Lightnin’ Wells
Piedmont Blues legend, LIGHTNIN’ WELLS! All he wants for his birthday is for YOU to come to his concert & celebrate with him! On April 19 The ‘Boro Sessions will bring you, “A Sunday Afternoon Concert with Lightnin’ Wells” 2:00-4:00pm (doors 1:00pm) at The Flat Iron (221 Summit Ave., Greensboro, NC). This is a seated, listening room concert. The Flat Iron sells beer, wine, and spirits. Advanced tickets $20 + taxes and processing fees / Day of show tickets $25 + taxes and processing fees. TICKETS HERE: Mike “Lightnin'” Wells breathes new life into the vintage tunes of the 1920s and depression era America employing guitars, harmonica, ukulele, mandolin and banjo in a dynamic style, developed in over 50 years of studying and performing blues and traditional folk music. With his experience, knowledge and well-honed performance skills, Lightnin’ Wells has established himself at the forefront of the traditional blues revival. His musical style is personal and energetic yet remains true to the original root form. Lightnin’s performances are always delightful! Noted musician and radio personality Paul Brown described Lightnin’ Wells’ as “an enigma and a wonder. When you hear him, you hear the old Piedmont blues players speaking through him… More than anything, you hear something that’s sincere and real, in a way that precious little music performance is nowadays. There’s no varnish here, just the unvarnished truth expressed through a deep and good-humored soul.” “Whether you look to performers for inspiration, education, virtuosity, or sheer entertainment, Lightnin’ Wells delivers all of the above, every single time.” — Cliff Nelson, writer
Colin Cutler, Jphono1, and Kim Ware
Murphy Campbell + Paper Wings
Murphy Campbell has deep roots. Western North Carolina is a place her family settled centuries ago. Born in the foothills and coming from a long lineage of mountain folk – she seeks to draw up the remnants of a forgotten modal sound. Long-time friends and collaborators Emily Mann and Wila Frank, known together as Paper Wings, dream up warm, pastoral folk songs suited to wandering through a forest or field, quiet contemplation, and long winding journeys. Furnished with delicate banjo and spellbinding harmonies so close you often can’t tell their voices apart, Frank & Mann deliver dynamic performances emboldened by the strength of their sincere songwriting. The duo have an uncommon ability to tastefully reference nostalgic sounds of American folk music while maintaining their own compelling style of artful and unpretentious lyricism. The strength and solitude one finds in the wilderness is a theme throughout their writing, and they lovingly transport listeners to open landscapes in which to find comfort and ask the questions which we all have in common.
Jordan Smart + Willy Tea Taylor w/ Jodi Jones
Jordan Smart is a folk singer based in Latonia, KY. Covering a broad range of subjects — from parental epiphanies and questionable lavatory visits, scathing political commentary and hitchhiking cross country, satirical talking blues to love, loss, grief and even pickles — Smart aims to have a song for every occasion. If he can’t make you laugh, cry, or at very least think, feel free to approach him for a refund. There is no question that Willy Tea Taylor’s life as a singer/songwriter was predetermined – his role realized the moment he wrote his first song. His inspirations drawn from two separate wells; Living the life of a cattleman’s kid and experiencing true visionaries music like Greg Brown, John Hartford, and Guy Clark. The image of Guy Clark and friends sitting around the kitchen table loaded with ashtrays full of butts, half-smoked cigarettes, food, and booze on one Christmas Eve in 1975 burned into Taylor’s soul. Those guys, swapping songs without pretense, lit Willy Tea’s fire. And ever since, its led purpose with passion – finding a hang by curating relationships through musical friendships that get him closer to his own Clark style kitchen table. From his early days co-fronting The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, to singing solo in countless cowboy bars, to pitching countless wiffle ball games, Willy Tea has never lost the vision. Now Willy Tea Taylor has taken his vision of the “hero hang” on the road. and his talented traveling band The Fellership is made up of his fantastically talented buds who play Willy’s songs with a brand of reckless abandon and utter humility that spits in the face of pretense. The way The Fellership plays Will’s songs is the way they demand to be played and, in their short time together, they have been awe-ing every audience lucky enough to see them. Folksinger Jodi Jones is determined to boldly dream a better tomorrow in the wake of a broken and weary world. Deeply rooted in the musical traditions of her childhood home in the hills of Western Pennsylvania, her work is a poetic and unflinching account of the beauty and hardship of working class experience in America. With defiant wit and innate musicality, she beautifies the bitter truths of our modern age into song as an act of love and solidarity. Art may not save us from our problems, but Jones believes it is crucial to surviving them with our humanity intact. To sing is to live, to live is to hope, and to hope is to find the strength to fight another day in these dark and uncertain times. With guitar, banjo, fiddle, and even dulcimer in hand, she seeks to alchemize pain into purpose and break old ground to plant new seeds of hope and change.
