FSGW 2021 Getaway Alphabetical List of Session Descriptions

On each day of the Getaway there are several parallel sessions. They are implemented as Zoom breakout rooms. If you have registered to attend the Getaway, you will receive a link to join the Getaway Zoom session. Once you have joined, you can go to any of the currently running sessions by going to the appropriate breakout room.
All times are listed in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), the time zone for Washington, DC and the Eastern United States. If you live in another time zone, you can recalculate times here.
If you wish to actively participate in the Vocal Clinic or Slide Guitar Basics sessions you will need to sign up beforehand since the number of participants is limited. You can do that by clicking the sign up link in the schedule entry for those sessions. If you'd just like to watch, you are welcome to join as with any of the other Zoom sessions. Similarly, if you want to sing in the Saturday or Sunday evening concerts, you need to sign up beforehand by clicking on the link in the schedule.
If you wish to find out more about any of the session leaders there is a list of web pages, contact information, and product purchase information here.
Here are links to other forms of the schedule. The individual room schedules may be useful to those using a small screen device. The version with no tables is a text only version suitable for those who have trouble reading tables.


Singaround Descriptions

Session NameDayTimeVenueHostsDescription
2020 Hindsight: Songs of the Pandemic and Other DisastersSunday9:00 AM EDT to
10:30 AM		Peace Lodge Liz Milner and
Elly Wininger		Now that 2020 is in the rear-view mirror, it’s time for a Grand Reckoning in Song. Bring us your funny, satirical, sad, poignant and hopeful songs.
All God's CrittersSaturday3:00 PM EDT to
4:00 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Dawn Berg and
Susannah Hills Rose		Birds, hippos, frogs, monkeys – there are songs about all kinds of animals. Come and share your favorites!
American HistorySaturday5:00 PM EDT to
6:30 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Peter Brice and
Dan Milner		Since Colonial times, Americans have sung about local and national events and people, and we want to keep that tradition alive.
Ballad Free-For-All 1Saturday11:30 AM EDT to
12:30 PM		Paz Lodge Saro Lynch-Thomason and
Lisa Null		A whole afternoon of story songs, from every culture and on every topic – what could be better?
Ballad Free-For-All 2Saturday12:30 PM EDT to
1:30 PM		Paz Lodge Colleen ClevelandA whole afternoon of story songs, from every culture and on every topic – what could be better?
Ballad Free-For-All 3Saturday1:30 PM EDT to
2:30 PM		Paz Lodge David Kidman and
Lorraine Van Buren		A whole afternoon of story songs, from every culture and on every topic – what could be better?
Ballad Free-For-All 4Saturday2:30 PM EDT to
3:30 PM		Paz Lodge Tim RadfordA whole afternoon of story songs, from every culture and on every topic – what could be better?
Ballad Free-For-All 5Saturday3:30 PM EDT to
4:30 PM		Paz Lodge Julie Henigan and
Sally Rogers		A whole afternoon of story songs, from every culture and on every topic – what could be better?
Ballad Free-For-All 6Monday3:00 PM EDT to
4:00 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Carrie Kline and
Michael Kline		One more chance for story songs, for those who couldn't make it Saturday afternoon, or simply want one more chance...
Blues Singaround Saturday9:00 AM EDT to
10:30 AM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Eleanor Ellis, Mike Rocke and
Miles Spicer		If you're feeling blue, or even if you're not, singing the blues is good for you!
Can You Follow This?Monday9:00 AM EDT to
10:30 AM		Retreat Center Charlie BaumA singing game in which participants volunteer a song inspired by the one preceding it. Use your imagination!
Carter FamilyMonday1:00 PM EDT to
2:30 PM		Retreat Center Ash Devine and
Pete Kraemer		This famous singing family contributed lots of songs to our national repertoire.
Chorus Songs Sunday11:30 AM EDT to
1:30 PM		Retreat Center David Jones and
Heather Wood		Short or long, happy or sad, choruses make us want to sing along.
Classic Country Songs Monday10:30 AM EDT to
12:00 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Tony BeckerTrains, trucks, honky-tonks, Momma, jail, drinkin', cheatin', and more...
Cowboy Songs and Songs of the WestSunday5:00 PM EDT to
6:30 PM		Paz Lodge Steve Cormier and
Larry Hanks		There's plenty of time for singing on the long, lonesome trail.
Duets, Trios and BeyondSaturday4:30 PM EDT to
6:30 PM		Peace Lodge Darriel Day and
