The Ark

Anaïs Mitchell & Bonny Light Horseman
2022-02-07 19:30 - 22:30 (America/New_York) | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
ANAÏS MITCHELL is a Vermont and Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, and the Tony and Grammy award-winning creator of the Broadway musical Hadestown for which she wrote the book, music and lyrics. Hadestown won 8 Tony Awards overall including Best Musical as well as the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. Mitchell was named to TIME’s prestigious TIME100 list in 2020, and her first book, ‘Working on a Song – The Lyrics of Hadestown’ was published by Penguin/Plume in the same year. Dubbed by NPR as “one of the greatest songwriters of her generation”, Mitchell comes from the world of narrative folksong, poetry and balladry. Her recordings include the original studio album of Hadestown (2010, featuring Justin Vernon and Ani Difranco) and Young Man in America (2012), along with reinterpretations of traditional music including Child Ballads(2013, with Jefferson Hamer) and Bonny Light Horseman (2020, as Bonny Light Horseman, which received two Grammy nominations). She has headlined worldwide and supported tours for Bon Iver, Josh Ritter and Punch Brothers, and her music has featured in year-end best lists including NPR, Wall Street Journal, MOJO, Uncut, The Guardian, Sunday Times and The Observer. If there’s a common thread in Mitchell’s work it’s that she’s as interested in the world around her as the one inside her. As the New York Times wrote, “Ms Mitchell’s songs address contemporary angst with uncanny vision….a formidable songwriting talent”.

Anaïs Mitchell is joined on this one-of-a-kind tour by Bonny Light Horseman, a folk supergroup trio comprised of Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson (best known for his project Fruit Bats and stints with The Shins), and Josh Kaufman (instrumentalist and producer known for his work with Hiss Golden Messenger, Bob Weir, The National). Bonny Light Horseman will perform selections from their two-time Grammy nominated album of traditional folk songs with a contemporary twist, before Anaïs takes to the stage to share songs from her forthcoming album as well as from her back catalogue of audience-favorites on this unique, collaborative tour.

Mustard's Retreat
2022-02-05 20:00 - 22:00 | Facebook LIVE
Watch on The Ark’s Youtube channel
Mustard’s Retreat has always sung the songs they enjoyed and cared about, regardless of the trends of the music industry and pop culture. They are committed to simply being themselves, not chasing fame or brass rings, while delighting in and connecting with their audiences as if they were family. The honesty of what they present onstage and the extensive body of outstanding original songs and recordings all contribute to a fiercely loyal audience that continues to grow. “Music to cure what ails you” was how one reviewer in the 1970s described them, and that is as true now as it was then.
They’ve traveled more than a million miles and performed more than 6,000 shows, from pig roasts and pool parties to Lincoln Center Out of Doors, The Barns at Wolftrap and the Kennedy’s Center’s Millennium Stage.
Their performances are always joyful and uplifting, as well as intelligent, thought provoking and insightful. They’ve recently begun referring to their career and touring as “Defiantly Hopeful.” In part due to their long career, but more as a statement about what the music has meant to them. “Folk music is, at its heart, defiantly hopeful!” Tamulevich says. “We came of age in the 60s, at the confluence of Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan and the singer/songwriter revolution. We care much more about what we do and stand for and finding that common ground with our audiences, than fame or money: this is our community of choice, and we consider ourselves so fortunate to be here.”
Ark Family Room shows are free and streamed to The Ark’s Facebook page. Donations to the “virtual tip jar” during shows support both The Ark and the participating artists.

