{"id":31316,"date":"2025-08-14T09:13:42","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T13:13:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=31316"},"modified":"2025-08-14T09:13:43","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T13:13:43","slug":"on-stage-tom-rush-returns-for-show-at-sellersville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=31316","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Tom Rush returns for show at Sellersville"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"elementToProof\"><strong>By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, <em>Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\n<div id=\"attachment_20784\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20784\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-20784\" src=\"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Tom-Rush_120308_4480_web-770x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"170\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20784\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tom Rush<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Tom Rush, one of America\u2019s most revered folksingers, is a New Englander through and through. However, in recent years, he has built a connection with Chester County.<\/p><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">One of his last live shows prior to the COVID pandemic was a concert at Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center in West Chester. Rush returned to the area in March 2023 for a show at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">In March, Rush came back to Chester County again \u2013 back to the Colonial Theatre to perform at the Second Annual Gene Shay\/Founders\u2019 Awards Benefit Concert.<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">At the event, which was sponsored by the Philadelphia Folksong Society, David Bromberg and Rush received Founders Awards for their lifetime music achievements.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Now, Rush is heading back this way again. This time, it\u2019s to headline a show at the Sellersville Theater \u00a0(24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, <a id=\"OWAab1aecc4-a22a-aaac-0e4f-688ea8421d10\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.st94.com\/\">www.st94.com<\/a>) on August 15.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI\u2019ve played the Sellersville Theater a lot over the years,\u201d said Rush, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon during a tour stop in Clayton, New York.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThis is my 65th\u00a0annual farewell tour. Actually, it\u2019s the 67th\u00a0if you go back to my street singing in Paris in the summer of 1959.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI don\u2019t really do tours anymore. I do tourlettes \u2013 four days in a row, maybe five days if it\u2019s out on the West Coast. I\u2019m doing dates with Judy Collins out west in November that will have five shows in eight days.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush has every reason to avoid grueling long tours. The veteran singer\/songwriter turned 84 on February 8.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI don\u2019t do long tours but I want to keep doing live performances,\u201d said Rush. \u201cI love what I do so I see no reason to quit.\u201d<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">As a singer\/songwriter\/musician, Rush is a pro but, as a recording artist, he is not prolific.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush releases an album just slightly more frequently than blue supermoons appear in the Northern hemisphere skies.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">His last four albums \u2013 \u201cWhat I Know\u201d in 2009, \u201cCelebrates 50 Years of Music\u201d in 2013, \u201cVoices\u201d in 2018 and \u201cGardens Old, Flowers New,\u201d in 2024 \u2014 were all released via West Chester-based Appleseed Records.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Add in two albums released in 2001 and 2006, and you have all his recorded output (six albums) since 1981.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI\u2019ve been doing great,\u201d said Rush. \u201cI\u2019ve been juggling rattlesnakes \u2013 that is, I\u2019ve been very busy.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush has been on the road a lot \u2013 touring in support of \u201cGardens Old, Flowers New.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The album has a link to April Fool\u2019s Day.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cWe recorded it in March 20-23 \u2013 from March 28 to April 3,\u201d said Rush. \u201cThen, it was released on April Fool\u2019s Day last year. I was happy with that project.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The album was recorded in New England but not at Rush\u2019s house in Maine.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI have a studio at home but it\u2019s more camera gear for my Rockport Sundays podcasts,\u201d said Rush.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cMy producer Matt Nakoa found a very nice studio in Connecticut \u2013 Carriage House Studio \u2013 and we were there in spring 2023. We did 13 tracks and some instrumentals.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cOne is a brand-new track &#8211;\u2018Glory Road\u2019 &#8212; that is 53 years old that was never released. It was taken from a radio show I did in Philly with Gene Shay. I played it for Matt, and he said we\u2019ve got to record this one.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cAnother song was one I wrote for my baby daughter and she\u2019s now 26 years old. And there are some brand-new ones. The last song was titled, \u201cI Quit\u201d \u2013 but I\u2019m not quitting.