Pioneer Valley Folklore Society Happenings

Mike Agranoff will join September 5 Song & Story Swap

September 5 Song & Story Swap will feature Mike Agranoff

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

Saturday, September 5, 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.

Guest performer for the September 5 Song & Story Swap will be folksinger and storyteller Mike Agranoff.

Less a singer-songwriter than a singer-songfinder, Mike Agranoff delights in discovering little-known gems from traditional ballads, fiddle tunes, Tin Pan Alley, and contemporary folk, then polishing them with his distinctive style. Equally at home in traditional and contemporary camps, he shifts seamlessly from contemplative to uproariously funny, instrumentally brilliant, and powerfully emotional. His prime instrument is fingerstyle guitar; he also plays English concertina, piano, banjo, or sings a cappella.

Christine Lavin has called him "a genius." Joe Jencks describes him as "one of the finest concertina players I have ever heard" and "a first rate storyteller and poet." Agranoff has released several recordings, including the 2014 album, Straight Lines, praised as "a masterpiece" by Keith Gorgas of NoDepression, Ain’t Never Been Plugged, and The Modern Folk Musician.

He is also the author of the book of recitations Jake, The Captain, and Other Heroes, featuring signature pieces such as "The Ballad of Jake and 10-Ton Molly" and "The Ballad of the Sandman." A longtime mainstay of the Northeast folk scene, he has performed at festivals including the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Old Songs Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, and New England Folk Festival, as well as venues such as Club Passim. For more than four decades he chaired the Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series for New Jersey’s Folk Project, one of the longest-lived and most respected folk venues in the country.

September 5 promises to be a memorable evening of music and stories. Don't miss this special opportunity to hear Mike Agranoff perform in Amherst!

Attendees will be invited to contribute a song or story on the topic of "Funny" during an opening round of sharing.

This month’s theme is Funny This month's
theme is 'Funny'

The September 5, 2026 Song & Story Swap will be held at First Church, 165 Main St. in Amherst, Mass., at 7pm. Parking is available in the lot behind the church.

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 members of the public of all ages. Admission is free, with a suggested minimum donation to the artist of $10.00.

People of all experience levels 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.