Saturday Gator Stage Performers
Raffles will be scheduled throughout the day. Winning numbers will be listed at the Raffle Table. The 50/50 raffle will be announced at 8:30 pm.
Singer-Songwriter Competition 10 am -12 pm
Over 70 singer-songwriters applied for this competition. The preliminary judges listened to all of the artists and chose their top 12. They will perform from 10-12 in a random order. Michael Stock, Michael Yunis, and Susan Moss will be our final judges for this event. The 3 “top winners” will be announced at 5:45 pm. Check out the National Singer-Songwriter page for their bios and to listen to their perform.
12:15 pm Rebecca Berlin
Imagine the voice of Sara Bareilles mixed with the poetic lyricism of Joni Mitchell. Rebecca Berlin is honest, raw, and pleasantly quirky, fusing the storytelling of folk with jazzy chords, unique lyric and song structures, and elements of musical theater.
She has 3 EPs; Anatomy of a Breakdown (2004), Grief Triptych (2023), Musings (2024) and her full length album, “Questions and Answers” is coming in Winter 2025. Rebecca is a MASC award winner 2023 and 2024; 2024 WAMMY nominee, Focus Music’s 2025 Rising Artist Award Recipient and Winner of the 2024 South Florida Folk and Acoustic Music Festival Songwriter Competition.
Sounds like a Disney princess who has lost her rose colored glasses, but not her sensitive heart.
12:45 pm Mike Kinnebrew
CS Lewis once remarked that “we read to know we are not alone,” and countless people have traveled many miles across several decades to listen to Mike Kinnebrew’s music for the same reason. He began writing songs as a teenager because he was “mesmerized by the way a song could reach out and grab you by the heart—or the throat,” and his love for language burns through each of his songs, whether he’s writing about everyday affairs like taking his kids to school and vacationing at the beach, or more vulnerable subjects like his struggles with anxiety and alcohol. His single, “What’s Left of Me,” broaches the latter with a simple, well-crafted melody and songs like “Where the Big Waves Are” and “Wrestle the Sea” tackle the former. He has a knack for finding the remarkable in the ordinary, following in the South’s long lineage of great folk artist, and draws from cross-genre influences like Tom Petty, Gabe Dixon, and Darell Scott. Whether he’s solo or flanked by a full band, Mike has mastered the art of making an audience feel a full range of emotions with a guitar in his hand.
1:15 pm Arielle Silver
In the sun-soaked heart of California, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Arielle Silver emerges as a masterful storyteller, blending the soul of Americana roots with influences drawn from Laurel Canyon and Greenwich Village and travels between. Silver’s rich lyrics, artistry, and enchanting stagecraft have earned her recognition from the Boston Globe (“lovely songwriting”) at the 2024 South Florida Folk Festival as a songwriting competition winner, Tucson Folk Festival (2-time Finalist), International Acoustic Music Awards (2nd Place), among other accolades. Watershed’s singles and official videos premiered in The Bluegrass Situation, Americana Highways, and Twangville, and spent 18 weeks on the Americana Music Charts. www.ariellesilvermusic.com
1:45 pm Veronneau
Award-winning Washington DC based VERONNEAU defy categorization. At the core, the husband-and-wife duo – Quebecoise vocalist Lynn Veronneau and UK guitarist Ken Avis – translate the themes of their musical journeys into captivating multilingual performances with spirited, jazzy, retro, soulful original songs and classics from the worlds of bossa nova, French chanson, folk, blues and pop.
VERONNEAU delights through Lynn’s spectacular voice, her heartfelt and artful delivery of the lyrics and through Ken’s brilliant and vibrant playfulness on the guitar. They play off one another, carefully choosing songs for their powerful melodies and imagery. They have built a devoted following through constant tours and recordings. Since releasing their 2011 debut album “Joie De Vivre/Joy of Living”, which includes their hit “La Mer”, streamed over a million times on Spotify, they have released four Top 10 charting studio albums, two acclaimed live full length albums and several singles with a variety of collaborators.
2:15 pm Dawn Loves Nash
A refreshing, harmonic, and uplifting sound, Dawn Loves Nash brings pure Good Vibes with their signature style: Happy o-SOUL Music with an Island Twist. NEW, unique, and undeniably refreshing, their familial harmonies melt into one another with an ease that feels timeless. Their love and charisma radiate through every note, and their songs — along with their story — have a rare ability to transport audiences into a journey of pure love: love of self, love of life, and love of each other.
