From the South Orange Performing Arts Center:
Americana, Folk, Bluegrass, Country and more—the South Orange Performing Arts Center’s lineup of Singer-Songwriters includes compelling Grammy winners and skilled acoustic instrumentalists. Sample their music on our Singer-Songwriters Spotify Playlist.
Kathleen Edwards, Chris Smither & Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricius, and Josh Ritter
SAT, SEP 17 at 8PM
Tickets: $30-$48
Israeli superstar David Broza is recognized for his dynamic guitar performances and humanitarian efforts. His signature sound is influenced by Spanish Flamenco, American Folk, Rock and poetry.
THU, SEP 22 at 7:30PM
Tickets: $28-$38
After a musical hiatus and period of profound self-reflection, singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards triumphantly returns with her cloud-grazing voice, skilled strumming and Folk/Country music that confronts life’s challenges yet finds the beauty in it all.
Chris Smither & Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricius
SAT, OCT 8 at 8PM
Tickets: $35-$45
A master of acoustic Folk/Blues, Chris Smither creates a singular guitar sound – a beat-driven finger-picking, layered over his rhythmic, tapping feet (always mic’d in performance). A lifelong devotee of Bluegrass, Tim O’Brien is skilled on guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo. He often performs with his wife, vocalist Jan Fabricius.
WED, OCT 26 at 7:30PM
Tickets: $49-$84
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, “the king and queen of the banjo” (Paste magazine), have a musical partnership like no other. Béla is a fifteen-time Grammy winner who has taken the instrument across multiple genres. Abigail is a singer-songwriter and clawhammer banjo player.
THU, NOV 3 at 7:30PM
Tickets: $39-$62
Jim Messina’s legacy of making hit music spans five decades, three super groups (Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Loggins and Messina), a vibrant solo career and scores of producing and engineering credits.
WED, NOV 9 at 7:30PM
Tickets: $28-$38
Darlingside has long been praised for their mesmerizing harmonies and wistful songwriting, described by NPR as “exquisitely-arranged, literary-minded, baroque Folk-Pop,” and compared to Crosby, Stills and Nash; Simon & Garfunkel; and The Byrds.
Paula Cole and Sophie B. Hawkins
THU, NOV 10 at 7:30PM
Tickets: $38-$49
Carried by her radiant voice, Grammy winner Paula Cole has a musical catalog defined by honest lyrics that covers Blues, Jazz, Folk, Pop, Gospel and Americana. Multi-instrumentalist Sophie B. Hawkins has been tugging at heartstrings for decades with her captivating storytelling. Both are known for their indelible 90s hits—Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait” and Hawkins’ “As I Lay Me Down.”
THU, NOV 17 at 7:30PM
Tickets: $39-$49
With an expressive voice, keen wit and evocative way with words, Folk-Rock artist Josh Ritter has been described as “harking back to Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and maybe a little Mark Knopfler” (The New York Times) and named one of the “100 Greatest Living Songwriters” by Paste magazine.
FRI, DEC 2 at 8PM
Tickets: $58-$78
Celebrate Christmas with Judy Collins! The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter known for her poetic storytelling style will perform holiday classics, songs from her latest album, Spellbound, and beloved songs culled from her six-decade career.
SAT, DEC 3 at 8PM
Tickets: $38-$48
Martin Sexton’s spirited songs run the American musical gamut, incorporating Soul, Country and Blues. The guitarist has been praised for “his unpretentious heartiness” (The New York Times) and his “soul-marinated voice” (Rolling Stone).
SAT, DEC 17 at 8PM
Tickets: $48-$68
Sweet Honey in the Rock is an internationally renowned Grammy-nominated a cappella ensemble with a nearly 50-year history of serving as musical missionaries for equality, empowerment and education.
WED, DEC 21 at 7:30PM
Tickets: $23-$33
Boundary-pushing group Nefesh Mountain combines elements of Americana, Appalachian Bluegrass, Celtic Folk and Eastern European melodies with messages of inclusivity, diversity and hope.
###
About SOPAC:
Since 2006, SOPAC has been serving as a premier performing arts center in the region. SOPAC offers innovative artistic and cultural experiences for diverse audiences in an intimate, inviting environment. The arts center hosts a variety of live performances, community events and education programs for all ages. SOPAC is home for Seton Hall University Arts Council’s performances, including the Classical Concert Series, Jazz ‘N the Hall performances and Seton Hall University Theatre productions. SOPAC programs are made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, visit SOPACnow.org.
