These single-mic champs went five-mics wide on the main stage. But here’s why they need to stick to the theatrical one-mic style of playing — even though, in the video below, there was no room for a mic. Enjoy this half-hour show:

The Hillbenders perform on the main stage at IBMA 2011. From left, Chad Graves, Mark Cassidy, Nolan Lawrence, Gary Rea, Jimmy Rea. Photo by Stephen Ide

Having watched Jake perform since he was a teen, I can assure you the evening’s adventure brings with it musical twists, along with Jake’s self-deprecating, wry humor. There are no boundaries. His music rarely can be defined by genre – original and traditional songs, set to his mellifluous tenor.

Taylor Armerding. Photo by Stephen Ide

Adding to this mix will be his brother Jessie, whom I’ve seen perform percussion, and his dad, Taylor, who adds mandolin and a wide range of harmony and lead vocals. Taylor’s repertoire alone, steeped in bluegrass, gospel, rock and more, adds another dimension, along with family harmonies and even more good-natured onstage ribbing.

It’s been a fascinating musical trail for Jake, and his father has nurtured it and watched it blossom. In Jake’s formative years, when he trained in the Suzuki method on violin, to later years when he added fiery fiddle, joining his father in New England’s progressive bluegrass band Northern Lights, Taylor has watched his son find his own voice.

Jake’s latest album, “Her,” is a collection of love songs, reflections of feelings after his recent marriage. His website adds some insight:

“For years I’ve been trying to get away from love songs — everybody writes them, they’re the easiest to write, all that stuff. But then I fell in love and got married, so it wasn’t really an option.” Singer and songwriter Mark Erelli, a longtime friend and colleague who contributed guitar and vocal tracks to the project, commented, “It’s pretty great to listen to a whole record of love songs and not hear any of the usual love song cliches.”

Jake Armerding will perform with his brother Jessie and his father, Taylor Armerding, at the opening concert at Sanctuary Hall in Weymouth. Photo by Stephen Ide

It’s fair to say that Jake, who has performed onstage with Toad the Wet Sprocket, Bela Fleck, Nickel Creek and many others, is still on a musical journey of discovery. And we get to go along for the ride.

Click here for more information about Music at Sanctuary Hall and tickets. The show is held at East Weymouth Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, 1320 Commercial St. at Jackson Square, East Weymouth, MA 02189.

Gauthier (pronounced “go-SHAY”), is just coming off a European tour including France and Holland, and says she looks most forward to sharing her musical stories with the audience on any given night. And does she have some stories to tell! In fact, her latest album, “The Foundling,” includes original songs that vividly describe the intense ups and downs of her nearly 50 years of life.

Fiddler Tania Elizabeth, left, with Mary Gauthier.

After being able to remain sober enough to enroll at LSU as a philosophy major, Gauthier dropped out in her senior year and took a restaurant manager job in Boston. She was doing well enough to attend a culinary school that prepared her for opening two highly regarded Cajun restaurants, Back Bay and Dixie Kitchen. Although the restaurants did well, she still felt there was something missing and this is when she decided to dedicate her life to music.

In the late 90s, Gauthier actually made an appearance at the Rose Garden at the very start of her musical career, an event she recalls with fondness and warm feelings. “The confidence you placed in me way back then is something I always remembered and still appreciate,” she told Rose Garden Artistic Director Mac McLanahan several years ago.

Dixie Kitchen, where Gauthier once worked.

In her own bio, Gauthier says, “The songs on ‘The Foundling’ tell the story of a kid abandoned at birth, who spent a year in an orphanage and was adopted, who ran away and ended up in show business, who searched for her birth parents late in life, found one and was rejected, and who came through the other side of all this believing in love.” Says Gauthier, “That kid is me.”

Tania Elizabeth

The multi-talented Tania Elizabeth will accompany Gauthier on fiddle and vocals.  Having co-founded the critically acclaimed group The Duhks, Tania is a two-time Grammy® Award nominee (one win) and a four-time Canadian Juno Award nominee (one win). She has been touring the world with Mary Gauthier since late 2009.

The Nov. 12 performance will begin at 8 pm (doors at 7:30 pm) at the Congregational Church, 17 West St. in Mansfield. It will also be the Rose Garden’s annual “Warm Clothes, Warm Hearts” night. Attendees are encouraged to bring any gently worn jackets, coats, gloves, mittens, and hats to this show and they will be distributed to homeless shelters. This program is run in conjunction with WUMB radio and the Golden Key Honour Society at UMass Boston.

The Rose Garden is an all-volunteer operation that serves hot and cold non-alcoholic drinks of the season along with homemade desserts and pastries. Those expecting to attend the performance are urged by organizers to order advance sale tickets at www.rosegardenfolk.com. Tickets may also be available at the door.

More information about the Rose Garden coffeehouse may be obtained by calling 508-699-8122, visiting www.rosegardenfolk.com, or going to Facebook at www.facebook.com/rosegardencoffeehouse.

http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf

Watch PBS Arts from the Blue Ridge Mountains: Give Me the Banjo on PBS. See more from PBS.

The Angel Band

Angel Band, which consists of Nancy Josephson, Kathleen Weber, and Aly Paige, will bring along its own superb backup band that aids the group in putting their three-part harmonies right out front. The group, which has been voted one of the top 10 bands at the Bonnaroo Festival, has three CDs out to date, including its latest, called “Shoot the Moon.”