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe songs are all originals. \u2018Voices\u2019 had two traditional songs. This one has \u2018Gimme Some of It,\u2019 which I heard somewhere. It sounds like a traditional jug band song, but I don\u2019t know where it came from.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cWe spent five days in the studio. The first take on each was just a practice and the second was for real. We got a lot on the second take and never did more than three takes.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe album has a lot of songs that I felt good about including three songs that are different \u2013 takes on a breakup. As usual, I\u2019m just all over the place \u2013 silly songs and songs that will make you cry.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI\u2019m not quite sure why I\u2019m making an album. With Spotify, the royalty I make for 1,000 listens is one cent. The good news for me is that I\u2019ve always made my living on stage.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">What was the catalyst for making a new album after a five-year gap?<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cMatt got tired of me saying someday I\u2019ll make a new album,\u201d said Rush. \u201cHe got tired of waiting, so he booked the studio and lined up musicians including Seth Glier on accordion and harmonium and Joe Nearney on sax and harmonica.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush has worked with Nakoa in the past and is using him as his sideman for the current shows.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI\u2019ve been working for nine years with Matt,\u201d said Rush. \u201cHe steals the show. He plays piano and sings like an angel. He\u2019s also a monster guitar player.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush released his first album, \u201cTom Rush at the Unicorn,\u201d in 1962.\u00a0 \u201cVoices\u201d was released in April 2018. Altogether, Rush has put out 26 albums in 60 years \u2013 and just six since the turn of the century.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Fortunately, he is much more active when it comes to live performances.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush is a consummate performer who always delivers an entertaining show when he takes the stage to perform his songs and choice songs by other artists.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Over the course of his 60-year-plus career, one of Rush\u2019s defining gifts has been his ear for the faint voices of significant new songs by little-known writers.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush was among the first to record future standards by then-fledgling performers Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne on his 1968 album, \u201cThe Circle Game.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush brought a later generation of singer-songwriters such as Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin to wider audiences as part of his tours. James Taylor and country music superstar Garth Brooks have both named him as a major influence.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Until \u201cVoices,\u201d Rush has been heard only sparingly as a songwriter, with only a few tantalizing handfuls of originals \u2013 about 20 \u2013 spread out over eleven studio albums.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cVoices\u201d was the first album ever of all-Rush originals \u2013 10 relaxed, warmhearted, amused and sometimes thoughtful songs that perfectly reflect his wry persona.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI always wrote on guitar,\u201d said Rush. \u201cEvery song came differently. A lot of times, it\u2019s a phrase \u2013 just a few words that suggest a melody. Sometimes, it starts with a melody. There is no pattern.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cMy pattern is to write too much. Each song tended to end up too long. You find that out when you take them in front of a live audience.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Usually, it is other artists performing songs that were written by Rush. One of the most popular has been \u201cNo Regrets.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe song \u2018No Regrets\u2019 has been recorded by a lot of people,\u201d said Rush. \u201cU2 used the chorus on one of their songs.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe Walker Brothers had a huge hit with it in England in 1975. I made enough on the royalties from that to put my two kids through college.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Artists who covered \u201cNo Regrets\u201d range from country music superstar Emmylou Harris to English rocker Midge Ure, who fronted Ultravox, Visage and Thin Lizzy.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The roster of other artists who have performed \u201cNo Regrets\u201d reads like a \u201cWho\u2019s Who of Modern Musicians\u201d \u2013 Harry Belafonte, Waylon Jennings, George Hamilton IV, Lee Hazelwood and Ann-Margret, Olivia Newton-John, Shirley Bassey, Robbie Williams, Luna, and Sam Burton.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rush\u00a0stayed active during the pandemic via a project he calls \u201cRockport Sundays.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI started \u2018Rockport Sundays\u2019 back in February 2020,\u201d said\u00a0Rush. \u201cIt\u2019s a subscription through Patreon. I was living in Rockport and posted a new episode every Sunday at midnight.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">When he was first starting the series, he posted this message on his website \u2013<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI have something I really want to do, and I\u2019m going to need your help to do it. I\u2019m starting a weekly series of online offerings \u2014 old songs, new songs, stories, pages from a book I\u2019m working on. Since they\u2019ll be coming out of my studio in Rockport, Mass, I thought I\u2019d call the series \u201cRockport Sundays.