(at the Cantina Sound Workshop)
Past shows
New Date!!! (to avoid eclipse celebrations).
Ben Jones moved to Austin from the England in 2014 as part of Beat Root Revival. While he continues performing with Beat Root Revival, he also performs many shows as a solo artist and with other artists (Bleeding Hearts Confessionals with Colin Brooks). We first saw Ben with Beat Root Revival at Sycamore Creek Concerts, but it was hearing his songs and covers at the El Mercado Monday Night Supper Club that we saw his versatility as a performer on both guitar and keyboards (and we have a piano available).
Ben last solo release was "Souvenir", but has another recording near finished, "Heartbreak Handbook", a double CD effort. Ben has been writing a lot of new songs and is currently writing a musical with response songs to many well-know classic songs including "Eleanor Rigby" ("The Rice Collector") and Jolene ("My Name is Jolene").
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
You may not know Bill Carter's name, but you know his songs and songs written with his wife Ruth Ellsworth Carter. The songs have been recorded/performed by The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Robert Palmer (Why Get Up); Stevie Ray Vaughan (Willy the Wimp, Crossfire); John Mayall (Jacksboro Highway); C. J. Chenier, Ruth Brown, Counting Crows, and Toni Price (Richest Man); Christine Albert (A Train Runnin'); and Stray Cats (Lust 'N' Love).
Over the years Bill and his wife have won many awards:
2020 Austin Chronicle Music Awards Townes Van Zandt Award Bill Carter and his wife and co-writer Ruth Ellsworth Carter
Austin Music Award for “Best Song of the Decade” and BMI’s Million-airs Award (over 2 million airplays) for Stevie Ray Vaughan’s only #1 hit “Crossfire” Carter
2012-2013 Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame award
Bill Carter on YouTube
Bill Carter and the Blame PBS Arts in Context, Season 1, Episode 6 (documentary)
Joining Bill performing acoustic versions of his songs is Gabriel Rhodes. This is not a night to miss.
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
Grace Pettis has a pedigree in song music and lyric writing, her father is touring musician/singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis and her mother is a professor of Irish and American literature Dr. Margaret Mills Harper.
She toured the US and Europe as part of the Americana/Pop supergroup trio, Nobody's Girl.
Her latest release, Working Women (2021), includes guest appearances from Indigo Girls, Ruthie Foster, the Watson Twins & Dar Williams. The CD was produced by Mary Bragg & mixed by Grammy® winner Shani Gandhi (Alison Krauss, Kelsea Ballerini, Sarah Jarosz). Grace's previous releases are Blue Star in a Red Sky (EP, 2018), Two Birds (2012), and Grace Pettis (2009). This is in addition to the Nobody's Girl releases of Waterline (EP, 2018) and Nobody's Girl (2020).
Grace is a Kerrville 2011 Grassy Hill New Folk Award Winner.
Grace epitomizes the term singer/songwriter. As a singer, her voice is both powerful and beautiful, and she uses it like a fine arts painter to color and craft her songs. American Songwriter Magazine wrote “As a decorated songwriter, Pettis blurs the lines between country, Americana and folk. Her soulful delivery of calculated lyric lines helps her tell stories for all generations.” Her songs have been recorded by many esteemed artists, including Sara Hickman and Ruthie Foster. Grace explains, “The songs that ring the truest often come from my own feelings and memories. People need upbeat songs they can dance to, but they need sad songs, too. Hard songs. The songs that are the hardest and most painful to write seem to be the most healing. I write from wherever I happen to be. If I’m happy, I write a happy song. If I’m sad, I write a sad song. If the world is on fire, so are my songs.”
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
In lieu of a show in January, we are adding a late breaking show on December 22, 2023. Ellis Delaney was a 2013 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Award Winner. We first saw Ellis at Sycamore Creek and again at Milagro Springs House Concerts.
Ellis is a performer with a mission to open people's hearts, songs have the power to connect people to themselves and to one another; music is healing.
Ellis has been a repeat performer as well as voted "audience favorite" at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Moab Folk Festival, Sisters Folk Festival, and Rocky Mountain Folk Festival.