“Ethereal – cerebral – funky – folky – metaphysical – sensational – spiritual… Music buzz” — Ralph Roddenberry
Nashville recording artists Dawn Loves Nash are the hearts behind “Stay With Me,” “Jesus and Johnny Cash,” “Now Now Now,” and “Right Where We Belong” — songs born as love letters to the human spirit and recorded in sacred spaces where heaven meets home. Every performance is more than a show; it is a ceremony of connection — a Love Activation through music — where the veil lifts, the room softens, and the soul remembers a timeless truth:
We are never separate. We are all love in motion. From mountain peaks to ocean shores, from Nashville to Key West and beyond, Dawn Loves Nash carries a joyful vibration that invites audiences to dance, to heal, and to return home to love — NOW, NOW, NOW. Their genre? Simply Good Vibes. Their mission? To spread joy, love, hope, and divine remembrance — awakening every heart to its true frequency of light.
2:45 pm Elijah Wald
Elijah Wald has been performing for almost fifty years, and ranges from blues, folk, ragtime, swing, country, and cowboy songs to classic Swahili pop, the Bahamian guitar style of Joseph Spence, and Mexican corridos.
Elijah’s mentors include Dave Van Ronk, with whom he performed, recorded, and wrote Dave’s memoir, The Mayor of MacDougal Street; Howard Armstrong, the legendary Black string band master, with whom he toured for five years; Eric Von Schmidt, the founding father of the Cambridge folk/blues scene; and Jean-Bosco Mwenda, the father of Congolese acoustic guitar.
He has also written a dozen books, including several histories of blues and Dylan Goes Electric!, the basis of the film A Complete Unknown. His shows blend music and stories from a wide range of people and places in a compellingly personal style.
3:15 Twangtown Paramours
The Twangtown Paramours are an award-winning husband and wife Soulful Folk duo from Nashville. They are three time Kerrville finalists, and winners of Texas’s Wildflower Contest. They were also just voted the top “Most Wanted”2025 emerging artist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and have been invited to return in 2026.
Lead singer, MaryBeth Zamer used to sing background vocals for Eva Cassidy. Writer, producer, and guitar player, Mike Lewis is the author of a #1 platinum selling hit in Korea and sometimes plays upright bass for Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
The newest Twangtown Paramours album, was #1 on the Folk Alliance International Chart in January, 2025, had more plays than any #1 monthly artist in the last three years, and had six of the top ten songs.
3:45 pm Danny Schmidt
Named to the Chicago Tribune’s list of the “50 Most Significant Songwriters in the Last 50 Years,” Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter Danny Schmidt has amassed a cult following for his poetic, poignant lyrics. With a craftsmanship and emotional depth drawing comparisons to Leonard Cohen and Townes Van Zandt, Schmidt is considered a preeminent writer. Sing Out Magazine proclaimed that: “Schmidt is a force of nature: a blue moon, a hundred-year flood, an avalanche of a singer-songwriter. His songs are a flood of poetry, mythology, folk wisdom, and surprise. He is perhaps the best new songwriter we’ve heard in the last 15 years.”
4:15 pm Miles and Mafale
Catherine Miles and Jay Mafale are husband and wife, co-conspirators, storytellers. They are modern folk with a sprinkling of pop-catchiness and theatrical flair. Catherine’s voice is an expressive powerhouse. Jay’s guitar is distinctive and unconventional. Candid and playful onstage, they are known for plainspoken poetry, clever humor, and the unique perspectives of their songs, which seek to shift points of view through themes of perseverance and hope. And yes, sometimes they throw in a villain just for fun. Miles & Mafale’s songwriting has earned them acclaim in venerable listening rooms and festivals nationwide, and recognition as Most Wanted Emerging Artists at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and three-time Kerrville New Folk Finalists.The duo’s latest release, Be Brave, is “Beautifully made. An articulate page-turner of an album that feels like a short story collection in 10 songs.” Marilyn Rea Beyer, WFMT Chicago – The Midnight Special.
4:45 pm Couldn’t be Happiers
5:15 pm Ruth Wyand
Ruth Wyand is a virtuoso fingerstyle guitarist, celebrated for her remarkable ability to fuse technical mastery with witty storytelling, evocative lyrics, and a charming sense of humor. Recognized as a living encyclopedia of American music, she seamlessly weaves together influences from blues, folk, jazz, and Americana. Wyand artfully bridges tradition and innovation, captivating audiences around the globe.
