Six Years of Musical Talent

Born in Ohio, Cormac made his singing debut on WKRC Radio in Cincinnati, as a three-year old belting out “Davy Crockett.” It wasn’t until his sister made a visit home from college, bringing an armful of recordings by Dylan, Baez, and Eric Anderson, that things clicked musically for McCarthy. After college, he did an array of odd jobs including construction worker, truck driver, street singer, and migrant worker. Through his music Cormac has succeeded in bringing lyrical magic to some of these rougher edges of life. He has performed nationally on many stages including the Newport Folk Festival, NPR’s Mountain Stage Live Radio Show, Boston’s WUMB Folk Radio, American Troubadours with Eric Andersen and Townes Van Zandt at Boston’s Somerville Theater. Cormac brought his musical stylings to our farm in 2021 and again in 2023.

Praised by NPR’s Bob Boilen as a “powerful voice whose tender performance commands attention and fosters connection,” Alisa Amador made history in 2022 with the first-ever Spanish language song to win the prestigious Tiny Desk Contest. Now, the bilingual singer/songwriter is formally introducing herself with her stunning full-length debut, Multitudes. Alisa was part of our Grand Finale concert completing our first season in 2020.

Kimayo is a folk-pop artist, performing in New England since 2019. Her authentic and personal songs are relatable and vulnerable. Through her music, Kimayo seeks to cultivate connection, solidarity, and hope for each of her listeners. Her music explores self-discovery and finding her faith, with an adult contemporary sound. Kimayo’s engaging performances led to winning Best of the Lakes Region: Music (Solo) in 2022. We were delighted to showcase her talents as a new artist in our inaugural 2020 season.

Internationally-acclaimed pianist Asiya Korepanova, cellist Yoni Draiblate, and opera virtuosa Kimberly Oppelt came together in 2024 for a magical afternoon of music, including Tony Cicoria’s Lightning Sonata, alongside lighter pieces by Debussy, Faure, Bach and Barber. It was an unforgettable afternoon.

Best known for fronting his national band Sparks The Rescue, Alex Roy is no stranger to putting on a performance. With 20 full US tours under his belt, he has traveled all over with groups like Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Mayday Parade, All Time Low and Ludo. Now home from touring, Alex travels throughout New England as a solo acoustic artist or with his band Holly Heist. He launched our 2020 concert season with collaborator Adrian Bean on violin – a truly dynamic duo!

With their transcendence of Funk, Soul, Jam, and Roots Rock; Krewe de Groove brings together some of the best musicians in New England in a musical family. After 17 years based in New Orleans, guitarist/vocalist Brandon Tarricone moved back north in 2014, bringing a huge amount of original music and bayou flavor. Justin Lopes on B3 organ, John Iltis on drums, and Dave Walker on bass make up Krewe’s rhythm section and their tight, syncopated pocket. Long time veteran Sax players Henley Douglas Jr and Eric Schindler blow up the funk!

Sam Robbins is often described as an “old soul singer songwriter.” Sam’s music evokes classic singer songwriters like James Taylor and Jackson Browne, He adds a modern, upbeat edge to the storyteller troubadour persona. An avid performer, he has gained recognition from extensive national touring, sharing the stage with artists like Jason Mraz and David Wilcox, and as a main stage performer at the Kerrville, Falcon Ridge and Philadelphia Folk Festivals. Sam graced our stage in the 2021 summer concert series.

Rockspring brought their rollicking bluegrass sounds to the farm for our 2023 concert season. Their tight harmonies, extended improvisations, complex instrumentation and wide-ranging repertoire made for a shockingly good performance. “Down By the River” is forever etched in our hearts.

Crows’ Feat Farm brings new artists to our stage every year, musicians like Anna May, whose songs bear a placelessness that lends to their timeless nature. The deep exploration of heartbreak and trauma has been an ongoing quest throughout her work. She has a “PhD in breakup songs. meditative moodscapes. Immersive trance folk. alternative tragic Americana, and invocations for peace & judgment.” Anna brought her melodies to our 2021 music season.

David Roth strikes many chords, hearts, and minds with his unique songs, offbeat observations, moving stories, sense of the hilarious, and powerful singing and subject matter. As singer, songwriter, recording artist, keynote speaker, workshop leader, and instructor, David has earned top honors at premier songwriter competitions – Kerrville (TX) and Falcon Ridge (NY) – and taken his music, experience, and expertise to a wide variety of venues in this and other countries full-time for more than three decades. He brought his talents to our 2021 and 2022 concert series, and even wrote a song about Crows’ Feat!

The Crab Shack is a great local cover band that has been packing Seacoast dance floors for over a decade. Their motto: Great Vibes. Bad Dance Moves! The band leader, Chris Avery, grew up at Crows’ Feat Farm, formerly known as Rolling Ridge. They were a highlight of our 2022 concert season

The Soggy Po Boys, native to New England are spreading the good news of New Orleans music across the northeast and beyond, playing at concert halls and street corners; music festivals and burlesque festivals; bars and libraries; wherever the party requires. Part of the beauty of New Orleans music is that it’s celebrated and appreciated wherever it goes, from the street to the theater. The group formed in 2012 to shake the walls of a local club on a Fat Tuesday but have honed their sound and become more than a Mardi Gras centerpiece. Exploring the vast musical traditions of New Orleans and expanding their repertoire to look beyond NOLA jazz, the band includes traditional Caribbean tunes, as well as Meters funk, soul, and brass band / street beat music.

Portland, Maine based songwriter, guitarist and producer Jason Spooner has been a visible and respected presence on the northeastern and national live music circuits for close to two decades. As the bandleader of The Jason Spooner Band (Dan Boyden – Drums, Stu Mahan – Bass and Dawson Hill – Keyboards), Spooner has expanded his musical horizons significantly over the course of five studio releases. The quartet stands out with an interesting signature American Roots Rock sound supported by audibly strong musicianship, interesting arrangements and well-crafted, intelligent writing.

The Big note has been rocking the Seacoast since 1976, with music that spans the full range of American popular styles. From Count Basie to Rufus Thomas to Gene Pitney to Marvin Gaye to The Band to The Kinks – and beyond. Ben Baldwin (sax, vocals) is joined by Kent Allyn (piano, bass, guitar), Jesse Williams (bass) and Milt Reder (guitar). The group has performed at major venues such as The Music Hall, and has opened for legendary acts like The Temptations, The OJays, and Chuck Berry. They helped launch our concert series in 2020 and returned to popular acclaim in 2022.

Based out of Southern Maine, Old Hat fuses tight vocal harmonies with a driving acoustic rhythm section. With a sound draws from folk, old time, bluegrass, and country traditions, the band is comprised of Whitney Roy (Guitar, Vocals), Steve Roy (Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals), and Amanda Kowalski (Bass). Whitney’s lilting vocals provide the backbone of the vocal blend, while her solid rhythm guitar anchors the band’s pulse. Steve is a veteran of New England’s acoustic music scene, and has performed and toured with many of the acoustic world’s top acts. Amanda is one of the more sought after bass players in the worlds of bluegrass and old time music, and her rhythmic drive and energy on stage are second to none. These talented musicians helped launch our concert series in 2020!

Multi-instrumentalist Charlie Jennison plays lead alto sax, flute and soprano sax with the Seacoast Big Band and is a member of the recently formed New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra, as well as the Capital Jazz Orchestra in Concord. Currently working as a free-lance pianist, Charlie can also be found gigging around Portsmouth at the Press Room, Library Restaurant and other local venues with vocalists Johanna Landis or Linda Pouliot. For more than 30 years, Charlie worked with Exeter, NH based jazz pianist Tommy Gallant, a teacher at the Berklee School of Music and is an alumnus of Woody Herman’s band. Charlie also studied with such major jazz figures as Jerry Bergonzi, Charlie Mariano, Jerry Coker, and Ted Casher. He has shared the stage or been in the recording studio with Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy DeFranco, Alan Dawson, and Marshal Royal as well as backing up live performances for other exceptional musicians such as Rosemary Clooney, Carmen Bradford, Natalie Cole, Andy Williams, Delfeayo Marsalis, jazz violinist Sara Caswell, saxophonist Grace Kelly, and singer/songwriter Jon Bon Jovi. Charlie helped us launch our concert series in 2020 with a bang!

“Tracy Grammer is a brilliant artist and unique individual. Her voice is distinctive, as is her mastery over the instruments she plays.” – Joan Baez “Her pure voice conveys the simple truths of these songs; her gifts as a musician are like that of a painter who is a master of chiaroscuro, offering light and shadow at every turn…. A treasured part of my music collection.“ – Mary Chapin Carpenter. Tracy and her partner in music Jim Henry graced the farm with their music in the summer of 2021

Black Isle Music’s BeckyTracey and Keith Murphy produce highly crafted playing of traditional music from Newfoundland, Quebec, Ireland, France and beyond. Tracy’s fiddling pulses through tasteful arrangements of dance tunes and resonates with beauty on traditional slow airs. Keith’s gentle and expressive singing in English and French is balanced by the drive and power of his guitar playing and foot percussion. Combined, they produce a remarkable range and richness of sound. We were delighted to host them at the farm in 2021.

Singer-songwriter Rodney Mashia has been a Crows’ Feat Farm favorite since we launched our concert series in 2020. He’s a master of R&B, the Motown sound, protest songs of the 1960s and modern music sung with soul. For Rodney, it’s all about music for and from the heart, soul and spirit. It’s all about joy.

One of New England’s premier dance orchestras, the New Legacy Swing Band brings a wide variety of favorites, from big band to jazz, swing, waltzes, Latin, rock n’ roll, and R&B. You’ll find it hard to sit still when they start swingin’!

Following on their sold-out performance at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth, acclaimed jazz vocalist and songwriter Taylor O’Donnell joins Mike Effenberger on piano and Chris Klaxton on drums for a deep dive through the worlds of Joni Mitchell, the Pixies, Donny Hathaway, Bjork, Paul Simon, gospel rock & roll, lullabies, improvisation and original song.

Grammy-nominated songwriter Reed Foehl writes stories of the human condition with a lyric and voice which push boundaries while paying homage to tradition. Dusty and patient, his music is genuine Folk/Americana. “From traditional folk ballads to barroom sing-alongs, this tunesmith’s emotional, deeply personal lyrics and indelibly infectious choruses…leave the listener with an overriding sense of optimism” (Glide magazine)

Gnarly Darling (noun) “is a twisted, dangerous, sweet, and beautiful something.” Musically, it’s about honest lyrics that cut to the sometimes painful truths each of us carry, brought to bear through jangly guitar and blues harp set against striking melodies, grounded rhythms, and soulful harmonies. As one radio listener from Ireland shared, “This is what America sounds like to me from the outside. It’s lovely.” The band made their Crows’ Feat Farm debut in the summer of 2025.

Mica’s Groove Train is what happens when a group of ridiculously talented musicians who really enjoy creating music, get together. Nominated New England Music Awards 2019’s ‘Best Soul/R&B Act’, and 2022’s ‘Best Soul/R&B Act of the Year,’ this ensemble has a tight and funky rhythm section combined with tasty guitar virtuosity that creates an amazing backdrop for the incomparable vocals of 2022’s Seabrook Idol winner, Ms. Yamica Peterson

The Windham Concert Band is made up of over 40 volunteer musicians from Windham and several surrounding towns. They share a passion for music and meet weekly to make music and bring it to our communities. It was great to hear their big-band sound ringing through our farm fields in 2024.

RDMTION (Redemption) is a 6-piece Jamaican Reggae band based in Hampton, New Hampshire. The band was formed in 2021 from a collection of vibrant musicians who met through their love of music. Influences include Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Toots and the Maytals, Sly and Robbie and many more Reggae greats. Their unique brand of entertainment fuses Roots Reggae with Pop music, splashed with 3-part harmonies that make you want to get up and dance all night. They have had the pleasure of opening for iconic Reggae royalty, Ziggy Marley. Currently, the band is working on their first EP!

Downeast Maine band Trifecta delivers a stunning program of original songs and covers ranging from rock to pop, country, bluegrass and R&B. They’ve been a regular feature of our concert series from the beginning, and we’re delighted to welcome them back to the farm. Ginna’s vocal virtuosity hits all the right notes, but the band rocks on the talents of guitarist Keith, bass player Dave and John on Drums.

Kate doesn’t want you to look at her. She wants you to see what she sees. She wants to know if you see it too. For her, songs are a chance to say things that don’t usually make it into polite conversation. They are letters folded up and left at your doorstep. A seasoned performer, Kare has played the Knitting Factory (New York), Jalopy Theatre (Brooklyn), LEAF Festival (Black Mountain), Club Passim (Boston) and the Ossipee Music Festival (Maine). Her voice has been described as having an “intangible vintage feel.” Kate performed at the farm in the summer of 2025, with her partners Tahlia Sabat (fiddle) and Mark Roman (bass).