2026 Staff List

Scott Ainslie

has been a musician all his life. He came of age during the Civil Rights era, and cultivated a powerful affinity for cross-cultural exchange. He has studied with elder musicians on both sides of the color line — in the Old-Time Southern Appalachian fiddle and banjo traditions, as well as Black Gospel and Blues. He plays this music with affection, authority, and power. Armed with a variety of instruments — vintage guitars, a fretless gourd banjo, a one-string, homemade diddley bow (aka cigar box guitar) and carefully chosen historical personal anecdotes of his encounters with senior musicians across the South — Ainslie brings the history, roots music, and sounds of America to life.

Sarah Elizabeth Burkey

grew up in rural Kentucky, raised in and influenced by Appalachian, Indigenous, and Black cultures. Her childhood instilled in her a love of the land, traditional music & dance, storytelling, and creating things by hand, all of which became the foundation of her life’s work. Though college wasn’t part of Sarah's original plan, she enrolled at Campbellsville University, where she sang her first ballad in public. That moment created a connection to her heritage that would last a lifetime. In 2000, she met Jean Ritchie, who became a mentor and encouraged her to embrace her Appalachian roots through song. A VHS of Sheila Kay Adams further deepened Sarah's passion, and after moving from Kentucky to Western North Carolina in 2013, she formed close bonds with Sheila Kay Adams and Bobby McMillon. For Sarah, ballads are timeless—they connect generations, foster community, and serve as a source of healing and inspiration.

Affectionately known as "Songbird", Sarah is a torchbearer.

Her prolific songwriting and incomparable vocals have been featured in numerous films and over 19 albums including Door of the Moon, When the Redbuds Bloom, Don’t Die Yet, and Honeysuckle Vine. She has toured in 19 countries and earned an international reputation as an authentic voice for Roots Music.

As evidenced in her walk and talk, Sarah is deeply committed to the natural world and the continuation of traditional knowledge which is vital to social justice and cultural and environmental preservation.

Howie Bursen

is best known for his gravity-defying, triplet-filled, fiddle-tune variations and is certainly one of today’s foremost practitioners of clawhammer banjo style. He is also an excellent singer, song-writer and guitarist, and frequently performs with Sally Rogers.

Amy Conley

is a multi-instrumentalist (ukulele, guitar, banjo, harmonica, mandolin, piano) who has been performing & teaching music for all ages since 1986. She has recorded three CD’s for families and is an active member of The Children’s Music Network. Once an active member of FSSGB, Amy now creates community music programs in southern NH such as the Second Friday Song Circle, music jams, concerts and Ukulele Playshops for adults. Her classes emphasize singing and playing for fun. Amy has taught ukulele at all TradMaDs to date and her classes have performed brilliantly in the Camper Concerts.

Andy Davis

is known nationally as one of the finest piano accompanists for contra dance music and is an outstanding performer on piano accordion and banjo. He taught music in several schools in Brattleboro, where he makes his home, and runs the successful operation of New England Dancing Masters, with recordings and publications that make New England dance forms available for use in schools. Andy is a leader of popular community dances. He was a longtime member of Nowell Sing We Clear.

Craig Edwards

plays a broad range of American roots music: traditional fiddle styles including Appalachian old-time, blues, bluegrass, Cajun, Cape Breton, Irish, and Swing, old-time 5 string banjo, flatpicking and fingerstyle guitar covering Delta and Piedmont blues, honky-tonk, rockabilly, and swing, Cajun and Zydeco accordion, and solo and group singing. Alone or with other musicians, he plays with the drive and conviction that characterize these musical traditions.

Gina Forsyth

is known for her wizardry on fiddle and guitar. She is considered one of the best Cajun fiddlers in Louisiana. Born in Florida and raised in Alabama, Gina grew up on hymns, country songs, and old time fiddle tunes. She now lives in New Orleans. As well as performing traditional Cajun songs, Gina writes original songs that sound centuries old.

Lisa Gutkin

is a Grammy Award winning violinist, singer, actor, and composer. She is best known as a member of the acclaimed Klezmatics, and most recently for her musical score, performance, and music direction in the two-time Tony award-winner, Indecent. Lisa might swing seamlessly from Klezmer to the blues, or between traditional Irish and Appalachian sounds. She might even put the violin down altogether, pick up a tenor guitar, and sing one of her own universally resonant songs. Wherever she goes, Lisa has an uncanny way of taking the audience with her.

Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr.

is a singer, storyteller and self taught multi-instrumentalist. He uses folk, blues, spirituals and other American Roots music to champion the beauty and power of our shared culture. A lifelong Detroiter, Rev. Jones has been performing professionally for nearly 30 years for festivals, schools, civil rights organizations and churches. He says, “As much as I love what this music is for the way that it sounds, I love, even more, what this music can do. At its best, Roots music tells the truth, and it gives a voice to those who struggle to be heard otherwise. I am an activist and I try to use my stories and music, not just for entertainment, but in service to my calling and my community and to connect the generations that I am blessed to live between.” His influences include Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Willie Johnson, Rev. Dan Smith, Joshua White, Blind Connie Williams and Rev. Robert Wilkins.

Chris Koldewey

was born into a family with a rich maritime history. His lullabies as a child were songs of the sea. Raised by the water on the north shore of Long Island, he was influenced by the wonderful enclave of performers of traditional folk music. Chris performs a wide range of traditional and contemporary folk music with a focus on the songs of the sea, from lively and boisterous to heartwarming and emotive. accompanying them on a variety of acoustic instruments or singing them a capella. Chris worked at Mystic Seaport with the Chantey and Interpretation Departments for 20 years, giving him a wide range of practical and insightful perspectives into the songs of the 19th century. He crewed the last wooden whaling ship, the Charles W. Morgan on part of her historic voyage in 2014. Chris' 32-year career in teaching public school music gives him a natural and experienced approach in presenting folk music to children as well as "non-children." He engages his listeners and encourages audiences to sing along.

