BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Americana Community Music Association - ECPv6.15.16.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Americana Community Music Association X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.americanacma.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Americana Community Music Association REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20280312T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20281105T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260917T210000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260427T171557Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260529T153315Z UID:3887-1789671600-1789678800@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:ACMA Music under the Stars\, at the Planetarium presents Doug MacLeod\, Michael Boswell Opens DESCRIPTION:Doors at 6:30\, Music at 7:00$18 ACMA CCNP members\, $20 general publicTicket link: https://www.calusanature.org/even…/music-under-the-stars-7\n\nThe ACMA is excited to bring Doug MacLeod back to the area in partnership with the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium.Two-time 2026 Blues Music Award nominee for Acoustic Artist of the Year and Acoustic Album of the Year (Between Somewhere and Goodbye)\, Doug MacLeod is an internationally acclaimed blues singer/songwriter\, guitarist\, and storyteller known for his soulful vocals\, masterful guitar work\, and riveting live performances. At the heart of his music is storytelling\, bringing deeply human characters to life with honesty\, wit\, and soul.\nA multiple Blues Music Award winner\, MacLeod previously earned 2024 Acoustic Album of the Year (Raw Blues 1) and 2023 Acoustic Artist of the Year honors\, along with additional nominations in 2025. His albums A Soul to Claim(produced by Jim Gaines) and Between Somewhere and Goodbye (produced by Andreas Werner) were named DownBeatMagazine Albums of the Year in 2022 and 2025\nWith a career spanning more than 40 years and 29 albums\, MacLeod has worked alongside blues legends including George “Harmonica” Smith\, Big Joe Turner\, Big Mama Thornton\, Lowell Fulson\, and Pee Wee Crayton. His songs have been recorded by Albert King\, Albert Collins\, Joe Louis Walker\, and Eva Cassidy\, and featured in film\, television\, and theater\n\nMichael Boswell’s musical journey began in the small town of Brighton Tennessee\, nurtured by the sounds of his father’s guitar and his granddaddy’s fiddle. After years of performing in bands across the country spectrum\, Michael found his true calling in songwriting—a passion that brought him and his wife to Nashville in 1988.During his time in Music City\, Michael secured a publishing deal with Levy Production and honed his craft at renowned songwriters’ nights\, including The Bluebird and Douglas Corner. His path eventually led him into the world of video production with the Christian Television Network (CTN)\, prompting a move to Florida.When you look into Michael’s eyes\, you see the sincere warmth of a man who knows his purpose. God has guided him to a point in his life where his gentle\, authentic songs and media work are powerfully used to touch and bless everyone he reaches. URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/under-the-stars-at-the-planetarium-doug-macleod-mike-mcmllillan-opens/ LOCATION:Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium\, 3478 Ortiz Ave\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33905\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-1.07.39-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260617T195638Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260703T140949Z UID:3937-1790276400-1790285400@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:ACMA's Island Hopper Songwriters Showcase DESCRIPTION:The ACMA & Island Hopper are thrilled to once again showcase some of the finest local songwriters at The Sidney Berne Davis Art Center. All the artists performing are members of the Americana Community Music Association\, a Fort Myers-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting original music year-round. \nPerforming in the round\, Roy Schneider\, Anthony Wayne\, Bill Metts\, Tim McGeary\, & Matt Hannam will share their original songs and the stories behind them. Join us for an unforgettable evening of exceptional music in a stunning setting \nAdvanced tickets $15.00. week of concert $20.00  \nBox Office Link.   https://www.sbdac.com/songwriter/ \nRoy Schneider\, Founding member of the Americana duo Reckless Saints\, Roy Schneider has been performing his original music throughout the United States and  abroad for the past two decades. His songs have thrice made him a NewFolk Finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival (TX)\, a contestant on NBC’s The Voice – Season 5 and placed him in the Telluride Acoustic Blues competition (CO). No Depression called him “A songwriter in the grandest tradition of Steve Earle\, Lucinda Williams\, Guy Clark and Lyle Lovett\, but with a voice\, songwriting skill\, stagecraft and instrumental talent all his own.”  In April Roy and Reckless Saints partner\, Kim Mayfield\, released a new album titled ‘Blue Twangled Folk’n’ Roll.’ \nAnthony Wayne is a Southwest Florida singer-songwriter whose roots-rock and Americana-inspired songs blend memorable hooks\, honest storytelling\, and a lifetime of live performance experience. Originally from Indiana and now a longtime resident of Fort Myers Beach\, Anthony has spent nearly two decades performing throughout the Gulf Coast while developing a growing catalog of original music. Equally at home on festival stages\, waterfront venues\, and intimate songwriter rounds\, his performances combine strong acoustic musicianship with songs that reflect everyday life\, resilience\, and the characters we meet along the way. Anthony is currently releasing a series of original recordings and music videos while continuing to perform regularly throughout Southwest Florida. \nBill Metts  started singing playing guitar during the Country Blues revival of the 1960s and fell in love with the art of finger-style guitar. He has performed at the prestigious Mississippi John Hurt Blues Festival\, the world famous “Ground Zero” in Clarksdale Mississippi\, at the Will McLean Festival in Brooksville Florida and numerous times in the BMI sponsored Island Hopper Songwriter Festival. For four years he hosted the weekly Songwriter Circle at the Americana Community Music Association located in Fort Myers Florida. Though he occasionally will do selected covers\, originals are his preference. \nhttps://billmetts.bandcamp.com/ \nTim McGeary from Naples Florida \, signed in the 80″s on A&M records toured with BIlly idol\, Duran Duran \, Simple Minds \, and many more \, his songs appear on TV shows (Smallville \, One Tree Hill\, ) and Movies \, The Kiss Me Curse\, Girl Got Mo. He now is writing for other artists and producing songs from around the world \, He loves how music moves people and how it brings them together \nMatt Hannam lives in Fort Myers\, Florida\, with his family. He is a singer songwriter who has performed solo\, with the duo Another Era\, and with the five piece band The Collective. Matt has been a member of the ACMA since the founding year and is also a member of the Hope by Song organization. \n  \n  \n  URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/acmas-island-hopper-songwriters-showcase/ LOCATION:The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center\, 2301 First ST\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-17-at-3.44.59-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260428T014610Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T150817Z UID:3896-1792263600-1792272600@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Ryan Biter in Concert! Andy Getch Opens. @ St. Johns\, Temp. Location. DESCRIPTION:PLEASE NOTE THE TEMPORARY CHANGE IN LOCATION WHILE ALL FAITHS IS UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS. \n 3049 McGregor Blvd\, Fort Myers\, FL 33901 \n\n\nRyan Biter is the aimless\, eccentric\, tactless kid you went to school with growing up that you always kind of wondered what happened to after high school.