President’s Letter
Folknotes 05/16/25
Hello Everyone,
Here’s the latest QCB news:
We’re coming up on the final two Leo Coffeehouse Sundays for our regular season. You don’t want to miss them.
But don’t worry, we will be continuing our relaxed summer schedule with a song circle and an open mic each month for June, July and August.
You can read more about all of that below.
Leo Coffeehouse, Sunday, Sunday, May 18, 2025
Looking Ahead: Leo Coffeehouse, Sunday, May 25, 2025
Looking Further Ahead: Leo Coffeehouse Summer Schedule
Reference Information (Below my sign off)
Leo Coffeehouse
Sunday, May 18, 2025
5:15 PM: Clawhammer Banjo Workshop
Mike Oberst will introduce banjo enthusiasts, and other attendees, to the intricacies of playing clawhammer banjo.
5:15 PM: Guitar Roundtable Workshop
Mike Helm leads this forum for players of any skill level to exchange ideas so we can all make better music together. Bring a question, share a tip. Learn a new lick or chord. Gain a new perspective, share your own with us. Enrich your guitar experience.
5:15 PM: Open Jam
Anyone can bring songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony.
Performances: 6:40 - 9:00 PM
1st Set: Singing Creech Sisters & Cousin Clem
This performance is part of their MANDATORY PUBLIC SERVICE TOUR after being released from the Leavenworth Home for Wayward Women, where they served time for showing their garters. Corrina (Cheryl McKinney), Cassandra (Alana Johnson), Eula Mae (Cynthia McCarthy), and Clementine (Chris Bieri) will be accompanied on bass by Cousin Clem (Dick Males).
2nd Set: Seldom The Same
A group of retirees who share Americana music. Dean Vamvas, lead vocalist, plays guitar, mandolin, banjo and harmonica. Tom McDonald is our primary harmonica and mountain dulcimer player. Vocalist Tom Laskey also plays lead guitar and percussion. Dave Martin supplies keyboard, fiddle and Dobro and sings. Dave Sanders plays cello, acoustic guitar, banjo and sings both lead and harmony. Karen Shrock plays guitar and provides both lead and harmony vocals.
3rd Set: Jolly Old Hawk–Mke Oberst and Justine Cefalu
Tradition meets innovation when Cincinnati's genre-spanning veterans of folk scenes Mike Oberst and Justine Cefalu team up. Oberst—multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and founding member of the Tillers—has spent years crafting a unique style of balladry with clawhammer banjo, guitar, tin whistle and uilleann pipes, blending time-honored tradition with punk rock energy. Cefalu—accomplished fiddler of Québécois, Irish, and old-time American styles—brings her vast repertoire and background of language study for a rich performance experience. Together, the duo brings a vibrant mix of warm, fluent and playful tones, rhythms and harmonies for a set sure to enthrall traditional enthusiasts and general music lovers alike.
Looking Ahead: Leo Coffeehouse
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Year End Potluck And Mic-Less Open Mic
5:15-6:30 PM: Potluck
Bring a dish to share. Plates, utensils and cups provided.
6:00 PM: Sign up for Open Mic
6:30-9:00 PM: Open Mic
Time limit will depend on the number of performers
Sound system will not be set up
7:00-9:00 PM: Song Circle upstairs
Looking Further Ahead:
Leo Coffeehouse Summer Schedule
Leo Coffeehouse will be open at Zion United Church of Christ on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of June, July, and August, from 5:15-9:00 PM.
On the 1st Sundays we will have song circles downstairs and up.
On the 3rd Sundays we will have an open mic, with the sound system set up, if sound volunteers want to practice using the soundboard, or without the sound system, if the sound crew wants a break.
The sign up sheet will go out at 5:30 PM and performers will start playing at 6:00 PM.
Summer Song Circles: June 1st, July 6th, August 3rd
Summer Open Mics: June 15th, July 20st, August 17th
That’s all for this Folknotes, I hope to see you soon.
Neil Harrell
President, Queen City Balladeers/Leo Coffeehouse
Facebook:
QCB/Leo Coffeehouse Membership
We are keeping our standard annual QCB membership dues at $20.00 for a family, or for a single person plus a guest. Last year, knowing that the pandemic cut into our contingency funds, as we continued to pay overhead expenses with no income, some members donated larger amounts to QCB. We very much appreciate the support of all QCB members at all levels.
We are exploring setting up our website to allow the payment of different levels of dues support. For now, if you’d like to pay the standard dues, you can pay them online here or by a check at Leo. (We’ve discontinued our P.O. Box, I will have a mailing address in the next newsletter for those who wish to mail their membership dues.)
If you would like to donate more than the $20.00 standard dues, you can do so by check, or through our website. When you get to the page with the box to relay instructions, just note that you are paying a larger amount for your dues.
For visitors who prefer not to become a member, a donation of $5.00 (cash) per person helps us pay the rent for our non-profit organization. Donations can be slipped in the box at the welcome table outside our performance room, Founders Hall. If you can’t afford that, pay what you can afford or nothing at all. We will welcome you to join us either way.