Jocelyn Day		Zoom has made it hard to satisfy our hunger for harmony, so we invite any of you who can gather two or more people in the same room to share harmonious songs.
Filk Songs Monday11:00 AM EDT to
12:30 PM		Retreat Center Gary Ehrlich and
Cecilia Eng		Filk is the folk tradition of the science fiction/fantasy community, consisting primarily of songs that tell or retell stories. Go wherever and whenever your imagination can take you, from mermaids to spaceships!
First Irish SingaroundFriday2:30 PM EDT to
4:00 PM		Peace Lodge Peter Brice and
David Ingerson		Revel in songs of Ireland and the Irish diaspora.
First Scottish SingaroundFriday4:30 PM EDT to
6:00 PM		Peace Lodge Jack Beck and
Abby Sale		Share from a rich heritage of songs, traditional and contemporary, with or without the accent!
Going to TownSunday4:00 PM EDT to
5:30 PM		Retreat Center Riggy Rackin, Heidi Slaney and
Dick Swain		There are lots of songs about towns and cities all over the world. Come and sing about being in town, experiencing the town, the trip to town, and more.
Gospel and Sacred SongsSunday9:00 AM EDT to
11:00 AM		Retreat Center Dock Cutlip, Bill Kimmons and
Becky Kimmons		Lots of different traditions are welcome to join us and sing Hallelujah! Or other songs with sacred content.
How to Play Well With OthersSaturday4:00 PM EDT to
5:30 PM		Nature Center Bill Destler and
John Roberts		Pointers for instrumentalists from two master musicians to help you with accompanying yourself and others. Share your own tips as well!
Humorous SongsSunday5:00 PM EDT to
6:30 PM		Peace Lodge Murray Callahan and
Steven Levine		There's always time for a good laugh or a wry smile.
Jealousy and MurderMonday9:30 AM EDT to
11:00 AM		Nature Center Arlene Immerman, Liz Milner and
Linn Phipps		We are invited to share songs of passion, deceit, and crime.
Labor SongsFriday6:00 PM EDT to
7:30 PM		Nature Center Mick Lane, Connie McKenna and
Margaret Walters		Working people all over the world sing about their struggles and achievements.
Lumber Songs and Songs of the North WoodsSunday10:00 AM EDT to
11:30 AM		Nature Center Brian Miller and
Jeff Warner		Sing a song of the great north woods! Loggers entertain each other in the lumber camps after a hard day's work.
Maritime SongsFriday1:30 PM EDT to
3:30 PM		Retreat Center Geoff Kaufman and
Deirdre Murtha		Chanties, forebitters, and foc's'l songs from the men and women who sail the seas.
Music HallSaturday10:00 AM EDT to
11:30 AM		Nature Center John Baxter and
Lynn Feingold		English music halls and the American variety stage enjoyed tremendous popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Come make them live again!
Old-Time SingaroundSunday2:30 PM EDT to
3:30 PM		Peace Lodge Martha BurnsThese mostly Appalachian and Ozark songs were kept alive by early commercial recordings, but are often much older than that. Come bring your favorites!
ParodiesSaturday12:30 PM EDT to
2:30 PM		Retreat Center David Diamond and
Joe Hickerson		Songs turned upside-down – always good for a laugh or a groan!
Parting SongsMonday3:30 PM EDT to
5:30 PM		Retreat Center David Jones and
Nancy King		Goodbye, adios, so long, farewell, adieu...
Quiet SingMonday11:30 AM EDT to
1:00 PM		Nature Center Joe Hickerson and
Ed Trickett		One doesn't have to be uproarious to make a deep impression.
Second Irish SingaroundSaturday12:00 PM EDT to
1:30 PM		Peace Lodge Amelia Hogan and
Connie McKenna		Sing your heart out or listen to a wide variety of songs we think of as Irish.
Second Scottish SingaroundSunday3:00 PM EDT to
4:30 PM		Paz Lodge Bernard Argent, Linda Rice-Johnston and
Barbara Ryan		Sing songs from the highlands, the lowlands, from travelers, sardine-packers, songwriters, weavers, chieftains, rowers, lovers, beggars--the whole historical tapestry!
Sentimental JourneySaturday12:30 PM EDT to
2:00 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Kathie Mack and
Leo Wermers		Popular music before rock, from Victorian parlor songs to Tin Pan Alley to the Great American Songbook. Take a sentimental journey to renew old memories!
Show TunesSaturday3:00 PM EDT to
4:30 PM		Retreat Center Mara Levine and
Jesse Palidofsky		Lots of us grew up singing the songs from Broadway and musical movies. Let's dust them off and sing 'em again!
Social JusticeMonday1:30 PM EDT to
3:30 PM		Nature Center Greg Artzner, Bruce Baker, Terry Leonino and
Phil Wiggins		Civil rights, world peace, ecology, and other important causes often inspire great songs.
Songs of the LandSunday2:00 PM EDT to
3:30 PM		Retreat Center Dan Schatz and
Jerry Simon		Share songs of the land, the work and care it elicits, and its transformations, predicaments, and beauty.
Songs of the SupernaturalSunday11:00 AM EDT to
12:30 PM		Peace Lodge Cate Clifford and