James McMurtry
2022-02-02 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been rescheduled for June 14, 2022. Tickets will be reissued automatically for the rescheduled date. Refunds will be available by request only no later than 30 days after the announcement of the new date.
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
In James McMurtry’s new effort, The Horses and the Hounds, the acclaimed songwriter backs personal narratives with effortless elegance (“Canola Fields”) and endless energy (“If It Don’t Bleed”). This first collection in seven years, due August 20 on New West Records, spotlights a seasoned tunesmith in peak form as he turns toward reflection (“Vaquero”) and revelation (closer “Blackberry Winter”). Familiar foundations guide the journey. “There’s a definite Los Angeles vibe to this record,” McMurtry says. “The ghost of Warren Zevon seems to be stomping around among the guitar tracks. Don’t know how he got in there. He never signed on for work for hire.”
The Horses and the Hounds is a reunion of sorts. McMurtry recorded the new album with legendary producer Ross Hogarth (Ozzy Osbourne, John Fogerty, Van Halen, Keb’ Mo’) at Jackson Browne’s Groovemaster’s in Santa Monica, California, a world class studio that has housed such legends as Bob Dylan (2012’s Tempest) and David Crosby (2016’s Lighthouse) as well as Browne himself for I’m Alive (1993) and New Found Glory, Coming Home (2006). McMurtry and Hogarth first worked together 30 years ago, when Hogarth was a recording engineer in the employ of John Mellencamp at Mellencamp’s own Belmont Studios near Bloomington, Indiana. Hogarth recorded McMurtry’s first two albums, Too Long in the Wasteland and Candyland, for Columbia Records and later mixed McMurtry’s first self-produced album, Saint Mary of the Woods, for Sugar Hill Records. Another veteran of those three releases, guitarist David Grissom (Joe Ely, John Mellencamp, Dixie Chicks), returns with some of his finest work.
Accordingly, the new collection marks another upward trajectory: The Horses and the Hounds will be McMurtry’s debut album on genre-defining Americana record label New West Records (Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Buddy Miller, dozens more).
“I first became aware of James McMurtry’s formidable songwriting prowess while working at Bug Music Publishing in the ’90s,” says New West president John Allen. “He’s a true talent. All of us at New West are excited at the prospect of championing the next phase of James’ already successful and respected career.” McMurtry perfectly fits a label housing “artists who perform real music for real people.” After all, No Depression says of the literate songwriter’s most recent collection, Complicated Game: “Lyrically, the album is wise and adventurous, with McMurtry — who’s not prone to autobiographical tales — credibly inhabiting characters from all walks of life.” “[McMurtry] fuses wry, literate observations about the world with the snarl of barroom rock,” National Public Radio says. “The result is at times sardonic, subversive and funny, but often vulnerable and always poignant.”
His lauded storytelling — check out songs such as “Operation Never Mind” and “Ft. Walton Wake-Up Call” on The Horse and the Hounds— consistently has turned heads for decades now. “James writes like he’s lived a lifetime,” said John Mellencamp back in 1989, when Too Long in the Wasteland hit the Billboard 200. “James McMurtry is one of my very few favorite songwriters on Earth and these days he’s working at the top of his game,” says Americana all-star Jason Isbell. “He has that rare gift of being able to make a listener laugh out loud at one line and choke up at the next. I don’t think anybody writes better lyrics.” McMurtry’s albums Just Us Kids (2008) and Childish Things (2005) back the claim, each scoring endless critical praise. The former earned McMurtry his highest Billboard 200 chart position in two decades (since eclipsed by Complicated Game) and notched Americana Music Award nominations. Childish Things spent six full weeks topping the Americana Music Radio chart in 2005 and 2006, and won the Americana Music Association’s Album of the Year, with “We Can’t Make It Here” named the organization’s Song of the Year.
Other accolades include a 1996 Grammy nomination for Long Form Music Video for Where’d You Hide the Body and an American Indie Award for Best Americana Album for It Had to Happen (1997).
McMurtry tours year-round and consistently throws down unparalleled powerhouse performances, reflected in the release of two live discs: the universally lauded Live in Aught-Three on Compadre Records, and 2009’s Live in Europe, which captured the McMurtry band’s first European tour and extraordinary live set. Along with seasoned band members Ronnie Johnson, Daren Hess, and Tim Holt, Live in Europe features special guests Ian McLagan (Faces) and Jon Dee Graham (True Believers, Skunks). (Video of the performance is available on the included DVD.)
Photo credit: Mary Keating Bruton

A Michigan Tribute to Nanci Griffith
2022-01-29 20:00 - 21:00 | Online
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Musicians with Michigan roots will pay tribute to Nanci Griffith by offering covers of her classic songs. Tickets to this streamed performance go on sale Monday, January 24 at noon. The event will be available for rebroadcast through February 6.
Nanci Griffith was no stranger to The Ark’s stage, gracing the club with several memorable performances from 1985 to 2013, including an intimate benefit concert with Billy Joe Shaver and the Cash Brothers in 2003 and an unforgettable evening with Maura O’Connell, John Gorka and the Chenille Sisters at The Ark’s 40-Year Fling in 2005. More than quantity, though, we celebrate the quality of her music with this tribute show. Her songs are mostly portraits, and each one is fully filled out with details that fit, and that reveal the deep resonances of human lives. She brought a poetry to small-town Texas life that shone with beauty and celebrated human resilience.
Nanci’s Other Voices, Other Rooms album of 1993 took the Grammy award for Best Contemporary Folk Album; it was a tribute to the songwriters who inspired her, from Kate Wolf to Pat Metheny. She in turn has inspired many of the songwriters who take to The Ark’s stage today, including the Michigan artists who are lending their voices to this virtual event. She was a cheerleader and ambassador for her fellow artists, whether emerging or established. At every Ann Arbor Folk Fest she played you could find her stationed backstage, watching and listening to every set throughout the evening. Once she drove from Nashville to The Ark to attend a performance of her friend and mentor, Odetta. No one who was there will forget the incredible moment when Odetta called her onstage to join the encore.
Each of Nanci’s appearances in Ann Arbor brought new music, and often we felt like we had front row seats at her creative process. The message she left when she signed the wall backstage at The Ark: “Sing out, sing loud, for Pete’s sake.” We miss her terribly and are deeply thankful for her music.
Featured performers for Saturday’s tribute include Annie and Rod Capps, Chris Buhalis, Dave Boutette & Kristi Lynn Davis, Dick Siegel & Dave Keeney, Jen Sygit, London Beck, The Lucky Nows, Matt Watroba, May Erlewine, Nadim Azzam, The RFD Boys, Rochelle Clark, and The Accidentals with special guests Kim Richey, Maia Sharp, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and The Burney Sisters.

