Folk Picnic

2025 FOLK PICNIC PERFORMERS

Full lineup and schedule coming soon!

Beyond the Ridge

Beyond the Ridge is a Hudson Valley band featuring Jim Pospisil, Paul Rubeo (the Elder), Michael Clarke, Emmy Hastings and Paul Rubeo (the Younger), all of whom have been performing extensively throughout the area for many years. Their music draws from Folk/Rock and Americana styles and is highlighted by rich vocal harmonies. The band mixes humorous and thought provoking original songs with unique and intricate arrangements of covers.

Jacob Bernz

Jacob Lee Bernz was born and raised in New York’s Hudson Valley surrounded by the musical friends and colleagues of his father, two-time Grammy winning producer/musician David Bernz.  Pete Seeger was a family friend and frequent presence in Jacob’s life.  His grandfather, Harold Bernz, helped start People’s Songs, the precursor to Sing Out! magazine.  His great grandfather was Walter Lowenfels, the poet who co-wrote “Wasn’t That a Time” with Lee Hays.  Songwriting literally runs through Jacob’s veins.

    Growing up in a house full of musical traditions, Jacob began writing his own songs and playing at a young age. In his early 20s he’s become a prolific songwriter and an accomplished musician. Through his friendship with Pete, and as a member of Clearwater’s Power of Song, Jacob has had the opportunity to play at many distinguished venues including The Guthrie Center, The Tarrytown Music Hall, New York’s Symphony Space and Lincoln Center Out Of Doors. He’s been fortunate to share the stage with notable musicians including David Amram, Guy Davis, Livingston Taylor, Jackson Browne, Tom Chapin and Arlo Guthrie.

Linda Richards

Linda Richards has entertained people of the Hudson Valley from school auditoriums to the decks of the sloop Clearwater for over thirty years. A public school classroom teacher for a decade, strolling minstrel, Clearwater’s Education and Music Director, Manitou School music and natural science teacher, guitar instructor and puzzle maker, Linda is multi-talented and multi-directional. Her “Power of Song” program for youth musicians grew and delivered message music to thousands of people from 2009 – 2015. She performs regularly at Clearwater events, local venues and Mohonk Mountain House and was a singer in the Vanaver Caravan’s “Turn Turn Turn!” project, sharing Pete Seeger’s visions through song and dance.

Linda has taught and performed in a vast array of venues, reaching her audience through her wonderful vocal skills, sense of humor and knowledge of our natural world. According to Dar Williams, “Linda has that great gift that Pete Seeger had.  She can get a whole room singing and she can get people excited to write and play their own music, too.”

The Wild Swan Band 

The Wild Swan Band performs a unique blend of Acoustic Celtic-Americana, featuring both contemporary and traditional songs and tunes. The members are long-time friends who have lived, played, and recorded throughout the Hudson Valley, performing at festivals, halls, and at Irish sessions for decades. The band features Sarah Underhill on vocals, Ian Worpole on guitar, Jon Garelick on mandolin, T.G. Vanini on fiddle, and Robert Bard on bass. Known for their lively St. Patrick’s Day performances, WSB is bound to deliver a spirited mix of Irish tunes, jigs, and reels!

2024 FOLK PICNIC PERFORMERS

Matt Cartsonis

Matt Cartsonis’s musical fate was sealed 15, when he began playing in Arizona’s clubs and wherever else they would let him in on his fake ID. On that reptile-rich road he developed a particular affection for traditional music and the instruments with which that sort of music is traditionally made. Matt somehow managed to veer off of the Honkytonk Highway just long enough to acquire a Vassar degree in biopsychology despite spending a whole lot of his college time in folk music bootcamp with the Hudson River Sloop Singers. He now resides in Santa Monica, CA, out of where he’s toured most famously with the likes of Warren Zevon, Steve Martin and Glen Campbell, and spent the better part of 30 years on and off the road with ex Nitty Gritty Dirt Bander John McEuen. Along with the previously mentioned, he’s most enjoyed bragging about recording and working with Jennifer Warnes, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, Joanna Newsom, Beck and Nirvana. When off the road, He writes music for movies and TV (check out his IMDB page!), is a Sundance Composers Lab Fellow, and is a Grammy-nominated audiobook producer.

Joe Heukerott

Joe Heukerott is a folkie singer-songwriter who was professionally active from the late 70’s through about the mid to late 90’s. His music was first introduced by Bob Sherman on his Woody’s Children radio program on WQXR. Joe’s affiliation with Clearwater includes appearances at The Great Hudson River Revival, both as a member of the Hudson River Sloopsingers and as a solo performer. In addition, Joe participated in four Pumpkin Sails as a member of Clearwater’s musical crew. He has performed at The Winnipeg Folk Festival, The Kerrville Folk Festival, The Philadelphia Folk Festival, and at clubs and coffee houses including Mike Porco’s Folk City, Cafe Lena, The Towne Crier Cafe, The Eighth Step, and The Turning Point. Joe’s song, “Hungry,” was performed by Pete Seeger at Carnegie Hall and at The Saratoga Performing Arts Festival. In addition to Woody’s Children, his music received radio play on WFDU by Ron Olesko and Bill Hahn, on WNEW-FM by Pete Fornatale, on WFMU and other stations by Sonny Ochs, as well as by WBAI legends, Steve Post and Bob Fass. Joe’s first album, “Bittersweet,” recorded at Fred Hellerman’s Honeywind Studio was heralded by Stereo Review magazine’s Alanna Nash as a “stunning debut.” A subsequent album, “Save a Little Time,” also recorded at Honeywind, remains unreleased.

School of Rock Beacon NY

Their programs, camps, and workshops for toddlers, kids, teens, and adults make learning to play music fun and create great communities of musicians, combining one-on-one drum, bass, keyboard, vocal, and guitar lessons with group practices. Students learn to play music from day one and perform at local venues. Their experienced instructors are local musicians themselves, who combine the performance-based School of Rock Method and programs with individual music lessons.

Walkabout Clearwater Chorus

Ira and Laurie McIntosh

Laurie Siegel & Patrick Stanfield Jones

Laurie Siegel is a performer and songwriter who was born and raised in the Hudson Valley. Nurtured by the Hudson River folk community from a very young age, Laurie and her brother, Peter began singing together at festivals, rallies and events in their early teens. Later, the siblings formed the folk trio, Harmonious Hogchokers along with their fellow Clearwater crew member, Creek Iversen. True to her Hudson Valley folk and activist roots, Laurie is a long time member of the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus. She was a contributing vocalist on Pete Seeger’s grammy winning CD, “Pete at 89.” Laurie’s most recent endeavor is as 1/4 of the activist folk quartet, Hudson Valley Sally – a group rooted in the tradition of activist folk music and known for their rich harmonic arrangements.

​​Patrick Stanfield Jones is a guitarist and vocalist, composer and lyricist, arranger and producer. A lifelong performer, He has shared the stage as a supporting musician with many well known acts, recording artists, has made T.V. appearances in England, Australia, Canada, and the U.S. Patrick has been a touring and backing musician with the Isley Brothers, Whitney Houston, Buddy Miles, and Imelda Staunton. He has also opened for Albert Collins, Taj Mahal, Charlie Daniels, Hubert Sumlin, War, Papa John Creach and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.