Bob Rodriquez		Monsters and mermaids, demons and dragons, werewolves and witches, phantoms and fairies – and the worlds they inhabit.
Songwriters' ShowcaseSunday2:00 PM EDT to
4:00 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Carole Etherton, Andrew McKay and
Kim Wallach		Bring your own songs, and hear the creations of the many songwriters among us.
Spoken WordFriday4:00 PM EDT to
5:30 PM		Retreat Center Don StallonePoems, monologues, recitations, and the inner workings of your poetic mind work here.
Storytelling Grapevine Session 1: It Really Happened That Way!Saturday4:30 PM EDT to
6:00 PM		Amani Lodge Renée Brachfeld and
Tim Livengood		The Grapevine is a popular storytelling venue in Washington DC, (on Zoom since April 2020). Grapevine hosts will be on hand to tell colorful, astounding, touching, and possibly funny stories, and to facilitate story sharing among participants. Theme for this session - true personal stories, especially those that happened to you. Come put your name in the virtual hat for a chance to tell, or come to listen - all are welcome! Get on the Grapevine mailing list to find out about upcoming shows: Send us your name and email at grapevinetakoma@gmail.com
Storytelling Grapevine Session 2: Fairy Tales for a Fact-Checking AgeSunday1:00 PM EDT to
2:30 PM		Amani Lodge Renée Brachfeld and
Tim Livengood		The Grapevine is a popular storytelling venue in Washington DC, (on Zoom since April 2020). Grapevine hosts will be on hand to facilitate story sharing among participants, and share some storytelling wisdom. Expect to the surprised, enthralled, and moved! Story theme - Fairy tales in the modern age. Come put your name in the virtual hat for a chance to tell, or come to listen - all are welcome! The Grapevine is currently on hiatus, but we hope to return by January. Get on the Grapevine mailing list to find out about upcoming shows: Send your name and email to grapevinetakoma@gmail.com
Storytelling Grapevine Session 3: Story SwappingSunday3:30 PM EDT to
5:00 PM		Amani Lodge Renée Brachfeld and
Tim Livengood		The Grapevine is a popular storytelling venue in Washington DC, (on Zoom since April 2020). Grapevine hosts will be on hand to facilitate story sharing - Expect to the surprised, enthralled, and moved! Come put your name in the virtual hat for a chance to tell, or come to listen - all are welcome!. To learn more about The Grapevine, visit https://fsgw.org.grapevine. The Grapevine is currently on hiatus, but we hope to return by January. Get on the Grapevine mailing list to find out about upcoming shows: Send your name and email to grapevinetakoma@gmail.com
Strong WomenFriday4:00 PM EDT to
5:30 PM		Nature Center Janie Meneely and
Lynn Noel		Come celebrate women's strengths and achievements in song.
Third Irish SingaroundSunday11:30 AM EDT to
1:00 PM		Paz Lodge Melissa Weaver Dunning and
Brian ÓhAirt		Ireland has a mother-lode of songs that have enriched the world with melody and verse.
Trades and OccupationsSunday1:00 PM EDT to
3:00 PM		Nature Center Greg Artzner, David Kidman and
Terry Leonino		Songs of working people, their skills, satisfactions, struggles, and aspirations.
Tragedies & DisastersSaturday9:00 AM EDT to
10:30 AM		Paz Lodge Colleen Cleveland and
Merle Roesler		Sad and terrible events are all too frequent, but they often inspire great songs.
Un-American ActivitiesSaturday2:00 PM EDT to
3:30 PM		Nature Center Allan Carr and
Rob van Sante		These two excellent guitarists will demonstrate and give pointers on the percussive guitar style typical of such artists as Davey Graham, Martin Carthy, and Richard Thompson.
Very Olde SongsSaturday10:00 AM EDT to
11:30 AM		Peace Lodge Kevin Elam and
Heather Preston		Truly golden “oldies” from as far back as the Middle Ages and stretching into the Renaissance and Jacobean eras. Art and theatre songs with known authors are welcome. Bring a song from days of yore!
WeatherFriday2:00 PM EDT to
3:30 PM		Nature Center Fred Maslan and
Marge Steiner		Sunny, rainy, snowy, foggy, windy – weather affects us all, so we might as well sing about it!
Welcoming and FriendshipFriday12:00 PM EDT to
1:30 PM		Nature Center Carly Gewirz and
Joe Offer		We're so glad you're here to sing with us!
What Makes It the BluesSaturday12:00 PM EDT to
1:30 PM		Nature Center Elly WiningerIn this hands-on instructional workshop, Elly will teach basic blues moves, along with regional styles, through examples by several blues masters. Elly, a member of the NY Blues Hall of Fame, will provide basic techniques and specific sequences for 2-3 songs as time and skill levels allow. Modified adaptations for beginners will be provided, as well as more complex finger-style versions for intermediate to advanced players. Listeners welcome.