Spreading joy is what singer/songwriter Ellis Delaney (formerly known as “Ellis”) does best, and it permeates throughout Ellis's tenth album, Ordinary Love, which was released in 2020
"If ever there was a feel-good folk musician, this is the one – somebody who really does send you off feeling better about the world." —John Davy, No Depression
"Sometimes, seeing a performer live makes such a difference... when you actually
experience someone like Ellis Delaney in person, you leave much happier than
when you came."—Mike Pengra Radio Heartland/ The Current (2020)
"Ellis has a confident, enthusiastic, even exuberant, optimism that is both
disarming and highly contagious. I defy even the most cynical Gen Xer out there
to go see her perform and not get a few joyful goosebumps."
—Rich Larson, SouthernMinn Scene
"This CD celebrates the ordinary joy in a tumultuous time. Love extends beyond
romantic love to love of family, friends and community. It’s a perfect time for an
album like Ordinary Love." —Ann Treacy, Mostly Minnesota (2020)
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
Dana Cooper first became known around Texas for his collaboration with Shake Russell. although he previously had a solo release on Electra Records. I have my original pressing of the "Shake Russel with Dana Cooper" album "Songs on the Radio" from the late 1970's hanging on the wall in the Cantina Sound Workshop. Since the 1970's, I have seen Dana many times and he always puts on a great and entertaining show. His latest CD release is "I Can Face the Truth" but he also has a new digital release "Traveler Too" that is available in both an acoustic version and a full band version.
Dana Cooper is a Poet, Storyteller & Songwriter from Nashville. Dana's mixture of flat-picking, finger picking, and percussive strumming is "Legend Among Other Guitarists." His harmonica playing equally impressive. As one critic noted, "he sings like an angel and plays like the devil." His Latest CD "I Can Face The Truth" charted on 5 Radio Charts including Americana, Indie Folk, Alt Folk, Alt Country & Roots.
"I Can Face the Truth, not only boasts a telling title but more importantly, reflects an unimpeded joy and exuberance that are exactly what's needed during this pessimistic period of modern history. Co-produced by Cooper and veteran multi-instrumentalist Dave Coleman, I Can Face the Truth is an unmitigated triumph, an album that should finally garner Cooper the credit he so decidedly deserves."
Lee Zimmerman - American Songwriter
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
Michael O'Connor is a guitarist, singer and songwriter currently living in Washington State, but still spends a lot of time in Texas. For decades he has performed and recorded with musicians including Ray Wylie Hubbard, Slaid Cleaves, Adam Carroll, Susan Gibson, Terri Hendrix, and Jeff Plankenhorn.
I first saw Michael playing with Slaid Cleaves at the Sycamore Creek House Concerts, long before I got involved with Sycamore Creek. Since then I have seen him many times at the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival, Gruene Hall, Fischer Haus, Sam's Burger Joint, SlimFest in Terlingua, and probably many other places.
"Michael O’Connor is well-acknowledged as a great guitarist, but you should listen to his songs as well. He writes beautifully, authentically and comes by that gritty gravel road of a voice honestly. You’ll not find a forced moment in his work.”
- Rod Picott
"...part of the same Lone Star constellation as such Texas legends as Guy Clark, Kris Kristofferson, and the late Doug Sahm and Freddy Fender."
- Richard Skanse, on Michael's induction into the South Texas Music Walk of Fame
Appearing with Michael will be Josh Flowers on bass.
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
Scott Sean White is another singer/songwriter that I first saw at the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival. Scott has just finished recording and mastering his second CD, "Even Better on the Bad Days". His first CD was "Call It Even".
The first single from "Even Better Days", Pulling Weeds, was debuted at Americana Highways and will be available on streaming platforms on July 14, Melissa Clarke from Americana Highways had this to say about the debut:
“Scott Sean White is a songwriter’s songwriter, known in the circles that matter for his authentic lyrics that hit right on target: honest, memorable, and tackling relatable matters from a fresh perspective. This one is particularly excellent.”
Helene Cronin (previous Cantina Sound House Concert performer):
"The circles that matter" know this for sure. Rest of the world finding out!!