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The project met with a warm reception.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cBasically, it\u2019s me at my kitchen table doing a song or a story every Sunday,\u201d said\u00a0Rush. \u201cThen, it stays up for eight weeks. It\u2019s been very well received. It\u2019s a way of communicating with my audience.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI keep it short. If you do an hour, you lose the audience by the end. It\u2019s been fun and very casual. I work with Mark Steele, and the video is very professional.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cMy favorite sideman is Matt (Nakoa). I just finished three episodes with Jonathan Edwards who sings a couple songs on his own.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe podcast goes back to February 2020. I had just started my \u2018First Annual Farewell Tour\u2019 when everything shut down. I started out doing cell phone videos. I was trying to figure out a way to connect with my audience.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate to have a lot of really talented guests \u2013 Tom Paxton, Kate Taylor, Liv Taylor, Buskin &amp; Batteau, Chris Smither, Jim Kreskin, Jackson Browne.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">There might be another album in the works fro Rush.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI haven\u2019t done a whole lot of writing,\u201d said Rush. \u201cI\u2019m about to take a couple weeks off to focus on writing songs. I also have five different books in the works.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Video link for Tom Rush &#8212; <a id=\"OWA5a61d2f7-5e23-7fcf-80b8-a8230fda6866\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/fPj1YoiIhfI\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/fPj1YoiIhfI<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The show at the Sellersville Theater on August 15 will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Tickets prices start at $39.50.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Other upcoming shows at the venue are Tinsley Ellis on August 14, Black Sabbitch on August 16, The Jersey Beach Boys on August 17, \u201cDeconstructing The Dark Side Of The Moon with Scott Freiman\u201d on August 17, The Nelsons on August 19 and Cordova on August 20.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\n<div id=\"attachment_20785\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20785\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-20785\" src=\"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/kellogg-350x197.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"197\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20785\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Kellogg<\/p><\/div>\n<p>While Rush hooks up with his friends and other talented guests on his podcasts, Stephen Kellogg is spending the year hooking up with his musician friends as live guests on his 2025 tour \u2013 the \u201cOld Friends Tour.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Kellogg explained on his website \u2013 \u201cI give you the \u201cOld Friends Tour.\u2019 \u00a0I\u2019ll be sharing the stage with more than a dozen different friends over the course of this tour. Every show will feature both myself and my guest on stage for the entire night, swapping songs and stories. See who I\u2019ll be playing with in a city near you and if you haven\u2019t made it out to a show of mine in a minute, or even if you have, this would be a good tour to join for. To list my guests in a line does no justice to the weight of their accomplishments, but I\u2019ll be talking a lot about them, what they\u2019ve done and what they mean to me in the coming months, so for now I\u2019ll tell you that I\u2019ll be doing shows with:\u00a0The Alternate Routes, Will Hoge, Marc Roberge (of O.A.R.), Melissa Ferrick, David Ryan Harris, Isaac Hanson (of Hanson), Jon McLaughlin, Javier Colon, Pat McGee, Drew Holcomb, Tyrone Wells, Rachel Beauregard, Heather Morgan, Pete Muller, Chris Trapper, Chris Barron of Spin Doctors, and The Kellogg Sisters.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Kellogg will be in the area this weekend for a show on August 15 as part of the Bryn\u00a0Mawr\u00a0Twilight Concerts series (<a id=\"OWAc6922c00-cf31-6f86-62ee-10fa99fc7783\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/local?lid=YN873x8116295723669612537&amp;id=YN873x8116295723669612537&amp;q=Bryn+Mawr+Gazebo&amp;name=Bryn+Mawr+Gazebo&amp;cp=40.020381927490234%7e-75.31777954101562&amp;ppois=40.020381927490234_-75.31777954101562_Bryn+Mawr+Gazebo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bing.com\/local?lid=YN873x8116295723669612537&amp;id=YN873x8116295723669612537&amp;q=Bryn+Mawr+Gazebo&amp;name=Bryn+Mawr+Gazebo&amp;cp=40.020381927490234~-75.31777954101562&amp;ppois=40.020381927490234_-75.31777954101562_Bryn+Mawr+Gazebo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">9 South\u00a0Bryn\u00a0Mawr\u00a0Avenue,\u00a0Bryn\u00a0Mawr,<\/a>\u00a0<a id=\"OWAc93ccdd3-1190-8dfe-e4f9-75f918949619\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"http:\/\/brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com\/\" href=\"http:\/\/brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI\u2019m just working hard,\u201d said Kellogg, during as phone interview Wednesday afternoon from a vacation break in Long Beach Island, New Jersey.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe \u2018Old Friends Tour\u2019 is 50 dates with 16 old friends. Each show is me and an old friend swapping stories on stage. The tour has 50 shows like this and a few that are not.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">One of the shows that falls in the \u201care not\u201d category is the date in Bryn Mawr.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI\u2019ve been doing the Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts for years,\u201d said Kellogg. \u201cSo, I\u2019m coming back again this year with just my usual show.