Few musicians have made as profound an impact on the Door County musical scene as Memphis multi-instrumentalist Eric Lewis. A recipient of the Premier String Player Award from the Memphis chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Lewis has earned accolades nationwide for his fast-picking prowess on guitar, dobro, steel guitar, and more. A plethora of accomplished musicians will join Lewis at DCA for a night of swing, bluegrass, and country music, including Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame inductee Carolyn Martin, top-notch bassist David Martin, world-class Nashville drummer Tommy Wells, and Nashville multi-instrumental powerhouse Rory Hoffman on harmonica, guitar, accordion, and a host of other instruments.

“A young fellow with a Collings guitar asked if he could sit in. Sit in, he took the place apart!…He was Eric Lewis from Memphis, Tennessee.” – The Independent Register (Madison, WI)

Tickets: $15/$20/$25
Date: Friday, June 14, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

In 2013, Ladysmith Black Mambazo celebrates over fifty years of making joyous music that marries the intricate rhythms and rich a cappella harmonies of their native South Africa to the sounds of Christian gospel music. Ladysmith, first introduced to mainstream American audiences as part of Paul Simon’s seminal 1986 album Graceland, has won three Grammy Awards and received fifteen Grammy nominations. Their musical efforts over the past five decades have garnered praise and accolades within the recording industry and solidified their global identity as a cultural force to be reckoned with.

“It isn’t merely the grace and power of their dancing or the beauty of their singing that rivets the attention, but the sheer joy and love that emanates from their being.” – Paul Simon

Tickets: $22/$32/$45
Date: Friday, June 21, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

Since their formation in 2005, the Carolina Chocolate Drops have developed a reputation as, “the hottest thing to hit the old-time music community in decades” (NPR). The Chocolate Drops bring their brash, youthful energy to bear on traditional African-American string band music, revitalizing and reinventing one of America’s most foundational musical traditions. With their 2010 album Genuine Negro Jig — which garnered a Best Traditional Folk Album Grammy—as well as 2012’s Leaving Eden, the group has proven that the old-time fiddle and banjo-based music they’ve so scrupulously researched and passionately performed can exist as a living, breathing, ever-evolving sound.

“This striking North Carolina trio brings a modern sizzle to the legacy of classic African American string bands . . . sparking an electrifying ruckus.” – Spin

Tickets: $22/$32/$45
Date: Sunday, June 23, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

The Time Jumpers was established in Nashville in 1998 by a group of A-List studio musicians who wanted to drink some beer and jam with their sonically gifted buddies at the Station Inn bluegrass club on slow Monday nights. Pretty soon Monday nights were sounding a lot like Saturday nights—and drawing lively crowds. As word spread along Music Row that something special was happening at Station Inn, big stars began dropping by, some to sit in with the band, others just to enjoy the eclectic sets. Among those drop-bys were Bonnie Raitt, Reba McEntire, Norah Jones, Robert Plant, The White Stripes, Kings Of Leon, Jimmy Buffet and Kelly Clarkson.

The current edition of The Time Jumpers includes 11 members, each a master of his (and, in one case, her) instrument. Alphabetically—which is the only diplomatic way to present such a phalanx of evenly matched talent—they are Dennis Crouch (upright bass), Larry Franklin (fiddle), Paul Franklin (steel guitar), the 20-time Grammy winner, Vince Gill (vocals, electric and acoustic guitars), “Ranger Doug” Green (vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar), Andy Reiss (electric guitar), Dawn Sears (vocals), Kenny Sears (vocals, fiddle), Joe Spivey (fiddle, vocals) Jeff Taylor (accordion, piano) and Billy Thomas (drums, vocals).

“I just love the music and the authenticity of it. It’s what I cut my teeth on growing up in Oklahoma. This isn’t a bunch of kids being retro. It’s people who really honor and respect the kind of music you used to hear all the time in Texas or Oklahoma or those great old ballrooms throughout the Midwest. For me it’s like a drink of water from home.” – Vince Gill

Tickets: $45/$58/$68
Date: Friday, June 28, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website

When legendary funk/soul band The Family Stone takes the stage, its members prove that classic hits can feel even more alive after forty-five years than they did in the beginning. The Family Stone centers around Jerry Martini, Cynthia Robinson, and Greg Errico: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, R&B Pioneer Award winners, and founding members of Sly and the Family Stone. True to their original raw funk groove, The Family Stone breathes new life into the hit singles Everyday People, Hot Fun in the Summertime, and I Wanna Take You Higher.

“A fabulous repertoire from a golden era of psychedelic soul.” – The Guardian London

Tickets: $28/$36/$46
Date: Friday, July 5, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

Shovels & Rope is a husband-and-wife duo like none other. Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, based in South Carolina, perform as an energetic two-piece band, stirring up a righteous racket with two old guitars, a handful of harmonicas, the occasional keyboard, and a junkyard drum kit harvested from an actual garbage heap. On stage, Hearst and Trent trade vocals and instruments in an instinctive, organic manner that’s simultaneously loose and tight. Raw and imaginative, free-flowing and insightful, the pair’s panoramic songwriting drives Shovels & Rope’s newest release O’ Be Joyful, as well as their raucous, unforgettable live performances.

