Headliner: Aoife O’Donovan
Aoife O’Donovan is a Grammy-award winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music radiates with a timeless charm and contemporary allure beyond genre. Born in Newton, Massachusetts, Aoife (pronounced EE-fa) began her musical journey at a young age, eventually blossoming into a celebrated artist known for her captivating vocals and heartfelt compositions. With a diverse range of influences, including folk, bluegrass, and indie rock, O’Donovan’s distinctive sound weaves together intricate melodies and introspective lyrics. She gained widespread recognition as a founding member of the progressive folk band Crooked Still and the folk trio I’m With Her (with bandmates Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz).

Deemed “a vocalist of unerring instinct” by the New York Times, O’Donovan has released three critically-acclaimed and boundary-blurring solo albums: Fossils, In the Magic Hour and 2022’s boldly orchestrated and literarily crafted Age Of Apathy. The album received 3 Grammy nominations (including Best Folk Album) and includes the song “B61” - awarded Folk Alliance International’s Song Of The Year. 2024 brings the release of her 4th studio album All My Friends. Inspired by the letters and speeches of suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt (who founded the League of Women’s Voters), the album questions how much has really changed for American women a century after gaining the right to vote. Amidst a lush soundscape of brass, orchestra, girls' choir and her own compelling vocals, she explores the nations evolution through her compassionate songwriting and voice.

O’Donovan continues to enchant audiences worldwide with her soul-stirring music and unwavering passion for storytelling through song. She is the featured vocalist on The Goat Rodeo Sessions (the group with Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile), performed with over a dozen symphonies including the National Symphony Orchestra, written for Alison Krauss and spent a decade as a regular contributor to the radio variety shows “Live From Here” and “A Prairie Home Companion”.

Opener: Hawktail
Hawktail is the acoustic instrumental trio of fiddler Brittany Haas, bassist Paul Kowert, and
guitarist Jordan Tice. Though at first glance it looks like an acoustic super-picker side-project, their all-original music is cohesive and unique, distinguishing them as an ensemble with a sound built from the ground up. Flush with orchestral sweeps and sparse vigils, with strains of the American South and the North Atlantic, this cosmopolitan sound is not what you'd expect from a string band.

Each member of Hawktail brings a strong individuality to the project. Haas, whose 2004 self-
titled release instantly became the touchstone for a generation of old-time fiddlers, has since lent her sound to Crooked Still, Live From Here, Steve Martin, and David Rawlings, where she played alongside Kowert, well known as the Grammy-winning Punch Brothers' virtuosic bass player. Tice is a rare guitar player whose music showcases his unique identity and a particular knack for song and tune-writing. However, despite each of their ability to contribute to many musical situations, something special happens when they unite as Hawktail. Together, they have fostered a reputation as a rare ensemble of composers and instrumentalists able to take the listener on a journey, without the use of words.