Folknotes 10/20/26

Hello Everyone,

Here’s the QCB news this week.

• Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM, Sunday, October 25, 2026

• Looking Ahead: Leo Coffeehouse, 3:00-9:00 PM, Sunday, November 1, 2026

• Upcoming Area Concerts

• Reference Information/QCB Membership (Below my sign off)

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Leo Coffeehouse
5:00-9:00 PM
Sunday, October 25, 2026

5:00 PM: Americana/Roots Song Circle led by Dennis Allen

5:00 PM: Jam downstairs
Anyone can bring well known, jam-friendly songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony.

Performances: 6:40-9:00 PM 

1st Set: Jodi Williams
Jodi is a West Chester-based singer-songwriter who thrives in the quiet, honest space of stripped-down acoustic music. In 2017, she traded her guitar for the ukulele, falling completely in love with the instrument and never looking back. While she spends her days creating as a professional photographer and textile artist, performing has always been her first and truest love.  Jodi is excited to share her music with us and dive into the world of the Balladeers.

2nd Set: Jen Howard
Jen is an American singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, born in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. Although coming from a blue-collar, religious and home schooled upbringing, Jen's music is a mix of Folk, Roots, Reggae and Sophisti-Pop. Her music's central themes include; human nature, love, courageous motivation and intentional compassion for ourselves and others. In 2024, she released "Still", the follow up to her 2019 debut EP "Motion". Jen Howard has performed in 42 states and 6 countries!
More info.

3rd Set: Michael Johnathon
Michael is a banjo and guitar playing, log cabin dwelling, folksinger and poet who created the syndicated, live-audience broadcast of WoodSongs, heard on nearly 500 radio stations. WoodSongs airs on KET, the Kentucky Channel and PBS TV affiliates across America. He also created the new TV series WoodSongs Kids. Both are supported by Kentucky Tourism.

Michael and the WoodSongs fan base collected and distributed over 5,000 music instruments to musicians who lost everything in the tornadoes of western Kentucky, the floods of Appalachia and the storms of Helene. He also organized the national association of "front porch" musicians called SongFarmers.

He is a recipient of the prestigious Milner Award, the highest award given to any artist in Kentucky. Aside from 23 albums and 6 published books, his latest release is a book of POETRY called SEEDS, already nominated as Kentucky Poet Laureate and will be featured at the Kentucky Book Festival this November. More Info.

Looking Ahead:
Leo Coffeehouse
3:00-9:00 PM
Sunday, November 1, 2026

3:00 PM: 1st Sunday Rise Up Singing
Tell all your friends and bring the kids! Everyone picks songs from Rise Up Singing and Rise Again song books which are available to purchase or to use in the circle. Ray Rechenberg leads with the incredible Al Wauligman accompanying on the piano.

5:00 PM: Songwriting, Rhythm Workshop Led By Steve Bonafel

5:00 PM: Back To Basics Workshop
Not just for beginners, this is a song circle for learning and discussing one or two easy songs. Basic information is centered on beginner friendly chord shapes, strums and tempo, some ultra light music theory and a guitar hack or two. Newcomers and experienced players, or anyone who wants to refine technique (and maybe give advice) are welcome. Alana Johnson and Bob Schrock will be the moderators. We will meet upstairs at the far end of the hallway through the double doors. This is gonna be fun y’all!

5:00 PM: Jam Downstairs
Anyone can bring well known, jam-friendly songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony.

Performances: 6:40-9:00 PM 

1st Set: Green Willow
The founding members of Green Willow met in the late 90s when they all worked serving the urban Appalachian population of Cincinnati. Their shared love of harmony ranged from gospel, bluegrass, and old-time tunes to psychedelic, 60s pop, and folk music. They played regularly at Urban Appalachian events as well as the Appalachian Festival at Old Coney Island. Now, Jim Holstum, Jennifer Brierly, Melissa English, and John Keenan play pretty much whatever they like, wherever they can, stressing the harmony that brought them together in the first place.

2nd Set: Steve Bonafel
He has been making music for two decades as a singer/songwriter of country, bluegrass and Americana, and as the band leader of One Iota. Bonafel has performed at The White House, The Pentagon and received a standing ovation at the Grand Ole Opry. He has recorded six albums, scoring “Bluegrass Song of the Year” in 2016. His “The Last Parade” hit #1 on the Radio Music DJs Hot Top 100 List in 2019. Bonafel has multiple selections for the International Bluegrass Music Association Songwriter Showcase.

3rd Set: Oxford Folk Jazz
Oxford Folk Jazz quintet performs an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, American standards and musical selections from around the world. Composed of Zach Davis, Jim Dynes, Frank Fitch, Fred Hautau and Lara Thurston, the band presents up tempo, rhythm centric arrangements that invigorate the spirit. Follow OFJ here.

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Upcoming Area Concerts

The best place to share information with QCB members about upcoming area concerts is on our QCB Members Group Facebook page.

Jake Speed & The Freddies 25th Anniversary Concert and Album Release to Benefit Cincinnati Public Radio, Sat, November 07, 2026, 8:00 PM, Memorial Hall OTR. More info here.

For more shared area events see the QCB Members Group page.

Ricky Nye & Memorial Hall present the Blues & Boogie Piano Summit 2026, Saturday, November 14, 2026, 8:00 PM, Memorial Hall OTR.
More info here.
And here on Facebook.

That’s all for this Folknotes, I hope to see you soon.

Neil Harrell
President, Queen City Balladeers/Leo Coffeehouse

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