45th Ann Arbor Folk Fest - Night 2
2022-01-29 18:30 | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Based on the current direction and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Ark has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Ann Arbor Folk Festival. Although the Folk Festival is The Ark’s largest annual fundraising event and cancelling means losing a vital source of our annual operating revenue, our primary concern at this time is for the health and safety of patrons, artists, crew, staff, and the broader community. You can read more about our decision here.
If you have purchased tickets for the festival, look for an email from The Ark or from the Michigan Union Ticket Office with information on ticket refunds.
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Emmylou Harris
Patty Griffin
Oshima Brothers
Sweet Water Warblers
Brittney Spencer
Jared Deck
Sara Watkins – MC
FOLK FEST TICKET INFO
Get ready to Find Your Folk! The 45th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival returns to Hill Auditorium on Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29, live and in-person. The festival is the largest annual fundraiser for The Ark, Ann Arbor’s non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music. Presented by The Ark and Ford Motor Company Fund, the 2022 Folk Fest brings two nights of music which includes a blend of well-known and up-and-coming artists, providing you with an opportunity to hear artists you know and love while discovering great new talent. The lineup delivers the full spectrum of “Ark music,” presenting a taste of what’s happening on the leading edge of acoustic music while delving into the very heart of folk and roots traditions.
All funds raised through the Festival benefit The Ark, Ann Arbor’s non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
COVID-19 FAQ
Please Note: Proof of vaccination is required for admission and current University policy requires masking at all times during events at Hill Auditorium. Please check The Ark’s COVID policy page the week of January 24, 2022 for up-to-date information about Festival requirements regarding masking, COVID vaccination, testing, and health screening. All attendees will be required to comply with the health and safety protocols in place at the time of the Festival.

45th Ann Arbor Folk Fest - Night 1
2022-01-28 18:30 | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Based on the current direction and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Ark has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Ann Arbor Folk Festival. Although the Folk Festival is The Ark’s largest annual fundraising event and cancelling means losing a vital source of our annual operating revenue, our primary concern at this time is for the health and safety of patrons, artists, crew, staff, and the broader community. You can read more about our decision here.
If you have purchased tickets for the festival, look for an email from The Ark or from the Michigan Union Ticket Office with information on ticket refunds.
Friday, January 28, 2022
Glen Hansard
Punch Brothers
Madison Cunningham
The Ghost of Paul Revere
Gina Chavez
Kyshona
Sara Watkins – MC
FOLK FEST TICKET INFO
Get ready to Find Your Folk! The 45th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival returns to Hill Auditorium on Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29, live and in-person. The festival is the largest annual fundraiser for The Ark, Ann Arbor’s non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music. Presented by The Ark and Ford Motor Company Fund, the 2022 Folk Fest brings two nights of music which includes a blend of well-known and up-and-coming artists, providing you with an opportunity to hear artists you know and love while discovering great new talent. The lineup delivers the full spectrum of “Ark music,” presenting a taste of what’s happening on the leading edge of acoustic music while delving into the very heart of folk and roots traditions.
All funds raised through the Festival benefit The Ark, Ann Arbor’s non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
COVID-19 FAQ
Please Note: Proof of vaccination is required for admission and current University policy requires masking at all times during events at Hill Auditorium. Please check The Ark’s COVID policy page the week of January 24, 2022 for up-to-date information about Festival requirements regarding masking, COVID vaccination, testing, and health screening. All attendees will be required to comply with the health and safety protocols in place at the time of the Festival.

The RFD Boys
2022-01-22 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
It’s hard to believe, because each show is fresh and new, but the RFD Boys have been delighting Michigan audiences since 1969 with their fabulous musicianship and sly, exquisitely timed between-song humor. They’re legends of Michigan bluegrass, but they’re more than that too. With an appearance on the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited, with songs recorded by the likes of the Country Gentlemen, and with performances alongside bluegrass greats like Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley, the RFD Boys are a part of America’s bluegrass tradition. The RFD Boys one of southeastern Michigan’s most durable musical ensembles, and their shows capture a deep slice of musical Ann Arbor. Their 50th-anniversary appearance at the Folk Festival was a special moment and introduced many listeners to Dan Roehrig, who joined the band on guitar, mandolin, and bass in mid-2018. Dan grew up listening to Doc Watson, Clarence White, and Tony Rice, and you can hear it in both his singing and guitar playing.
Also available as a Virtual concert on our Facebook page. Free! Tip jar available.
Watch the Livestream on Facebook Live
Watch the Livestream on The Ark’s YouTube channel