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Rounding the corner of 25 years in the music business, Kellogg is celebrating his new release \u201cTo You, Old Friend.\u201d by touring with his favorite artists.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The brand-new record from Kellogg is an album about friendship as seen from many different angles and features an all-star cast of musicians from Lori McKenna to the Counting Crows.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI recorded the album last fall, and it came out at the end of May,\u201d said Kellogg, who received the Armed Forces Entertainer of the Year award and has had his work nominated for a Grammy.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cIt\u2019s an independent release. This record features a bunch of friends including Javier Colon, Lori McKenna, Chadwick Stokes and Danny Black. It\u2019s a collaboration. There are all different songs about friendships.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">When asked what the catalyst was, Kellogg replied, \u201cIt\u2019s the moment that I\u2019m in in my life right now \u2013 what\u2019s happening in each phase of my life.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cIt\u2019s about life and having a family. My oldest kid is 20 and in college. I have three other daughters \u2013 two in high school and one in middle school.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cMy oldest daughter Sophia attends the University of Maryland. She started a band there called Silkworm. Adeline is 18, Greta is 17 and Noelle is 14.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The Kellogg Sisters are on Kellogg\u2019s \u201cOld Friends Tour\u201d roster.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">They will be the \u201cOld Friends\u201d for the final five shows of the tour from December 26-29. One of the shows will be in Lancaster on December 29 at West Art.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Kellogg has always maintained a dual career \u2013 as a solo artist and as a leader of his own band. He spent the first decade of the 2000s recording and touring with his band The Sixers.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">This weekend, Kellogg is returning to a venue that was the site of one of his first post-Sixers era shows \u2014 the Bryn Mawr Twilight Concert.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Kellogg\u2019s first seven album releases were solo releases starting with \u201cInvest in Us\u201d in 1994. His albums with the Sixers started with \u201cBulletproof Heart\u201d in 2004 and concluded with \u201cGift Horse\u201d in 2011.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The singer\/songwriter\/guitarist\u2019s solo releases have been \u201cBlunderstone Rookery\u201d (2013), \u201cSouth West North East\u201d (2016), \u201cTour De Forty: Greatest Hits (So Far) Live\u201d (2017), \u201cObjects in the Mirror\u201d (2018), \u201cKeep It Up, Kid\u201d (2022) and \u201cTo You, Old Friend.\u201d (2025).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cFamily is always a big thing, but the new album is more of an exploration of friends than family,\u201d said Kellogg, who is a wordsmith, TedX speaker, stand-up comic, author and troubadour. \u201cIt made me think about what friends are about. We all need friends &#8212; and we\u2019ve never needed friends more than we do now.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Video link for Stephen Kellogg &#8212; <a id=\"OWAbf2e6018-878c-c5eb-f454-89d05b2a34e3\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/9A21dnbUMEU\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/9A21dnbUMEU<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The show in Bryn Mawr, which has Madisun Bailey as the opening act, will start at 7 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Tickets are $18.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">While Kellogg\u2019s focus was on \u201cfriend\u201d for his current tour guests, Kate Gaffney opted for the German word for friend when she chose her guest for this month\u2019s \u201cKate Gaffney\u2019s Corner\u201d at Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, <a id=\"OWAaa4135db-fc84-9dd1-3b0e-165d5d2f618c\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"Protected by Outlook: http:\/\/www.jameyshouseofmusic.com\/. Click or tap to follow the link.\" href=\"http:\/\/www.jameyshouseofmusic.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">On August 14, \u201cKate Gaffney\u2019s Corner\u201d will feature highly respected singer-songwriter Tom Freund. The German word for friend is \u201cFreund.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cKate Gaffney\u2019s Corner\u201d is held at Jamey\u2019s on the second Thursday of each month.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">According to Jamey\u2019s website, \u201cThis immensely talent and rave reviewed singer-songwriter invites you into her \u201cliving room\u201d for some musical conversation over dinner and drinks.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cAs a regular monthly \u201cSecond Thursday\u201d event, some nights will feature a full performance by Kate, some will start off with Kate followed by an open-mic, and others will feature guest artists.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Over the course of his career, Freund has released more than a dozen records and collaborated with legends such as Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, and his longtime collaborator Ben Harper, with whom he\u2019s made numerous albums and toured the world.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Freund joined rock legend Graham Parker on a world tour and appeared with him in Judd Apatow&#8217;s \u201cThis Is 40.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Freund has spent much of his career traversing genres, melding whatever sounds happen to catch his whimsy. He is also well known as a multi-instrumentalist, performing on guitar, upright bass, mandolin, ukulele and piano.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI grew up in New York City,\u201d said Freund, during a phone interview last week from his home in Palms, California. \u201cI went to the High School of Music and Arts and did some Off-Broadway.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI was into punk-rock, punk-folk and punk-jazz. I was the weird guy listening to Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell and jazz.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI started school in New York at Columbia University and then transferred to Berklee College of Music in Boston. After that, I moved to California and finished school at Claremont Colleges.\u201d<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Freund focused on string instruments.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI played guitar, upright bass, ukulele, mandolin \u2013 anything with strings,\u201d said Freund, who pulled a half-decade stint on bass for alt-country pioneers The Silos. \u201cI also played piano and other keyboards.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">His songs have been featured on TV shows including Better Things, Parenthood and One Tree Hill.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">For his latest television project, the Amazon show \u201cPete The Cat,\u201d Freund has co-written, sung and played songs with Elvis Costello, KT Tunstall, Dave Matthews and Diana Krall.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">For the last two decades, Freund has released a new album every three or four years \u2013 \u201cCollapsible Plans\u201d\u00a0(2008), \u201cThe Edge of Venice\u201d\u00a0(2011), \u201cTwo Moons\u00a0(2014), \u201cEast of Lincoln\u201d (2018) and \u201cThe Year I Spent In Space\u201d (2022).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cIt\u2019s been a little while since I played Philly,\u201d said Freund. \u201cThe last time was pre-pandemic. I used to play a long time ago at the Painted Bride Art Center.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI also did a lot of shows in Philly with the Silos. It\u2019s actually been a long time so it\u2019s really important for me to come back to the Philly area.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI met Kate in the Bay Area about 12 years ago. I ran into her again out west last year. She said \u2013 let\u2019s stay in touch and play some music together.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Gaffney said, \u201cTom Freund is an incredible songwriter and touring musician and I&#8217;m thrilled he&#8217;ll be joining\u00a0us at Jamey&#8217;s. He&#8217;s one of the many undersung musicians in my personal orbit that more people should hear.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cHis collaborations include\u00a0Ben Harper, Jackson Browne and many others. He&#8217;s a pal from Cal and tours extensively on the East Coast. I would love to see him carve out a regular tour stop in the Philly area and Jamey&#8217;s is a perfect place for his music.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cTom will be playing a full night of his music on\u00a0August 14. I will host and play a few songs to get the night started and then introduce\u00a0Tom and his music. He&#8217;s got a\u00a0bluesy, rootsy vibe and he will fit right in at Jamey&#8217;s.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Freund said, \u201cI\u2019m definitely going to bring her up for three or four songs and maybe we\u2019ll also do two of hers.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Gaffney will be back at Jamey\u2019s later in the month when she performs on August 31 with the Philly Blues Kings at Jamey\u2019s \u201cSunday Blues Brunch and Jam.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Video link for Kate\u00a0Gaffney\u00a0\u2013 <a id=\"OWA6c4e172c-662e-7566-1906-d8b03012ff91\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"Protected by Outlook: https:\/\/youtu.be\/fHoaryMngKw. Click or tap to follow the link.\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/fHoaryMngKw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/fHoaryMngKw<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Video link for Tom Freund &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/LpqzMwTHnW8\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/LpqzMwTHnW8<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The show at Jamey\u2019s on March 14 will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Pay-Per-View streaming of this show is also available for $15.45.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Other upcoming shows at Jamey\u2019s House of Music are Alex Lopez Xpress on August 15 and Brandon Santini on August 16.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSunday Blues Brunch and Jam.\u201d This week\u2019s show features Steve Shanahan\u2019s Blues Muthas.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">This event features many of the top regional and national players every week and welcomes amateurs and weekend warriors to join on stage to celebrate the beautiful heritage of the blues.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The open mic jam runs from 1-3 p.m. with the featured band playing a set from noon-1 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, <a id=\"OWA593fa0a5-f12f-e10d-e516-224a0b5154f1\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.peopleslight.org\/\">www.peopleslight.org<\/a>) is known for its top-flight theatrical productions but every once in a while, presents something very different \u2013 Comedy Night at The Farmhouse.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">On August 16, the venue\u2019s Comedy Night will feature Samantha Ruddy as the headliner with Marc Staudemaier as the opener.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ruddy has established herself as a notable figure in the comedy scene. She has worked with prominent comedy outlets such as someecards and CollegeHumor, where she has honed her skills as a writer and performer.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Her comedic style and wit have garnered her significant following on social media platforms.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cAt the end of the day, I\u2019m a joke writer \u2013 a misdirection or a one-liner,\u201d said Ruddy, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from her home in Philadelphia.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cOther times, it\u2019s observations of my life and what is going on around me.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ruddy grew up in Mayfield \u2013 a small town in the Scranton area.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Mayfield is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States, approximately 14 miles northeast of Scranton.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">In the past, it contained a silk mill and a coal mining industry (two industries that naturally went with each other). The population was 1,763 at the 2020 census.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cMayfield is a very small town,\u201d said Ruddy. \u201cWe had to go up to Carbondale or down to Scranton to find things to do. Although Mayfield did have a great bowling alley.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI got my start as an entertainer when I was 14-15 in an improv group at the Scranton Cultural Center. I did my first stand-up set at an eighth-grade talent show.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">After graduating from Holy Cross High, Ruddy went to Syracuse University.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI graduated from Syracuse \u2013 Go Orange! \u2013 in 2013 with a degree in information science. I worked in tech for a little bit after I graduated.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI got into more theatrical things when I was at Syracuse. I was in a sketch comedy group.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cAround that time, I realized that comedy rather than tech was what I was mostly interested in.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI had moved to New York City. I started doing open mics \u2013 free open mics \u2013 at places like The Creek &amp; The Cave in Long Island City in Queens. It closed a few years ago and moved to Austin, Texas.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ruddy performed on \u201cThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert\u201d in 2018 and \u201cThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon\u201d\u00a0in 2022.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">She was featured on NPR\u2019s\u00a0End of Year 2020 Comedy Special\u00a0and nominated for a\u00a0Best in Comedy Shorty Award\u00a0for her\u00a0social media.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">She also worked on the talk show \u201cFull Frontal with Samantha Bee,\u201d and picked up 14,000 followers on Instagram along the way.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ruddy has performed at comedy festivals such as New York Comedy Festival, Women in Comedy Festival, and Melbourne International Comedy Festival.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">She was named to the San Francisco Sketchfest Dozen in 2020. Additionally, her debut comedy album, \u201cLogging Out,\u201d was named one of the best comedy albums of 2020 by NPR<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Her debut 2024 special, \u201cBaseball Mom,\u201d is available to watch on Amazon Prime.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ruddy\u2019s current day job combines both tech and comedy.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI work remotely for a company from the Midwest,\u201d said Ruddy. \u2018I do advertising and social content. I write funny ads and social content for brands including Captain Morgan, Subway and Sony.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cI also do comedy two or three nights a week in Philly at Next In Line on Hamilton Street, Tattooed Moms on South Street and sometimes at Punch Line or Helium Comedy Club. I plan on going on the road a lot in 2026.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Video link for Samantha Ruddy &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/cjsCeJIZzI4?feature=share\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/cjsCeJIZzI4?feature=share<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The show at The Farmhouse at People\u2019s Light will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">A cash bar will be available throughout the night. Guests also have the option to enjoy <a name=\"_Hlk205993280\"><\/a>dinner and a show with the venue\u2019s delicious buffet dinner from 6-8 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Tickets for dinner and a show are $63. Tickets for the show only are $44.10.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, <a id=\"OWA4f728b79-5e11-ae06-3cc8-948fbb438b2b\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org\/\">http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will present one outdoor show this weekend.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">On August 16, Kennett Flash\u2019s Rooftop Series will feature Yesterday\u2019s Gone: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The All-Ages show will start at 7 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Tickets are $30.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, <a id=\"OWA444e9810-6f48-1714-082a-67196f4d81fd\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.uptownwestchester.org\/\">www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) will host Captain Mike &amp; The Shipwrecked\u00a0on August 16.