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.