For a Calendar view, see: https://localendar.com/public/Songmakers
Weekly Repeating Event List
Times are Pacific Time Zone except LIVE times are local.
Every Sunday 1-3:30pm: LIVE Pitts Ranch Park Song Circle, SMPOC Steve Linsky invites Songmakers, Old Time Fiddlers & friends to come jam at Pitts Ranch Park, 1400 Flynn Rd., Camarillo, 93012 (Directions Here). Led by Steve Linsky or Jack Zigray. Free admission. Bathrooms, seating, and shade available. Come bring your instruments and your voices and let’s make some music!
Every Sunday 7-10:15pm: Virtual Agoura Hills Song Circle – Steven Mark Berman <President@songmakers.org> is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom Song Circle: Join via: https://zoom.us/j/637717652?pwd=ZW92MDYwN3NYUGtyWHJtQW1BRXlQQT09 Meeting ID: 637 717 652 Password: 008615.
Every Monday 12-4pm: Mudcat Worldwide Zoom Singaround, Email Joe Offer <joe@mudcat.org> to get the meeting number and password sent to you by email on Sundays (changes weekly). Joe is the Music Editor, The Mudcat Cafe Folk Music Discussion Forum.
Every Wednesday 1-2pm: Bill’s Uke Beginner Ukulele Class via Zoom, Email Bill Dempsey <billdempsey@cox.net> to get meeting number and password sent to you by email on Tuesday. For more info: www.billdempseymusic.net. New album, Oft I Sing, currently available only as a download. Here’s a link http://billdempsey.hearnow.com.
Every Wednesday Virtual Open Mic. 6:30 sign-in for 7pm: Guitar Merchant Open Mic. 2 songs or 8 minutes. If there are problems with Tinyurl so go to Zoom by clicking this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/
Every Thursday 7-10pm: Virtual Chuck Behrman’s Thursday Evening Zoom <chuck@chbphoto.com>. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83549396377?pwd=NFVqTEZJVzFHU3U2Mm9iZFdlVVRSQT09 – Meeting ID: 835 4939 6377 Password: 262022
Every Friday morning from 9:30-11:30am: David Steinhart’s Virtual Song Circle. Start the Day With A Song! dstein1209@yahoo.com – Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89162569327 – Meeting ID: 891 6256 9327 – Passcode if needed: 839872
Every Saturday 9:30-10:30am: Bill’s Uke Beginner Ukulele Class via Zoom, Email Bill Dempsey <billdempsey@cox.net> to get meeting number and password sent to you by email. For more info: www.billdempseymusic.net. New album, Oft I Sing, currently available only as a download. Here’s a link http://billdempsey.hearnow.com.
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Monthly Events – May
May 18– Thursday 8:00 PM. Songmakers Alan Stillson, Nomi Roth, Chris Tigner, and Jimm Juback will perform a live staged reading at Santa Monica Playhouse. Parodoxical 2 – the paradox continues. Written and produced by Alan Stillson. A narrated concert featuring parody lyrics. Seating: Open seating with 64 seats. Seating begins at 7:30 PM. Program begins at 8:00 PM.Address: 1211 4th St. in downtown Santa Monica, just south of Wilshire Blvd. Theatre: Santa Monica Playhouse – Other Space – ground level. Recommend parking: municipal parking lot on 4th St. across from venue.nnCost of show: No fee and suggested cash donation of $20 per person at the door. Covid-19 safety: As of now, Santa Monica Playhouse, in keeping with local and Actors Equity covid-19 safety guidelines, recommends but does not require masking during the performance. Proof of vaccination is not required. If these guidelines are changed, reservation holders will be notified by e-mail. Parodoxical 2 is a political satire, structured as a narrated concert. It uses fifteen PARODIES and libretto to continue to analyze the PARADOX of enabling a minority of Americans to revoke the right to choose from a majority of Americans and threaten the revocation of other civil rights. It is set in March of 2023. Additional information, including samples of lyrics are on http://stillsonworks.com . Feel free to link to the YouTube video of the original Paradoxical from Dec. 5th, 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NHaGcO1Tbs Reservations and additional information: By e-mail to Alan Stillson at astillson13@gmail.com . Reservations will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis until 64 seats are reserved. After that, a waiting list will be created in case there are cancellations prior to May 18th.
May 19 – 3rd Fridays 7-9pm: LIVE Rise Up Singing Santa Paula Song Circle uses the books Rise Up Singing and Rise Again, or any song to share. Covid safety to be per Songmakers policy including fully vaccinated to participate. All instruments are welcome and a piano is available. Held in the Parish Hall of the Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula, 740 E Main St, Santa Paula. For more information email msifantus@uuma.org or leave a message at 805-525-4620.
May 19 – 3rd Fridays 4pm (7pm ET): MCCRFolk Jam offers fun, themed Song Circles. Join us for a fun MCCR virtual open mic on ZOOM. Please register in advance by clicking: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvcemvqjoiGd1yKxpdAgJsqnT5DIh6TFa2 – After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. We continue to be an open and welcoming jam, so please feel free to invite your friends. There’s plenty of room in a virtual jam! Email me directly at MCCRFolkJam@gmail.com and request to be included on the distribution list. The Virtual Jam Book https://acousticparlor.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d7e255a92d545eb230da89d42&id=9b225ad26d&e=2a5de13c44 is s the ‘Kitchen Sink’. It includes songs suggested by our jammers. You will want to download this and have the songs you want to sing displayed on your computer or printed out. This list is not written in stone – themes can change, so if you have an idea for a theme, please send them to at MCCRfolkjam@gmail.com
May 21 – Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival – 9 am – 6 pm – Paramount Ranch, 2903 Cornell Rd, Agoura Hills, CA. Contests at 9:00 am, Main Stage featured performances start at 12:00 pm. and jamming all day. Bring your own chairs. Tickets and info: https://www.topangabanjofiddle.org/ Songmakers will have a 20′ x 20′ space (some will be covered) set up for Song circles and all will be welcome and encouraged to join in on all songs. Here is the schedule of the song leaders:
9 – 10 Janice Gelencser & Louise Dobbs
10 – 11 Bill Dempsey
11 – 12 Linnea Richards
12 – 1 Robert Fisher
1 – 2 David Steinhart
2 – 3 Gemini (Bruce Farwell and Renata Decher)
3 – 4 Pat Cronin and Bob Bueling
Here is a map to the Songmaker booth (Thank you Sally Charette). Note – that we are conveniently close to the entrance.
May 22nd – 4th Monday 6-9pm: LIVE Woodland Hills Song Circle. Alan Stillson astillson13@gmail.com is inviting you to attend this in-person event. The address is 5515 Keokuk Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91367. It’s close to the Ventura Freeway and Winnetka Ave. The landline telephone number is 818/884-4284. Co-leaders are Linnea Richards and Alan Stillson. All musical instruments are welcome. It will be held in compliance with the rules adopted by the Songmakers board of directors for in-person gatherings. Attendance requires the following:
- Fully vaccinated plus at least two weeks – honor system.
- Reservation via Meet-up or direct contact with host.
- Rules for this event, as required by the host:
- Maximum number of attendees is 15 (couples = two attendees).
- All pre-pandemic Songmakers rules and protocols still apply.
- The gathering is indoors. There is a full-size keyboard in the room.
- Bring light snacks to share. Host will provide non-alcoholic beverages.
May 23 – 4th Tuesday 4-6:30pm: Virtual Port Hueneme Zoom Song Circle. A SCAN Health Plan sponsored Song Circle. Join via: https://scanhealthplan.zoom.us/j/6345438370?pwd=ZklITVVjYmRySUtKTjMvM0ZldTlIQT09 Meeting ID: 634 543 8370 – Passcode: ac9gM3 / One tap mobile +16699006833,,6345438370#,,,,,,0#,,728002# US (San Jose) Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 634 543 8370 Passcode: 728002
May 26 – 4th Friday 7pm-after midnight: San Francisco Folk Music Club – For full details and to sign up, go to https://www.sffmc.org/.
May 27 – 4th Saturday 1-4pm: LIVE Stagecoach Inn Museum Song Circle in Newbury Park hosted by David Steinhart. Donations to support the museum music program are welcome. Please do not join the circle unless you are fully Covid vaccinated. RSVP via StagecoachSongCircle@songmakers.org. Waived museum admission fees on the 4th Saturday for Songmakers, however, the day use fee is expected to be paid if you are not a current paid up member of Songmakers or the CVHS. For parking, please use the lot on Susan Drive. Do bring your own chair. While masks are not required, participants will be in close proximity, so masks are strongly recommended. Dressing in a fashion that supports the era is desired. StagecoachSongCircle@songmakers.org
May 28 – Canceled (lost location) – 4th Sunday Camarillo Hoot
May 28 – LIVE WEST LA HOOT & 6pm Potluck 4-8pm: Please bring a contribution for the 6pm potluck. Contact info: WestLaHoot@songmakers.org. The following is host based required: * Attendance RSVP via Meetup (https://www.meetup.com/Songmakers/events/vhsmrryccjbkc/), no exceptions, and everyone must attest that they are fully vaccinated. Attendance will be limited to 16 people, with a waitlist for any who register after that.