The Ark's Open Stage
2022-01-19 20:00, 2022-01-05 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Whether you’re looking for your big break, want to perfect your live performance skills, or just want to perform live for the sheer fun of it, Open Stage nights offer supportive audiences and a terrific space. Fifteen performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Sign-up: doors open at 7:30 p.m. At 7:45 we randomly select the names for the first half, and at 8:30 we draw names for the second half. If your name isn’t chosen, bring your raffle ticket with you to the next Open Stage (often the first and third Wednesdays of the month–check our calendar or website, theark.org), and you’ll double your chances.

G. Love & The Juice
2022-01-18 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
After 27 years of coast to coast touring, the global pandemic grounded the touring juggernaut we have come to know as G. Love & Special Sauce. With band members sheltered in place and scattered across the country and G. Love’s ever-pressing need to release creative juices bore a collaborative and experimental musical group.
Love & The Juice is that new mosaic, drawing from his signature hip hop blues he invited seasoned touring musicians who shared in this vision to deliver a musical experience which includes classic G. Love songs, improvisation jams and the low-down dirty blues which has been a hallmark of Garrett Dutton shows since the 1990’s.
Love & The Juice is a collective of all-star musicians which will be hitting a city or town near you. The current configuration has G. Love fronting the band with his legendary Harmonic, Guitar and Vocals. Jimi Jazz Prescott on upright bass performing his patented electrified upright bass. Chuck Treece, Iconic Philadelphia musician, professional skateboard and longtime collaborator on vocals and drums and Van Gordon Martin of the Organically Good Trio, Big Daddy Kane and Dub Apocalypses on Lead Guitar.
• G. Love’s Pre-Show Pop Off includes a general admission ticket with early entry, access to a pre-show performance and Q&A with G. Love at sound check, group photo on stage with G. Love and a limited edition poster autographed by G. Love. You will receive instructions via email 4-7 days before each show with event information. Please note that this event will take place before doors are open so it will be just you and a few others for a very intimate and interactive performance with G!!

Robert Jones & Matt Watroba
2022-01-17 19:30 - 22:00 | Facebook LIVE
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Ever since their first meeting, over thirty years ago, Robert Jones and Matt Watroba have been musical partners. Their relationship started when they hosted back to back, radio shows on WDET-FM, Detroit. Later on they started performing together and, in doing so, they discovered a friendship based in mutual respect and a love for traditional American music. Now, Matt and Robert literally travel the nation extolling the virtues of “Music That Matters”.
For Matt and Robert, American Roots Music (Folk, Blues, Spirituals, Work Songs, Chants, etc.) is music that matters. This is the music that America and the world have in common. It is music that reflects history, social change, migration, hopes and dreams. It is music that is rich and diverse, direct and powerful. As talented as they are individually, Matt and Robert together form a synergy that hard to describe. Together, they formed a non-profit company called Common Chords to connect communities through music and the arts.

Ellis Paul
2022-01-16 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Though some may refer to Ellis Paul as a folksinger, he is more, for lack of a better word, a singular storyteller, a musician whose words reach out from inside and yet also express the feelings, thoughts and sensibilities that most people can relate to in one way or another, regardless of age or upbringing. The exhilaration of the open road. A celebration of heroes. The hope for redemption. Descriptions of those things that are both near and dear. His stories are a continuation of tales Paul has told over the expanse of nineteen albums, numerous critical kudos (15 Boston Music Awards alone), inclusion in several blockbuster soundtracks, and stages he has headlined near and far. He has also released a pair of children’s albums, earning him honors from the Parent’s Choice Foundation for both. His latest The Hero In You has been turned into a picture book, detailing the lives of great American heroes.

