Some Like It Folk is the trio of vocalists Chris and Lorraine Straw backed up with Jon Pagenkopf’s marvelous guitar work.

Chris Straw has been singing as long as she can remember, and writing songs since she was a teenager. She has performed with bluegrass, folk, traditional/standards, and choral groups over the years, most notably with The Moxie Chicks. She has performed on several CDs, the most recent featuring her own compositions, “Echoes of Home” (2019). Chris has played uke, guitar, and upright bass, but focuses primarily on vocals.

Jon Pagenkopf has played a variety of guitars since he was a teen, in a variety of styles, including rock, bluegrass, folk, classical, and a bit of jazz. He often plays lead guitar in groups, and sometimes plays his home made slide guitar. His guitar idols include Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler. He has performed solo, in duets, and with a number of groups, most recently the rock group City Boy. He was the lead guitarist in The Moxie Chicks. Jon was featured on the recent CD, “Echoes of Home.”

Lorraine Straw has been singing since she was a child, in family harmony sessions, campfire songfests, and in high school, college, church and concert choirs. She loves all types of music, folk to orchestral, and has played guitar and French horn. Lorraine has sung for decades with sister Chris, and was featured singing harmony and lead in Chris’s CD release concert last November.

Opener Lisa Medina is a contemporary folk singer-songwriter with a flavorful hint of Latin rhythm and spice. Lisa’s performance history includes: church choir, theater kid, solo singer-songwriter, vocals and guitar in various duos and bands, and as a vocalist with a Grammy-nominated Latin jazz big band. Over the years Lisa sang on renowned stages, most notably at the Petrillo Bandshell for the Chicago Jazz Festival, Park West, the Old Town School Folk & Roots Festival, the Adler Planetarium, and at Wrigley Field singing the National Anthem for Cubs games. More recently, her children's innocent laughter and musical curiosity became her muse, who inspire stories and dreams into powerful songs that form the heart and the backbone of her latest project, her first studio album, "Wishes" released in May 2024.

Singer/songwriter John Stano’s sound is a distinctive blend of acoustic and slide guitar, harmonica, expressive vocals and insightful songwriting developed over many years of performance and study. He sometimes adds a little mandolin, cigar box guitar or banjo to the mix as well. His style can be described as a combination of folk, blues and Americana. Initially self-taught, John went on to study American fingerstyle guitar at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and harmonica with national blues legend, Jim Liban. John studied English and creative writing at U.W. Madison. A skillful use of language adds an original spark to his lyrics. ‘Green Man Review’ compared John’s music to early Bob Dylan while ‘Dirty Linen’ was reminded of Country Joe McDonald. John also performs his own arrangements of folk and country blues classics by artists such as Robert Johnson and Mississippi John Hurt and Bukka White and contemporary writers such as; Gillian Welch, Bob Dylan, Greg Brown, John Prine and Tom Waits. John is a flexible and engaging performer who works regularly at a variety of indoor and outdoor venues. John has released four recordings of original music.

“His vocal resemblance to John Prine may be a plus for some, but Stano’s songwriting voice is his own, apt for the folksinger’s task of chronicling the local while relating it to the universal.”
-The Shepherd Express

Opener Don & Jack is the duo of Don and Jack Pardee. Don is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and long-time friend of and performer at The Coffee House. Don’s own songs are a joy, as are his fine renditions of James Taylor, Richard Shindell, Cheryl Wheeler and other great folk artists. Brother Jack Pardee will be adding vocals, and backup on guitar, bodhrán and other instruments.

Tonight’s show is a Coffee House benefit featuring three acts performing songs with the theme “Naughty or Nice”: songs about good people and not-so-good people, and, well, some really rotten people. The show will benefit the genuinely good people at Nourish MKE (formerly Friedens Food Pantry).

The not-so-rotten people performing at this show will be Martin Levson, John Jansen, and Pam Kennedy with Mark Peterson,

Pam Kennedy is a former kindergarten teacher, former member of the Redundants, now turned dangerous ukulele diva. Mark Peterson is a long time ukulele-cult member, autoharp player, and social gadfly. 