\nWith equal measures of irreverence\, sharp insight\, and vulnerability\, Biter invites audiences to be open to our profound humanness. Weird\, wonderful\, and flawed.\nThink of him like a guitar slinging Mr. Rogers for messed up adults.\nThe grit\, soul\, and raw emotion of his voice has drawn comparisons to Chris Stapleton\, Amos Lee\, Teddy Swims\, and Martin Sexton. His songwriting is incisive yet free of pretence. Catchy but thoughtful. Rootsy but Radio Ready.\nHis expansive guitar playing tells epic stories and has been compared to players like Tommy Emmanuel\, Michael Hedges\, John Butler\, Newton Faulkner\, and James Taylor.\nBiter has been described as “A One Man Musical Force” with a singular focus.\nSince 2022\, Biter has been racking up the awards. In just the past two years alone:2026 Your Roots Are Showing Featured Artist ( Belfast\, Ireland) 2025 Corpus Christi Songwriters festival featured artist Biter has played for audiences across the US\, Ireland\, and Australia.\nThe ACMA is excited to have him play on our stage for the first time!\nSing along here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDsRBLVt7Nc\n\nOpening is ACMA Day 1 member\, Andy Getch. Andy has been an important part of the ACMA since its inception…and he continues to volunteer for us\, write new songs\, paint cool stuff\, host house concerts and perform on our stage. He has the ability to pull the audience into his music and stories that accompany. Thank you for all you do to support the ACMA!\nDoor donations are as follows:ACMA Members/$15General Admission/$20\nTickets are available at the door.\nThe ACMA Listening Room doors open at 6:30pm. The show begins at 7:00pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/ryan-biter-in-concert-andy-getch-opens/ LOCATION:St. John’s Temp. Location.\, 3049 McGregor Blvd\,\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-7.46.42-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261024T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261024T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260427T234445Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T150931Z UID:3893-1792868400-1792877400@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Jess Klein in Concert! Bill Burkert Opens. @ St. Johns\, Temp. Location. DESCRIPTION:PLEASE NOTE THE TEMPORARY CHANGE IN LOCATION WHILE ALL FAITHS IS UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS. \n 3049 McGregor Blvd\, Fort Myers\, FL 33901 \n\n\nJess Klein came to this world to pull firebrand power and childlike joy from our darkest shadows. Her acoustic-driven\, hook-laden story songs revel in the polychrome of human experience – joy\, rage\, sensuality and resilience. The New York Times calls her “A songwriter with a voice of unblinking tenacity.”\nJess has toured the globe performing in pin-drop listening rooms\, cozy theaters and at raucous festivals in front of tens of thousands of fans. She has toured nationally and internationally supporting Arlo Guthrie\, Josh Ritter\, Damien Dempsey\, John Fullbright and Jonathan Byrd and has opened for such legends as Ani DiFranco\, Steve Earle and Alejandro Escovedo.\nJess’s live shows are known for their intimate and soulful atmosphere. Whether solo with just her guitar or backed by a band\, Jess performs with a raw\, emotional intensity. Her emotive vocals\, and poignant storytelling invite her fans on a journey through themes of love\, loss\, and resilience.\nEnjoy this: https://jessklein.com/listen-to-jess-s-music\n\nOpening for Jess Klein is our own Bill Burkert. Bill was born in Muskegon\, Michigan\, then moved to Tampa at age 11. Not too long after he got a guitar and the Alan Lomax book of 317 folk songs. A few years later his friend Joe showed him how to play something called “Travis” style. Later on Merle Travis DENIED having anything to do with how Bill plays guitar!\nOh\, well…Some years later Bill moved to Fort Myers\, joined the ACMA\, and started writing and singing songs. Bill won the Bob Dylan look alike contest at our recent Bob Night! And was the stand out that night for playing the least known Dylan songs. Thoughtful choices!\nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations:ACMA Members/$15General Admission/$20\nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/jess-klein-in-concert-bill-burkert-opens/ LOCATION:St. John’s Temp. Location.\, 3049 McGregor Blvd\,\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-27-at-7.41.17-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260430T131325Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T151040Z UID:3906-1794682800-1794691800@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:A Tale Of Two in Concert\, North of November Band Opens. @ St. Johns\, Temp. Location. DESCRIPTION:PLEASE NOTE May Be in  TEMPORARY CHANGE IN LOCATION WHILE ALL FAITHS IS UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS. \n 3049 McGregor Blvd\, Fort Myers\, FL 33901 \n\n\n\n\n“Americana duo A Tale Of Two wants to bring their records to life every time they perform… they do just that” ~~ Bluegrass Situation\nCombining the best of Americana and blues melodies with timeless Southern storytelling\, award winning vocalist Stephanie Adlington and guitarist Aaron Lessard draw influence from the likes of Tom Waits and Ray LaMontagne\, along with bedrock artists such as Patsy Cline and Hank Williams Sr. A Tale Of Two has opened for notable artists such as Mary Gauthier\, Grayson Capps\, and Peter Mulvey. Not unlike the artists who inspired them\, the duo’s songs frequently dabble in stories of revenge\, drinking and feature sinners of all stripes and persuasions.\nOozing an infectious stage presence and chemistry that carries over from the music to the back and forth banter between songs\, “A Tale Of Two” offers a different kind of Americana – storytelling by a swampy pair of retro raconteurs spinning blues arias with soul\, intrigue and power.\nTake a listen to a song off their new album:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU5RUg2Dz5w\n\nNorth of November is an acoustic trio known for heartfelt\, story-driven lyrics and catchy hooks. Featuring male and female lead vocals and the pulse of the cajón\, their songs are rooted in lived experience—moments that linger long after they’re sung.\nThe group consists of Billy Howard (ACMA member) on guitar and vocals\, Geneva Kelly on vocals\, and Brent Carmany on cajón and percussion. Their music is available on all major streaming platforms. The ACMA is excited to have this trio open the show!\nDoor Donations for the show:$15/ACMA Members$20/General Admission\nTickets are available at the door.\nACMA Listening Room doors open @ 6:30 PM and the show begins @ 7:00 PM URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/a-tale-of-two-in-concert-north-of-november-band-opens/ LOCATION:St. John’s Temp. Location.\, 3049 McGregor Blvd\,\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-30-at-9.05.31-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261115T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261115T170000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260426T202059Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260812T152745Z UID:3881-1794754800-1794762000@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Sam Robbins in Concert @ ACMA @ The Alliance. Bill Saltzman opens. DESCRIPTION:The ACMA is pleased to collaborate with the Alliance for the Arts to present Sam Robbins in Concert with ACMA Member Bill Saltzman\nDoors at 2:30\nShow at 3:00 PM>\nTickets at www.artinlee.org\n$20 ACMA/Alliance members\, $25 General public.