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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260717T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260717T200000
DTSTAMP:20260603T185636Z
CREATED:20260423T210853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T185636Z
UID:5313-1784318400-1784318400@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Stillhouse Junkies
DESCRIPTION:Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies are returning to The Focal Point for their second appearance.  They explore the worlds between roots\, bluegrass\, Texas swing\, blues\, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy\, intricately composed original songs\, never taking the same path twice. Formed in 2017\, the band consists of Fred Kosak (guitar\, mandolin)\, Alissa Wolf (fiddle)\, and Jeanette Adams (bass). \n 
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/stillhouse-junkies/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260718T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260718T200000
DTSTAMP:20260626T211430Z
CREATED:20260625T213002Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260626T211430Z
UID:5429-1784404800-1784404800@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Switchback
DESCRIPTION:Switchback is the name of the award-winning duo of Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack. Their brand of original music has made them an international touring sensation and a presence on PBS in the United States. Dubbed “American Roots with Celtic Soul\,” Switchback seamlessly blends a Celtic tribal beat with the raw energy of the wide open American plains. Their beautifully crafted songs move the feet while swaying the heart.\n \nThere is a point in certain musicians’ careers where their music begins to be recognized for its influence on others. At that point\, they cease to be part of the crowd\, but rather\, the standard to build upon. The duo Switchback\, has become such a standard\, with critical recognition of their contribution to Celtic and Americana music\, as well as their overall success as consummate entertainers.\n \nAmerican Songwriter Magazine (along with Americana icon Steve Earle) praised Switchback as one of the seminal groups to blend American roots and traditional Celtic styles. Switchback’s hybrid has an energy and joyous abandon that Matt Malloy of The Chieftains proclaimed “powerful!”\n \nIn his review of their music\, Ron Pen\, professor and Director of the John Jacob Niles Center for American Music’s (division of musicology and ethnomusicology at the University of Kentucky) says Switchback is “more than Americana-it is America itself.“\n \nPeggie Miller of the The Courier in Montgomery County\, Texas writes\, “Not in recent memory has the Crighton Theatre\, through the Montgomery County Performing Arts Society\, hosted so personable a duo…Their voices blended in heart-tugging harmony\, and they made more music with two guitars\, a sometimes mandolin\, and those voices than some six piece bands produce.”\n \nWith three PBS specials\, music on NBC\, and appearances with the Moody Blues\, Jethro Burns\, Clifton Chenier\, John Hartford\, Leon Russell\, Dale Watson\, the Chieftains\, Liz Carol\, Martin Hayes and many others\, Switchback has earned a place among musical legends.\n \nThat said\, it is perhaps the continuing mission of playing music for those who need it most\, in prisons\, special need homes\, schools\, juvenile detention centers\, and nursing facilities that set them apart from their peers. As the creator of the National Poetry Slam and author Marc Smith said\, “Switchback hits an everybody note.”