Martin Levson grew up in San Jose, CA; the child of two hard-core early '60s folkies.  His secular musical influences include Theo Bikel, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Suzanne Vega, but he also has a great fondness for Jefferson Airplane, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, and The Decemberists.  IRL, he serves as the Cantor and Sole/Soul Spiritual Leader of Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha.

John Jansen is a lifelong guitarist and vocalist whose catalogue includes hundreds of covers from the world of rock, folk and Irish music along with an expanding number of original songs. Located in Cedarburg, he has performed at its many annual festivals and in area nightclubs. When not performing as a solo artist, he plays in a popular duo called “Cream City Folk” (www.CreamCityFolk.com), which won the silver medal at this year’s “Best of Blueburg” competition at Gathering on the Green. He can be reached at jfjansen26@gmail.com.

Barb Webber is a natural storyteller, a talent honed by years of listening. She writes a Capella, letting the words choose their own notes, without constraints. It is in singing the songs over and over that the story finds its own rhythm and melody. Off stage, she is a great audience, listening to other people share their life's happenings.

Tom Webber was born and raised in Borger, Texas, just north of Amarillo in the dry dusty Texas Panhandle. His early memories include playing with horny toads and ants. It is clear to all outsiders why music becomes such an important part of a young person's social life in the Texas Panhandle: there is, quite simply, nothing else to do. Tom began jamming in grade school and hasn't stopped. He has developed an interesting 2-finger picking style for the tender love ballads which contrasts dramatically with his country-rock strum. Tom is persistent in finding arrangements that give voice to the personality of each song.

https://fairwebberfolkmusic.com/

Maine native, Milwaukee based Julie Thompson will be presenting songs by Maine writers.  Come enjoy the Yankee spirit, and the landscape of New England deep in the lyrics. Julie's career has spanned the styles but her love for folk music has given her opportunities such as opening for The Kingston Trio in New Hampshire and in Wisconsin, and singing with The Dangerous Folk at Summerfest.   (www.JulieVoice.com).

Joining Julie is meteorologist by day, musician by night, Allen Becker. Allen has played classical and folk guitar since his early teens. And his recent study of the slide guitar brought his musical journey to the resonator guitar, the dobro.

Tony Linz will be opening with a program called “Maine Songs and Stories”. It includes a set of songs about Maine by Mainers as well as stories by a Maine humorist. A proud graduate of Bangor High School and the University of Maine, he is excited to share his love for his home state. Tony is a longtime member and jam leader for Make Our Own Music Gathering. This is his second appearance on the Coffee House stage.

Francesca and The Night Sky is a band from Milwaukee Wisconsin USA.

After years of terrorizing Milwaukee stages separately, Francesca, Tom, Larry and Mike joined forces in 2023 to conquer the world.

So far, so good.

Francesca’s vocals bring sparkly shine to her fresh, creative writing while the boys stoke up the punch and groove. It promises to be a lively show!

Warning Glory writes and plays musical stories in a style they call “bluesgrass.” They pour the experiences of modern life into old American forms including blues, bluegrass, and country. Around a scaffolding of upright bass, guitar, accordion, keyboards. and vocal harmonies, they're building out their sound day by day with new instruments and collaborators. Band members include Jackie Lalley, Chuck Lawton, Sachin Chheda and Donna Kummer. This promises to be a great show — don’t miss it!

Opener We 3 Ukes consists of long-time local entertainers Steve Girman (ukulele/percussion/vocals), Tom Stemper (U-bass/vocals) and Vinn Stemper (ukulele/vocals). For years, We 3 Ukes have been entertaining Milwaukee-area children and adults alike with their classic (and sometimes surprising) rendition of classic rock and roll songs that span the decades. Be prepared to laugh and sing along to some of your favorite tunes with their lively performance.

