Doug Otto and Hilary Thavis

10/17/2026 7:30PM Saturday

Legendary local musician Doug Otto, from Bloomington, and captivating blues singer Hilary Thavis, who hails from Italy, have come together as a duo, serving country, blues, and folk hits as well as inspiring and entertaining originals. This multi-generation crowd-pleasing duo is one you won’t want to miss!

John "Greyhound" Maxwell

10/10/2026 7:30PM Saturday

John “Greyhound” Maxwell brings a singular, deeply rooted approach to slide guitar and mandolin, honoring blues tradition while infusing it with fresh energy. David Lindley once called him “the finest bottleneck slide player I’ve heard in a long time.” A lifelong student of the blues, Maxwell learned from players connected to the genre’s lineage and developed a style that’s warm, expressive, and conversational. He has played everything from bluegrass to punk, always returning to the emotional core of the blues. His album Blues for Evangeline placed in the top five at the 2016 International Blues Challenge, and he has shared stages with Ruthie Foster, Sonny Landreth, Keb’ Mo’, and Taj Mahal. Now based in Washington, he continues to earn acclaim as a master of his craft.

David Hinske and Dave

Stoddard

10/3/2026 7:30 PM Saturday

Dave Hinske: David began making music as a kid through lessons,

choirs, and garage bands, landing his first pro gig at 18 with Jade. For

50+ years he’s performed nationwide, releasing eleven albums and

earning Southwest Indie Album of the Year. A multi‑instrumentalist, he crafts quirky, layered songs that reveal his singular creative mind.

Dave Stoddard: David Stoddard is a Minnesota‑based composer,

songwriter, producer, and educator. A Kerrville New Folk winner, he’s

earned top honors at major folk festivals and toured across the US and

Canada. He’s performed with artists from Karen Mal to Leon Russell.

Stoddard writes for piano, guitar, accordion, film, and choir, and is

available for commissions.

Dana Cooper

9/18/2026 7:30 PM Friday

Dana Cooper’s musical path began at age 2, singing along to jukebox

tunes his father encouraged. Growing up in Missouri, he absorbed folk

and country influences and taught himself guitar and vocal harmony. By his teens, he was performing in Kansas City clubs. His 1972 Elektra

debut earned acclaim, followed by success with Shake Russell and

collaborations with major artists. With 30+ albums and decades of

touring, Cooper remains a beloved storyteller whose warm presence,

sharp songwriting, and enduring passion continue to inspire audiences

Doug Macleod

9/6/2026 4:00 PM Sunday

Doug MacLeod, a two‑time 2026 Blues Music Award nominee, is an acclaimed blues singer, guitarist, and storyteller known for soulful vocals and vivid, character‑driven songs. A multiple BMA winner, he earned 2024 Acoustic Album of the Year and 2023 Acoustic Artist of the Year, with recent albums named DownBeat Albums of the Year. Across 40 years and 29 albums, he has worked with legends like George “Harmonica” Smith and Big Mama Thornton, while his songs have been recorded by Albert King, Albert Collins, and Eva Cassidy. Overcoming childhood trauma and a severe stutter, MacLeod learned from the masters and carries their tradition forward with honesty and heart.

Jon Shain Workshop

8/23/2026 11:00 AM Sunday

Aunt Annie’s will host a special group workshop led by acclaimed guitarist and educator Jon Shain the day after his performance. With over thirty years of teaching experience, Jon is known for helping adult students break through musical plateaus using clear, hands‑on guidance in music theory, technique, improvisation, songwriting, fingerstyle blues, and flatpicking. A veteran instructor and co‑founder of The Great Guitar Camp, Jon has taught at major music camps nationwide and brings a welcoming, engaging approach to group learning.