\n\nSam Robbins is often described as an “old soul singer songwriter.” A Nashville based musician whose music evokes classic ‘70s singer songwriters like James Taylor and Neil Young\, Sam adds a modern\, upbeat edge to the storyteller troubadour persona.An avid performer\, he has gained recognition from extensive touring and as one of the six 2021 winners in the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk competition\, one of the largest and most prestigious songwriting competitions in the country.\nwww.samrobbinsmusic.com\nACMA member Bill Saltzman opens!: Bill’s earliest memories involve music. He vividly recalls sitting in front of an RCA record player listening to Mary Martin’s Broadway performance of Peter Pan\, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite\, and Tubby the Tuba in Orchestraville\, which introduces a range of orchestral instruments from piccolo to tuba\, teaches musical appreciation and also conveys some important lessons aboutlife. Beginning his journey as a drummer\, Bill expanded his musical scope to include percussion\, vocals\, piano\, and most recently\, baritone ukulele. He has performed with bands throughout his life\, featuring a wide range of genres including Rock\, Folk/Rock\, and Americana.He regularly attends the Swannanoa Gathering\, an annual songwriting workshop near Asheville\, North Carolina where he works alongside severalGrammy award-winning songwriters. URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/sam-robbins-in-concert-acma-the-alliance-bill-saltzman-opens/ LOCATION:Alliance for the Arts\, 10091 McGregor Blvd\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33919\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-26-at-4.10.46-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261121T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261121T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260430T132320Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T151319Z UID:3910-1795287600-1795296600@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:A. Lee Edwards in Concert Bob Williams Opens. @ St. Johns\, Temp. Location. DESCRIPTION:PLEASE NOTE May Be in  TEMPORARY CHANGE IN LOCATION WHILE ALL FAITHS IS UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS. \n 3049 McGregor Blvd\, Fort Myers\, FL 33901 \n\n\n\nA. Lee (Alan) Edwards has been making music for 30 years. But his new music represents a rebirth of sorts. Produced by Alan Lee Edwards and mixed by the legendary John Wood (the man behind the boards for Nick Drake\, Fairport Convention\, John Cale\, Squeeze\, and Richard and Linda Thompson)\, Interpreting Heart Sounds Vol. I is a major milestone in a career that has already spawned 5 albums—3 under the aegis of “Lou Ford” and two under the handle of “The Loudermilks.”\nRecorded at the famed Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville\, North Carolina\, it was engineered by Kenny Harrington\, mixed and mastered by the team at Well Made Music in Bristol\, TN\, and pressed locally at Citizen Vinyl in Asheville.\n“A. Lee is close to John Prine in his ability to be a storyteller of simpler times with a pinch of humor & partaking of the grape.” – Americana Highways\nListen to some music here:https://www.aleeedwards.com/\n\nOpening the show\, ACMA Member\, Bob Williams.\nBob has just released his fifth studio album\, The Long Road Home\, a fitting title for a songwriter who has been following the thread of music since he first learned three chords on a guitar. Influenced by the folk-rock and country-rock sounds of the ’60s and ’70s\, his musical foundation was shaped by iconic folk artists and the golden era of the American singer-songwriter. Over time\, that foundation naturally evolved into what is now known as Americana — a rich blend of roots\, folk\, country\, blues\, and everything in between.\nKnown for sharing the stories behind his songs\, Bob doesn’t simply perform music — he invites audiences into it. His writing is personal\, heartfelt\, irreverent\, funny\, and sometimes achingly sad. Each song has a backstory\, and his ability to tell it draws listeners in long before the first chorus arrives.\nTune in to some of Bob’s music here:https://www.reverbnation.com/bobwilliams2\nDonations at the door are as follows:$18/ACMA Members$20/General Admission\nTickets are available at the door.\nACMA Listening Room doors open @ 6:30 pm and the show begins @ 7:00 pm. URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/a-lee-edwards-in-concert-bob-williams-opens/ LOCATION:St. John’s Temp. Location.\, 3049 McGregor Blvd\,\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-30-at-9.17.06-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261205T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261205T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260430T130157Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T151211Z UID:3902-1796497200-1796506200@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Cliff Eberhardt in Concert w/special guest Louise Mosrie Coombe! DESCRIPTION:PLEASE NOTE May Be in  TEMPORARY CHANGE IN LOCATION WHILE ALL FAITHS IS UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS. \n 3049 McGregor Blvd\, Fort Myers\, FL 33901 \n“Eberhardt is better than ever…\, kicking ass with fresh insight and new ways to lament old yearnings” — Philly Rock Guide “Louise Mosrie Coombe’s voice is a gift from the gods\, and how she uses it is a gift to us” — Christine Lavin \nCliff Eberhardt knew by age 7 that he was going to be a singer and songwriter. Growing up in Berwyn\, Pennsylvania\, he and his brothers sang together and their parents played instruments. His dad introduced him to the guitar and he quickly taught himself to play. Fortunate enough to live close to the Main Point (one of the best folk clubs on the East Coast)\, he cut his teeth listening to the likes of James Taylor\, Joni Mitchell\, Bruce Springsteen\, Howlin’ Wolf\, Muddy Waters\, Bonnie Raitt\, and Mississippi John Hurt — receiving an early and impressive tutorial in acoustic music. At the same time\, he was also listening to great pop songwriters like Cole Porter\, the Gershwins\, and Rodgers and Hart\, which explain his penchant for great melodies and clever lyrical twists. \nNew York was an ideal musician’s boot camp. Though he put in long hours as a taxi driver\, Cliff worked steadily on his music throughout the 80’s\, doing solo gigs and studio work\, and playing guitar on the road with Richie Havens\, Melanie and others. Singing advertising jingles for products like Coke\, Miller Beer and Chevrolet (“The Heartbeat of America” campaign) allowed him to devote more time to his songwriting. \nIn 2011\, Cliff got a phone call from the Folger Theatre and Shakespeare Library in Washington DC. They had been listening to his song\, “That Kind of Love” along with director Aaron Posner and got the brilliant idea to hire Cliff to write original songs for the Shakespeare classic “The Taming of the Shrew”. It would be set in the old West – Deadwood style – and Cliff would be cast as the blind but wise old saloon singer bookending scenes with his poignant songs and guitar phrases. The play was a huge success and won much critical acclaim across town and 7 weeks of solid sold-out shows in the Spring of 2012. \nFind out more:\nhttps://cliffeberhardt.net/ \nJoining Cliff is the fabulous Louise Coombe. Louise started writing songs about the South – what she knew and where she grew up. In 2008\, she began working on a new album eventually to be called “Home” because she’d come full