Jill Jack’s Birthday Bash
2022-01-15 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Due to a band member recently testing positive for COVID and numbers on the rise, Jill Jack has made the decision to cancel this show. Refunds will be issued from the point of purchase.
The Jill Jack Band wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year and looks forward to seeing you at next year’s Birthday Bash!
COVID-19 FAQ
Jill Jack’s career has spanned decades and taken her around the globe, performing solo and with her band at sold-out shows, and opening for world-renowned acts.
Jack grew up in Huntington Woods and has lived in Ferndale for the last 24 years. Her work includes self-written songs in a style she broadly calls Americana, encompassing elements of folk, rock, country, pop and blues. She plays acoustic and electric guitar, and describes her stage presence as friendly, with a focus on storytelling and a dash of humor.
“By the end of the show, we will all be great friends,” Jack said in an email. “As a musician, I feel we can heal with music. Listening to music is an emotional experience. I want to bring all of those emotions to the surface, while allowing the audience to be relieved of anxiety from their life.
“My storytelling is very relatable,” she added. “While some of my stories can be emotionally deep, I always add a hint of humor. It helps people feel a connection, and also that they are not alone in their troubles.”
Since 1997 she has won 46 awards from the Detroit Music Awards Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to recognize Detroit-area artists at the local, regional and national levels. Her career spans more than 25 years and 12 award-winning CDs, as well as three new singles during the pandemic.
She has toured across the country, appearing as a headliner at venues and festivals such as SXSW (South by Southwest), the Ann Arbor Folk Festival, the 30A Songwriters Festival, the WYCD Downtown Hoedown, the Blissfest Musical Festival, The Bluebird Cafe and The Living Room in New York City. She has played for audiences as big as 20,000 people and as intimate as 20.
She has also starred in consistently sold-out shows at the historic Ark in Ann Arbor, and opened for such prominent touring acts as Bob Seger, John Waite, Emmy Lou Harris, Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, Dan Fogelberg, Marshall Crenshaw, Chris Isaak and Loretta Lynn.
In addition to live performances, she has composed soundtracks for documentaries by the Emmy Award-winning director Keith Farnie, and in 2011 she composed for the million-dollar ad campaign “I’m A Believer” for the city of Detroit. She has composed commercial jingles for such businesses as Thrifty Florist and Little Caesars.
Jack also believes in giving back, with missionary work in Haiti and community service through the Detroit Children’s Choir, the Michigan Arthritis Foundation, Rock for Jobs, Gilda’s Club Bras for a Cause, the Girl Scouts of America, Enchanted Makeovers and Lost Voices — a group that supports young victims of abuse, neglect, violence, addiction and human trafficking, through the gentle encouragement of song.
She said her time in Haiti has been especially meaningful to her. She has been there four times in the last seven years.
“My first experience was the most intense, because no one can prepare you for the sights and sounds of Haiti,” Jack said. “Yes, there is so much poverty. But Haitians pride themselves on their ingenuity, their (faith), their music, their art and their dedication to one another.
“As missionaries, we went where we were needed,” she said. “Some days, we did very hard physical labor, building churches. This meant carrying buckets of wet concrete, bricks, painting, etc. Other days, we were assisting at orphanages, and most recently eye testing and fitting for glasses. Delivering food, clothing and essentials was daily.”
Back at home, Jack helps aspiring artist-entrepreneurs through her career coaching company, Dream Big, Inc. She started the company six or seven years ago, working with upcoming artists to help them focus and reach their creative goals. Dream Big also has half-day workshops available for songwriters to help them craft their music.
“It just felt like another extension of my work,” Jack said. “I originally started the company to help young artists and their parents navigate their way through the music business. But it has turned into a much bigger mission.”
She is currently working with nonprofits, established musicians who need encouragement and even senior citizens who want to leave their mark in music.
“It is never too late to pursue a dream. The only thing that can get in your way is you,” Jack said. “Each client is different, with different needs. Some meet with me weekly, and some biweekly, monthly or quarterly. I am flexible and do not force. I am here to guide and be a support system.”
She also shared a bit of advice for those looking to make a livelihood out of performing.
“It is not the easiest of career choices, and maintaining it for 25 years is a labor of love. Perseverance and authenticity is my motto. Be yourself, no matter what,” Jack said. “The minute you try to be like someone else, you have lost your authenticity and you feel it, your audience feels it. Work from your heart. Not everyone will like you, but they will respect your hard work and tenacity.”
Written by https://www.candgnews.com/reporterbio/andy-kozlowski

The Sweet Remains
2022-01-14 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
COVID-19 FAQ
The Sweet Remains consist of three gifted and charismatic singer-songwriters, each of whom contribute to the writing and the three-part harmonies that define the band’s sound. Driven by strong lyrical and melodic writing, their songs easily appeal to fans of modern folk-rockers like Jason Mraz, Ray Lamontagne, and John Mayer. However, it is their lush harmonies, that distinguish The Sweet Remains from the throngs of guitar-toting troubadour, harking back to supergroups of the 60’s and 70’s like CSN, the Eagles, and Simon & Garfunkel. When Rich Price, Greg Naughto, and Brian Chartrand met for a chance jam session in a Rhode Island hotel room in 2008, the three instantly recognized a musical blend and kinship that would eventually overcome geography (and solo careers) to form The Sweet Remains. Since then they’ve toured as far away as Denmark and Germany, and gained critical raves from the likes of the Boston Herald, which wrote that “it’s been a long time since three-part harmonies this lush were yoked to songs this melodically gorgeous.” Come and luxuriate in the sounds of the harmony trio of the year!