Jon Shain

8/22/2026 7:30 PM Saturday

Hailing from Durham, NC, Jon Shain is a veteran singer‑songwriter known for his sharp lyricism, fiery acoustic guitar work, and a style that blends Piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime. He has released nine solo albums, two with FJ Ventre, a trio live album, and a co‑written record with Joe Newberry. His newest album, Restless Soul Syndrome, recorded at Good Luck Studio, arrived April 9, 2024. Shain is also the author of two Mel Bay books on blues history and fingerstyle guitar. In 2019, he won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in the solo/duo category.

Mary Flower with Leon Cotter

8/15/2026 7:30 PM Saturday

Mary Flower is a master of finger‑style guitar and lap‑slide, blending dexterity, soul, and inventive technique. Her honey‑and‑whiskey voice enriches every song. An award‑winning performer and teacher, she’s played major festivals including Merlefest, Kerrville, King Biscuit, and Vancouver Folk Fest. A multi‑time Blues Music Award nominee with 11 albums, she draws from Piedmont, Delta, ragtime, swing, folk, and jazz.

Saxophonist and clarinetist Leon Cotter has performed across both coasts in styles from reggae to Middle Eastern music to dixieland, appearing at venues like the Fillmore West, Blue Note, Burlington JazzFest, and Portland’s Waterfront Blues Festival. He is a key voice in Portland’s old‑time jazz scene.

PK Mayo

8/9/2026 4:00 PM Sunday

A native of northern Minnesota, PK Mayo grew up in Eveleth soaking up diverse music on KUMD. Hearing Duane Allman’s “Statesboro Blues” sparked his lifelong devotion to guitar, and he spent his youth gigging in country, polka, and rock bands before moving to Minneapolis to learn from seasoned R&B, soul, jazz, and blues players. He went on to front his own bands, earn induction into both the Minnesota Blues and Minnesota Rock & Country Halls of Fame, and win a Minnesota Music Award. Mayo has played with legends from Johnny Lang to Dinah Washington and toured the world. Known for his rare slide‑guitar touch, soulful vocals, and strong songwriting, he blends country, rock, blues, and folk into a rich Americana sound.

Pieta Brown

4/12/2026 4:00 PM Sunday

Pieta Brown is an acclaimed singer‑songwriter known for her poetic lyrics, atmospheric sound, and soulful blend of folk, blues, and indie roots. Her evocative voice and cinematic songwriting have earned praise across the Americana world and collaborations with artists like Mark Knopfler, Calexico, and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon.

Leon Laudenbach With Amy Schmidtbauer

4/18/2026 Saturday

Longtime Central Minnesota songwriter Leon Laudenbach brings his roots‑rich storytelling and decades of original music to the stage, joined by singer‑songwriter Amy Schmidtbauer, whose warm vocals and heartfelt folk style add depth and harmony. Together, they create an intimate, acoustic‑driven performance shaped by honest lyrics, lived‑in melodies, and a shared love of authentic, homegrown music.

Erik Koskinen

4/26/2026 4:00 PM Sunday

Erik Koskinen is a Minnesota‑based songwriter, guitarist, and producer whose music blends Americana, country, folk, and rock with a sharp storyteller’s edge. Known for his warm baritone voice and unvarnished, blue‑collar lyricism, he’s built a reputation as one of the Midwest’s most authentic and compelling roots artists.

Dave Moore

5/3/2026 TBD Sunday

Dave Moore is a revered Midwestern singer‑songwriter, harmonica player, and accordionist whose work blends folk, blues, and Americana with poetic depth. A longtime collaborator with artists like Greg Brown and a veteran of A Prairie Home Companion, Moore is known for his rich voice, masterful musicianship, and songs that carry both grit and grace.

Roger Fink and Dan Rumsey

5/9/2026 7:30 PM Saturday

Roger Fink – A percussionist at heart, he began guitar nearly 50 years ago on his dad’s 1954 Gibson J‑50. He’s played everywhere from churches to festivals and released his 2003 album Opposable Thumbs. His sound blends folk, blues, country‑rock, Western flavors, and a touch of the delightfully off‑kilter.

