Ellis Paul (MA) with Emily Triggs (AB) - Livestream

Ellis Paul (VA)

Raised in Maine, long a fixture on the thriving Boston folk scene and now based in Virginia, Ellis Paul is a true road warrior who has logged over 5,000 shows. A consummate song-writer with legions of dedicated fans, he is a true original: a poet laureate with a social conscience in the illustrious vein of his personal hero, Woody Guthrie. His back catalogue of over 20 stellar albums culminated with 2019’s The Storyteller’s Suitcase, a magnificent song cycle that showcases his prodigious ability to create songs that plumb vast oceans of emotion and meaning. From the pathos of “I Ain’t No Jesus” to the exquisite anguish of “The Innocence and the Afterlife,” his compelling message is that, as he puts it, “you only get so many heartbeats.” His new album is in the works. www.ellispaul.com

First Up: Emily Triggs (AB)

Formerly a member of local ensembles including Magnolia Buckskin, roots singer-songwriter Emily Triggs is blazing a successful solo career trail with the release of her albums When Guinevere Went Under (2014) and Middletown (2019). Original and engaging, she comes by the “roots” tag honestly, with influences such as Texas blues, Appalachian folk and French Canadiana. www.emilytriggs.com