Sessions for Children Descriptions

Session NameDayTimeVenueHostsDescription
Songs for ChildrenSunday9:00 AM EDT to
10:00 AM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Deirdre Murtha and
Kim Wallach		Kids love to sing! Here's a chance for them to do just that, and for all of us to contribute a few songs and maybe hear a new one or two.

Concert Descriptions

Session NameDayTimeVenueHostsDescription
Allan CarrFriday6:00 PM EDT to
7:00 PM		Retreat Center Allan CarrAllan Carr plays an innovative blend of traditional and original Scottish and Appalachian-style music. Singer/guitarist Allan grew up in the Northeast of Scotland as part of a Scottish musical family.
Andy CohenMonday12:30 PM EDT to
1:00 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Andy CohenAndy Cohen owes his career to a clutch of "old blind guys" who taught him how to play without looking. He's been after the character of their 78's since he was in grade school, following the voices of people now long dead. Andy has dedicated his life to studying what makes musical sense to audiences all over America.
Ed TrickettFriday1:30 PM EDT to
2:00 PM		Peace Lodge Ed TrickettEd is memorable for his lovely lyrical voice and his skill as a song-finder and song-sharer. Well known for his work with Bok, Trickett and Muir, Ed's solo arrangements stand out for their graceful counter-melodies and poignant style.
Rick FranklinSaturday11:00 AM EDT to
12:00 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Rick FranklinRick plays acoustic guitar, and sings the Blues in the Piedmont style. Http://hokumblues.com
Thomas McCarthySunday1:30 PM EDT to
2:00 PM		Paz Lodge Thomas McCarthyThomas returns to share his family's Irish Traveller songs & associated stories. He sings unaccompanied, with a lyrical ornamentation style. A warm, genial singer, he is the first Irish Traveller named "Traditional Singer of the Year" by Gradam Ceoil in 2019. "I started collecting all the songs because I knew if anything happened to my mother they’d all be lost. The song is nothing without the story."