Here are Angel Band performing “Same Boat”:

Here is the video of Angel Band performing “Shoot the Moon”:

K.C. Clifford

K.C. Clifford‘s career has been a struggle in overcoming personal demons. She was the focus of a segment on the NBC reality television show “The Biggest Loser,” in March 2009, when during the previous year on her own she lost more than 100 lbs. She wrote a powerful song about hunger for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma called “Raise Your Voice,”  and the experience has led to a series of performances at food banks across the country. She recently released her fourth album, “Orchids,” and is known for her powerful, emotional musical performances.

Here is Clifford performing “The Barbie Song”:

Here is the Clifford’s inspiring segment from “The Biggest Loser”:

The Circle of Friends Coffeehouse is a non-profit organization affiliated with Franklin’s First Universalist Society. Concerts are presented in a smoke-free and alcohol-free environment at the Society’s handicapped accessible Meetinghouse, 262 Chestnut St. in Franklin. Doors open at 7:30 for the 8 p.m. show. Admission is $20. Call 508-528-2541 or visit the Circle of Friends website to purchase tickets or for more information.

Folk music writer Scott Alarik calls Franke one of “the most prolific and important folk songwriters to emerge since the commercial revival of the 1960s.”

“Many of his songs, like ‘Hard Love,’ ‘For Real,’ ‘Thanksgiving Eve,’ and ‘The Great Storm Is Over,’ have entered the American folk canon, frequently sung by major stars and open-mikers, church choirs and summer campers, recovering addicts at treatment centers, and spiritual seekers at religious retreats.”

Bob’s songs are considered classics, fueled by his deep faith and the real-life lessons taught him by his 30-odd years of playing everywhere from concert halls to street corners. Bob has appeared in concert at coffeehouses, colleges, festivals, bars, streets, homes and churches in 33 states, four Canadian provinces and England. His concerts have appeared in lists of the top five musical events of the year chosen by critics in the Boston and San Francisco Bay areas. In 1990, he was nominated as an Outstanding Folk Act by the Boston Music Awards.

Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Advance tickets are available at web site, Javawockyuu.com. The Javawocky Coffeehouse is at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Brockton, 325 West Elm St., Brockton, MA 02301. For more information, call 781-718-3041, or email Javawockyuu@aol.com.

Hurst draws his influences from the great George Shuffler (inducted two days later into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame), Tony Rice, and others, but the playing of Merle Travis and Chet Atkins set his musical direction. He has performed over the years with the Claire Lynch’s Front Porch String Band and in duet with bassist Missy Raines. In 2010, he began a solo career. His third CD, “Intrepid,” is due out sometime in November. Folks who attended his solo showcase got a sneak preview. And to anyone who had seen Hurst as merely a supporting act in other bands, this solo show set him apart as a musical force.

Hurst’s playing varies from the percussive to the emotionally enriched. His playing is so smooth, his delivery on guitar and on vocals, a melding of instruments, is captivating and tasteful. I was pleased when Jim approved the following videos, three of which (“Open G Medley,” “Long and Lonesome Old Freight Train” and “Lock on Me”) will appear on Jim’s new CD.

Check on Jim’s website, along with his Youtube channel, for more of his fine work.

Pikelny has performed as a member of The Punch Brothers, with Chris Thile, and was the 2010 recipient of Steve Martin’s Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music. Here’s the Funny or Die video. Enjoy:

http://www.funnyordie.com/embed/1352170045
Pikelny’s new CD features guest performances from Steve Martin, Aoife O’Donovan (Crooked Still), Jerry Douglas, Chris Thile, Bryan Sutton and Tim O’Brien.

Here is Steve Martin with Pikelny on “The Late Show with David Letterman”:

Elwood Donnelly and Aubrey Atwater perform recently at the Rose Garden Coffeehouse in Mansfield ~ Photo Copyright 2011 Stephen Ide

In addition to Irish folk music, the duo also performs traditional American tunes, along with poetry and some original songs. Together they play an array of instruments, including mountain dulcimer, to tin whistle, old-time banjo, mandolin, harmonica, guitar and limberjack (wooden lap puppets).

Here is a song called “Kilkelly Ireland,” performed in January at Mansfield Rose Garden Coffeehouse, when they were joined by occasionally bandmate Cathy Clasper-Torch:

 For more information, visit the library’s website or call 781-344-2711. The library is located at 84 Park St., Stoughton, Mass. (Get map)

Kagey Parrish and Laura Wortman, The Honey Dewdrops, perform at the Rose Garden Coffeehouse in Mansfield, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 ~ Photo Copyright 2011 Stephen Ide

They were surprised by the Rose Garden’s offering of a mid-show drawing for a bag of “dewdrops” from local chain Honey Dew Donuts. And they reveled in the applause from the appreciate 50-person crowd when Kagey took guitar or mandolin lead breaks, some perhaps not as complex as what Rawlings might play, but often just as compelling, with tinges of blues, mixed with dashes of hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides. Though Laura sang most of the leads, the duo’s blend of harmonies, surrounding a single microphone, kept the audience rapt.

In addition to a mix of songs from their latest CDs, “These Old Roots” and “If the Sun Will Shine,” the Dewdrops played blues tunes, a sweetly rendered John Lennon’s “Across the Universe” and even Utah Phillip’s “Miner’s Lullaby,” a song about miners bringing morphine down with them should they need it.

To view more photos from the show, visit the Rose Garden’s Facebook page or check back for postings of images and videos on the Rose Garden website.

Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish, The Honey Dewdrops, perform at the Rose Garden Coffeehouse in Mansfield, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 ~ Photo Copyright 2011 Stephen Ide