- Attendees must be Songmakers members and registered as vaccinated on the Songmakers vaccination page at https://songmakers.org/voluntary-vaccination-status.
- Everyone signing up for this Hoot must pledge to do a home Covid test on the day of the Hoot and come only if you test negative.
Monthly Events – June
June 1 – 4 – Kenney Grove Summer Camp, Fillmore, CA – Thursday June 1 12:00 pm thru Sunday June 4 11:00 am. Camping Reservations
June 3 – 1st Saturday 7-9pm Santa Monica Folk Club Zoom musical get together. The way it works is you need to click on the zoom link below. You will be let into the meeting from the waiting room by the host – Please turn your video ON so that we can identify you as a real person and not a Zoom Bomber. Between songs we can all unmute and chat. We will all have an opportunity to see each other and share our music. Meeting ID: 825 8956 4896 – Passcode: 728632 – One tap mobile – +16699006833,,81687335715# US (San Jose) – +13462487799,,81687335715# US (Houston) Join via: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82589564896?pwd=YVFjL2lqNXkwaDk5Q0J6ZEZadG5FUT09
June 6 – 1st Tuesday 6-9pm: LIVE Thousand Oaks IHOP Song Circle. – telephone #(805) 558-4792 (text best). Details of the event, including location, can only be gotten through the host. Attendance is strictly up to the judgment of attendees.
June 9, 2023 Friday 7:30 p.m – Fireside Concert Series. Borchard Community Center, 190 N. Reino Rd., Newbury Park, Ca.91320 Bill Dempsey will be performing a mix of acoustic Americana. NOTE:This is a double bill with Evan Marshall. Evan is a world class mandolinist not to be missed! info. (714)997-8590 or (805)381-2791 or ronbloom@yahoo.com
June 10th, Saturday 10am-4 pm: Stagecoach Inn Museum has asked Songmakers for a Song Circle to accompany their annual Pioneer Jamboree. Details are being worked out, but they would like participating musicians to signup in advance and provide 3-4 songs (with keys) they can lead, to make a songsheet for attendees to sing along. If you are interested, email the hours you will attend, songs and keys to Steve at president@songmakers.org before June 3.
June 11th – 2nd Sunday 1-5 pm: LIVE Mensa Folksong SIG (special interest group). Host Alan Stillson invites you to attend an IN-PERSON song circle event for up to 15 fully vaccinated participants (couples count as two attendees). Participation requires a reservation – please contact Alan Stillson directly via astillson13@gmail.com or 818-884-4284. The Folksong SIG is a long-running event for members of Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa and invited guests. It is not listed on Meetup. The address is 5515 Keokuk Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91367. It’s close to the Ventura Freeway and Winnetka Ave. All musical instruments are welcome. The gathering is indoors. There is a full-size keyboard in the room. The host will provide light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. Please bring a snack to share.
June 12th – 2nd Monday 3 – 5 pm. Virtual Woodland Hills Zoom Song Circle. Co leaders Alan Stillson <astillson@sbcglobal.net> and Linnea Richards <linric10@hotmail.com> are inviting you to attend the Virtual Woodland Hills Zoom Song Circle. All musical instruments are welcome. It will be run with Songmakers protocols for Zoom events. Join Zoom meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3370598819 Meeting ID: 337 059 8819. Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbphh0RD2V
June 13 – 2nd & 4th Tuesday 4-6:30pm: Virtual Port Hueneme Zoom Song Circle. A SCAN Health Plan sponsored Song Circle. Join via: https://scanhealthplan.zoom.us/j/6345438370?pwd=ZklITVVjYmRySUtKTjMvM0ZldTlIQT09 Meeting ID: 634 543 8370 – Passcode: ac9gM3 / One tap mobile +16699006833,,6345438370#,,,,,,0#,,728002# US (San Jose) Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 634 543 8370 Passcode: 728002
June 16 – 3rd Fridays 4pm (7pm ET): MCCRFolk Jam offers fun, themed Song Circles. Join us for a fun MCCR virtual open mic on ZOOM. Please register in advance by clicking: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvcemvqjoiGd1yKxpdAgJsqnT5DIh6TFa2 – After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We continue to be an open and welcoming jam, so please feel free to invite your friends. There’s plenty of room in a virtual jam! Email me directly at MCCRFolkJam@gmail.com and request to be included on the distribution list.