Scott's second single from "Even Better on the Bad Days" is Hope You Never Do featuring Radney Foster
“Listen to his new album, Call It Even, and you’ll see what fellow Texan Jack Ingram means when he says: “Some songwriters spend precious time struggling to find their truth and make it rhyme. Others just pick up their guitar and tell it. Scott Sean White is one of the others.” And you have only to listen to the song “Humankind” off the new record to have the point driven home.” - Cowboys and Indians Magazine
Scott plays both the piano and the guitar and he will be able to move freely between the 2 at this show.
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
Vanessa Lively is an eclectic songwriter who currently lives in Austin. Her latest CD is Truth Is. and chronicles a difficult chapter in her life and showcases her resilience and unbreakable joy. Lively’s vocals are the thread weaving her songs together – they are soulful, smoky and lush. She writes poetically and brings a rhythmic beat to the folk songs she composes. Margaret Moser of The Austin Chronicle describes Vanessa’s music as “folk music on fire with worldly rhythms and a Latin pulse.”
“I am a big fan of the album Truth Is. Vanessa Lively reaches to the very soul of emotion with a delicate touch. One of my new discoveries.” — Tom Coxworth, Folk Routes (Canada)
Ben Bedford was named one of the “50 most significant Folk singer-songwriters of the past 50 years” by Rich Warren of WFMT-Chicago. This list includes Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Joni Mitchell, and Danny Schmidt.
Ben has recorded six studio albums: Lincoln's Man (2007), Land of the Shadows (2009), What We Lost (2012), The Pilot and the Flying Machine (2016), and The Hermit's Spyglass (2018). His latest album is Valley of Stars (2023).
Ben is a Kerrville 2018 Grassy Hill New Folk Award Winner
“The Illinois songwriter is a masterful storyteller who can turn what seem like obscure historical references into engaging tales rife with vivid, stark imagery.” — Erik Ernst, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
Betty Soo is a Texas born and raised singer-songwriter, currently based in Austin.
Betty is currently touring the US with James McMurtry and previously has toured with Chris Smither and Alejandro Escovedo. She toured the US and Europe as part of the Americana/Pop supergroup trio, Nobody's Girl.
She is no stranger to house concerts, she even has a page dedicated to describing house concerts on her website.
Betty's first solo CD release was 2007's Little Tiny Secrets, followed by Heat Sin Water Skin, When We're Gone, and a demos disc, Insomnia Waking Dream: Insomnia Waking Dream. She has also recorded 2 CD's with Doug Cox, Lie To Me and More Lies. Nobody's Girl released an EP, Waterline, and a full length CD Nobody's Girl. Most are available in her online store along with many other goodies (productivity planners/calendars, puppets, stickers, pins, shirts, hats, and of course digital downloads). Nobody's Girl CDs are available on their store.
“Truly remarkable. BettySoo’s sharp, often self-deprecating humor skillfully wove the songs together. Her clear, evocative voice and poignant lyrics recall Patty Griffin and Joni Mitchell, and did I mention she’s a hell of a guitar player?”– NO DEPRESSION, live concert review
Betty was a Kerrville 2008 Grassy Hill New Folk Award Winner. Additionally, she has been named Songwriter of the Year at Big Top Chautauqua and won The Dave Carter Songwriting Award at Sisters Folk Festival and Mountain Stage's New Song.
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
I first heard Dawn and Hawkes on Sun Radio soon after their first CD was released. Miranda Dawn and Chris Hawkes released their first EP/CD, Golden Heart, in 2012. Since then, they have released two more CDs, Yours and Mine and The Other Side. All have received rave reviews. Recently, Chris has been playing with the band "Sister Golden Hair", while Dawn and Hawkes have continued playing shows in their duo, trio, and band configurations. They will be performing at the "Cantina House Concerts" in the duo configuration.
Acoustic Guitar hails the musicality of their first full-length, Yours and Mine, as “Impeccable vocal harmonies and instrumentation” and Huffington Post summarizes “Transcendent alternative-folk — you will find yourself craving more from this amazing, dynamic duo.”
Dawn and Hawkes live shows include songs from their recordings, as well as newer material that is not yet available on physical media.
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go directly to the artist.
I became aware of Barbara Nesbitt when she started cohosting the Monday Night Supper Club at the El Mercado Backstage. I had seen some livestream footage online, but it wasn't until we saw her live and in person that we wanted to have her out to the workshop for a full show. I also realized later that I had heard Barbara on the radio as part of the band "The Whiskey Sisters". She can also be heard as part of "Sister Golden Hair".
