THANK YOU
RHODE ISLAND BANJO FESTIVAL
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the banjo in all its forms — clawhammer, bluegrass, old-time, and beyond — with us at Nick-a-Nee's in Providence, RI.
A LOOK BACK AT SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2026
VENUE
WHERE IT HAPPENED
Nick-a-Nee's
75 South Street
Providence, RI 02903
Located in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence, accessible from I-195. Street parking available on South Street and nearby side streets.
DOORS OPENED
3:00 PM
FIRST PERFORMER
3:00 PM
FESTIVAL ENDED
9:00 PM
THE POSTER
About the Artwork
The Old Banjo, ca. 1889, William Keane. As early as the 1740s, Africans kidnapped into the slave trade brought with them the banjer, a fretless gourd instrument used to accompany singers, which later evolved into the banjo. Often played in defiance of a racist system designed to suppress enslaved people's humanity and creativity, the instrument came to symbolize cultural resistance and perseverance. With its distinctive sound and style, the banjo provided a framework for a musical tradition that preceded ragtime, jazz, and blues—all innovations by Black musicians—and established the foundations of modern American music. Keane's banjo is surrounded by personal effects: sheet music, a crumpled hat, a peacock feather, and a pair of photographs showing a young woman and two unidentified young Black boxers. The boxing image evokes the history of early Black boxing champions such as Jack Johnson (1878–1946), who challenged racism in American sport and paved the way for future athlete-activists.
Plantation Banjo c. 1937 by American Artist Floyd R. Sharp This is one of many of Sharp's illustrations in The Index of American Design program of the Federal Art Project, a pictorial survey of the crafts and decorative arts of the United States from the early colonial period to 1900. I learned that the late 30s was a pivotal moment in the history of banjo music as old-time evolved into bluegrass. It was also at this time there was a steep decline in the presence of the banjo in Black music. Enslaved West Africans in the Caribbean developed early iterations, taking inspiration from both their native culture and European instrument design. The instrument had enamored white audiences through pre-Civil War minstrel shows and adopted into the mainstream and middle-class America in the rural South by the 1850s. By the end of the century, it was the most popular stringed instrument in America.
2026 LINEUP
WHO PLAYED
3:00 PM · Bluegrass-Inspired
JILL STRAITJill Strait is an artist and clawhammer banjo player from Leominster, MA. Her work is inspired by her love of Bluegrass, Old Time and traditional country music. She paints and prints acoustic instruments with a variety of vintage fabric patterns from her collection of square dance dresses and western memorabilia.
4:00 PM · Appalachian Old-Time
AUBREY ATWATERAubrey Atwater presents a captivating program of traditional and original folk music performed on guitar, Appalachian mountain dulcimer, Irish tin whistle, mandolin, feet, and old-time banjo. She entwines a moving explanation of the music with stories from her life and musical journey. Her pursuit is to understand folk music as an expression of human history and a glimpse into the lives of "ordinary" people.
5:00 PM · Americana
ED SWEENEYEd Sweeney honors people and their histories by presenting music that entertains and educates. Through his musical expertise, breadth of knowledge, and wonderful sense of humor, he helps listeners, understand the motivations, stories, and culture that have made us who and what we are today. With his knack for eclecticism and excavating overlooked songs, what you hear from Ed Sweeney today will not be the same as what you'll hear from him tomorrow.
6:00 PM · Frailing/Clawhammer
HOWIE BURSEN
Howie Bursen is best known for his gravity-defying, triplet-filled, fiddle-tune variations and is certainly one of today's foremost practitioners of clawhammer banjo style. He has taught clawhammer at the Maryland Banjo Academy, Common Ground and the California Traditional Solstice Festival, and his eclectic recordings contain quite a number of stellar clawhammer solos.
7:00 PM · Raw Lo-Fi Sci-Fi Trash Folk
FOLK THE EMPIREIn-universe authentic lo-fi si-fi trash-folk tunes from a galaxy far, far away. Anti-imperial. Burgundy Squadron. Khyr Hammerlind on Banjo, Jeks Zartini on Percussion, and X'Lan Strom on Guitar.