Folks would walk under the old Coffee House sign to enter a welcoming world of music and poet friends to talk about peace and justice, reminisce, and share their stories and songs. Tonight we invite everyone to join in on an old Coffee House tradition. Bring an instrument, a song or your own book of poems. You can come just to listen or join in yourself. - The Coffee House Friends Gathering and Open Jam is a time to gather together listen, appreciate everybody's contribution, and have fun singing -- that's what it's all about. In a jam session or song circle just try to be observant and feel your way gently. Each person who wants to can take a turn playing a song and they lead the group. The idea is that no one plays louder than the person leading the song. Depending on the size of the group you may be able to lead multiple songs when the circle comes around as each person takes a turn. We love it if people just want to come to listen too. Wonderful time to visit with friends!

Co-owner of the popular folk venue Café Carpe in Fort Atkinson, Bill Camplin entertains with the clarity of his penetrating mind, guitar mastery, and quicksilver voice. Come see a long-time mainstay of Wisconsin folk music and supporter of The Coffee House.

Our annual benefit features three songwriters taking turns singing and playing their own songs, and sharing the stories behind the songs. The songwriters/performers tonight are Peter Irving, Monica Murphy, and JP Spencer.

Peter Irving began his musical career as front and center in his third-grade hip-hop dance group, he had a brief stint playing the tuba and then picked up the acoustic guitar and bass in 8th grade. It wasn’t until 2012 that Peter met Sandy Stehling who introduced him to ragtime and country blues. At the same time, he spent numerous hours jamming with his college buddies, playing funk, hip-hop, and rock. Over the years Peter dug further and further into folk music (particularly of the danceable variety). As of late, he has been working on his fiddling and making sure his songwriting is as grammatically correct as possible. Be prepared for music of the melancholic and root n’ toot variety."

Monica Clare Murphy is a trilingual singer/songwriter who plays music primarily with a charango, which she got in Argentina ten years ago. She has been writing and performing original music since 2017 starting at Linneman’s Open Stage.

(“JP”) is a guitar player, singer and songwriter from Milwaukee who has graced the Coffee House stage a number of times in the past in our songwriter shows and various tribute benefits.

Jay Bullock is an English teacher, columnist, singer-songwriter, marvelous guitarist and occasional improv comedian. He is a long-time member of the Portage Road Songwriter Guild.

Rick Fitzgerald, also a veteran of the Portage Road Guild, has delighted Coffee House audiences with his pure vocals, and masterful guitar and autoharp playing, with influences that include Brian Bowers, John Denver, and Bill Staines. Rick was the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Champion, and runner-up in the International Autoharp Championship at Winfield. He is currently on the board of directors for the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering and chairman of the Make Our Own (MOO) Music Gathering.

http://www.rootrivermusic.com/

Lil Rev is a storyteller, poet, author, folklorist and joke-lorist; a performer on multiple instruments at festivals, camps, and clubs; a teacher and instructional book writer; a composer of original music and a torch bearer for old tunes. And he has delighted audiences at The Coffee House for decades!

https://lilrev.com/

Frogwater is Susan and John Nicholson. Their amazing music features a cross pollination of musical genres: Celtic, Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Blues. Their performances are particularly influenced by their love of Irish and Scottish music.

For the past several years, Frogwater has performed regularly at Milwaukee’s Summerfest, Irish Fest, Bastille Days and Rainbow Summer. They also perform at numerous other fairs and contra dances across the state and Midwest. They received honors as best band in the Bluegrass and Country categories in WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) awards two years running.

A long-time, dear friend of The Coffee House and of Frogwater, Rich Klein, is being honored at this concert for his friendship, music, and countless volunteer contributions. We hope Rich’s health will allow him to join Susan and John for a couple of numbers.

Patty Stevenson and Craig Siemsen are known for their gorgeous harmonies, impeccable musicianship, playful stage humor, and jewel-like original songs. Patty says about performing, “I try for magic – nothing less! For the place that opens hearts and will move an audience to tears or smiles.” For many years, the couple maintained solo careers, even after they married. Eventually, with the prodding of wise friends, they agreed to perform one show as a duo. Today, they continue to create and record original songs as well as their own variations on timeless pieces that often span the ages of creativity in sound.

