Sunday Gator Stage Performers
11:00 am Janet Buehler
Janet Buehler, the Artist Formerly Known as Mom, lives in Hillsborough, NC. She recently discovered her lifelong interest in words and music should actually go together, like peanut butter and chocolate (who knew?). For her, songwriting is a way to process the beauty and the mystery of life, in ways both heartfelt and hilarious. She does most of her writing in the woods while walking her dogs (they are very generous with co-writing attributions) or driving her youngest son around. She has a wide range of influences from traditional ballad singers in the mountains of North Carolina such as Sheila Kay Adams and Donna Ray Norton, Irish singers Cathy Jordan (Dervish) and Cathie Ryan, and contemporary singer-songwriter Dar Williams. She sings and writes with The Carrborators, an acoustic quintet that delivers a rich blend of folk, rock, and jazz influences in true Americana style, all originals written by the band members. She also collaborates with singer-songwriter Leah Kaufman in the duo The Raven and The Remedy. She is forever grateful to her oldest son who gave her a Christmas gift of three guitar lessons in 2023, as he wanted to make sure she had a plan for when her three sons left the nest. In January 2025 she won the South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
11:30 am Frank Critelli
Poet, philosopher, raconteur, busker, disc jockey, teacher, gardener — all these and more describe Frank Critelli. For more than 30 years, Frank has played in streets and subways, clubs and coffeehouses, barrooms and classrooms, colleges, festivals, theaters, and in his kitchen. Those who have seen him live know that’s when he’s in his element.
Currently, Frank is one-third of original music trio The Bargain. But whether you see him solo or with a band, you’ll come away entertained, energized, and possibly enlightened.
With Rick Allison, Frank co-hosts The Local Bands Show on WPLR 99.1 FM in New Haven and streaming on CygnusRadio.com. In addition, he contributes to the CT music scene with performances and interviews, and by organizing events.
12 pm Goldpine
Bold + gold harmonies straight from Nashville. Winner of the Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest and seen on NPR’s ‘Mountain Stage with Kathy Mattea’ and the KC Chiefs National Anthem, Goldpine’s brand of “aggressive Americana” is a flawless channel for their bold and reminiscent compositions. Husband and wife of 16 years, Goldpine has just released their third album, appropriately titled Three, which collects stories of sorrow, tested-love and space-trips. Mastered by Dave McNair (Shovels & Rope, Brandi Carlile), the album was captured from a mash of actual live performances on the road in 2024, showcasing the duo’s live energy as you would experience it straight from the stage. “…sharing a sound that’s cast in honesty, emotion and homespun sentiment…the songs say it all, providing clear indication that Goldpine has established a precious standard.” -Lee Zimmerman (Goldmine Magazine)
12:30 pm Noah Proudfoot
Born with a deep passion for music, poetry, and the planet, Noah Proudfoot has been crafting songs and melodies that resonate with listeners across the globe. With a sound that blends folk, soul, and electronic elements, Noah’s music takes listeners on a journey through the soundscapes of his imagination- exploring themes of love, transformation, and the bittersweet adventure of this Earthly experience.
With an emphasis on composition and evocative story-telling, his influences range from classic songwriters like Paul Simon and James Taylor to modern indie-folk artists, giving his sound a timeless yet contemporary feel.
Currently, Noah is recording his third studio album, continuing to evolve his sound while staying true to the roots of storytelling that make his music so compelling. With a growing discography and an ever-expanding audience, he remains dedicated to sharing messages of strength and hope through the universal language of music.
1:00 pm Tipps and Obermiller
Tipps and Obermiller: Strong. True. Vulnerable.
This dynamic musical duo have captivated audiences around the country with their heartfelt songwriting and emotive performances. Their tight vocal and guitar harmonies, folksy wisdom and unabashed emotional vocabulary combine with craft and charisma to create this unexpectedly magnetic experience.
Their journey as artists has been deeply intertwined with their personal lives. The couple met in 2011 and soon married. Over the next several years they navigated the challenges of caring for sick parents, raising teenagers, and pursuing graduate studies and career changes. In 2022, they made the decision to fully commit to songwriting and performing, marking a new chapter in their journey. Tipps and Obermiller are currently in pre-production for their third album, set for release in 2026.
1:30 pm Scott Low
Scott Low is a Southern songwriter with a bluesman’s heart, a folk singer’s storytelling, and a river guide’s patience. His most recent albums—Struttin’ Round Town (2025) and The Appalachian Blues (2024)—dig deep into the soul of the rural South, blending gritty guitar work, slow-burn vocals, and road-worn lyricism. From swaggering blues-rock grooves to stripped-down acoustic confessionals, these records trace a life shaped by heartbreak, resilience, and the crooked backroads of Appalachia.
2:00 pm Heather Pierson
Heather Pierson is a New Hampshire based singer/songwriter, pianist, song leader, and performer with a passion for cultivating joy, both onstage and off. With a toe in each of the realms of New Orleans jazz, blues, vocal chants, instrumental piano, and folk, her multi-genre songwriting places her firmly in a category all her own, one honed by decades of diligent practice and curious exploration. Whether solo, as a duo, with her trio, or in a community sing, Heather’s live performances feature ease at the piano and her bell-tone voice that Americana Highways says ‘sounds like timeless wind moving slowly through the trees’.
