The Mariner in Marine City
https://mariner-mc.com/calum-Calum Graham

MFGS's Bear Whitmer will host an 'Introduction to DADGAD' workshop on Saturday October 24th @ Pursell Lutherie. This is for guitarists of all levels. Bear is a talented teacher and this will be a great opportunity to expand your musical palate! More info to come but be sure to mark this on your calendar.

09/01/2026

September & October Events

Bear Whitmer's Guitar Workshop, Saturday September 12th @ Pursell Lutherie
https://www.purselllutherie.com/events/house-of-the-rising-sun-fingerstyle-workshop

Bear will orchestrate the lesson so that all levels of guitarists can learn and participate! See you there!

California Guitar Trio
September 17 @ 8:00 pm @ The Ark in Ann Arbor
https://theark.org/event/california-guitar-trio-260917/
Always a great show!

Calum Graham is back in town with 3 Shows!

Long time friend of MFGS, Calum Graham, is coming back from a couple year hiatus where he last performed at the internationally acclaimed Interlochen Center For The Arts. Calum has a remarkable connection with the guitar, inspired by Michael Hedges and mentors Don Ross and fellow musicians Antoine Dufour. In 2014 Calum's passionate solo acoustic guitar prowess earned him a place in Acoustic Guitar Magazine's "World's Top 30 Guitarists under 30'. Calum has since continued his prowess on the baritone, harp and 6 string guitar and expanding his artistry with his voice! This guy's really good!

Thursday, October 1st @ 20 Front Street in Lake Orion https://calendar.20frontstreet.com/shows/calum-graham-01-oct

Saturday October 3rd @ Trinity House Theatre in Livonia.
https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/event/calum-graham-october-3-2026/

Sunday October 4th @ The Mariner in Marine City
https://mariner-mc.com/calum-graham

Join Yoga on Stage at The Mariner for a unique yoga experience in Marine City led by Mindy Parker. Classes for all levels available.

08/11/2026

Bear Whitmer's Guitar Workshop, Saturday September 12th @ Pursell Lutherie
https://www.purselllutherie.com/events/house-of-the-rising-sun-fingerstyle-workshop

Bear will orchestrate the lesson so that all levels of guitarists can learn and participate! See you there!

California Guitar Trio
September 17 @ 8:00 pm @ The Ark in Ann Arbor
https://theark.org/event/california-guitar-trio-260917/
Always a great show!

Calum Graham is back in town with 3 Shows!

Long time friend of MFGS, Calum Graham, is coming back from a couple year hiatus where he last performed at the internationally acclaimed Interlochen Center For The Arts. Calum has a remarkable connection with the guitar, inspired by Michael Hedges and mentors Don Ross and fellow musicians Antoine Dufour. In 2014 Calum's passionate solo acoustic guitar prowess earned him a place in Acoustic Guitar Magazine's "World's Top 30 Guitarists under 30'. Calum has since continued his prowess on the baritone, harp and 6 string guitar and expanding his artistry with his voice! This guy's really good!

Thursday, October 1st @ 20 Front Street in Lake Orion https://calendar.20frontstreet.com/shows/calum-graham-01-oct

Saturday October 3rd @ Trinity House Theatre in Livonia.
https://www.trinityhousetheatre.org/event/calum-graham-october-3-2026/

Sunday October 4th @ The Mariner in Marine City
https://mariner-mc.com/calum-graham

07/30/2026

Saturday, August 1, 2026
6:30 PM 9:00 PM
Pursell Lutherie in Ferndale, Michigan
https://www.purselllutherie.com/events

07/14/2026

Somehow, we lost track of Gareth Pearson but he hasn't lost track of us! This traveling master of the guitar will be performing at 2 venues in Southeast Michigan

SATRUDAY AUGUST 1ST - Gareth will be performing at Pursell Lutherie in Ferndale. At 6:30 Gareth will host a 1 hr fingerstyle workshop prior to a concert to follow at 7:30. Players of every skill level will find this workshop informative and inspiring—Gareth will take the time to explain any questions you might have. https://www.purselllutherie.com/events/the-welsh-tornado-masterclass-concert

THURSDAY August 6th at 8pm! IS your second chance to see Gareth perform, this time at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion on Gareth is not only an elite guitarist, but he is an amazing performer and entertainer. Your eyes and ears will be glued to him from start to finish!

"My friend Gareth Pearson is a huge talent and in his genre, one of the best young players around. I mean there's many roads that lead to Rome, but this one is definitely a great one. I can see a great future for him” Jan Akkerman

Don't miss this opportunity to see another master of the guitar! https://www.garethpearson.com/videos

NEXT UP!

SATURDAY AUGUST 8TH - Bear Whitmer will continue his monthly guitar workshops at Pursell Lutherie. This will be MORNING workshop with coffee and snacks to get you going at 10am! There is a $10 suggested donation to the Michigan Fingerstyle Guitar Society and of course if you have any questions on guitars, the folks at Pursell's are there to help.

Discover the timeless charm of a Detroit/Cape Breton/Scottish tune: The Sweetness of Mary, a beloved strathspey often mistakenly thought to be from Scotland but composed by Detroit traditional pianist Joan MacDonald Boes.

https://www.purselllutherie.com/events/mfgs-fingerstyle-workshop-august

Gareth Pearson at 20 Front Street

06/30/2026

Don’t miss this British master of the guitar performing this Thursday, July 2nd, at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion!
There’s not many performers like Clive touring these days! Tickets available here or at the door!!!
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&rct=j&url=https://calendar.20frontstreet.com/shows/clive-carroll-02-jul&ved=2ahUKEwixt4jf-K-VAxWIB4YAHezDDN8Qy_kOegoIAggACAAICRAC&opi=89978449&cd&psig=AOvVaw1VylHO5yNlffJjursf4NDQ&ust=1782942556322000

05/21/2026

-Thursday July 2, 2026 8:00 pm British guitarist Clive Carrol will be at 20 Front St. We saw Clive Carrol here years back when he toured with International Guitar Night. Clive earned a 1st Class Honours Degree in Composition and Guitar from the famed Trinity College of Music in London. A chance meeting with English guitar legend John Renbourn proved the catalyst for Clive’s debut album, “Sixth Sense”, which Renbourn deemed “a milestone in the journey of the steel-string guitar”. https://calendar.20frontstreet.com/shows/clive-carroll-02-jul