circle in her “voice” as a writer. The album was a mix of bluegrass\, country and folk and as she weaved in lush stories and songs about southern life\, she was even introduced once as “…William Faulkner with a guitar.” \nThe first thing most people remark on is her voice. Louise is a classically trained singer with a big pop voice (and a touch of twang) and an award-winning songwriter. Audiences also love her stories behind the songs and honest polished delivery. \nMore of her story and music:\nhttps://louisecoombe.com/home \nThe ACMA is pleased to end our 2026 season with this exciting show! \nDoor Donations:\nACMA Members – $18\nGeneral Admission – $20 \nTickets are available at the door. \nACMA Listening Room doors open at 6:30 PM and the show begins at 7:00 PM. \n  URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/cliff-eberhardt-in-concert-w-special-guest-louise-mosrie-coombe/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-30-at-8.56.16-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270105T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270105T200000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260816T191047Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260816T191047Z UID:4004-1799173800-1799179200@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:ACMA Songwriters Showcase at The Collaboratory DESCRIPTION:The ACMA is excited to present these FREE public concerts in a beautiful setting at The Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers! \nThe Collaboratory has partnered with the ACMA to bring you a special songwriter showcase featuring all-original music by talented local musicians. Each concert features three artists sharing their songs\, the stories behind them\, and the experiences that inspired them—much like the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest or Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Café. \nExpect a fun evening of professional-quality Americana music\, blending blues\, roots\, folk\, bluegrass\, and country. \nBring a chair or blanket and enjoy an evening under the stars. \nShows will move indoors if needed. \nThe ACMA\, a Fort Myers-based nonprofit\, is dedicated to supporting and promoting original music. \n🎶 Live music: 6:30–8:00 PM\n🪑 Bring a chair or blanket\n🅿️ Plenty of free parking\n📍 The Collaboratory — Downtown Fort Myers\n🎟️ FREE and open to the public \nMeet the three featured songwriters below! \nBill Metts started singing playing guitar during the Country Blues revival of the 1960s and fell in love with the art of finger-style guitar. He has performed at the prestigious Mississippi John Hurt Blues Festival\, the world famous “Ground Zero” in Clarksdale Mississippi\, at the Will McLean Festival in Brooksville Florida and numerous times in the BMI sponsored Island Hopper Songwriter Festival. For four years he hosted the weekly Songwriter Circle at the Americana Community Music Association located in Fort Myers Florida. Though he occasionally will do selected covers\, originals are his preference.  https://billmetts.bandcamp.com/ \nRobert Bidney is a Southwest Florida-based singer-songwriter whose songs are both relatable and have a strong commercial sensibility. A seasoned performer\, who connects with his audiences through his infectious energy and emotional performances\, he has been writing songs for most of his life. Bidney has recorded three studio albums\, while an eclectic array of artists around the world have also covered his songs with meaning – songs that define him and reveal his soul. His creativity and commercial awareness merged while Bidney was employed by advertising agencies for which he wrote and produced a number of national radio and TV jingles for clients and worked closely with many top musicians\, producers and songwriters throughout the U.S. and Canada.  https://robertbidney.com \n“Houseboat” Jim Visone has been picking and singing for a long\, long time. He got his start in the late ’50s in Greenwich Village\, right in the heart of the folk scene that helped launch the careers of so many great musicians. \nAnd these days\, Jim has been a familiar face on the Fort Myers music scene for many years\, sharing his original music wherever he can. \nAs for what he’ll bring to the next show—banjo? Guitar? With Houseboat Jim\, you just never know. But you do know you’re going to hear some good songs and a whole lot of character. If you see Jim playing around town\, stop by and catch him. He’s one of those local musicians who has a story behind every song. URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/acma-songwriters-showcase-at-the-collaboratory-2/ LOCATION:The Collaboratory\, 2031 Jackson St\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/collaboratory-FB-cover.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270109T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270109T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260810T153641Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T153641Z UID:3951-1799521200-1799530200@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:The Reckless Saints in Concert\, Dhruva Opens DESCRIPTION:This is more than just a concert. This is the kickoff to the ACMA’s 15th year\, featuring one of our favorite local bands\, The Reckless Saints. This year\, we’ll also have a special guest\, Dhruva\, opening the show for them. \nRoy Schneider and Kim Mayfield are the core duo and songwriters of Reckless Saints. Partners in music and love since 2003\, they began recording and touring five years later. “Blue Twangled Folk ‘n’ Roll’ is the answer Roy provided to the question “What kind of music do you play?”  The Fort Myers based duo decided to use his answer as the album title for their new release\, while also adopting the title of their 2018 release ‘Reckless Saints’ as their new band moniker. \nTheir new record\, and the first official Reckless Saints release\, has been years in the making and was greatly influenced by the stress of lockdown. ”’Quarantine Lockdown Blues” was written to the beat of a dripping roof leak in the couple’s back shed/studio.  In the song\, Roy lyricized his fantasy of riding motorcycles with Jorma Kaukonen near his Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. \nKim’s “Til the Medicine Takes” could have been a song about addiction\, but is actually a cry of despair written before vaccines were on the horizon.  Similarly\, “Can’t Stay Here” is a desperate wish to be somewhere or someone else. \n”Welcome back to the World” kicks off the record with joy and wonder\, Roy recounting his wildly-stimulating bus trip through NYC after escaping the crushing dullness ofhis childhood incarceration\, though it could also read as a triumphant return to normal life after lockdown.  Adding to the song’s Grateful Dead flavor is a guitar solo from David Gans\, longtime host of the syndicated ‘Grateful Dead Hour’ and a friend of the band. \nwww.recklesssaints.com \n Opening the Show is ACMA member dhruva’.  Singer-songwriter dhruva’s folksy\, homestyle  renditions will touch your heart and make you smile and hum along. A seasonal resident of Fort Myers hailing from the hills of Appalachia\, she is a lifelong educator-musician who loves to make music with others.  Over the years\, she has performed with folk\, bluegrass\, Celtic\, acoustic rock and Southern rock groups and sung in choirs with which she toured China and Italy.  She has released nine solo albums including her latest\, “Romping in the Swamplands\,” as well as providing flute\, percussion and harmony vocals in studio sessions for other musicians. Her YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@sallydhruva features many videos of nature songs written for children of all ages.  For more information\, visit https://dhruasongs.wixsite.com/music. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$20 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/the-reckless-saints-in-concert-dhruva-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-11.22.56-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270116T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270116T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260810T170316Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T182535Z UID:3957-1800126000-1800135000@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Mare Wakefield and Nomad in Concert\, Joe Terlizzi Opens DESCRIPTION:“Mare Wakefield & Nomad remind us of what it means to feel the sweetness in a song and hear the smiles and the tears in shared stories. Skilled in varied musical styles\, they keep an audience engaged and delighted.” ~ Dalis Allen\, Producer Kerrville Folk Festival \n“There are a great many artists that play music and too few that actually make it. Mare Wakefield and Nomad are among the best of the latter. They are honest and straight to the heart.” ~ Craig Huegel\, host “Our Kind of Folk”  \n“Daddy was a seeker\,” says Mare Wakefield. “Eventually he became a Salvationist minister. Mama was a gypsy\, loving nothing more than a long stretch of highway.” \nBorn with wanderlust in her DNA\, Mare lived in eight different places before she was ten. “It was a roller-coaster way to grow up\, but my brother and I learned to fit in fast\,” she says. “We picked up Wisconsin accents in two weeks. Eighteen months later we were drawling like native Texans.” \nFor Turkish-born Nomad\, the journey was equally varied. His musical education began at the exclusive Istanbul Conservatory and continued with a scholarship to Berklee College of Music. Nomad’s gift for musical arrangements includes a full arsenal of classical\, folk and jazz chops. \nVersatility and travel-scapes are evident in their music. Listeners roam through Arizona deserts\, Oklahoma oil fields and Amsterdam canals. Journeys go inward too\, exploring hope\, heartbreak and barroom brawls. Story and song are woven together by Mare’s intimate delivery and Nomad’s exquisite piano and accordion. \nCurrently based in Nashville\, the pair were 2016 and 2015 Kerrville NewFolk finalists and 2015 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists. \nJoe Terlizzi comes from Jersey City\, NJ and currently resides in West New York\, NJ. He started playing in rock bands in his teens and was part of an acoustic duo called Hobo King in his twenties with his friend Ed Bank.  After graduating from Stevens Tech\, he decided to pursue a career as a chemical patent specialist and put his songwriting chops on the back burner. He moved to New York City and his job responsibilities included traveling the world on business for many years. In 2012\, he decided to release a CD of original songs called Big White Vinyl; since then\, he has self-released three more CDs and is currently finishing his fifth. He spends winters in Fort Myers and enjoys being both a member and volunteer for ACMA. Look for his music\, which is available on most musical platforms\, and his new album. He is thrilled to be invited by ACMA once again to play for you. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$20 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/mare-wakefield-and-nomad-in-concert-joe-terlizzi-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-12.28.41-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270123T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270123T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260810T185539Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T185539Z UID:3960-1800730800-1800739800@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY: Alice Howe and Freebo in Concert \, Kevin John Allen Opens DESCRIPTION:Alice Howe & Freebo have undeniable chemistry. Rock bass legend Freebo weaves his fretless stylings into Alice’s soulful\, impeccably-tuned vocals for a harmony-driven performance showcasing two uniquely compelling songwriters.  \nFreebo is a genuine folk\, rock\, and blues icon who has toured and recorded with some of the greatest artists of his generation\, and is best known for his ten years as bassist with Bonnie Raitt. His fretless bass can be heard on records by John Mayall\, Ringo Starr\, Crosby Stills & Nash\, Maria Muldaur\, Joe Walsh\, Dr. John\, and many more. Freebo is also a multi award-winner and finalist in numerous songwriting contests\, was recognized as Best Folk Artist by the Los Angeles Music Awards\, and has appeared on Saturday Night Live\, The Muppet Show\, The Midnight Special\, and in concert with the Legendary Spinal Tap.  \nAlice Howe had the honor of being named Best Female Artist at the International Acoustic Music Awards. To hear her sing is to be enraptured by the natural\, unaffected beauty of her voice. There’s no artifice\, no histrionics — just honest\, authentic\, emotionally resonant singing in the tradition of the roots music that shaped her. Her poetic lyrics and melodic sensibilities take center stage on her latest solo album Circumstance\, produced by Freebo and recorded at legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals\, AL. Americana Highways writes of Circumstance: “One of 2023’s best albums. This isn’t just a singer – this is an artist.” \nAlice & Freebo have been working as a duo since 2017\, and together they tour relentlessly\, playing over 85 shows annually in both 2024 and 2025 across US and Europe. “A beguiling blend of folk\, rock\, blues\, and soul\,” their collaboration reveals a deep musical kinship that transcends their generational divide. Their latest album Alice Howe & Freebo Live debuted as the #1 Most Played Album on the Folk Radio Charts\, and also landed on its Top Ten Albums of 2025. \n Kevin John Allen \nWith over 40 years of writing\, playing & traveling around the world\, Kevin has performed in garage bands dating back to the early 1970s\, as well as solo\, duo\, trio & full-band performances\, with hundreds of shows across America. \nDuring the COVID downtime\, his new CD\, ‘Stories I Left Behind Me\,’ was recorded\, mixed & released. \nCurrently\, Kevin has 5 CDs released: ‘Dark Songs Written on Black Guitars\,’ ‘Life’s Lonely Rodeo\,’ ‘The Long Road of Life\,’ ‘Colours’ & ‘Stories I Left Behind Me\,’ released in 2025. \nNow living in Southwest Florida\, Kevin is enjoying the retired lifestyle while still playing out here & there. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$20 \nGeneral Admission/$25 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/alice-howe-and-freebo-in-concert-kevin-john-allen-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-2.49.50-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270124T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270124T170000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260813T195302Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260813T195302Z UID:4002-1800802800-1800810000@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Tim Grimm in Concert at ACMA @ The Alliance. Gareth Rockliffe opens DESCRIPTION:We’re excited to be back at The Alliance for The Arts for another year of collaborative concerts:\nDoors: 2;30Tickets. 20/25 at www.artinlee.org or at the door.\n\nKicking off 2027 is Tim Grimm…with Gareth Rockliff opening.For a quarter of a century\, Tim Grimm has been writing songs of stunning – and increasingly rare – quality. He has a way of drawing you in like only the very best writers can\, finding truth in the smallest details and turning those truths into something luminous. Each new recording by Grimm represents a poetic\, intense\, passionate immersion in the heart of America. His songs are authentic\, straight from the heart\, quietly breathtaking. A magnificent songwriter and a storyteller with the ability to connect to audiences in an intimate and natural way\, Grimm is a master craftsman sitting down\, painting a picture\, and giving a master class in how songs can hold both narrative and soul.