Masters of Hawaiian Music
2022-01-13 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
Four-time Grammy-winner, master slack key guitarist GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR., known as “Hawai‘i’s Renaissance Man”, is a multiple Na Hōkū Hanohano (Hawaiian Grammy) Award winner, a vocalist, storyteller, songwriter & author, teacher, sculptor, farmer, and chef.
A master of the slack key guitar and National Heritage Fellow, LED KAAPANA has been one of Hawaii’s most influential musicians for four decades. His mastery of stringed instruments, his exceptional picking style on slack key guitar and ‘ukulele, and his extraordinary baritone to leo ki`eki`e (falsetto) vocal range, have made him a musical legend and earned him multiple Na Hōkū Awards.
‘Ukulele virtuoso HERB OHTA JR’S natural talent, knowledge, technique, and speed are unsurpassed. Herb’s versatility and ability to adapt to the changing times will captivate you, the listener, and transport you.

Skerryvore
2022-01-12 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
COVID-19 FAQ
With a mix of fiddle, accordions, pipes and whistles, alongside guitar and vocals, underpinned by driving bass, drums and keys, Skerryvore represent the best in contemporary Scottish traditional music. Their 6 studio albums demonstrate the wide range of influences the individual musicians bring to the mix – a unique fusion of folk, trad, rock and Americana, with even some jazz in there!
Comfortable in the studio though the band are, it’s on the road in front of a live audience that they really come into their own. Their live album, recorded at Scottish venues in late 2019, and released in summer 2020, highlights this, as well as giving a hint that there’s still much more to come for Skerryvore’s growing worldwide fanbase.

Oliver Wood Trio
2022-01-11 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been rescheduled for May 11, 2022. Tickets will be reissued automatically for the rescheduled date. Refunds will be available by request only no later than 30 days after the announcement of the new date.
COVID-19 FAQ
Oliver Wood is a mainstay of modern-day American roots music. The frontman of the Wood Brothers since 2004, he’s spent the 21st century blurring the boundaries between folk, gospel, country-soul, and Americana, earning an international audience and a Grammy Award-nomination along the way. Always Smilin’, his debut as a solo artist, continues that tradition while also shining new light on Oliver’s sharp songwriting, savvy guitar chops, and a voice that evokes the swagger of a Saturday evening picking party one moment and the solemnity of a Sunday morning gospel service the next.

Drew Nelson
2022-01-09 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
COVID-19 FAQ
Michigan-born Navy veteran Drew Nelson is a storytelling songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A fly fisherman and world traveler, he writes as a witness to the lives and journeys of those he has met along the way, mixing Americana and roots-rock with traditional folk styles. Drew describes himself as “a God-fearing feeder of birds.” This Grand Rapids native lists his influences as “Greg Brown, Peter Mulvey, Tom Waits, Patty Griffin, Lyle Lovett, Richard Shindell, Andrew Calhoun, Kat Eggleston, John Gorka, Jan Krist, Ralston Bowles, U2, Bruce Cockburn, and, well…Dylan, Dylan, Dylan.” He’s opened for John Gorka, a big fan, at The Ark, and has toured with Melissa Etheridge and Edwin McCain.

The Yellow Room Gang
2022-01-08 20:00 | Facebook LIVE
This livestream event has been cancelled due to scheduling difficulties.
It’s a night with eight of our favorite Michigan songwriters: “One Shining Moment” composer David Barrett, Detroit native and Great American Song Contest winner Jim Bizer, contemporary country-folk road warrior Annie Capps, Irish-American chanteuse Kitty Donohoe, four-time Detroit Music Award winner Jan Krist, Michael Hough and David Tamulevich of the “Music to Cure What Ails You” duo Mustard’s Retreat, and southeastern Michigan folk veteran Matt Watroba. The Yellow Room is the “brilliantly yellow” living room of Tamulevich’s house on Ann Arbor’s Old West Side, where gang members meet monthly for musical brainstorming and mutual critique. Come and be a fly on the wall as the exchange of creative ideas flows freely! “To have any one of these songwriters perform at Trinity House is a real treat,” says promoter Bill Keith. “To have them perform together is unbelievable.” The Yellow Room Gang has been around for over 15 years now, with all the members coming up with new music all the while.
Free to view – donations to the virtual tip jar in support of the artists and The Ark are appreciated.

Jorma Kaukonen
2022-01-07 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma Kaukonen has been one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, and rock. A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy recipient, Jorma was at the forefront of popular rock and roll, one of the founders of the San Francisco sound and a progenitor of Psychedelic Rock. He is a founding member of two legendary bands, Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna. Jorma Kaukonen is a music legend and one of the finest singer-songwriters in his field. He continues to tour the world bringing his unique styling to old blues tunes while presenting new songs of weight and dimension. His secret is in playing spontaneous and unfiltered music with an individual expression of personality.