2025 LINEUP
LAST YEAR'S PERFORMERS
A look back at the artists who joined us for the inaugural Rhode Island Banjo Festival.
Americana
ED SWEENEY
Ed Sweeney honors people and their histories by presenting music that entertains and educates. Through his musical expertise, breadth of knowledge, and wonderful sense of humor, he helps listeners, understand the motivations, stories, and culture that have made us who and what we are today. With his knack for eclecticism and excavating overlooked songs, what you hear from Ed Sweeney today will not be the same as what you'll hear from him tomorrow.
Earnest Americana
ANDREW PAULS
Rooted in the American folk tradition, Andrew’s lyrics dance with his banjo and guitar to forge relatable songs about everyday joys and tragedies. In his music, listeners will hear the influence of songwriting veterans like John Prine and Joni Mitchell swirled with the flavors of contemporary artists like Watchhouse (FKA Mandolin Orange), The Tallest Man on Earth, and Hiss Golden Messenger. Raised amidst the fertile farmland of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Andrew grew up on a steady diet of Mennonite four-part hymn singing and Paul Simon. In addition to his work onstage, Andrew is passionate about building up Lancaster, PA’s music community.
Gothic Folk
KATE MICK
Long-time Rhode Island resident Kate Mick has been strumming her banjo and writing songs for over 15 years. In 2019, she released her sophomore album Sugar in Your Teeth with "bright vocals, brilliantly contradicting melancholic lyrics" - Angela Marandola (for WhatsUpRI). Her first album, Undertow, omits ..."dark gothic folk with a soulful bluesy slant." - Chris Daltry (The Cut-Up Music Zine- CT). She has also been interweaving electric guitar into her sets, drifting slightly away from folk into noisier, dreamier, ambient rock while still maintaining her folk roots.
Modern Old-Time
CAROLYN SHAPIRO
Carolyn Shapiro is an old-time banjo player and songwriter from the Southern Adirondacks whose music feeds the soul like a home-cooked meal. Blending sultry flavor with a deep-rooted traditional style, her songwriting pushes the boundaries of the banjo and invites listeners on an intimate journey through the complexities of being human. With hypnotic banjo picking and a commanding voice, she brings a joyous vulnerability to the stage that leaves audiences restored and inspired. Folk Artist of the Year for the New York Capital Region in both 2022 and 2026.
Melodic Clawhammer
KEN PERLMAN
Ken Perlman is a pioneer of the 5-string banjo style known as melodic clawhammer; he is considered one today’s top clawhammer players, known in particular for his skillful adaptations of Celtic, Appalachian, & Canadian fiddle tunes to the style. He has toured throughout most of the English-speaking world and in Western-Europe, both as a soloist and – for over fifteen years – in a duo with renowned Appalachian-style fiddler Alan Jabbour. Also an independent folklorist, Ken spent close to two decades collecting tunes and oral histories from traditional fiddle players on Prince Edward Island in Eastern Canada.
Anticapitalist Folk
BIRD & AUGUR
Bird & Augur is a Rhode Island–based anticapitalist folk duo inspired by the traditions of solidarity and resistance that shape labor songs, protest anthems, and global folk music. With rich harmonies, intricate fingerpicking, and heartfelt storytelling, Bo Fage (they/them, guitar) and James Cappelletti (he/him, banjo) lend their voices to an ongoing reckoning with systems of violence and control. Their music invites listeners to build community, and to attend to the signs, the stories, and the unfolding future that still responds to care and intention.
Raw Lo-Fi Sci-Fi Trash Folk
FOLK THE EMPIRE
In-universe authentic lo-fi si-fi trash-folk tunes from a galaxy far, far away. Anti-imperial. Burgundy Squadron. Khyr Hammerlind on Banjo, Jeks Zartini on Percussion, and X'Lan Strom on Guitar.