“If you like Carter and Cash, try Shovels and Rope.” – The New York Times

Tickets: $18/$20/$25
Date: Monday, July 8, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website

New York-born composer and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal is a two-time Grammy winner and one of the most influential American blues and roots artists of the past half-century. He has forged a four-decade career by gathering and distilling countless musical traditions from a range of geographical and cultural sources: the Mississippi Delta, the Appalachian backwoods, the African continent, the Hawaiian islands, Europe, the Caribbean, and more. At the core of his vast musical knowledge are a growling, husky voice; shimmering, skillful guitar work; and live performances full of humor, warmth, and soul.

“A singer and scholar who makes simply wonderful music. . . . Taj Mahal overflows with personality.” – The New York Times

Tickets: $29/$42/$55
Date: Saturday, July 13, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

James McMurtry has been praised as one of the strongest American songwriters of the last half-century. McMurtry’s story-songs, populated by colorful, world-weary characters, range from atmospheric ballads to no-holds-barred rockers. McMurtry (who is the son of Lonesome Dove author Larry McMurtry) was raised on a steady diet of Roy Acuff and Johnny Cash records, and his pointed, clear-eyed songs are evidence of these strong Americana roots. An accomplished singer and guitarist as well as a songwriter, McMurtry has released ten albums over his prolific, Grammy-nominated career, and the poignant lyrics of his immense catalogue still ring true today.

“The simple fact is that James McMurtry may be the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation.” –Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly

Tickets: $18/$22/$28
Date: Monday, July 15, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

The genre-bending sister band Rising Appalachia has toured over 14,000 miles since its 2005 inception, accumulating critical acclaim and a devoted fan following along the way. Based around sisters Leah and Chloe Smith, Rising Appalachia combines traditional Appalachian songs with soul music, spoken word poetry, and even beatboxing to create a one-of-a-kind sound that NPR has called “…aural divinity.” Banjos, fiddles, drums, kalimbas, djembes, spoons, and washboard support the energetic charisma of the two sisters, who constantly find new ways to merge a diverse array of global music traditions with their own Appalachian roots.

“Rising Appalachia stands for everything that tends to get swallowed up in a slick and shiny society.”- Paste

Tickets: $15/$20/$25
Date: Friday, July 19, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

The Official Blues Brothers Revue pays homage to Chicago’s rich history of blues, soul, and gospel music in the true spirit of The Blues Brothers, originally created by John Belushi and Dan Akroyd in 1978. Sanctioned by Akroyd and the Belushi estate, the Official Blues Brothers Revue recreates the live Blues Brothers concert experience, evoking the humor, music, and mayhem of the original film. Backed by a high-energy eight-piece band, frontmen Wayne Catania and Kieron Lafferty demonstrate the charisma, passion, and precision that catapulted the original Blues Brothers into a cinematic and musical legend.

“Infectious and unbridled energy . . . it blows the roof off.” – Chicago Sun-Times

Tickets: $22/$32/$45
Date: Thursday, July 25, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

Two of rock’s most astute contemporary songwriters will join forces at DCA for a concert of hard-edged lyricism and musical power. Each a legendary songwriter in his own right, Americana rockers John Hiatt and Steve Earle have twenty-five Grammy nominations and three Grammy Awards between them. Hiatt is known for writing such hits as Thing Called Love (Bonnie Raitt); Earle’s songs have been covered by Joan Baez and Emmylou Harris; both deliver performances that radiate sharp intelligence and raw authenticity. Each joined by a full band, Hiatt and Earle’s doubleheader performance at Door Community Auditorium will be a one-of-a-kind evening, not to be missed.

“John Hiatt’s star has never shined more bright.” – Relix Magazine
“Sounding more like splintered old chestnuts than late-model numbers, Earle’s songs deftly evoke classic bluegrass ballads while packing a modern day lyrical bite.” – Chicago Tribune

Tickets: $45/$55/$68
Date: Friday, August 2, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website (Steve Earle) & Artist Website (John Hiatt)
Artist Video

Boise-born and Boston-based, singer-songwriter Eilen Jewell has quickly distinguished herself as one of the rising stars of a new generation of roots musicians. Eilen Jewell puts her own stamp on old country, jug band, American folk, UK garage rock, and vintage R&B music, and comes out sounding like the time-traveling, sweet-voiced progeny of Bessie Smith, Gillian Welch, and The Be Good Tanyas. Her warm, smoky voice and authentic songwriting have led Jewell to share stages with Loretta Lynn, The Holmes Brothers, Lucinda Williams, and Mavis Staples. American Songwriter calls Jewell “an undiscovered gem.”