2:30 -3:10 pm National Songwriter’s Winner Round
3:15 pm Jesse Ruben
Jesse Ruben is a singer/songwriter based in Atlanta, GA after spending 15 years in NYC. Best known for his lyrical storytelling and engaging live shows, his songs have been heard on more than a dozen TV shows in the US and abroad including Teen Mom, Switched at Birth, The Bachelor (Germany), and the recent Disney+ series Diary of a Future President. His most recent single “This Is Why I Need You” reached the top 10 in 12 different countries, and has been streamed more than 60 million times across all platforms. He has recorded live sessions for NPR and MTV Asia, and has been featured on PBS.
3:45 pm Gypsy Strings Revival
The Gypsy Strings Revival are a collection of individuals who love to play bluegrass, Americana, Irish and Country songs.
Founded by Michelle Pennington on guitar and lead vocals, together with Lucia Hare-Leahy on banjo and backing vocals, the band grew to include a multitude of acoustic stringed instrument players: John Ace on fiddle and mandolin, Bob Haury on stand-up bass, Jim Waldeck on mandolin, Ian Wilkinson on violin, guest dobro performer Dobro Mike and guest stand-up bassist Mark Abramowitz.
Capturing a gypsy spirit and spanning different genres, the band delights in singing 3-part harmonies and playing up-beat and diverse tunes.
4:15 pm Danielle Ate the Sandwich
Danielle Ate the Sandwich is the stage name of Danielle Anderson, a singer-songwriter and performer based in Kansas City, MO. A self taught musician, Danielle has toured the US since 2009, created over 300 Youtube videos, and released eight full length albums of original music. Her most recent album, Fumbling, is a collection of songs on grief, loss and finding home. Danielle facilitates an online songwriting course called ‘Life as a Songwriter,’ teaching adults the art of songwriting and since 2016, Danielle has hosted The 24 Hour Album, a virtual songwriting experiment where fans help co-write an album in 24 hours. She has opened for Mumford and Sons, Jake Shimabukuro, and wrote the soundtrack to the Emmy nominated HBO documentary, “Packed in a Trunk: The Lost Art of Edith Lake Wilkinson.” Danielle’s songs and performances are a shared experience, celebrating grief, humor and happiness.
4:45 pm The Wire Jays
The Wire Jays are a five piece contemporary Newgrass band that prioritizes creative songwriting, musicianship, and fun in their music.They aim to bring Bluegrass into the 21st century, taking risks and creating new sounds with the classic string-band instruments associated with the genre.
Currently based in South Florida, The Wire Jays began playing together at the Frost School of Music, where they honed their sound and perfected their songs. The Wire Jays are dedicated musicians who just happen to be best friends.
They wish to spread their love of Newgrass music throughout Florida and beyond.
Listen
5:15 pm Marc Douglas Berardo (round)
Marc Douglas Berardo is a thought-provoking songwriter as well as a fancy wooden guitar player who uses humor and deft storytelling to rally an audience and lead them into a deep and sometimes spiritual experience. After over 35 years of performing in every conceivable situation and winning awards and recognition for his songs in a boatload of national festivals like Rocky Mountain Folks, Telluride, Kerrville New Folk, Suwanee and Wiildflower as well as being voted “best interview and live performance feature” on Sirius/ XM Satellite Radio show The Village, Berardo has established himself as the real deal. A “lifer” that No Depression Magazine called: “sincere, fluid, charming, and above all gripping.”
John Apice of Americana Highways wrote: “There’s a seriousness to Marc’s compositions that’s not apparent in the slew of artists who seem to have a lot of nothing to say in an album’s worth of music.”
6:00 pm Nigel Wearne
6:45 pm The Janzen Boys
The Janzen Boys have been playing music together since the very beginning, but it started as “The Janzen Boys” shortly after they moved back to Canada from Japan in 2012. They’re a rootsy, harmony-singing folk trio from Winnipeg, Manitoba, consisting of brothers Simon and Mick, and father JJ. Whether they’re playing at music festivals, theatres, venues, or intimate house concerts, they’ll have you laughing, crying, and singing along to classics that you know and love, and catchy original tunes that’ll be stuck in your head for days!
7:30 pm John McCutcheon
From such inauspicious beginnings, John McCutcheon has emerged as one of our most respected and loved folksingers. As an instrumentalist, he is a master of a dozen different traditional instruments, most notably the rare and beautiful hammer dulcimer. His songwriting has been hailed by critics and singers around the globe. His thirty recordings have garnered every imaginable honor including seven Grammy nominations. He has produced over twenty albums of other artists, from traditional fiddlers to contemporary singer-songwriters to educational and documentary works. His books and instructional materials have introduced budding players to the joys of their own musicality. And his commitment to grassroots political organizations has put him on the front lines of many of the issues important to communities and workers.
The Washington Post described John as folk music’s “Rustic Renaissance Man,” a moniker flawed only by its understatement. “Calling John McCutcheon a ‘folksinger’ is like saying Deion Sanders is just a football player…” (Dallas Morning News). Besides his usual circuit of major concert halls and theaters, John is equally at home in an elementary school auditorium, a festival stage or at a farm rally. He is a whirlwind of energy packing five lifetimes into one. In the past few years alone he has headlined over a dozen different festivals in North America (including repeated performances at the National Storytelling Festival), recorded an original composition for Virginia Public Television involving over 500 musicians, toured Australia for the sixth time, toured Chile in support of a women’s health initiative, appeared in a Woody Guthrie tribute concert in New York City, gave a featured concert at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, taught performance art skills at a North Carolina college, given symphony pops concerts across America, served as President of the fastest-growing Local in the Musicians Union and performed a special concert at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This is all in his “spare time.” His “real job,” he’s quick to point out, is father to two grown sons.