50 First Jokes
2022-01-06 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Purchases made will be automatically refunded by MUTO. Contact MUTO at muto-tix@umich.edu with questions.
COVID-19 FAQ
The tradition that started more than a decade ago at the Bell House in Brooklyn, and now is a much-anticipated event also in Los Angeles and other cities, is coming back to Ann Arbor! Fifty of the area’s up-and-coming and veteran comics come together to tell the first jokes they’ve written for the new year, kicking off the 2022 comedy scene in the most righteous way possible! It’s fast, it’s fresh, and above all it’s funny. It’s also not going to break the bank, so why not check out some Michigan comic voices you may not have known about?

Albert Lee
2022-01-04 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
British guitar legend Albert Lee, regarded by many as one of the world’s finest guitar players, with a career spanning more than 50 years, needs no introduction for country music, blues, and rock fans. Widely hailed for his finger style and hybrid picking technique, Albert Lee helped to redefine country guitar for a whole generation of players with his song “Country Boy.” Albert’s many career highlights include two Grammy wins, five years in the Eric Clapton band, and stints with the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman, The Crickets, the Everly Brothers, Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell and many more. Take it from Emmylou, who says, “When Saint Peter asks me to chronicle my time down here on earth, I’ll be able to say—with pride if that’s allowed—that for a while I played rhythm guitar in a band with Albert Lee.”

Blackthorn
2021-12-18 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Blackthorn welcomes you to the rich tapestry of Celtic music.
Traditional songs of emigration, sea shanties, lively jigs and reels, and ancient airs combine with some of Ireland’s best contemporary songs for a musical experience that captures the history and legend of Ireland and its people.
What makes a Blackthorn show unique is the variety of tunes, tempos and textures. Each member of the band plays multiple instruments, including wooden flute, accordion, tin whistle, five string banjo, cittern, bones and more. These instruments complement the lead vocal of Belfast native Richard McMullan and the band’s tight blend of four part harmony.
Blackthorn has played throughout the Great Lakes region since 1984. Based in Detroit, they can be found regularly at O’Mara’s Pub and Restaurant in Berkley. Other venues include concert halls, universities and festivals, including main stage appearances at the prestigious Michigan Irish Festival and world renowned Milwaukee Irish Fest.
Metro Detroiters fondly remember Blackthorn’s annual appearances on J. P. McCarthy’s St. Patrick’s Day show on WJR radio in the 1980s and 1990s, and later with Paul W. Smith. They have released seven CDs, and have performed with guest musicians such as members of the Michigan Opera Theater and the Motor City Brass Band. In 2010, Blackthorn was voted “Best Folk Band/Artist” by the readers of The Detroit Metro Times.
From large festival, to pub, restaurant or intimate performing arts center, Blackthorn provides time tested entertainment. Chuck Ward of the Milwaukee Irish Fest says this about the band, “Blackthorn was very well received at Milwaukee Irish Fest, they impressed everyone with their strong and well blended songs. They are strong ambassadors in their commitment to continuing the Irish ballad tradition and a crowd pleasing addition to any festival.”

Mick Gavin's Crossroads Ceili
2021-12-17 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Fiddler Mick Gavin’s annual Crossroads Ceili is a great way to mark the turning of the year. It’s a gathering of local Celtic-oriented singers, instrumentalists, and dancers, all sharing the stage to get your Celtic music year off to a good start. This year’s Ceili will feature traditional Celtic Christmas music.

The Ark and AEG present Tommy Emmanuel
2021-12-14 19:00 | Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St, Royal Oak, MI, 48067, United States
Tommy Emmanuel is one of Australia’s most respected musicians. The legendary guitarist has a professional career that spans five decades and continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world. One of only five musicians handpicked by his mentor, Chet Atkins, as a Certified Guitar Player (C.G.P), he’s piled up numerous accolades, including two Grammy nominations and two ARIA Awards from the Australian Recording Industry Association (the Aussie equivalent of the Recording Academy). A noted fingerstyle guitarist, Emmanuel frequently threads three different parts simultaneously into his material, operating as a one-man band who handles the melody, the supporting chords and the bass all at once.

Dar Williams
2021-12-12 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Dar Williams has always followed her muse. When she was up in Somerville, Massachusetts, in the early nineties, knowing that she wanted to pursue music or theater, she worked backstage at the Opera Company of Boston and wrote plays on the side. But she was in Boston, and the muse led her into the myriad open mics and tip jar gigs of booming folk revival. She opened a trunk of old songs and started writing new ones. Dar still loves every minute of her job and always advises folks to “follow their muse.” She still goes wherever the muse leads her, which, presently, is right back on her couch, coffee on the coffee table, guitar in hand, writing her next batch of songs. Come by and pick up a copy of Dar’s new middle-school children’s novel,Amalee.
Opening is Emily Scott Robinson, named one of Rolling Stone’s “10 New Country and Americana Artists You Need to Know” for 2019.