\nBorn and raised in Indiana\, he has developed a distinct voice shaped by the Midwest. In these days\, Grimm carries the torch of Woody Guthrie’s social conscience\, the refined and authentic storytelling of Townes and Guy Clark\, and the raw intensity of Kris Kristofferson\, David Olney\, and Eric Taylor. His lyrics\, filled with considerable literary weight\, often feel like prose written as poetry.\nAt his side stands guitarist- and mythic cowboy- Sergio Webb\, one of Americana’s most distinctive and electrifying sidemen. Webb can play the electric guitar like a demon—or like an angel\, coaxing out sombre\, cello-like tones that seem to rise from a different world. His style is flamboyant yet deeply intentional; he is a master of his instrument in every sense. Just as effortlessly\, he eases from Folk to Rock\, Classical to Spanish\, Tex-Mex to something entirely his own—and he is a master in each. His versatility is not only impressive\, it’s essential. Webb adds a vital dramatic tension\, a spark\, a texture\, an atmosphere that lifts every song into a new dimension.\nhttps://timgrimm.com/home\n\nOpening for Tim is ACMA member Gareth Rockliffe:Born in Southport\, England\, Gareth Rockliffe is a singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music draws from a lifetime of experience\, reflection and creative exploration.\nA storyteller at heart\, Gareth writes deeply personal songs about love\, loss\, memory\, hope and the experiences that shape us. His songwriting is intimate and reflective\, combining thoughtful lyrics with the warm\, expressive sound of nylon-string guitar.\nMusic has always been part of Gareth’s creative life\, alongside a long career as a fine art photographer and filmmaker. In recent years\, songwriting has taken an increasingly important place in that journey\, culminating in Nylon\, an album of original songs built around the simplicity of voice\, words and nylon-string guitar.\nHis songs include The Memory of Pain\, Fields of Vietnam and Love Always Wins\, and his music and songwriting were recently featured on WGCU’s Three Song Stories.\nNow based in Southwest Florida\, Gareth is a member of the Americana Community Music Association and has previously opened for touring artists on the ACMA stage. URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/tim-grimm-in-concert-at-acma-the-alliance-gareth-rockliffe-opens/ LOCATION:Alliance for the Arts\, 10091 McGregor Blvd\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33919\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-3.46.33-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270130T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270130T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260811T125255Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T125416Z UID:3963-1801335600-1801344600@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:C. Daniel Boling in Concert\, David Bavaria Opens DESCRIPTION:C. Daniel Boling  \n“New Mexico’s songwriting savant.” – Folk icon Tom Paxton \n“Daniel’s songs are filled with sweet imagery and infallible word craft\, and his live performances bring another dimension of energy and charm.”  – Singer/songwriter Steve Gillette \n“Think of a subtle intertwining of Steve Goodman\, John Prine and Tom Paxton.” – Fred Schmale / Real Roots Café\, Dutch music magazine\n \nWinner of the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk songwriter contest\, the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival song contest\, and others\, Daniel shares experiences from a life well-lived in three countries and seven States. His friendly tenor and well-crafted story songs delight audiences throughout the U.S. and abroad from house concerts and listening rooms to major festivals – Kerrville\, Winfield\, Woody Guthrie\, and more. Daniel is also one third of the iconic 1960s folk trio The Limeliters. \nBorn to a folksinger mother and an Air Force father\, he was raised on folk music and sang harmonies before he spoke complete sentences. His family lived in several countries\, and later Daniel worked as a National Park Ranger (yes\, the gun-toting kind) and as a Criminal Investigator for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for 30 years. He started touring full-time at 50\, when most guys are planning their retirement.  \nDaniel’s songs tell interesting stories about a variety of characters\, including himself. He plays guitar and banjo with a deft fingerpicking style that always enhances the stories\, and sometimes plays a bit of harmonica into the bargain. His clear tenor draws positive comparisons to John Denver and Pete Seeger\, and like Pete\, Daniel is happiest when his audience sings too! \nHis 11th solo album since 1999 – IT MATTERS featuring Tom Paxton (Berkalin Records – 2025) – features 16 songs cherry-picked from three times that many Daniel and Tom have co-written since their previous collaboration album in 2023. It was chosen New Mexico Music Awards “Best Album of the Year”. \nLOVE\, DAN (Berkalin Records – 2024) appeared on “Top 10 Albums” lists from folk DJs in England\, The Netherlands and the U.S.A.\, and won New Mexico Music Awards “Best Folk Song” and “Best Children’s Song”. \nNEW OLD FRIENDS (Berkalin Records – 2023) was also entirely co-written by Daniel and legendary folk songwriter Tom Paxton. It reached #4 on folk charts in North America\, #5 in Europe\, and won “Best Album of the Year” in the New Mexico Music Awards. \nThere’s a reason Ozark folk duo Still on the Hill calls him “one of the most talented songwriters on the circuit.” Whether you’ve walked the very same roads\, you can’t help but relate to these songs – and no matter what your story is\, you’re bound to love Daniel’s. \nDavid Bavaria\, spent his adolescence influenced by the rock and folk music of the ’60s and ’70s\, including the Beatles\, CSN\, the Byrds\, and others. After a 35-year hiatus\, he picked up his old guitar again in retirement and hasn’t put it down since. He formed a five-piece cover band\, Night Watchmen\, in Delaware\, where he spends his summers. He spends his winters in Fort Myers\, where he has recently begun writing songs\, entirely inspired by his involvement with the ACMA. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$20 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm \n  \n  URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/c-daniel-boling-in-concert-david-bavaria-opens/ LOCATION:FL ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-8.45.15-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270202T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270202T200000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260816T192437Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260816T192437Z UID:4007-1801593000-1801598400@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:ACMA Songwriters Showcase at The Collaboratory DESCRIPTION:The ACMA is excited to present these FREE public concerts in a beautiful setting at The Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers! \nThe Collaboratory has partnered with the ACMA to bring you a special songwriter showcase featuring all-original music by talented local musicians. Each concert features three artists sharing their songs\, the stories behind them\, and the experiences that inspired them—much like the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest or Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Café. \nExpect a fun evening of professional-quality Americana