The Coffee House community of musicians, poets, fans, volunteers, and all-around good folks gathers each summer to celebrate outdoors. Here’s the skinny:

What: BYO food to consume and share, and stuff for your coolers. The Coffee House staff brings some edible goodies, drinks, and plates, utensils, and cups; but we rely on folks to help fill our picnic tables with goodies. There will be at least one grill there with charcoal, ranger juice, and matches, etc.

More What: Bring your voice, instrument(s), songs, stories, poems. good conversation, and good spirits!

When: Sunday August 11, 11 AM to 8 PM.

Where: Lake Park Picnic area # 5.

(East on Newberry to Lake Park entrance; bear left on Lake Park Road; picnic area 5 is on the north side of the road.)

Chris Chan and Heather Lewin are best known as members of Blackthorn Folly, a traditionally inspired band from the Milwaukee area who play Celtic tunes, pub songs, American standards, and even some pop music.

With Chris’s powerful baritone vocals, bouzouki, and guitar; and Heather’s amazing fiddle and vocals, they bring high energy and devotion to every song. Don’t miss this wonderful duo!

https://www.lewinchanmusic.com/

The Portage Road Songwriters Guild is a group of 9 supportive, creative singer-songwriters that have been nourishing new songs into existence for over 20 years. The Coffee House has hosted its well-anticipated new song concert each year. The Guild includes Eric Baer, Jay Bullock, Bob Estes, Chris Head, Mark Plotkin, Chris Straw, Tom & Barb Webber. Be warned: this concert is always lively!

Be part of a long-running CoffeeHouse tradition and bring your voice, instrument, a poem or story, or simply come to listen share, and contribute. Your donations will help Casa Maria, an intentional community, dedicated to following the tradition of the Catholic Worker movement.

Casa Maria currently runs four houses. They perform such services as: taking in single mothers and their children who are in need of housing; providing longer-term housing to families and women who need more support; and giving temporary living space for workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and others facing difficulties within the immigration system.

http://casamariacatholicworker.weebly.com/

Earth Poets & Musicians Holly Haebig Wake, Suzanne Rosenblatt, and Harvey Taylor welcome you to their 37th Annual Earthstravaganza, joined by poet extraordinaire Kavon Jones, and other special guests TBA, all celebrating Mother Earth, doing their best to defend Her, and honoring the much-loved and greatly-missed Jahmes Finlayson, with proceeds benefitting their much-appreciated "home venue," The Coffee House! Join us for an evening of inspiration, enlightenment, humor, and joy.

Our 14th annual Community Sing features Midwest folk singers and song leaders Will Branch, Julie Thompson, and Craig Siemsen. Julie, Craig, and Will will lead the audience in a group sing featuring well known and loved songs. The Community Sing is part of a movement that started at the Ten Pound Fiddle in East Lansing, Michigan, and has spread throughout the country. We hope that all listeners — in-person and virtual — will join in singing. Our song leaders are each accomplished musicians, songwriters, and humorists. Will Branch is a singer, guitarist, banjoist, and teacher, beloved by both big and little people. Noted folk singer Joe Jencks has said Julie Thompson sings with a style that is silky and soulful. Craig Siemsen has been called “(an) acclaimed performer on the Midwest’s burgeoning acoustic folk scene” by Albuquerque’s The Weekly Alibi. The lyrics and chords will be available and shared as we get closer to the concert date.

Will Branch http://www.willbranch.com/

Julie Thompson http://www.julievoice.com

Craig Siemsen www.craigtunes.com

Ben Mulwana is a Ugandan-born and raised artist residing in Wisconsin. With soulful lyrics and a diverse range of musical inspiration, Ben's music has a storytelling quality that is both unique and familiar. Whether alone or with his band, he brings high energy, engaging with his listeners and sharing his heart through his music!. Ben released his debut EP, "Wano Naawe", in June 2019; and his most recently released Single, "Lies of the Devil", is available on all streaming platforms. https://www.benmulwana.com/