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Time is running out for theater patrons and Parrotheads to check out the current show at the Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware, <a id=\"OWA910fc919-82c0-18ce-9cc5-5c675d02308f\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org\/\">www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The popular show is the musical hit \u201cJimmy Buffett\u2019s Escape to Margaritaville.\u201d The show will run now through August 24.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Featuring Jimmy Buffett classics with book by Greg Garcia and Mike O\u2019Malley, \u201cEscape to Margaritaville\u201d tells the story of\u00a0Tully, a smooth-talking singer\/bartender.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Tully\u2019s laidback, no-strings-attached lifestyle is turned upside down when he falls for Rachel, a career-minded environmental scientist visiting the island as a tourist on a bachelorette vacation.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The show\u2019s music consists of songs previously recorded by Buffett, and written by him and various other songwriters, with one exception, the original song \u201cThree Chords.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cEscape to Margaritaville\u201d has been performed at several area theaters but this is the show\u2019s Candlelight Theater premiere.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The show\u2019s Director\/Choreographer is Jessical Bostock and Julia Kershetsky is the Music Director.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cJimmy Buffett\u2019s Escape to Margaritaville\u201d show will run now through August 24 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street,\u00a0Elkton, Maryland, <a id=\"OWAedaf331a-a9c5-9035-01ee-e286b39a5959\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"http:\/\/www.elktonmusichall.com\/\" href=\"http:\/\/www.elktonmusichall.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.elktonmusichall.com<\/a>) will present \u201cA Farewell to Kings &#8212; Rush Tribute\u201d on August 16.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Presented and produced by Rising Sun Presents!, the 2025 Concerts Under the Stars series will again take place at the scenic Upper\u00a0Merion\u00a0Township Building Park (175 West Valley Forge Road, King of\u00a0 Prussia, <a id=\"OWA91677d0a-7328-41a7-66d9-2c5f891aff14\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"http:\/\/www.concertsunderthestarskop.com\/\" href=\"http:\/\/www.concertsunderthestarskop.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.concertsunderthestarskop.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">On August 17, the series presents John Oates &amp; The Good Road Band with Mutlu as the opener.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u00a0The 62nd\u00a0Philadelphia Folk Festival\u00a0will be staged the weekend of\u00a0August 15-17 at Old Pool Farm (1323 Salford Station Road, Upper Salford, <a href=\"http:\/\/folkfest.org\/\">folkfest.org<\/a>).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">This year\u2019s Main Stage Evening Concert Performers are Vanessa Collier, Alejandro Escovedo, Alison Brown, American Patchwork Quartet, The April Fools: David Buskin, Robin Batteau, Christine Lavin, John Forster, and Carla Ulbrich, Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole, David Jacobs-Strain &amp; Bob Beach, Eileen Ivers, The Gibson Brothers, John Gorka, John McCutcheon, John Moreland, The Lee Boys, Ordinary Elephant, Rob Ickes &amp; Trey Hensley, Robin &amp; Linda Williams, Solas, SONiA disappear fear, and Tim O\u2019Brien with Jan Fabricius.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">There will also be \u201cFeatures Performances\u201d with a huge roster that includes Brother John, Johnny Never and John Colgan-Davis, Danielia Cotton, Buskin &amp; Batteau, Christine Lavin, Jesse Terry, John Byrne Band, John Flynn, The Kennedys, Kuf Knotz &amp; Christine Elise, Lili Anel, Lisa Jeanette, Mason Porter, Medea, Reggie Harris and Todd Chappelle.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Curated by the famed Bethlehem venue of the same name,\u00a0\u201cWelcome To Godfrey Daniels\u201d will feature in the round performances from songwriters\u00a0Heather Aubrey-Lloyd,\u00a0Danielia Cotton,\u00a0Nick Franclik, and\u00a0Jack Murray\u00a0August 17 on the Tank Stage.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Dulcimer Grove\u00a0will host music and activities for the entire family including performances from\u00a0Eric Abraham,\u00a0Dave Fry,\u00a0The<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Give &amp; Take Jugglers,\u00a0Mr. David C. Perry,\u00a0Phoenix Rising Puppets, and\u00a0Two of a Kind.\u00a0Kids Creations\u00a0will provide crafts and instruction for children to do while listening to music in the\u00a0Grove.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>The\u00a0Philadelphia Folk Festival\u00a0fosters music discovery in a safe and family-friendly setting with camping, food trucks, crafts, and a variety of activities for all ages.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Tom Rush, one of America\u2019s most revered folksingers, is a New Englander through and through. However, in recent years, he has built a connection with Chester County. One of his last live shows prior to the COVID pandemic was a concert at Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31314,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[3162,2340,2284],"class_list":["post-31316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-stephen-kellogg","tag-tom-rush"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31316"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31317,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31316\/revisions\/31317"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/31314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}