Barbara has 4 CDs of music available on her website, with the latest being "Someday, Maybe Sooner".
“With a voice that is clear as a mountain meadow and emotive as Patsy Cline, Barbara Nesbitt sings songs of life's journeys with fire grace and country soul” Ray Benson, Asleep At The Wheel
From the Asylum Street Spankers, the Hot Nut Rivets, Guy Forsyth Band, to his own Chansons Et Soúlards, Nevada Newman has been making music in the Austin area for a lot of years and has covered a wide range of musical styles including cajun and blues.
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go the the artist.
I have known Michael Fracasso since he moved to Austin way back in 1990. I transported his Martin D-28 to Nashville to sell to Gruhn Guitars to finance his first recording, Love and Trust. Since then Michael has recorded an additional 8 albums.
He has worked with the legendary George Reiff and Charlie Sexton; toured the "Ribbon of Highway" with Jimmy LaFave keeping Woody Guthrie songs alive; collaborated with Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Iain Mathews (Fairport Convention), and Eliza Gilkyson; and he teaches cooking classes (and published a cookbook "Artist in the Kitchen").
…Michael Fracasso has an extraordinary voice, a bright, high tenor that can drive a song or float through it… — Dave Marsh, The Austin Chronicle (cover) – April 2004
Michael Fracasso always seems to hold an audience’s attention…(he) needs only a guitar and his smooth tenor to transfix a room.— Deborah Benjamin, Oklahoma Gazette June 2004
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go the the artist.
The first house concert held at the Cantina Sound Workshop was a Canadian duo, The LYNNeS. One-half of that duo was Lynne Hanson. I am happy to bring her back to perform here again.
Lynne Hanson is an Ottawa-based, Americana songwriter known for her high energy roots guitar driven live performances with an authenticity that's as entertaining as it is disarming.
Lynne has been touring Canada, Europe, and the US and released her new album, "Ice Cream in November". Here are extracts from some of the reviews:
"...a decidedly mesmerizing set of songs, one that finds Hanson casting a spell over the proceedings which, in turn, makes for a thoroughly captivating and compelling experience." - American Songwriter
"Canadian Americana artist Lynne Hanson turns heartbreak into poetry with a rock backbone ... The album is a tour de force." - Glide Magazine
Touring with Lynne is guitarist Blair Michael Hogan, an excellent Canadian singer-songwriter himself.
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go the the artist.
johnsmith was a 1993 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Award winner. I first did sound for john at the Fischer Haus Concerts way back in 2015. Since then, I have done sound for him at Sycamore Creek House Concerts in 2017 and then again at a private party in 2018.
johnsmith has released 9 solo CDs
In addition to "playing music" John leads musical tours of Ireland, Idaho rafting, and teaches songwriting seminars.
John's newest song collection released this year is titled "Backroads".
Check out his music and videos on his web site: https://johnsmithmusic.com/
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go the the artist.
I first met Helene Cronin as one of the 2018 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Award winners. At the 2021 Dripping Springs Songwriters festival, I started talking to Helene about doing a house concert. At the 2022 DS Songwriters festival we finalized her playing at the Workshop. Helene's latest CD "Landmarks" will officially be released on February 2, 2023. Her previous release was "Old Ghosts and Lost Causes". She closed out her performance at this years DS Songwriters Festival with the song "Lucky Me" from her CD "Belong To The River". This song is the most poignant tale of a chance encounter that enriches your own viewpoint. The title cut of "Landmarks" is a new classic tale of remembrance.
Helene lives in the Dallas area, but spends time in Nashville cowriting songs with many other excellent song writers.
Here are some quotes from her website from some local musicians that we all know and love:
Helene Cronin can flat out spin a lyric. Her ability to crawl within a subject and pull a story or emotion out the other end is what makes her a brilliant songwriter. Those writing chops delivered with those earthy vocals have made her one of the best artists I’ve heard in a long time. - Terri Hendrix, Performing Songwriter/Artist
I like songs that tell the truth. Helene Cronin's songs do just that. Helene delivers her songs with sheer soul. She invites you into her world and it's a great listen. - Lloyd Maines, Music Producer and Musician.