Dan Rumsey – A St. Paul native, Dan is a soulful, blues‑leaning songwriter, vocalist, and multi‑instrumentalist who writes about resilience, joy, and heartache. His album Faith in Tomorrow was released in 2022, and his fifth CD, Flowers On A Lamp Pole, produced by Greg Schutte, arrived in October 2024.

Julian Taylor

5/31/2026 4:00 PM Sunday

Julian Taylor is a Toronto‑based, award‑winning singer‑songwriter whose music blends folk, soul, roots, and Americana. A former member of the alt‑rock band Staggered Crossing, he has since become one of Canada’s most respected troubadours, earning JUNO and Canadian Folk Music Award nominations for his acclaimed solo work, including the breakout album The Ridge.

Todd Partridge

6/6/2026 7:30 PM Saturday

Todd Partridge is an Iowa‑based singer‑songwriter known for his soulful vocals, vivid storytelling, and roots‑driven blend of folk, rock, and Americana. A founding member of the band King of the Tramps, he brings a high‑energy spirit and a deep sense of heartland songwriting to both his solo performances and collaborations. His music carries grit, groove, and a genuine connection to the Midwest.

Jack Barksdale

6/7/2026 TBD Sunday

American Songwriter praised Jack Barksdale for insight “far beyond people twice his age,” and NPR called him “special.” A Texas‑born folk/Americana artist, Jack began performing original songs at nine and has shared stages with Wynonna Judd, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Hayes Carll. He recently signed with Truly Handmade Records, releasing a full‑length album in 2025, plus EPs in 2024 and 2023. His music has over 5 million Spotify streams. Jack tours nationally, hosts the Roots Revival Podcast, and cites influences from Lead Belly and Howlin’ Wolf to Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark.

Michael Monroe

6/13/2026 7:30 AM Saturday

Michael Monroe –Aunt Annie’s Listening Room, Avon – “Minnesota Acoustic Music Master & Emmy Award-winning acoustic troubadour, Michael Monroe, performs an evening of warm-hearted “acoustic originals and a few legend favs” by James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel, Peter, Paul and Mary and more. Michael’s rich vocals, crystal/bamboo flutes and his hand-crafted Seaton guitars, (“works of art” made of 200 year-old reclaimed wood from the bottom of Lake Superior) showcase his signature vocal mellifluous sound over the past 55 years.

Drew Peterson

6/27/2026 7:30 PM Saturday

Drew Peterson is an independent Americana singer‑songwriter who has captivated Midwest audiences for over 20 years. After fronting Minnesota’s Forty Watt Bulb, he went on to form the Dead Pigeons and Boxstore Bird. Raised on a rural Minnesota farm by musically inept Norwegian farmers, he taught himself guitar after his mom bought one at a church rummage sale. Decades of hard work shaped his craft, especially his lyric‑driven songwriting. With dry humor, thoughtful lyrics, and influences like John Prine and Tom Waits, Peterson blends upbeat energy with soft‑spoken gravitas. His performances—whether intimate rooms or rowdy festivals—center on connection through storytelling.

Chastity Brown

7/10/2026 7:30 PM Friday

Born to a blues musician, Chastity Brown has long transformed complex experiences into uplifting songs. After the isolation of the pandemic and the racial reckoning that unfolded near her South Minneapolis home, she was surprised when her new album, Sing To The Walls, emerged as a love‑leaning, hopeful response. She wrote nearly 100 songs since 2017, with 10 shaping this record. Guided by her expressive voice and expansive melodies, the album blends Americana, folk, and soul, offering yearning, healing, and connection. Even “Golden,” her sharp critique of white complacency, sits within a larger message of resilience. Created between Stockholm, her home studio, and Austin, the album marks her first turn as lead producer, reflecting a renewed creative drive and a commitment to writing that feels both modern and deeply human.