June 16 – 3rd Fridays 7-9pm: LIVE Rise Up Singing Santa Paula Song Circle uses the books Rise Up Singing and Rise Again, or any song to share. Covid safety to be per Songmakers policy including fully vaccinated to participate. All instruments are welcome and a piano is available. Held in the Parish Hall of the Universalist Unitarian Church of Santa Paula, 740 E Main St, Santa Paula. For more information email msifantus@uuma.org or leave a message at 805-525-4620.
June 17 – Saturday 7:30 pm – The Living Tradition Concert Series. Anaheim Downtown Community Center, 250 E. Center Street, Anaheim, Ca. 92805. NOTE: Bill Dempsey will be doing the full evening.Vocals, guitar, banjo, etc. https://www.thelivingtradition.org/tltbodyconcerts.html
June 18th – 3rd Sunday, 2 – 5 pm, LIVE Culver City Song Circle. The Co-Hosts, Alan Stillson and Louise Dobbs, invite you to attend the IN-PERSON Culver City Song Circle. Participation requires a reservation and up to 15 Songmakers and invited guests may attend (couples count as two attendees). Please contact Alan Stillson directly via astillson13@gmail.com or 818-884-4284. It is not listed on Meetup. The address is 5100 Overland Ave, Culver City, CA 90230 and the Song Circle will take place in the community room of Rotary Plaza, a large condominium complex, or in the patio if the weather is nice. The building is located at the corner of Overland Avenue and Virginia Street in Culver City. Please park on the street. The parking lot is only for use of tenants. There will more than likely be empty spaces on Virginia Street or behind the building on Jordan Way. There’s also parking across the street from the building on Virginia Street west of Overland. All musical instruments are welcome. There will be balloons or an indication at the security gate and Sheila-Sheila or Roxy Roberson will be attentive to the gate to allow attendees in. Please give yourself sufficient time to park. Please note that some of the Rotary Plaza tenants may want to sing or join in the music. They will be welcome to join us. Only bottled water is allowed and there’s a suggested donation of $5 each, which will be used for either the Residents’ Club or turned over to the building’s management for one of their charitable organizations. After the Song Circle, we can go to Denny’s or another nearby restaurant. Please call Sheila-Sheila Korsi at 310-936-0090 only if you are extremely lost or cannot find parking. If you’re running late, there is no need to call. The community room is next to the patio and you can call so we can let you in if you’re late. Management requires that
June 19 – Every Monday 12-4pm: Mudcat Worldwide Zoom Sing Around, Email Joe Offer <joe@mudcat.org> to get the meeting number and password sent to you by email on Sundays (changes weekly). Joe is the Music Editor, The Mudcat Cafe Folk Music Discussion Forum.
the security gate remains closed.
June 20 – 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 1-3pm: SFFMC Zoom Sings will have a song swap in the lobby and breakout rooms will be available. If you have a suggestion for a workshop subject, please email it to info@sffmc.org or phone 510-473-6651. join via
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84464929798?pwd=enI2dGREak9PcmVLTWNaTlFidzB2dz09
Meeting ID: 844 6492 9798Passcode: Sing
Meeting ID: 844 6492 9798Passcode: 491149
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kibhotSmb
Old: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87532430768?pwd=ZkpNSXA5eDdJYkNKVVJUaU1zNGVrZz09 – Meeting ID: 875 3243 0768 Passcode: sing – One tap mobile 16699009128,,87532430768#,,,,*724994# US (San Jose)
June 23 – 2nd & 4th Fridays 7pm-after midnight: San Francisco Folk Music Club – For full details and to sign up, go to https://www.sffmc.org/.
June 24 – 4th Saturday 1-4pm: LIVE Stagecoach Inn Museum Song Circle in Newbury Park. will be dark this month.
June 25 – Suspended – CAMARILLO HOOT / CCSL Song Circle Live
June 25 – 4th Sunday 4-8pm: LIVE WEST LA HOOT & 6pm Potluck – Please bring a contribution for the 6pm potluck. Contact info: WestLaHoot@songmakers.org.
The following is host based required:
* Attendance RSVP via Meetup (https://www.meetup.com/Songmakers/events/vhsmrryccjbkc/), no exceptions, and everyone must attest that they are fully vaccinated. Attendance will be limited to 16 people, with a waitlist for any who register after that.
- Attendees must be Songmakers members and registered as vaccinated on the Songmakers vaccination page at https://songmakers.org/voluntary-vaccination-status.
- Everyone signing up for this Hoot must pledge to do a home Covid test on the day of the Hoot and come only if you test negative.
June 26th – 4th Monday 6-9pm: LIVE Woodland Hills Song Circle. Alan Stillson astillson13@gmail.com is inviting you to attend this in-person event. The address is 5515 Keokuk Ave. Woodland Hills, CA 91367. It’s close to the Ventura Freeway and Winnetka Ave. The landline telephone number is 818/884-4284. Co-leaders are Linnea Richards and Alan Stillson. All musical instruments are welcome. It will be held in compliance with the rules adopted by the Songmakers board of directors for in-person gatherings. Attendance requires the following:
Reservation via Meet-up or direct contact with host.
Rules for this event, as required by the host:
- The maximum number of attendees is 15 (couples = two attendees).
- All Songmakers rules and protocols apply.
- The gathering is indoors. There is a full-size keyboard in the room.
- Bring light snacks to share. The host will provide light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.
June 27 – 2nd & 4th Tuesday 4-6:30pm: Virtual Port Hueneme Zoom Song Circle. A SCAN Health Plan sponsored Song Circle. Join via: https://scanhealthplan.zoom.us/j/6345438370?pwd=ZklITVVjYmRySUtKTjMvM0ZldTlIQT09 Meeting ID: 634 543 8370 – Passcode: ac9gM3 / One tap mobile +16699006833,,6345438370#,,,,,,0#,,728002# US (San Jose) Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 634 543 8370 Passcode: 728002
June 28 – Every Wednesday Noon-3pm: FOCSLE Music Zoom, from England. Sign up for e-mail alerts via paul@focsle.org. More info at www.focsle.org.
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Member Gigs
Below is a list of upcoming performance gigs by our members. If you have a gig you would like to share, send any pictures and information to: webmaster@songmakers.org
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Down the Road
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July 21 – Third Friday in July Rise Up Singing in Santa Paula led by Maddie Sifantus will be dark in July.
Notes:
- Current News – Significant info can now be found on a monitored Ongoing News Page (click to view) or https://songmakers.org/ongoing-news at www.songmakers.org which provides a place for members to share information, pictures and articles. Do you have an article or picture(s ) from a song circle, hoot or musical event with Songmakers that you would like to share? Do you have a future gig that you can share information about? Submit via Mary Zangerle <webmaster@
songmakers.org >.
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If you are aware of any LIVE or virtual song circle or performance that will welcome Songmaker participation (or want to host one), please provide the info to <webmaster@songmakers.org> for inclusion to our members.
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Inputs for “Southland” also come from our members. Do you know of an upcoming musical event that may be of interest to our readers? Please provide a write-up with dates & website &/or other pertinent information, send to: <webmaster@songmakers.org>.
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Joining Songmakers is not accomplished via Meetup. The www.songmakers.org list of events will continue. Songmakers membership is only $10 per year per family / household – join via https://songmakers.org/member-registrationEChord Note: No longer sending the EChord to non-members except for prospective members.
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SPAM blockers often create a problem in that they reject / move to SPAM folders EChord emails. The only fix suggestions are to add to your email address book these: <EChord@songmakers.org>, <Calendar@songmakers.org>.
FYI – Too many events to track individually so all should be considered unverified. Please do not attend any other than Songmakers approved face to face events.
Additional event links are listed by Folknik at https://www.sffmc.org/community-folk-calendar/.
A list of virtual Song Sessions: https://www.bostonsongsessions.org/virtual-sessions.
Open mics http://micnights.com/
Ventura Freeway Corridor Acoustic House Concert Locations: http//www.acousticmusic101.com
Paul Blakelock provides a list of upcoming music events for the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas. This one site shows the events ordered by date, with the closest ones at the top. It focuses on free events, and a few of the major paid events and festivals. http://conejo.rocks.
Old Time & Celtic Music Calendars. David Brown updated 19 Sep 2022: The latest revisions on the oldtimeSF & celticSF groups.io groups. To join these groups go to https://groups.io/g/oldtimesf & https://groups.io/g/celticsf. Also available via: https://www.berkeleyoldtimemusic.org/ – select “Monthly Calendar of Old Time Music” under the About menu AND here https://sites.google.com/site/davbrown2/celtic
Covid Guidelines: Warning – Covid is not gone. Please see comments on each event listing to see if the host is requiring certain precautions for those attending. Singing together will always bring an increased risk factor for airborne diseases. Songmakers has resumed sponsoring and promoting our in person events AND ongoing, we want to remind participants and hosts that sing together to take extra precautions such as limited size and good ventilation. Any members attending an in-person event should not attend if they have any symptoms of any illness and to not attend if they have been recently exposed.
CA Dept of Health Guidelines: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Guidance-on-Isolation-and-Quarantine-for-COVID-19-Contact-Tracing.aspx
CDC recommendations: https://www.cdc.gov/