Presentation Descriptions

Session NameDayTimeVenueHostsDescription
Bygone Ballads of Maine: Songs of Ships, Sailors & the SeaSunday1:00 PM EDT to
2:00 PM		Peace Lodge Fred Gosbee and
Julia Lane		Julia and Fred, who together are “Castlebay,” will present a selection of songs from Julia's recently-published book.
Civil WarMonday1:30 PM EDT to
2:30 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Judy CookGripping narrative songs, rousing choruses and tunes from camp and homefront, woven together with historical details and Judy's family letters from the Civil War. Performed in costume.
Emma Dusenbury: Singer of the Old Songs of the OzarksSunday4:30 PM EDT to
5:30 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Nora RodesLearn about this remarkable woman, who wanted to learn every song she heard. Decades later she shared the most traditional Anglo-American ballads ever recorded from one singer with the American Folklife Center. Vance Randolph called her “the best ballad singer” he ever met. Her enormous repertoire also included many other types of folk song, from play-party to labor, religious to political, and more.
Getting the Most Out of ZoomFriday12:00 PM EDT to
1:00 PM		Peace Lodge Casey CasebeerWant a refresher for using Zoom? If you're unsure about using Zoom, let Casey help you with updating Zoom software, getting the best sound, navigating breakout rooms, and more.
History of the BluesMonday9:00 AM EDT to
10:00 AM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Pete Kraemer and
Phil Wiggins		These two bluesmen will take us through the history of this distinctive genre, with lots of stories and examples.
Multicultural Roots of Sea ChantiesSunday5:30 PM EDT to
6:30 PM		Nature Center Bonnie Milner, Stephen Sanfilippo and
Bob Walser		These three experts on the history and origins of chanties will reveal the diversity to be found in sailors' worksongs.
Revelations: A Celebration of Appalachian Resiliency in GLBTQ PeopleSunday9:00 AM EDT to
11:00 AM		Paz Lodge Carrie KlineCarrie Kline shares the audio version of her staged reading, followed by questions and discussion. Twelve actors read interwoven excerpts from interviews with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered West Virginians conducted during the course of Carrie's Rockefeller Fellowship at Marshall University.Their words, and music inspirational to the interviewees, focus on people’s paths to hard-won self-acceptance and their journey towards a fuller sense of humanity.
The Amazing Variety of Irish Song TraditionsSaturday2:00 PM EDT to
3:00 PM		Peace Lodge David IngersonDescriptions and recorded examples of Ossianic Lays, Sean Nos, rhythmic Irish language songs, traditional Anglo-Irish songs, parlor songs, and pub songs.
Using the Library of Congress' Online Folk CollectionsSunday3:30 PM EDT to
5:00 PM		Nature Center Jennifer Cutting and
Steve Winick		The American Folklife Center archive (AFC archive) at the Library of Congress is home to over 5 million items of cultural documentation, including thousands of sound recordings and videos of folk music. Many of these recordings are online and free for you to hear and see. In this presentation, longtime AFC staff members Steve and Jennifer will show you how to find and use the Center’s online treasures, in one easy lesson!

Master Class Descriptions

Session NameDayTimeVenueHostsDescription
Slide Guitar BasicsSunday11:30 AM EDT to
1:00 PM		Ehlers Memorial Hall Elly WiningerJoin NY Blues Hall of Fame artist Elly for a hands-on slide guitar workshop that will have you playing 2-3 tunes. Learn techniques that will help you develop your own style. Bring a guitar, and a slide that stays on your ring finger and covers the 6 strings of your guitar. A tuner – even one on your phone – will be helpful. Listeners are welcome.”
Sign up for Slide Guitar Basics workshop.
Vocal ClinicSaturday10:00 AM EDT to
12:00 PM		Retreat Center Ken SchatzKen will personally coach four singers, who sign up in advance, in ways to present a (memorized) song to best effect, while the rest of us watch and learn.
Sign up for Vocal Clinic workshop.

If you like the Getaway, you may enjoy the FSGW Sunday Evening Concert Series

A virtual series online via Zoom
Details and Registration for the Zoom link at https://www.fsgw.org/concerts
Doors open at 7:00 pm (Eastern time)
Performances begin at 7:30 pm

Sunday, October 24
John Roberts and Jeff Warner

Sunday, November 7
Dillon Bustin and Bob Lucas

Sunday, December 5
Sparky & Rhonda Rucker and Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr.