For much of its existence, The Coffee House has held benefit concerts to provide food and financial aid to food pantries, homeless shelters, and many deserving causes. For tonight’s show some of our very best performers —- Craig Siemsen, and Barb & Tom Webber — are playing gratis. And many Coffee House patrons that have supported us through thick and thin are donating what they can tonight to help keep us afloat until we can open our doors again. Our goals are to keep our shows going, and to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Craig Siemsen has been called “one of the finest songwriters and performers on Wisconsin’s acoustic music scene.” -Wisconsin Singer/Songwriter Concert Series

Drawn to all music since he can remember, Craig plays mostly by ear, teaching himself to play guitar… listening to what moves him in other’s playing. This approach, along with a stubborn resistance to not “play it like the record” has created a very unique flat-picking guitar style. Craig has always enjoyed great vocalists. After taking lessons from the late jazz great Jessie Hauck, Craig learned to use his voice as an instrument to communicate his music.

For almost twenty-five years audiences have been heartened by Craig’s personal blend of original, old time country, and traditional folk music. With a voice made for crooning, Craig uses a playful stage presence to deliver his songs and stories to audiences around the United States.

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 it's 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. Tom views the world with an artistic eye of optimism.