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/switchback-2/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260724T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260724T190000
DTSTAMP:20260713T222241Z
CREATED:20260701T202329Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260713T222241Z
UID:5444-1784919600-1784919600@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Focal Point Presents: The Sutton Boulevard Sessions
DESCRIPTION:TICKETS $10 CASH AT THE DOOR\nJoin us for an evening showcasing the finest open mic talent in the St. Louis area. The Focal Point’s Sutton Boulevard Sessions feature top-tier performers discovered at open mics across the region\, bringing them directly to our premier listening room. St. Louis is home to a wealth of exceptional\, undiscovered singer-songwriters\, and we have curated the absolute best of these hidden gems for an unforgettable night of music.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/focal-point-presents-the-sutton-boulevard-sessions-3/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thefocalpoint.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/focal-point-sign.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260726T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260726T140000
DTSTAMP:20260618T040642Z
CREATED:20260618T035305Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T040642Z
UID:5391-1785074400-1785074400@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Chris Jones and the Night Drivers
DESCRIPTION:Chris Jones & the Night Drivers make some of the most distinctively elegant yet driving bluegrass music heard anywhere today. Deeply rooted in tradition but never bound to it\, they deliver original music with tight arrangements\, emotional authenticity\, and engaging humor. As actor and banjo player Steve Martin says\, “Chris Jones’ voice is there with the great masters\,” adding that the Night Drivers are “some of the best players in bluegrass.” The band consists of Chris on guitar and lead vocals\, Grace van’t Hof on Banjo and Ukulele\, Nelson Williams on bass\, and Mark Stoffel on mandolin. Together they have become popular repeat performers at major festivals like Merlefest in North Carolina\, the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield\, Kansas. They have filled a wide variety of venues around the world\, touring across the U.S. and Canada\, and all over Europe\, including Germany\, Switzerland\, the Czech Republic\, and Ireland.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/chris-jones-and-the-night-drivers/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260729T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260729T190000
DTSTAMP:20260701T174236Z
CREATED:20260701T173754Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T174236Z
UID:5440-1785351600-1785351600@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:St. Louis Songwriters Showcase
DESCRIPTION:$20 TICKETS at the DOOR\nCASH ONLY\nFocal Point presents the St. Louis Songwriters Showcase. The showcase highlights St. Louis-based performers representing some of the best singer songwriters in the metropolitan area. You will get to learn about the stories behind the songs and hear the songs presented by their authors.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/st-louis-songwriters-showcase-5/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260731T200000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260731T200000
DTSTAMP:20260618T200604Z
CREATED:20260618T041030Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T200604Z
UID:5396-1785528000-1785528000@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Sandy Weltman and The Sandcats
DESCRIPTION:Harmonica wizard Sandy Weltman is a player whose sound defies boundaries. After studying under the renowned Howard “Flecktones” Levy\, Sandy rose to international acclaim\, earning top honors in the World Harmonica Competitions. Masterful on both diatonic and chromatic harmonicas\, he navigates jazz\, blues\, bluegrass\, klezmer\, and latin styles\, creating a rich tapestry of sound. As the former St. Louis Symphony Pops’ Richard Hayman says\, “He is a true musician. The ideas he hears and executes with flawless ease are astounding.” Sandy’s performances invite audiences into a world where the harmonica is a voice of pure passion. The other two Sandcats joining Sandy for an evening of great American jazz\, folk and pop classics are two of St.Louis finest pickers\, Steve Schenkel on guitar and Rick Vice on bass.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/sandy-weltman-and-the-sandcats/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260801T200000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260801T200000
DTSTAMP:20260622T201651Z
CREATED:20260510T083022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260622T201651Z
UID:5323-1785614400-1785614400@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Focal Point Friends of Old-Time Music presents Alan Munde & Mason Ridge
DESCRIPTION:Alan Munde & Mason Ridge\, comprised of a cadre of seasoned\, blue blood bluegrass pickers and singers\, perform center-cut bluegrass that comes from a mature collective approach to the music they love. \nAlan Munde is a renowned banjo player with a long list of recording and performance accomplishments\, including Jimmy Martin\, The Flying Burrito Brothers\, and The Country Gazette. He is a member of the American Banjo Hall of Fame\, International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame\, and the 2021 winner of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. \nClaud Crum provides rock-solid rhythm guitar in the band and contributes his own distinct and imaginative approach to flat-picking. His knowledge of the guitar and experience with other musical genres comes through in each solo he plays. Claud and his wife Kathryn live near New Bloomfield\, MO. \nKevin Amburgey hails from the coal mining area around Hazard\, Kentucky. He brings the true authentic high lonesome sound to the band with his mandolin stylings and Appalachian rooted vocal delivery. He and his wife\, Tawnya\, minister to the folks in the Ashland\, MO area. \nFiddler Gerald Jones\, is the son of an Indiana award-winning fiddler and is easily recognized as one of the most talented bluegrass fiddlers in the region. Gerald’s fiddling skills have made him a highly sought after addition to any band. He has performed with the Downstate Ramblers\, Midnight Flight\, the Missouri River Band\, and Ray Cardwell and Missouri Moon. Gerald and his wife Tina live in Salem\, MO. \nPlaying the upright bass with the group is Kevin Shults. Kevin handles both the lead and tenor harmony parts in the trio. He grew up in Salem\, Missouri breathing the same air\, and drinking the same water that produced bluegrass legends\, the Dillards. Kevin has spent enough of his life playing bluegrass to have performed in 21 states and Canada. He and his wife Cheryl live in Columbia\, MO.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/focal-point-friends-of-old-time-music-presents-alan-munde-mason-ridge/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260802T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260802T190000
DTSTAMP:20260521T175506Z
CREATED:20260513T184109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260521T175506Z
UID:5335-1785697200-1785697200@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY: T.J. Muller's All Stars: Tribute To Jelly Roll Morton
DESCRIPTION:Join T.J. and an assembly of internationally renowned jazz musicians from around the country to perform a tribute to the music of Jelly Roll Morton\, including original arrangements from their brand new Turtle Bay Records release ‘Stomp Your Stuff’. \nBesides T.J. the band includes: Andy Schumm (Chicago)\, Andrew Oliver (Portland)\, Colin Hancock (Austin)\, Hal Smith (Searcy)\, Jacob Alspach and Jon Weiss (St. Louis).