CANCELED *** Juliana Finch w/ Emily Stewert
Juliana Finch is a North Carolina-based singer/songwriter with strong Americana roots. With a sultry, soothing voice and carefully crafted lyrics, she earns her spot in a long tradition of storytelling songwriters. Juliana tours nationally, most recently supporting the surreal fiction podcast Welcome to Night Vale across their 2023 Midwest dates. Her music has appeared in independent films, and she has been featured at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and Pride festivals across the Southeast. Her fifth full-length album, “Bittersweet”, was released in October 2023.
A Tale Of Two + A Different Thread
A Tale Of Two Oozing an infectious stage presence and chemistry that carries over from the music to the backand forth banter between songs, A Tale Of Two offers a different kind of Americana storytelling by aswampy pair of retro raconteurs spinning blues arias with soul, intrigue, and power. A Different Thread Their sound is transcontinental, Jackson’s folk rock background blends with Best’s alt-country melodies. Informed by their life experiences (navigating visas, vanlife, love across oceans) and commentary on environmental and social justice topics, the album mixes electric guitars, Appalachian dulcimer, gospel-tinged vocals and honky-tonk fiddle. While inspired by artists like Gillian Welch, The Avett Brothers, and John Prine, A Different Thread maintain a distinct sound that is all their own.
Omar Ruiz – Lopez, Lyle Devitry and Dawn Landes
Omar Ruiz-Lopez – Durham, NC (Roots / Progressive Folk / Old-time / Americana) is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and educator based in Durham, NC. Proficient in violin, viola, guitar, and mandolin, he has been a vital part of the NC Triangle music scene for over a decade. Since his stint in Nashville (2023–2025), he has recorded and performed with artists like GRAMMY-nominated War and Treaty, Lizzie No, and Langhorne Slim, and co-written with Rachel Baiman and GRAMMY-winner Melody Walker. He is currently working on an EP with Wila Frank (Paper Wings) and a full-length album with Rachel Baiman producing. Lyle de Vitry- Asheville, NC (Folk / Baroque Folk / Singer Songwriter) Bio: Much like life itself, the music of Lyle de Vitry comes in cycles. Effortlessly moving between unity and dissonance, voice and instrumentation, rhythm and melody, de Vitry seamlessly integrates the comfort of folk music with the spine-shivering emotional release and intentionality of classical compositions. In so doing, he manages to create a sound as dynamic and honest as the ocean’s eternally flowing tides or the planet’s ever-changing seasons. An acclaimed songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, de Vitry was selected as one of ten finalists for the 2023 Telluride Troubadours contest and was named runner-up in the NewSong LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition. He recently completed the prestigious Residency at 821 hosted by Lamplight AVL in Asheville, NC, and is currently recording an instrumental album. His debut album, Door Within a Dream, was released in August 2024. “The music is full of mystery and a kind of slow-burn intensity. Invokes worlds” -Lynne Bertrand, Signature Sounds Presents Dawn Landes is a NC based singer-songwriter who’s penned original songs for TV, film, and musical theater (ROW on Audible). Landes has toured internationally and supported Nick Lowe, Mary Chapin Carpenter and many more. Her newest album The Liberated Woman’s Songbook was produced by Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman) and highlights women’s activism throughout history.
Meredith Moon, Murphy Campbell, and Colin Cutler
MEREDITH MOON Besides playing traditional tunes often ‘non-traditionally’, Meredith presents a powerful voice and highly contemporary clawhammer banjo style which has gained acclaim within the international old-time and Americana music community. She is a multi-instrumentalist, incorporating finger-style/travis picking guitar, piano and lap dulcimer into her performances. Her second release, “Constellations” on True North Records garnered international acclaim; was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award for Traditional Album of the Year, and was on the Folk Alliance International top 10 Album Chart two months running in April and May 2023. “Moon writes heartfelt folk songs, sings beautifully, and plays several instruments masterfully.” – Americana Highways “She conjures up songs awash in rich, moody melodies that catch the ear in a way, at least in my experience, that many don’t get close to.” – Rambles MURPHY CAMPBELL Murphy Campbell is an old time musician based out of Stokesdale, North Carolina. Drawing inspiration from her Appalachian heritage and Western NC roots, she uses traditional storytelling as a catalyst for contemporary folk pieces. She has played the likes of Merlefest, NC Folkfest and the Charlotte Folk Festival.
The Burney Sisters
The Burney Sisters are a sibling duo redefining indie-folk with soulful harmonies, heartfelt lyrics, and magnetic stage presence. Hailing from the Midwest, Emma and Bella Burney blend folk, rock, and Americana into a sound that’s both timeless and fresh. Inspired by artists like The Avett Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, and HAIM, their music bridges generations. Emma’s talents on piano, violin, guitar, and cello pair seamlessly with Bella’s basslines, showcasing versatility beyond their years. Their songs explore themes of love, resilience, and self-discovery, resonating with fans of all ages. After eight years of performing across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean, the sisters relocated to Huntsville, Alabama, to immerse themselves in the rich music scenes of Muscle Shoals and Nashville. With a debut EP set for 2025, they’re ready to share their artistry with the world, bringing their electrifying live performances and unique sound to new audiences.
Wild Roots w/ Cady Fleet