14th Annual Ebird & Friends Holiday Show
2021-12-11 20:00, 2021-12-10 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
It happens in the middle of Michigan in the heart of December. Since 2007, it has become a yearly tradition for The Ragbirds to present this unique family-friendly holiday show called Ebird & Friends. The songs and artists change from year to year, but the spirit of the event is community, the soul is creativity and the show is unforgettable. “Ebird” is Erin Zindle, lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of The Ragbirds. Erin’s budding childhood love of music was sparked at Christmastime. The holidays were the one time each year that the entire Zindle family gathered to make music together, and that early communal experience of music took deep roots. Fiddles, horns, bagpipes, guitars, and instruments from all over the world will be sounding their voices together in harmony. Expect to be entertained, surprised, cheered, and warmed by this collaborative artistic performance of new and old songs, including Ragbirds’ original songs inspired by the holiday. This show has become a phenomenon and it shows no signs of slowing down.

14th Annual Ebird & Friends Holiday Show
2021-12-11 14:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This show has been cancelled. Refunds from point of purchase. Tickets purchased from MUTO will be automatically refunded.
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
It happens in the middle of Michigan in the heart of December. Since 2007, it has become a yearly tradition for The Ragbirds to present this unique family-friendly holiday show called Ebird & Friends. The songs and artists change from year to year, but the spirit of the event is community, the soul is creativity and the show is unforgettable. “Ebird” is Erin Zindle, lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of The Ragbirds. Erin’s budding childhood love of music was sparked at Christmastime. The holidays were the one time each year that the entire Zindle family gathered to make music together, and that early communal experience of music took deep roots. Fiddles, horns, bagpipes, guitars, and instruments from all over the world will be sounding their voices together in harmony. Expect to be entertained, surprised, cheered, and warmed by this collaborative artistic performance of new and old songs, including Ragbirds’ original songs inspired by the holiday. This show has become a phenomenon and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Stephen Kellogg
2021-12-08 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Over the last decade, New England native Stephen Kellogg has performed more than 2,000 concerts around the world, raised thousands of dollars for causes close to his heart, been named Armed Forces Entertainer of the Year, and penned singles for artists like platinum selling rock band O.A.R and American Idol winner Nick Fradiani. Stephen’s most recent writing work with legendary guitarist Robert Randolph, led to a Grammy nomination for “Best Contemporary Blues Record.” He’s also had his songs covered by international major label acts and released ten studio albums of his own yielding hundreds of thousands of ticket and record sales.
A father of four and married to his high school sweetheart, filmmaker Peter Harding was so moved by the everyman nature of Kellogg’s story that he made a documentary called “Last Man Standing” which went on to become an Amazon exclusive film. In recent years, Kellogg has added authorship and speaking to his resume as well. He delivered a TEDx Talk on job satisfaction, the keynote speech for the prestigious photography summit WRKSHP, and was invited to speak to the students at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO on the topics of social justice and ‘finding your voice.’ He has appeared as a contributing author in several publications and in 2020, will be publishing his first full length book-a collection of essays called, “Objects in the Mirror: Thoughts on a Perfect Life from an Imperfect Person.”
Kellogg’s newest studio album, Objects In The Mirror, was recorded over the course of a single week in Nashville, TN. Produced by Will Hoge and featuring twelve songs that explore American life in 2018, the decision was made to track the band live, keeping the results in tact with minimal overdubs. “I wanted to make an album that sounded and felt like the ones I grew up loving; Bob Seger and Cat Stevens, Tom Petty and Rod Stewart. Emotional records where the songs relate to each other and the lyrics are front and center. That’s my true north.” That sentiment comes through loud and clear on Objects In The Mirror, an album which Rolling Stone says sounds ‘like John Prine fronting The Heartbreakers.” Another journalist succinctly describes his music as “a beautiful display of- well, his heart,” while Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz told Glide Magazine, “He’s just one of the most likable people I’ve known. There are few people in rock n’ roll who are just so great.”
While Stephen Kellogg may have remained underneath the radar for some in the mainstream, he has succeeded in building a meaningful career alongside many of the best in the business. He’s sung duets with Sara Bareilles, Josh Ritter, Rosanne Cash, and Pat Monahan of Train and participated in the 2018 “Garden Of Dreams’ concert at the Beacon Theater. His music has found its way onto the Billboard charts and been featured in numerous films and TV shows. Whether performing solo or with a band, Kellogg’s soul and energy fuel one of the most dynamic shows anywhere. “With beautifully written songs and an engaging personality”, The Michigan Daily reports, “Kellogg appears as if he was born on stage, taking the spotlight and using it to his advantage, but never letting go of his connection with the audience.” A master storyteller in his prime, he will spend much of 2020 where he’s always been at home…the road.