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/t-j-mullers-all-stars-tribute-to-jelly-roll-morton/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260805T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260805T190000
DTSTAMP:20260609T210505Z
CREATED:20260609T205300Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260609T210505Z
UID:5386-1785956400-1785956400@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Focal Point Friends of Old-Time Music presents - The Wilder Flower
DESCRIPTION:Madeline Dierauf and Molly Johnson have been building a sound together since meeting in 2021 at the Hagood Mill Fiddlers Convention\, where they have each taken home multiple blue ribbons. Joined in 2025 by guitarist Audrey Neel\, their musical chemistry was immediate and they’ve been fine tuning their sound ever since. \nThe Wilder Flower plays a blend incorporating elements of Folk\, Americana\, Bluegrass\, and Old-time influence into something new and fluid. Their vocals incorporate three-part harmonies\, whether on a two-chord old-time ballad\, or a modern\, minor-filled melody. Instrumentally they cover a lot of musical ground including bluegrass banjo tunes\, fiddle and clawhammer string-band songs\, and everything in between. Their unique sound is centered around original songs and tunes that are thoughtfully arranged and adapted to showcase their tasteful instrumental sensibilities. They move between genres and writers in each song\, but there is something to their collective taste that speaks the same language\, though switching dialects. \nThe Wilder Flower has opened for bands such as the SteelDrivers\, Steep Canyon Rangers\, and MIPSO. They have played festivals such as Merlefest\, The Earl Scruggs Music Festival\, GreyFox Bluegrass Festival\, Big Ponderoo Music and Art Festival\, FreshGrass Festival\, High Mountain Hay Fever\, and Albino Skunk Music Festival. The Wilder Flower also teaches / does educational outreach\, working with organizations like  Junior Appalachian Musicians\, Merlefest\, Mountain School of Strings\, Outlaw Strings Oregon\, Red Wing Academy\, and in one off workshops for festivals.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/focal-point-friends-of-old-time-music-presents-the-wilder-flower/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260807T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260807T200000
DTSTAMP:20260618T054210Z
CREATED:20260618T054210Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T054210Z
UID:5400-1786132800-1786132800@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Focal Point Friends of Old-Time Music present: An Evening of Bluegrass Music with Nathan Stanley and Constant Sorrow
DESCRIPTION:TICKETS COMING SOON\nBorn on August 16\, 1992\, in the hills of Southwestern Virginia\, Nathan Edmond Stanley was destined for musical greatness. As the grandson of the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley\, Nathan inherited a rich bluegrass heritage that shaped his remarkable career.\n \nAt just two years old\, Nathan made his stage debut at the Grand Ole Opry\, playing spoons alongside his grandfather and the famed Clinch Mountain Boys.  By 2007\, he had become the group’s lead singer and rhythm guitarist\, stepping into a role once held by many of bluegrass and country music’s finest.\n \nNathan has remained committed to originality\, saying\, “If it’s been done\, I don’t think I’ll do it that way.”His sound blends his bluegrass roots with influences from Elvis Presley\, George Jones\, and more\, showcasing both tradition and individuality.\n \nThrough decades of performing—spanning the U.S. and international tours—Nathan has achieved numerous milestones.  In 2006\, he performed for the Queen of England\, and in 2011\, his single “White Dove” (featuring Vince Gill) reached #1 on the Inspirational country music charts. That same year\, his album “My Kind of Country” was named Classic Country Album of the Year by the National Traditional Country Music Association.\n \nAfter signing with Willow Creek Records in 2014\, his project “Every Mile” earned him a GMA Dove Award for “Bluegrass Album of the Year.” He was later featured on the Grammy-nominated Cracker Barrel album “Ralph Stanley and Friends: Man of Constant Sorrow” with standout renditions of “Rank Stranger” and “Hills of Home.”