Pioneer Valley Folklore Society Happenings

Peter Siegel will be featured performer at Oct. 7 Song & Story Swap

Peter Siegel will join Oct. 7 Song & Story Swap

Please come share in an evening of music and stories at the Pioneer Valley Folklore Society Song & Story Swap.

Saturday, October 7, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at First Church, 165 Main St., Amherst, MA. Free parking is available in back of the church, and the meeting room is near the front.

The featured performer at the Oct. 7 Song & Story Swap will be roots musician Peter Siegel.

Peter Siegel is an award winning musician, educator and founding member of The Gaslight Tinkers. He contributes a radical chord to American Roots music. Influenced by the songwriting of Pete Seeger and Phil Ochs, Dixieland, old time fiddle tunes and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, Peter’s music defies categorization.

Born a red diaper grand-baby in New York, he later made his way up to Vermont, which he now calls home. Over the years he's shared the stage and been mentored by folks like Pete Seeger, Jay Unger and Molly Mason, Judy Collins, Dar Williams, Utah Phillips, Noel Paul Stookey, and was a bandmate of bluegrass powerhouse Michael Daves and poet Alicia Jo Rabins in the 90's "New Old Time" band Underbelly which the Berkshire Eagle called "a supergroup of New England talent".

Peter contributed and recorded on the Grammy award winning Pete Seeger album "Tomorrow's Children". His other credits include publication in Sing Out! magazine and the fiddle tune compilation, The Portland Collection, as well as a guest appearance on the nationally syndicated Etown. As as educator, Peter has been writing songs and theatrical productions with children for the last 15 years and has been a contributing writer to The George Lucas Foundation site Edutopia on social curriculum and music educational practices. His Symonds School CD Peace Place won a Parents Choice Award in 2012.

When Peter is not playing or recording, he is a devoted public school music educator in the great state of New Hampshire. You can find him leading stringed and vocal workshops in Americana music at the John C Campbell Folk chool, Swannanoah or the American Festival of Fiddle tunes.

Come catch Peter performing at the October 7 Song & Story Swap.

This month’s opening round theme is Connections This month's opening round theme is 'Connections'

The October 7 Song & Story Swap is being held in person at First Church, 165 Main St. in Amherst, Mass., at 7pm. Parking is available in the lot behind the church.

Looking ahead to next month, the November 4, 2023 Song & Story Swap will present folksinger Jennie McAvoy.

The Song & Story Swap is held on the first Saturday of each month, excepting July and August, and is organized by the Pioneer Valley Folklore Society. Visit the Folklore Society website at pvfs.us.

The Song & Story Swap is open to the public, free of charge with donations accepted ($5 - $10 is suggested). Donations to the featured performer may be made securely via credit card or Paypal at https://pvfs.us/donate.

People of all ages gather to share stories and songs that are traditional, newly written, or of personal experiences. You can tell, sing, or lead everyone in singing, or request a song or story. Listeners are welcome.

For information contact Paul Kaplan, (413)-687-5002 or visit https://pvfs.us.