“She’s got a sweet and clear voice with a killer instinct lurking beneath the shiny surface.” – NPR

Tickets: $15/$20/$25
Date: Sunday, August 4, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

Kathy Mattea is one of the most sure-footed song discoverers and interpreters of her generation. Though she originally became famous as a country-pop crooner, in recent years Mattea has broadened her musical scope, using her warm, expressive alto to plumb the deep pools of traditional country, folk, and Appalachian music. Mattea’s 17 albums are woven through with bluegrass, gospel, and Celtic influences, and have garnered multiple CMA, ACM, and Grammy Awards. Mattea’s concerts present her new and most recent material alongside her Top 20 radio hits, from the signature ballad Where’ve You Been? to the iconic Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses.

“Mattea’s voice uncovers layers of emotional depth while always radiating a resolute fortitude that never succumbs to easy sentimentality.” – No Depression

Tickets: $25/$38/$48
Date: Sunday, August 11, 2013
Time: 8:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

Decades into their career, groundbreaking folk-rock duo Indigo Girls still amaze conventional pundits with their ability to grow and thrive regardless of the state of the music industry. The Grammy-winning Indigo Girls — Emily Saliers and Amy Ray — became overnight folk-rock icons in 1989 and have maintained that status ever since, consistently delivering their unique brand of openhearted songwriting and lush harmonies to enthusiastic audiences worldwide. The duo’s constant touring, as well as their staunch dedication to a number of social and environmental causes, has earned them a fervidly devoted fan following over the years.

Tickets: $40/$50/$62
Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Time: 7:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

Greensky Bluegrass and Elephant Revival have both garnered critical acclaim and cultish fan followings through their prodigious instrumental skills, fresh takes on traditional music, and youthful, joyous performance styles. Together for a one-of-a-kind concert at DCA, Greensky Bluegrass will present its kinetic “newgrass” (featuring banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro, and bass) alongside Elephant Revival’s “transcendental folk” (including elements of Celtic fiddle tunes, reggae grooves, jazz standards, and hip-hop beats). The Colorado-based Elephant Revival has exhilarated DCA audiences twice before; the DCA debut of Michigan-based Greensky Bluegrass will make this concert even more remarkable.

“Representing the genre for a whole new generation.” – Rolling Stone on Greensky Bluegrass
“Joyful, beautiful, humble, and a hell of a lot of fun.” – Boulder Weekly on Elephant Revival

Tickets: $18/$22/$28
Date: Sunday, September 15, 2013
Time: 7:00pm

Artist Website (Greensky Bluegrass) & Artist Website (Elephant Revival)
Artist Video

Jump Rhythm Jazz Project is a multiple-Emmy-Award-winning performing and teaching company based in Chicago. JRJP celebrates the communal core of jazz performance—dancing, singing, and story-telling in rhythmically syncopated conversations to the beat-driven sounds of the blues, swinging jazz, funk, hip-hop, and world music. Founder Billy Siegenfeld’s ground-breaking approach to body alignment called “standing down straight” has been credited by Dancer magazine as “the first genuine jazz technique in forty years.” JRJP’s innovative system of vocal-rhythmic dance transforms the moving body, accompanied by scat singing, into a rhythm-accurate, emotion-charged percussion instrument.

“Captures the exuberant physicality of good dancers when moments of extreme control and abandon are seamlessly combined.” – The New York Times

Residency for Door County Dance Students: Tuesday & Wednesday, October 22-23, 2013, Times TBD
Tickets: $18/$25/$28
Performance: Friday, March 7, 2014
Time: 7:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video

Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy are two of the world’s most celebrated fiddlers—and they just happen to be married to each other. Together, MacMaster and Leahy meld their virtuosities into a whirlwind of fiddle-driven music, dance, and song, combining the best of French, Celtic, bluegrass, and Cajun styles and making these traditions their own. Joined by two highly-acclaimed pianists in their own right, Mac Morin and Erin Leahy, MacMaster and Leahy will perform the foot-tapping rave-ups, heart-wrenching ballads, and world-class step dancing that have brought audiences to their feet on three (and counting) continents, including legendary performances by both at Door Community Auditorium.

“A red-hot ticket…world-class fiddle playing.” – Edmonds Beacon

Tickets: $22/$32/$45
Date: Sunday, November 10, 2013
Time: 7:00pm

Artist Website & Artist Website (Natalie MacMaster) & Artist Website (Donnell Leahy)
Artist Video

This holiday season, perennial DCA favorites The Lettermen will bring their signature three-part harmonies to bear on an enchanting array of classic and contemporary holiday tunes. Since their formation in 1959, The Lettermen have released 32 albums, made 18 gold records worldwide, and topped the charts with more than 25 hit singles, including “The Way You Look Tonight” and “When I Fall In Love.” Even after several decades of recording success, The Lettermen maintain a busy touring schedule and still exude the gentle charisma that has made them stars for more than half a century.

“They really take me back!” – DCA Audience Member

Tickets: $25/$35/$45
Date: Saturday, November 30, 2013
Time: 7:00pm

Artist Website
Artist Video