\n \nIn 2016\, Stanley was named “Best Bluegrass Artist” at the ICM Awards in Nashville\, Tennessee and made cameo appearances in the award winning Christmas film “Believe.” Over his career\, Nathan has collaborated with music greats including Brad Paisley\, George Jones\, Marty Stuart\, Patty Loveless\, Vince Gill\, Ricky Skaggs\, and Gene Watson.\n \nLooking ahead to 2026\, Nathan is set to release a brand-new album featuring duets with Vince Gill and other country legends\, continuing his mission to keep authentic\, heartfelt bluegrass and country music alive.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/focal-point-friends-of-old-time-music-present-an-evening-of-bluegrass-music-with-nathan-stanley-and-constant-sorrow/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260808T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260808T200000
DTSTAMP:20260621T233212Z
CREATED:20260618T201854Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260621T233212Z
UID:5407-1786219200-1786219200@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Admiral Radio
DESCRIPTION:Admiral Radio\, the award-winning folk/Americana act from South Carolina\, is the creative partnership of Coty Hoover and Becca Smith. Named after their old wooden radio\, this husband-and-wife team blends heartfelt harmonies\, storytelling\, and raw sincerity. Having met while waiting tables in South Carolina’s Lowcountry\, their sound is straightforward yet powerful—rooted in tight vocal interplay and finely picked acoustic instruments. Inspired by the everyday\, their songs explore life lessons\, the quiet hustle of ordinary life\, and the dogged optimism that drives it all.\n \nSimply put\, Becca and Coty aim to leave listeners better than they found them. The duo has five independently-produced albums under their belt including Good Things Take Time (2024)\, which has garnered critical acclaim and national radio play\, with tracks like “Look Back and Learn” praised by American Songwriter for its ‘power to help and heal’\, and EP Consider Me a Lighthouse (2025)\, which includes songs written over the span of 6 years with a lot of buzz surrounding tracks like “Cotton Candy Sky” and “Song for Me”. For their next full-length album\, the group has officially signed on with Too Fine Records\, a new label out of Nashville created by longtime managers of artists like Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors\, Judah & the Lion\, Ellie Holcomb\, and more. The Project is set to begin releasing in 2026.\n \nKnown for their energetic and emotional live shows\, Admiral Radio has shared stages with bluegrass legend Del McCoury\, folkgrass icon Molly Tuttle\, pop-rock sensation Judah & the Lion\, and more. They have also earned finalist and first-place honors in prestigious songwriting competitions around the country\, including Kerrville NewFolk\, the MerleFest Band Competition\, Cayamo Soundcheck\, and the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Official Songwriter Showcase. From humble beginnings to their growing buzz\, Admiral Radio is redefining the folk tradition with every mile down America’s backroads.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/admiral-radio/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260809T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260809T190000
DTSTAMP:20260629T235250Z
CREATED:20260618T205537Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260629T235250Z
UID:5413-1786302000-1786302000@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:The Focal Point and The St. Louis Blues Society Present: John Ford and John Long
