President’s Letter
Folknotes 4/15/26
Hello Everyone,
As usual, we have three great musical acts lined up to perform for us at Leo Coffeehouse this Sunday. If you can, join us. You’ll be happy you did.
Here's what's going on:
Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM, Sunday, April 19, 2026
Looking Ahead: Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM, Sunday, April 26, 2026
Reference Information/QCB Membership (Below my sign off)
Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM
Sunday, April 19, 2026
5:00 PM: Song Circle/Jam-Downstairs
Anyone can bring songs to lead while others provide backup and harmony.
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.
6:40-9:00 PM: Performances
1st Set: Dennis Allen
Dennis loves traditional folk and string band music and was compelled to start writing songs during the 2016 election. He has performed at open mics, progressive political events and local festivals.
2nd Set: Pineridge Partners
Leo favorites Warren and Judy Waldron play all kinds of traditional Appalachian music, from dance tunes to country duets and everything in between, including doing hoedown square dances.
3rd Set: Grey Dogs
Influenced by the Chicago/Brit invasion blues, traditional Irish music, classic country and American folk-rock bands like the Byrds, Bob Dylan and The Band, lead singers Dave Gilligan, Mike Fair and Jay Sofanec cover a broad spectrum of American Music.
Looking Ahead:
Leo Coffeehouse, 5:00-9:00 PM
Sunday, April 26, 2026
5:00 PM: Song Circle/Jam-Downstairs
Anyone can bring songs to lead while others provide backup and harmony.
5:00 PM: Americana & Roots Workshop led by Charlie Mosbrook
Songs written before the folk revival. (That’s all I’ve got. Come and see for yourself. Charlie has a wealth of folk music knowledge. I’d be there if I could.)
1st Set: Seldom The Same
STS is a group of retirees who share Americana music. Dean Vamvas is the lead vocalist and plays guitar. Tom McDonald is our primary harmonica and mountain dulcimer player. Dave Martin supplies keyboard, fiddle and Dobro and sings. Dave Sanders plays cello, acoustic guitar, banjo and sings both lead and harmony. Karen Schrock plays guitar and provides both lead and harmony vocals. John Gardik plays standup bass.
2nd Set: Charlie Mosbrook
Few people have been as central to Cleveland’s music as Charlie Mosbrook. His turf is acoustic singer/songwriter/folk music. He has performed over 30 years, releasing albums, collaborating with and encouraging other artists, and hosting open mic nights. He’s an artist teacher with Roots of American Music and president of FARM and Folknet. Through countless charities and events that advocate for human rights and environmental action, Charlie uses his music as a vehicle for a better world. Visit Charlie’s website.
3rd Set: Serenity Fisher & Michael G. Ronstadt with the Cardboard Hearts
They blend playful pop-rock with Tim Burton-esque quirkiness. Powerhouse singer/songwriter/pianist Serenity Fisher’s vocals vary from bluesy belt to sultry whisper. Incredible CCM cellist Michael Ronstadt brings a rich musical heritage and absolute knack for improvisation. CCM violinist Rose Reidmiller Gowda also has a distinct flair for creative improvisation. World-renowned guitar virtuoso Bobby Fisher and his band sold out Bogart’s way back when. More recently, he’s played Carnegie Hall! Rounding out the sound with percussion is ethnomusicologist Matt Halvorson with his eclectic variety of instruments from all over the world. Visit their website.
That’s all for this Folknotes, I hope to see you soon.
Neil Harrell
President, Queen City Balladeers/Leo Coffeehouse
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.
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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.