Opening for Ben is Mie, 27-year-old singer-songwriter and producer, is making waves in the Milwaukee music scene with her heartfelt originals and soulful storytelling. Over the summer of '23, she played her Summerfest debut and was featured on The Musician's Venture podcast and the Wisconsin Music Podcast where she candidly shares her transformative journey in music. Mie was also featured in American Family Field's "Live from Left Field" music series, SoFar Milwaukee's lineup, and at Nö Studios. Most recently, Mie toured alongside Milwaukee's Cullah to Jackson, Mississippi for an OO Presents show at the great Duling Hall. Fans anticipate the release of Mie's collaborative original pop project with Timothy Rose from Sun Sawed in 2024. https://therealmie.com/

Inspired by the winds of Lake Michigan, Green Sails sets an entertaining course of rousing tunes and delightful melodies fueled by Amy Otis-Wilborn's Irish fiddle and Sandy Weisto's guitar and vocals. Their performances offer Irish/Celtic luscious melodies and rousing dance tunes as well as delightful songs, intriguing stories, and engaging opportunities for audience participation. Their name, Green Sails, represents "Green" for Irish music as well as ecological sustainability and "Sails" for the winds that are the spirit Celtic sailing tales and tunes. They can be found performing at local Farmer's Markets and various Irish themed events including Milwaukee Irish Fest.

Opener Tom Martinsen’s music is a lively mix of hone-grown tunes, wonderful quirky indie folk, old blues and traditional folk, and acoustic motown dance numbers that the audience can really join in on.

A long-time friend and performer at the Coffee House, John King passed on in November of 2023. To honor his memory, Brett Kemnitz, Paul Smith, Andy Jehly, Ives Iverson, Francesca & Tom, Mary Wacker, Eccentric Acoustic (Sandy Stehling, Ruth Williams and Scott Emmons) and more will be performing a body of music that John made his own with his remarkable voice and devotion. This will include selections by Townes Van Zandt, Mickey Newbury, Ray Price, and Kris Kristofferson.

All donations will go to benefit The Coffee House.

Tonight’s show will present two veteran - and Veteran - Milwaukee folksingers singing songs with a theme of peace.

John Higgins, a United States Navy veteran, is a member of the Stringalong Band and plays solo shows of original songs and covers. "The power of music is incredible. I believe music is the great peacemaker and allows us to experience creative hope”. https://jphiggins.weebly.com/home.html

David HB Drake, a Vietnam-era veteran, has performed for over 40 years throughout the Midwest presenting songs for folks of all ages and with the Dangerous Folk trio. He has received awards from Peace Action of Wisconsin for his years of service to the peace and justice movement in Milwaukee and a Lifetime Achievement award from Folk Alliance / Region Midwest. https://www.davidhbdrake.com/

This show will be a benefit with all proceeds after CH expenses going to the missions at Plymouth Church. We are grateful to be part of this wonderful place!

The String Along Band plays music to soothe the savage soul! Covering music by Johnny Cash, Willy Nelson, Patsy Cline, John Denver, Elvis, Roy Orbison, Various Rock N' Roll, Blue Grass, Country and classics from days gone by and more! And long-time member John Higgins (guitar, banjo, vocals) is one of the great volunteers who have helped keep The Coffee House alive and well. Other band members performing Saturday are Steve Karthauser, Brian Karthauser, Steve Vogt, Zach Karthauser, and David Morrissey. Come to see some great folks playing some great music! For more info see their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/stringalongband

This evening’s show is a co-bill of two fine groups: the duo Kitchin & Granzow, and the trio Eccentric Acoustic.

The Kitchin Granzow duo is Gary Kitchin (guitar, vocals, mandolin, harmonica) and John Granzow (guitar and vocals). Gary and John have performed together for years, including as founding members of the wonderful folk/rock/ and blues group aptly named the Dirty Dishes that graced our stage in previous years! Their devotion to the music and high energy will warm our audience on this mid-February show!