music\, blending blues\, roots\, folk\, bluegrass\, and country. \nBring a chair or blanket and enjoy an evening under the stars. \nShows will move indoors if needed. \nThe ACMA\, a Fort Myers-based nonprofit\, is dedicated to supporting and promoting original music. \n🎶 Live music: 6:30–8:00 PM\n🪑 Bring a chair or blanket\n🅿️ Plenty of free parking\n📍 The Collaboratory — Downtown Fort Myers\n🎟️ FREE and open to the public \nMeet the three featured songwriters below! \nKim Mayfield is also known as half of the Americana duo ‘Reckless Saints\,’ (with husband Roy Schneider\,) and shared in the songwriting for their first two albums. Mayfield’s song ‘Ring Around the Moon’\, described by a reviewer as “haunted by Patsy Cline\,” earned a semi-finalist spot in the 2019 International Songwriting Competition. Reckless Saints were finalists in the 2025 Kerrville New Folk competition. https://www.recklesssaints.com \nRalph Leesburg has been making music for more than 50 years but it has only been the last 20 that he has set intentions on positive music. A little folksy\, a little rootsy\, a little bluesy\, a little bit of rock’n’roll. And something he likes to call Metaphysical Country. He really likes sharing the vibe and hopes to leave you smiling. \nSteve Waterbury. Steve has been playing\, singing and writing music off and on since the later 70’s. His music is eclectic\, from some Country to Blues and Folk\, reflecting his life observations and experience. URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/acma-songwriters-showcase-at-the-collaboratory-3/ LOCATION:The Collaboratory\, 2031 Jackson St\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/collaboratory-FB-cover.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270206T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270206T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260811T132122Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T132609Z UID:3966-1801940400-1801949400@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Carolin Aiken in Concert\, Hank Woji Opens DESCRIPTION:CAROLINE AIKEN | BIO \nNamed “The Best Acoustic Act” by Atlanta Magazine in her hometown of Atlanta\, Georgia\, Caroline Aiken has a rich musical history that spans more than five decades. Her career includes recording and performing with Bonnie Raitt and the Indigo Girls\, as well as opening for Arlo Guthrie\, Muddy Waters\, Doc Watson\, Randy Newman\, Little Feat\, 38 Special\, the Beach Boys\, Janis Ian\, and Richie Havens. Caroline has appeared at regional and national festivals\, radio shows\, workshops\, and concert series throughout the United States and abroad. \nHer “sensual voice\, masterful songwriting\, expert guitar” (Victory Music – Seattle) helped anchor the city’s acoustic and folk scene. Along the way\, she influenced and mentored up-and-coming artists\, including the Indigo Girls and Shawn Mullins. \nGeorgia Music Hall of Fame \nIn 2015\, Caroline released her ninth CD\, Broken Wings Heal\, featuring special guests Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls\, John Keane (Grammy-nominated producer and musician)\, Michelle Malone\, Ike Stubblefield (legendary Motown B3 player)\, and Randall Bramblett (Bonnie Raitt\, Steve Winwood\, Allman Brothers). That same year\, she embarked on a national tour opening for the Indigo Girls and continues to tour throughout the United States and Europe. \nCaroline recalls being moved at age 12\, “kicking and screaming\,” from the village of St. Simons Island\, Georgia\, to Long Island\, New York\, clutching a guitar and a book of songs. Her musical journey continued from New York in 1969 to the West Coast in 1971\, South America in 1973\, the Pacific Northwest in 1975\, and throughout the United States\, United Kingdom\, and Europe from 1984 to the present. She calls it the “Perpetual Instructional Path Towards Gratitude” Tour. \n“‘Singer/songwriter’ is an adequate description of Caroline Aiken\, but it doesn’t tell you what you really need to know. It doesn’t even hint at the unseen work\, thought\, vision\, organization\, and management she puts into every performance. It doesn’t tell you that if she brings along a band\, it’s going to be an enthusiastic but disciplined unit that’s committed to the total musical experience. And it doesn’t tell you that Caroline is an Artist with a capital A\, whose seemingly effortless songs form a direct link from one soul to another. During the years I hosted It’s Friday!\, it was my honor to present performances by Caroline at least ten times\, and I never tired of basking in the glow of her work.” \n— Robb Holmes\, UGA Radio Show: It’s Friday! \nHank Woji\, A self-described “Jersey Shore Ex-Pat turned West Texas Desert Rat\,” Hank Woji cut his musical teeth as a bassist in the vibrant Asbury Park\, NJ music scene of the 1980s & 90s. In March of 2001 Hank moved to Houston\, TX and found his new musical voice as an Americana Singer Songwriter. But destiny turned a page and it was his chance move\, in 2009\, to the far West Texas desert town of Terlingua that has most reshaped his life and his music. \nCritics have described Hank’s music as “acoustic-wielding\, sharply observed\, Americana all the way” and being “in the best tradition of the Texas troubadours like Guy Clarke\, Townes Van Zandt and Butch Hancock” and that “His troubadour style also comes very close to the style of Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger\, or as we heard on ‘Nebraska’ from Bruce Springsteen.” \nOf his recently released 6th CD\, Tony Award winning songwriter\, Anaïs Mitchell says: “Highways\, Gamblers\, Devils and Dreams is a sprawling meditation on mythic American themes. Hank is a warm-hearted and precise troubadour of the old school.” The CD debuted in September 2023 at #5 on the Euro Americana chart and #3 on the U.S. FAI Folk Music chart\, and his recording of “Terlingua Blues” was listed on Texas Monthly’s “Going To Big Bend Ultimate Playlist” in January of that year. \nOver his 25+ year songwriter career\, Hank has performed with such notable artists as: Jonathan Byrd\, Spook Handy\, Jaimee Harris\, Joe Jenks\, Bob Livingston\, Grant Peeples\, Sarah Lee Guthrie\, David Amram\, Butch Hancock\, Jimmie Dale Gilmore\, and Pete Seeger. \nHank tours nationally\, performing regularly at festivals\, coffeehouses\, theaters\, clubs and house concerts as a solo singer songwriter\, in various duo and trio configurations\, and with his full TexAmericana Jam Band – The Hank Woji Conspiracy. \nwww.hankwoji.com \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$20 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/carolin-aitken-in-concert-hank-woji-opens/ LOCATION:FL ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-9.16.59-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270213T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270213T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260811T141327Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260811T141327Z UID:3972-1802545200-1802554200@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Verlon Thompson & Brian Smalley in Concert\, John Craddock opens DESCRIPTION:You don’t want to miss this show! Two amazing guitar players and songwriters\, Verlon Thompson & Brian Smalley\, will be in the round\, swapping songs\, stories\, and the stories behind the songs. \nSpecial guest John Craddock opens the evening. \nIf you love great guitar playing\, great songs\, and hearing the stories that inspired them\, this is a night you won’t want to miss! \nVerlon Thompson \, Songwriters seem to flourish on the fertile Oklahoma plains. Woody Guthrie\, Roger Miller\, Leon Russell\, J.J. Cale and Jimmy Webb. Add Verlon Thompson to that list. \nThirty years as a professional songwriter and traveling troubadour