DESCRIPTION:Bio- John Ford\n\n It’s pre war blues\, old school country\, southern gospel and the history behind the music. John Ford assimilates the blues of the 1920’s and 30’s\, the blues of Robert Johnson and Son House\, a bit of 1940’s country and a pinch of gospel rhythm\, and comes up with his own brand of the roots experience. \nFord has been writing since his early teens\, growing up in New Richmond\, Ohio\, a small river town 20 miles east of Cincinnati. “Whether it be songs I’ve written or an old song from the 1930’s\, I play what I fall in love with”. \nOver a year in the making\, John’s newest album\, “Rollin’ On” will be released in the fall of 2024 on disc and vinyl……. \nIn November of 2019\, John released a live EP called “John Ford Live” (with The John Ford Blues Society) recorded at Morehead State University on March 31st\, 2016. Six songs…..five blues classics and one original song\, “Ma Sibbi’s Chicken & Dumplins”. \nIn September of 2016. John released “The John Ford Blues Society”\, his first full length album\, comprised of 10 tracks\, it has some of the best musicians in Cincinnati playing along. \nJohn recorded the 2014 EP “Songs From Room 414” at The Gunter Hotel in San Antonio Texas – the hallowed ground where Robert Johnson recorded 16 out of his 27 songs in November of 1936. \nJohn’s first EP\, “Injection of the Blues” was released in 2011. \nIn 2015\, John was nominated for a CEA (Cincinnati Entertainment Award). \nOver the past few years he has performed at “The Shack Up Inn”\, “Hambone Art Gallery”\, “The Hooker Grocery & Eatery” and “Levon’s Bar & Grill” in Clarksdale Mississippi\, “The Iron Horse Grill” in Jackson\, Mississippi\, “The Cottonwood Public House” in Vicksburg\, Mississippi\, “The Slippery Noodle Inn” in Indianapolis\, “BB’s Jazz\, Blues & Soups” in St. Louis and Honky Tonk BBQ in Chicago\, as well as opening for Cedric Burnside\, Patrick Sweaney\, Damon Fowler and Ruthie Foster \n\n\n\nBio- John Long\n\nJohn Long began playing music in his hometown of St. Louis\, Mo. at an early age. He\, and his older brother Claude\, performed at every opportunity from their pre-teens\, forming their own band\, The Mystics. At 18\, John joined a popular St. Louis blues band\, Doc Terry and the Pirates\, an all-black band. Doc Terry was a big influence on the harmonica. \nIn 1972\, John moved to Chicago\, where his love of the blues really took hold. It was an opportune time there\, being exposed to\, and meeting\, many blues greats. Imagine learning from the likes of Sonny Terry\, Brownie McGhee\, Lightnin’ Hopkins\, Howlin’ Wolf\, Roosevelt Sykes\, Muddy Waters\, and Homesick James…just getting up close to some\, watching and listening\, actually getting the opportunity to play with or open shows for others\, even becoming lifelong friends with Homesick. As a young man\, John soaked up all this magic and culture\, molding him into the bluesman he is. \nJohn truly loved and respected this older generation of blues men and blues women\, still lifting them up today at every opportunity. John’s ‘blues dad’ Homesick James was like a second father to him. They played together often over 30 plus years\, even sharing housing at times. John was at Homesick’s bedside when this blues giant passed on December 13\, 2006\, at about 96 years\, give or take a year. Homesick was John’s biggest influence. \nRelocating from Chicago to Denver in the mid-70s\, John opened many shows through FEYLINE (Barry Fey & Chuck Morris)\, also through the Casino Cabaret in Five Points. Over the years\, John has had the opportunity to open shows for many and varied names in the blues\, and also folk music artists\, many of whom he also got the chance to play with. A few of these included\, along with Homesick\, Muddy Waters\, John Hammond\, B.B. King\, Snooky Pryor\, John Lee Hooker\, the Fabulous Thunderbirds (Stevie Ray & brother Jimmy)\, Odetta\, Big Mama Thornton\, George Thorogood\, Phoebe Snow\, Steve Goodman\, John Prine\, and Big Walter Horton. The list goes on. Johnny Long performed all around Colorado for 20 plus years\, both solo and with the Johnny Long Blues Band. \nDavid McIntyre\, of the Colorado Blues Society\, called John “Colorado’s own Bluesman” in a review of John’s first Delta Groove CD\, Lost and Found. Both of his Delta Groove releases were nominated for a BMA (Blues Music Award) by the Memphis Blues Foundation\, formerly the W.C. Handy Awards\, (2007 & 2017). His most recent CD is Stand Your Ground\, released May 2016. John also has a self-produced CD\, Long on Blues\, released in 1998 under Johnny Long. He records with Delta Groove under John Long. \nHarmonica player Jerry Portnoy (late 70s/early 80s) took ‘Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin to hear\, and meet\, the young Johnny Long. Bob\, a band member with the Muddy Waters Blues Band\, introduced John to Muddy\, which lead to Johnny long opening shows for Muddy Waters. During this time Muddy is quoted as saying\, “Johnny Long is the best young country blues artist playing today\,” or something in that vein. Bob Margolin confirmed that he had heard it said. \nJohn has been live on many blues radio shows across the country\, and in the UK\, including Denver’s Blues Vassal Kai Turner’s Strictly Blues 103.5 The Fox & I-Heart\, Southern Ca.’s ‘Blues Doctor’ Sheldon Abbott’s Cure for the Blues (KUCI)\, KDHX in St. Louis\, Mo.