You can find more information and music about Helene on her website. (https://www.helenecronin.com/home)
The requested minimum donation is $25 per person at the door. All donations go the the artist.
If you don't know who Jeff Plankenhorn is, he is singer-songwriter and all things strings multi-instrumentalist — guitar, lap steel, mandolin, piano, upright bass. He came to Texas when Ray Wylie Hubbard enticed Jeff to join his band. Slide guitar virtuoso, Jeff spent his early career backing the likes of Hubbard and Joe Ely. His patented lap slide guitar, “the Plank,” with a distinctive sound derived from the instrument's square neck and electric guitar body—netted him Austin Music Awards 2017 “Best Miscellaneous Instrument”.
Jeff stepped from being a side-man and started recording his own albums. His song "Sleeping Dogs" has been played on Sun Radio since it's release; they have also played Jeff's song "Trouble Find Me". 7 CD's are available on his web site.
Jeff has spent the pandemic on Vancouver Island (British Columbia Canada). From Canada, he has hosted a weekly live stream "20 Question Tuesdays" with different guests each week (available on YouTube and Facebook). He also did a fairly weekly livestream of his own playing, "From Here to There". In addition, he recorded 2 EPs (available on CD), "Covered/Uncovered Vol. 1" and "Covered/Uncovered Vol. 2"
Jeff was a regular participant in the Purgatory Players Gospel brunch, raising 153,275 meals for the Texas Food Bank in 2019. He is also a regular member of the Resentments (Sunday nights at the Saxon Pub with Bruce Hughes (Poi Dog Pondering, Ugly Americans, the Scabs), Scrappy Judd Newcomb (Loose Diamonds), John Chipman, and Miles Zuniga (Fastball).
Gabriel Rhodes will be playing with Jeff. Gabe is also a multi-instrumentalist and producer. He has worked with Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, Kimmie Rhodes, Waylon Jennings, Ray Price, Emmylou Harris, James Burton, Jimmy LaFave, Owen Temple, Paula Nelson, Folk Uke, Bill Carter, Calvin Russell and others. Gabe has cowritten songs with Shawn Camp, Kimmie Rhodes, Beth Nielsen Chapman , Gary Nicholson, Joe Ely, Ruthie Foster, Michael Fracasso, Johnny Goudie, Jeff Plankenhorn, and others.
About Joe Joe Shields: Joe was a 2016 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk winner. He was also a 2018 Leaf music festival singer songwriter competition finalist. He has also been known as the creator/cartoonist/animator of the award winning website joecartoon.com. Yes, prior to becoming known as a songwriter, Joe was a cartoonist and animator. Check out his videos at https://joecartoon.com/ . Animated versions of some of his songs can be seen on this web site. But back to his music, in addition to the animated songs, additional videos of his songs are available on his music web site. Check out his video songs, "Lucy Skidmore" and "Tarzan".
About Aaron Smith: Aaron (not the DJ) is one of the winners of the 2019 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk winners. He hails from Arkansas. See his new folk performance on YouTube . I was able to attend the day of the Kerrville New folk competition and met Aaron and picked him to be one of the finalists.
The LYNNeS are Juno award winning songwriter Lynn Miles and award-winning songwriter Lynne Hanson. The two Canadian heartbreak poets are multi-instrumentalists (piano, acoustic, electric guitar, mandolin), fusing tight vocal harmonies with hauntingly gritty lyrics. Individually they have toured North America and Europe, and their debut album Heartbreak Song For The Radio was released in 2018. The album has been nominated for 5 Canadian Folk Music Awards (Producer, English Songwriter, Ensemble, Vocal Group, Contemporary Album).
I met Lynn Miles 25 years ago (about 6 months before I met Mary Jo). Mary Jo first saw Lynn on our first international trip together. The Ottawa Folk Festival happened to be the weekend after I needed to be in Ottawa for business, so Mary Jo went with me and she saw what a great songwriter and musician Lynn was. We saw her a number of times over the years, but it has been at least 10 years since we saw her perform live. We have been stuck just listening to the 13 different CD's that we have. When we heard she had teamed up with Lynne Hanson on the a new recording, The LYNNeS Heartbreak Song for the Radio, I asked if they were going to get down to Texas - and now they have. Lynn Hanson has at least 6 CD's available.