President’s Letter
Folknotes 11/21/25
Hello Everyone,
We’re quickly approaching the end of the calendar year and the holiday season. We’ve got two Leo Coffeehouse Sundays left in November and two in December. Details below.
In this Folknotes:
Kroger Community Rewards Program
Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM, Sunday, November 23, 2025
Looking Ahead: Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM, Sunday, November 30, 2025
Looking Further Ahead: Leo Coffeehouse in December
QCB/Leo Coffeehouse Membership
Reference Information/Links (Below my sign off)
Kroger Community Rewards Program
For sometime now, our Treasurer, John Mann, has had QCB registered in Kroger’s Community Rewards program. This program returns a percentage of what shoppers spend at Krogers to designated charities. We’ve seen a small amount of donations from Kroger come back to us, but we are sure that not everyone at QCB is aware of this program.
Please consider making the Queen City Balladeers your designated charity with the Kroger Community Rewards program. Here is the information on how to sign up.
Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM
Sunday, November 23, 2025
5:00 PM: Songwriting workshop led by Liz Hogg. Liz will present a songwriting workshop focusing on strategies to write pop or rock songs effectively in only two focused songwriting sections from start to finish.
5:00 PM: Song Circle/Jam-Downstairs
Anyone can bring songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony.
5:00 PM: 60s Jam-Upstairs
From John Mann: Please join us this Sunday Nov 23, 2025 at the Leo for the 60s jam. You are welcome to play anything for the ’60s, but we will be focusing on FOLK ROCK.
Performances, 6:40-9:00 PM:
1st Set: Donald Broerman
His compositions have been heard in concert at The Cincinnati Guitar Society, Dayton Guitar Fest, CCM’s Something Different, Classical Revolution and house concerts around the country. His original classical and classical crossover compositions have reached listeners in 73 countries and 5 continents. He will be joined by the superb cellist Michael Ronstadt who has appeared on 200+ albums in his over 20 year career. More info here.
2nd Set: Richard Goering
In his 40+ year career as classical guitar and fingerstyle soloist with orchestras and chamber music groups, and with classical and popular vocalists in the US, Spain, and Italy, he performs a broad repertoire embracing many genres: Latin, Classical, jazz, popular, and standards. He and Blythe Walker, soprano, will perform songs from the ’60s, ’70s and the Great American Songbook.Facebook: Richard Goering
3rd Set: Liz Hogg
A guitarist and composer/songwriter from Brooklyn, Hogg has toured four continents and thirteen states playing SXSW, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Ctr, and Brookfield Place, as well as Portugal’s Casa da Música and Mexico’s Tlaqná Concert Hall. She has received awards from Chamber Music America, Citizens Committee for NYC, Queens College, Maurice Kagan Memorial Scholarship Award for Excellence in an Orchestral Instrument, and Mannes College. Hogg has recorded 3 solo albums and several more with others. Visit her website.
Looking Ahead:
Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM
Sunday, November 30, 2025
5:00 PM: Workshop—The Friendly Flatpick led by Wayne Luessen
Learn down and back stroke consistency through scales and fiddle tunes on guitar and mandolin. We’ll discuss options for holding the pick, explore scale exercises, and learn to flat pick two fiddle tunes, “The Girl I Left Behind Me” in G and “Arkansas Traveler” in C. All levels welcome.
5:00 PM: Song Circle/Jam-Downstairs
Anyone can bring songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony.
Performances, 6:40-9:00 PM:
1st Set: Bluegrass Buddies
They are Jim Gaube bass, John Young banjo, Trina Emig fiddle, and Wayne Luessen on guitar with special guest Jim Huey (Dr. Dobro). From fast fiddle tunes like "Back Up and Push", to thoughtful tunes like "Memories of Mother and Dad”, the Buddies will share their love of Bluegrass as only good friends can.
2nd Set: Stan Boric
A storyteller. His many original songs will make you smile. Sit back and enjoy his beautifully crafted lyrics and distinctive finger-style guitar.
3rd Set: Serenity Fisher & Michael G Ronstadt
Powerhouse singer/songwriter/pianist Serenity Fisher, with incredible CCM cellist Michael Ronstadt, accompanied by world-renowned guitar virtuoso Bobby Fisher. A dynamic, moving, and expressive trio. More info here.
Looking Further Ahead:
Leo Coffeehouse in December
December 7, 2025
3:00 PM: Rise Up Singing
Tell all your friends and bring the kids! This will be our holiday singalong. Everyone picks holiday songs If you prefer a song outside of the usual Christmas songs, you may lead it. Al Wauligman will accompany us on the piano and Robin Roland on guitar.
4:00 PM: Back To Basics Workshop
Not just for beginners, this is a song circle on training wheels. Learn how to lead a song and play breaks. Very basic information is centered on beginner friendly chord shapes and learning how to “read hands”. Newcomers, or anyone who wants to refine technique (and also maybe give advice) are welcome by Alana Johnson, Bob Schrock, and Isaiah Tam.
5:00 PM: Song Circle/Jam-Downstairs
Anyone can bring songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony.
Performances, 6:40-9:00 PM
1st Set: Two Picks Band
The father/daughter duo of Mia and John Roemhild who have been singing together since Mia was 8. More recently, Mia has been teaching herself ukulele and begun writing songs. John has more than 45 years song-writing and performing experience. They wish you health, happiness and may you always find their songs on the internet!
2nd Set: Greg Hansen
Acoustic finger-style guitarist Greg Hansen, and wife Mary Kay on native American flutes. A mix of standards, folk tunes, hymns, and some classical. Unique renderings of some familiar songs, and some rare gems that folks don’t hear much. Peaceful stuff.
3rd Set: Greg Schaber
Bluesy, Rootsy, Swingin, Good Original Music! An accomplished, award-winning blues guitarist in styles from deep delta bottleneck guitar to the lighter, countrified finger picking of the North Carolina Piedmont. Greg’s sound is all his own, old-timey and completely contemporary.
More info here.
December 14, 2025
5:00 PM: Family Holiday Potluck
Bring a dish to share. After the meal, please help with washing dishes and cleanup so everyone can enjoy the music and fellowship. We will provide serving utensils. If you bring your own, be responsible for collecting them as well as your serving dishes.
6:30 PM: All Evening Open Mic
Sign up at 5:30 PM to perform 1 -2 songs. 8 minute limit.
Sound system will not be set up.
6:30 PM: Song Circle/Jam Upstairs
Anyone can bring songs to lead in the circle while others provide backup and harmony.
December 21, 2025
&
December 28, 2025
Leo Coffeehouse Closed for the Holidays
QCB/Leo Coffeehouse Membership
It’s that time of year again. The start of a new Leo season. Annual QCB membership dues continue to be $20.00 for a family, or for a single person plus a guest. Membership gets you into every Leo Coffeehouse performance for a year. Where else can you get that kind of musical entertainment and camaraderie for that amount of money?
It really helps us out if you pay through the QCB website.
The easiest way to pay your dues for the 2025/26 season is via PayPal right here.
If you prefer to pay by check, click on the link above and print the membership form. Then mail the form and your check to Treasurer: John Mann, 6514 Meis Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45224.
To donate more than the $20.00 standard dues, you can do so by check, or here on 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.
That’s all for this Folknotes, I hope to see you soon.
Neil Harrell
President, Queen City Balladeers/Leo Coffeehouse
Reference Information/Links
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.