\, WRFG (Good Morning Blues) in Atlanta\, Ga. John has appeared on NPR’s long-running E-TOWN\, hosted by Nick Forster (of Hot Rize fame) and Helen Forster\, opening shows for Robert Cray\, Dan Hicks & the Hotlicks\, Kathy Mattea\, and in 2019\, the Capitol Sun Rays. He has also appeared on PBS stations across the country\, including Lancaster Live in Lancaster\, Pa.\, and Blue Roots Denver hosted by James Speiser. \nJohn Long has played internationally\, in Europe and in Canada\, as well as coast to coast in the USA. After repeatedly being invited to come to Germany to play his blues\, over 40 years time\, in 2017 John finally accepted. His 16 performance tour ran from September 22 through October 28\, 2017 throughout Germany and Austria. John’s longtime friend\, Bluesman Willie Salomon (from Bavaria)\, joined John for most of the performances. The Germany/Austria Tour was produced and organized by Ms. Elfie Whalley\, who was John’s tour manager. “John was extremely well received in Europe and has been invited back\, to include other countries also\,” Ms. Whalley.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/the-focal-point-and-john-may-present-john-ford-and-john-long/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thefocalpoint.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ford-long.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260815T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260815T200000
DTSTAMP:20260623T055323Z
CREATED:20260623T055323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260623T055323Z
UID:5424-1786824000-1786824000@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Chris Brashear & Peter McLaughlin
DESCRIPTION:Focal Friends of Old-Time Music are pleased to present Chris Brashear & Peter McLaughlin in their first appearance together in St. Louis. Chris and Peter represent over thirty years of musical collaboration. Their music is built on a deep respect for traditional music\, from blues to bluegrass\, mountain ballads\, cowboy songs and probably just about anything one might place under the current “Americana” category. They are singers and songwriters with a keen interest in the American southwest and the Colorado Plateau. Both experienced “river rats”\, they perform for music trips on the San Juan River in southern Utah and the Colorado River in Grand Canyon.\n \nBoth Chris and Peter were active from the late 1990’s through the early 2000’s as part of the highly acclaimed bluegrass & old-time string band\, The Perfect Strangers (along with Jody Stecher\, Bob Black and Forrest Rose)\, during which time they recorded a well-received CD for Rebel Records. Peter is a National Flatpicking Guitar Champion who many may remember for his work as guitarist and singer in Laurie Lewis’s band in the 1990’s. A Missouri native\, Chris is a skilled multi-instrumentalist on fiddle\, guitar and mandolin. Chris was also an Ozarks representative at the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Their most recent recording is entitled Desert Heart\, Mountain Soul.
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/chris-brashear-peter-mclaughlin/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260822T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260822T200000
DTSTAMP:20260618T215322Z
CREATED:20260618T215322Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T215322Z
UID:5417-1787428800-1787428800@thefocalpoint.org
SUMMARY:Goldpine
DESCRIPTION: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\, Lauren Daigle)\, 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)
URL:https://thefocalpoint.org/event/goldpine/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thefocalpoint.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Goldpine-scaled.jpg
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