Eccentric Acoustic is a trio featuring Ruth Williams on mandolin, Sandy Stehling on guitar, and Scott Emmons on bass. They perform a wide variety of music, ranging from swing era jazz and country blues to more contemporary country, folk, and Americana. Ruth Williams started singing harmony while doing the family dishes with her sister. She currently sings with Milwaukee’s Bel Canto Chorus. Ruth forsook the autoharp for the mandolin some years ago and has been a stalwart member of the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra for more than twenty years.Sandy Stehling began playing guitar as a way to avoid studying while attending UW-Madison. His transcript shows the success of this strategy. The lively folk music scene on campus at the time was a major influence. He has been heard playing as a soloist and in various groups in the Milwaukee area for many years. Scott Emmons, a multi-instrumentalist, is dean of the UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts. He performs in a classical guitar quartet, plays mando-cello in the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, and is the director of the New Horizons Band in Waukesha. Ruth and Sandy have been making music together since they first met some thirtyyears ago. They have played with Scott informally in various musical gatherings in the Milwaukee area, and have enjoyed collaborating with Scott seriously for the past four years. The process of combining three individuals’ musical tastes into an ensemble repertoire yields the serious fun that is Eccentric Acoustic.

Folks would walk under the old Coffee House sign to enter a welcoming world of music and poet friends to talk about peace and justice, reminisce, and share their stories and songs. Tonight we invite everyone to join in on an old Coffee House tradition. Bring an instrument, a song or your own book of poems. You can come just to listen or join in yourself. - The Coffee House Friends Gathering and Open Jam is a time to gather together listen, appreciate everybody's contribution, and have fun singing -- that's what it's all about. In a jam session or song circle just try to be observant and feel your way gently. Each person who wants to can take a turn playing a song and they lead the group. The idea is that no one plays louder than the person leading the song. Depending on the size of the group you may be able to lead multiple songs when the circle comes around as each person takes a turn. We love if people just want to come to listen too. Wonderful time to visit with friends.

Early in the new year The Coffee House celebrates the poets and musicians that have passed away in the past year. This year Tony Linz, Joe DeLucia and Julie Lovely Thompson will play the songs of some of their favorites of those we have lost in 2023.

Tony Linz brings his love of folk music to every performance. A long time member and jam leader for Make Our Own Music Gathering, this is his first appearance on the Coffee House stage.

Joe DeLucia is a self-taught, gifted singer/songwriter who brings to you his heartfelt spirit through his lyrics and melodies. He’s a James Taylor style guitarist and singer and he would love to share his gift of music with you.

Full time singer, Maine native, Julie Thompson is based in Milwaukee Wisconsin.

“Julie has one of the richest and most versatile voices I’ve heard in a long time. Her heart allows her to make each of the songs she sings, her very own. Lovely, Lovely.”

- Bill Staines, Singer Songwriter, New Hampshire

An evening of two wonderful duos: PK Harmony and Jerry & Maya Danks.

PK Harmony is Peter Lee and Karen Levy on vocals, autoharp and guitar. Together they make lovely harmonies and joyous renditions of jug-band, country blues, early jazz, and Americana. https://www.facebook.com/PKHarmony1/

Jerry and Maya Danks are a father-daughter duo who bring their wonderful guitar and mandolin playing and Maya’s amazing vocals to wide variety of great songs. Be prepare to be delighted!

The Frozen Four are two duos that are no strangers to The Coffee House stage: Paul Smith & Andy Jehly, and JP Spencer and Ives Iverson.

Paul Smith & Andy Jehly come from very different musical backgrounds. Paul’s most significant musical influences are 1960’s psychedelic and folk rock, including the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Arlo Guthrie, Jorma Kaukonen, the Beatles, Larry Campbell, the Byrds, and Buffalo Springfield. Andy’s are old traditional folk, R&B, and country, including Pete Seeger, Doc Watson, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding. What they share is a passion for music with history, great harmonies, and evocative lyrics.

Reflecting his upbringing in Philadelphia, J. P. Spencer has pledged an oath to himself and his audience that irreverence will always be his guiding light. His songs careen from humorous to serious to downright disturbing, but with a singular focus towards the entertainment of all in attendance.

Ives Iverson is a multi-instrumentalist (banjo, guitar, harp and voice) who loves to blend blues & folk, jazz & rock, and the word artistry of great singer-songwriters and poets.