Bennett Konesni

runs Duckback Farm in Maine where he grows gourmet garlic, teas, and culinary herbs. He also runs worksongs.org, where he shares his 20 years of worksong research and development. Bennett is the co-founder of Sylvester Manor, a 243-acre educational farm on Shelter Island, NY on a piece of land that had been in his family since 1652 until it was donated to a nonprofit farm that he started. His roles there include teaching worksongs to the farm crew and directing a wide variety of musical programs, including events like Plant&Sing, which brings the community to the farm to complete two weeks' worth of garlic shucking and planting in a single morning, all while singing worksongs.

Chris Newman

is "one of the UK's greatest musicians" (BBC Radio 2). He's played with luminaries of folk (Máire Ní Chathasaigh, Boys of the Lough, Aly Bain), jazz (Stéphane Grappelli and Diz Disley) and comedy (Fred Wedlock). He received a silver disc for producing Fred's hit Oldest Swinger in Town. "Newman's playing boggles my mind" Flatpicking Guitar, "Dazzling" Acoustic Guitar, "Guitar-playing of astonishing virtuosity and versatility" Songlines. Chris has been principal guitar tutor for Newcastle University's Folk B.Mus. course since its inception. His fourth solo CD Still Getting Away with It, a celebration of his 40-year career, is "Astonishing - a must-buy for any guitar player." Scotland on Sunday, "Dazzling... guitar-playing to be marvelled at" Daily Telegraph, "Beauty and virtuosity from a master craftsman at the peak of his abilities" Maverick. His partnership with Máire Ní Chathasaigh tours worldwide and has made seven acclaimed duo and two quartet albums.

Máire Ní Chathasaigh

Máire is "the doyenne of Irish harpers" Scotland on Sunday, sole harpist recipient to date of Irish music's most prestigious Award, Gradam Ceoil TG4 (Traditional Musician of the Year), and one of Ireland's most influential traditional musicians - described by the late Derek Bell as "the most interesting and original player of the Irish harp today." A multiple All-Ireland and Pan-Celtic winner, she developed profoundly influential techniques for harp performance of traditional Irish music, heard on her New-Strung Harp (1985) - the first harp album to concentrate on traditional Irish dance music: "a masterpiece of virtuosity… a milestone in Irish harp music" The Irish Examiner. Her "celebrated virtuoso partnership" (The Daily Telegraph)with Chris Newman has made seven duo and two quartet albums and toured in twenty-two countries worldwide to venues ranging from the tiniest of village halls and historic European churches to palaces in Kyoto and Istanbul, London's Barbican, Sydney's Town Hall and Cologne's Philharmonie. "Their blinding technique, sizzling Irish reels and hot jazz improvisation brought an extended standing ovation" The West Australian. Her 2015 CD with her sisters, Sibling Revelry, was "Blissfully beautiful" Songlines, The Daily Telegraph, The Irish TImes.

Sally Rogers

is a gifted performer and musician, but she is also a passionate educator, always trying to find the best window into learning. Sally will be teaching mountain dulcimer at camp. She is committed to using her skills as an educator, artist, and musician to help ALL learners reach their highest potential as human beings. Then sing about it!

The Vox Hunters

is (or are?) Armand Aromin, Benedict Gagliardi, and Flannery Brown, who are musical symbionts that sprouted from a mutual loam. Soon after, they began to hum in sympathy, eventually buzz in synchrony, and now whomp with full-lunged abandon. Like a lively fungus on the branches of tradition, they nourish themselves on its ancient heartwood and burgeoning boughs-to-be. They are the Pope's frown, a wagon of porcupines, that cup of tea next to the worm bin. They sing for you and each other. As for the birds? Especially so.

Matt Watroba

Bio to come.

Macdara Yeates

Macdara Yeates is a traditional singer from Dublin’s rich and fertile folk scene. With a voice described as “a bracing, baleful, baritone that sounds as if it's been dug from the deepest, most fragrant turf” (Songlines), Yeates’ performances offer a unique blend of Dublin street songs, Irish ‘big’ ballads, and songs of the comic and surreal. Macdara’s debut album Traditional Singing from Dublin earned two nominations at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, and a spot in MOJO Magzine’s Top 10 Folk Albums of the Year.

Joy Bennett

has been involved in folk music most of her life. As a member of the quartet Water Sign for 13 years, she explored the close-knit harmonies of both traditional and contemporary folk music. Joy is also a founding member of the all-woman chantey group The Johnson Girls. The "J-Girls" bring a sound and energy to sea and work songs that has brought entire audiences to their feet. They not only have beautiful harmonies, but raw power, allowing audiences a glimpse of the situations in which the chanteys were used. She has performed solo, with Water Sign, the Johnson Girls, Chris Koldewey, and with guest artists in the US, UK, Canada, and Europe. Joy is the Executive Director of Old Songs, an organization that presents the annual Old Songs Festival - Music with Roots, a year-long concert series, community dances, and instrument classes.

Don Wade, Collegium Sound

has over four decades of experience in sound reinforcement and recording. He has worked at everything from concerts to large festivals and is particularly familiar with Folk, Classical, and Jazz. Don is co-founder of Minstrel Records, which has produced some fine albums.