Come one, come all! We like to sing with others, picking a tune either out of a book (see the Rise Up Singing book link on our homepage) or copies of pieces members bring to meetings. We have a library of files, although (some of us) we don't (all) know how to access it. Till then, please bring copies to share. We welcome all levels of folk music enthusiasts -- anyone who wants to encourage others and take turns. Look around our website -- we have a nice crowd. We go around the circle and everyone gets to pick a tune each time it is their turn. Do you sing but you don't play an instrument? That's okay! If you do play an instrument that doesn't really fit into what we try to do, we may ask that you only play it (drums, banjo) on your own turn. Check us out! Starbucks in Oakwood!

This is a group where shy people who like to sing or play but don't think they are very good can get together and try out folk songs. This is a sing-along -- you are asked to provide others in the group with word- and chord-sheets so they are learning a new piece, not just watching you perform. And we try to encourage each other, by giving each other space to fumble a little bit without feeling like somebody's going to jump in there and tell you how it should have been done.

We like to feel this group nurtures people without spoiling them. We are all here to have fun -- no lessons, no performances, just some occasionally out-of-tune harmonizing and flub ups on guitar work.

If you have favorite songs, please bring 8 or 10 copies. There probably isn't time to perform more than 4-5 of each person's favorite songs, so you don't need to bring too many. And sometimes we like to pick pieces from the Rise Up Singing songbook.

This is a group for everyone. Come and sing along!

Like to sing?

Lots of music at our meetups! You don't realize how much your spirits are lifted, even on the worst of days, until you've found yourself thrust into a situation where your only job is to sing! We are no-charge, nothing fancy (I sing off key, and often run out of air in the middle of a line...) but we're lots of fun. At the last meeting we had about ten guitarists. If one person didn't know a song, someone else did. Everybody takes turns choosing (even newcomers get a turn!)

At the April 23rd meeting, we will be bringing word- and chord- sheets of 1960s type folk music. Our back-up music source is always Rise Up Singing, but at the last meeting several guitarists spontaneously delved into their memories of favorite songs from the time when they were learning guitar, and all of us loved it!

Play other instruments? Harmonica, fiddle, dobro, standing bass, dulcimer, autoharp, mandolin or a very quiet banjo are welcome (please, no drums and no plug-ins!). But just bringing your voice is fine (that's all I have -- I can't haul in my piano with me, and besides, I don't know how to sing along to Chopin...).

Whoever you are, if you are courteous, you are welcome in our group. Come sing with us!