Ruth’s powerful fingerpicking and expressive bottleneck slide techniques define her signature sound, while her warm alto voice infuses each song with heartfelt emotion, and her ability to connect with listeners makes her a sought-after performer across various venues. Her performances are not just concerts; they are a shared experience that resonates deeply with her audience, showcasing her unique flair and command of multiple musical styles.
5:45 pm
Announce the winners of the National Songwriting Competition
6:00 Ken Holt and The Promise
The son of a U.S. Marine, I grew up in seven states, settling in Jacksonville, FL. Musical influences include my Uncle Henry’s mandolin; Duane and Dickie’s guitar harmonies; John and Paul’s six chord songs; and AM radio. Today, my music blends together all the above. In the early 80’s I played bass with New England band, The Blend. Two MCA records and tours including opening slots for The Who, ZZ-Top, Hall & Oats and Charlie Daniels, gave me a taste of taking it on the road.
Reflecting and projecting ahead, music is what I do. The 2025 release of SHADES OF LIGHT has produced three, Indie Top 40 songs / Country, insightful record reviews, and increased performance opportunities. My GOAL remains the same: to create, share and perform music that is welcoming to all listeners, respectful of differing experiences and points of view, and hopeful in its messaging.
6:45 pm Alice Howe and Freebo
Alice Howe & Freebo have undeniable chemistry. Rock bass legend Freebo weaves his fretless stylings into Alice’s soulful, impeccably-tuned vocals for a harmony-driven performance showcasing two uniquely compelling songwriters. Best known for his ten years playing bass with Bonnie Raitt, Freebo has toured and recorded with some of the greatest artists of his generation, including John Mayall, Ringo Starr, Crosby Stills & Nash, Maria Muldaur, Joe Walsh, and Dr. John. For the past twenty-five years, he’s been writing, recording, and performing his own original music. To hear Alice Howe sing is to be enraptured by the natural, unaffected beauty of her voice. There’s no artifice, no histrionics — just honest, authentic, emotionally resonant singing in the tradition of the roots music that shaped her. She recently had the honor of being named Best Female Artist at the International Acoustic Music Awards.
Freebo and Alice have been working as a duo since 2017, and he produced her latest record Circumstance, recorded at iconic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Their latest album Alice Howe & Freebo Live is their first release as a duo, and it debuted as the #1 Most Played Album on the Folk Radio Charts.
7:30 pm Mad Agnes
Mad Agnes is a genre-bending folk-rock trio from Connecticut consisting of Margo Hennebach, Adrienne Jones and Mark Saunders. The group is known for its smart songwriting, intricate instrumentation, and captivating three-part harmonies. Their live performances are described as intimate and engaging, using a single microphone to create a spontaneous and fun atmosphere.
8:30 pm Livingston Taylor
Livingston Taylor picked up his first guitar at the age of 13, which began a 50-year career that has encompassed performance, songwriting, and teaching. Born in Boston and raised in North Carolina, Livingston is the fourth child in a very musical family that includes Alex, James, Kate, and Hugh. Livingston recorded his first record at the age of 18 and has continued to create well crafted, introspective, and original songs that have earned him listeners worldwide.
From top-40 hits “I Will Be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running,” to “I Can Dream of You” and “Boatman,” the last two recorded by his brother James, Livingston’s creative output has continued unabated. His musical knowledge has inspired a varied repertoire, and he is equally at home with a range of musical genres—folk, pop, gospel, jazz—and from upbeat storytelling and touching ballads to full orchestra performances.
Livingston has never stopped performing since those early coffeehouse days, shared the stage with major artists such as Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffett, and Jethro Tull, and he maintains a busy concert schedule, touring internationally. He is a natural performer, peppering his shows with personal stories, anecdotes and ineffable warmth that connect him to his fans. His relaxed on-stage presence belies the depth of his musical knowledge, and fans might just as often be treated to a classic Gershwin or something from the best of Broadway.
Livingston is a full professor at Berklee College of Music, where he has taught a Stage Performance course since 1989. He teaches young artists invaluable lessons learned over the course of an extensive career on the road; the course is consistently voted the most popular at the College. His high-selling book, Stage Performance, released in 2011 offers those lessons to anyone who is interested in elevating their presentation standards to professional standards.
Livingston’s 50th year of making music was celebrated by Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, both declaring January 18, 2017 “Livingston Taylor Day”.