serve as credentials. As a solo performer\, and as the trusted sidekick of Texas Americana songwriting icon Guy Clark\, Verlon has viewed the world from stages everywhere from Barcelona to Binger (his hometown in Oklahoma). \nAlong the way Verlon Thompson compositions have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson\, Dierks Bentley\, Anne Murray\, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band\, Kenny Rogers\, Randy Travis\, Del McCoury\, Sam Bush\, Trisha Yearwood and many more. \nVerlon has co-produced Guy Clark’s Grammy nominated cd “Cold Dog Soup” as well as “The Dark”\, “Workbench Songs” and “Somedays the Song Writes You”. \nEqually important in his songwriting and live performances\, Verlon’s guitar work cannot go unnoticed. His guitar can be heard on recordings by Restless Heart\, Pam Tillis\, and many more\, including\, and especially Guy Clark. \nVerlon was honored to contribute to the score of the Tamara Saviano documentary “Without Getting Killed or Caught”\, the story of Guy and Susanna Clark and Townes Van Zandt. \nIn 2019 Verlon hosted his own 13 episode TV show called Barnegie Hall. Filmed at his converted barn/home in rural Tennessee\, the show aired nationally on PBS and received rave reviews. \nVerlon Thompson is currently on the road. Or in the studio. Or writing in his barn/house on the river in Tennessee…\n….but never far from the fertile plains of Oklahoma. \nBrian Smalley\, Having played guitar all his life\, Brian Smalley has developed some skill on the git-box\, and possessing a creative (and somewhat disturbed) imagination\, he is a gifted storyteller. In the recording studio\, Brian developed the idea of the ‘Acoustic Novel\,’ where folk opera meets theater of the mind. Live\, on stage\, there are no holds barred. Ambitious guitar arrangements paired with engaging songs makes for a meaningful musical experience. In short: You will laugh\, and you will cry. Smalley will bring his own special and highly original songs\, as well as intensive and unique guitar arrangements of well known tunes\, to create a one-of-a-kind performance. \nJohn Lawrence Craddock is an Americana singer\, songwriter\, and storyteller with a distinctive bluesy style. His music weaves relatable stories with deep\, soulful vocals\, carried by rich and colorful guitar playing that is undeniably his own. Whether you’re drawn to songs that make you laugh or cry\, melodies that invite you to sing along\, or guitar work that impresses even seasoned musicians\, his work has something for everyone. His music is a reflection of sixty years of life experience\, shaped by the legendary multi-genre artists whose timeless influence continues to inspire today. www.JohnLawrenceCraddock.com \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$20 \nGeneral Admission/$25 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/verlon-thompson-brian-smalley-in-concert-john-craddock-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-11-at-10.02.16-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270221T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270221T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260812T163159Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260812T163159Z UID:3977-1803236400-1803245400@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Grace Morrison & Marc Douglas Berado in Concert\, Jodie Fox Opens. *** SUNDAY SHOW*** DESCRIPTION:Grace Morrison and Marc Douglas Berardo are both ACMA favorites—and for good reason. Individually\, they’re wonderful songwriters and incredibly entertaining performers. Put them together on the same stage\, though\, and the fun goes into overdrive! Opening the show is the amazing Jodie Fox. Put this one on your calendar. It’s a show you definitely don’t want to miss! \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15.   General Admission/$20 \nGrace Morrison is a little bit of everything—pianist\, accordion player\, Renaissance Faire performer\, cranberry grower\, reader of historical nonfiction\, coffee devotee (she sells her own coffee blend)\, and an unapologetic expert on all things New England. And somehow\, all these quirks weave seamlessly into the fabric of her music\, making her one of the most unique and endearing songwriters around. \nBorn and raised on the shores of Cape Cod\, Grace Morrison has trademarked a sound she calls Saltwater Country. “I was always too pop for folk and too folk for country. Eventually\, I started peeling back the layers of my music to find out what truly made it mine. At the heart of it all was my deep\, undeniable connection to the Cape Cod coastline—it’s in my blood\, in my voice\, in every lyric I write. My music carries the storytelling of country\, the twang\, but also the raw\, unshakable spirit of a Swamp Yankee. That’s Saltwater Country.” \nProudly unconventional\, she’s never held what some would call a “real job.” She says “it’s always been music and how lucky am I that music has given me this wild\, unpredictable journey through the human experience. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” \nOne of the defining moments in her journey came when she collaborated with hit songwriter Lori McKenna. “I was eight months pregnant when Lori invited me to write with her. We wrote Just Loving You\, and it was the most personal thing I had ever written. The way it connected with audiences—it was something I had never experienced before. I learned that the more personal and specific my songs are\, the more they seem to resonate. You’ve got to write what you know.” \nMarc Douglas Berardo is a thought-provoking songwriter as well as a fancy wooden guitar player who uses humor and deft storytelling to rally an audience and lead them into a deep and sometimes spiritual experience. After over 35 years of performing in every conceivable situation and winning awards and recognition for his songs in a boatload of national festivals like Rocky Mountain Folks\, Telluride\, Kerrville New Folk\, Suwanee and Wildflower as well as being voted “best interview and live performance feature” on Sirius/ XM Satellite Radio show The Village\, Berardo has established himself as the real deal. A “lifer” that No Depression Magazine called: “sincere\, fluid\, charming\, and above all gripping.” \n2025 highlights included Berardo as the subject of a feature story by Jan Tomay in the legendary Ink Magazine\, as well as\, along with the fiery dobro player Abbie Gardner\, a headline appearance at the 40th Tucson Folk Festival in Arizona.      \nBerardo’s highly regarded 2024 release “The Beauty of This Now” was recorded in Austin\, Texas\, and produced by Texas legends Ron Flynt and Walt Wilkins. John Apice of Americana Highways wrote: “There’s a seriousness to Marc’s compositions that’s not apparent in the slew of artists who seem to have a lot of nothing to say in an album’s worth of music…Marc is cut from the same cloth as James Taylor\, early Elton John\, or maybe Mark Twain…” marcdouglas.com \nJodie Fox is a genre-blending composer and songwriter whose work has been featured in television shows across the globe. She has had 35 sync placements on various channels (E!\, M6\, Telecinco\, etc) showcasing her growing international reach and versatility. \nJodie began playing piano at age five\, started vocal training as a teen and later learned guitar and ukulele. She has performed at large events like the River District Music Walk (Oct 2023)\, the River District Art Walk (Nov 2023)\, and Volkerfest 2023. \nA prolific writer and poet\, Jodie won 1st Place at the Southwest Florida Poetry Slam in 2021 and has performed in numerous plays and musicals. She has studied with Emmy-winning songwriter Mike Meiers and is currently being mentored by Berklee award winning musician and educator Joseph Capalbo. In 2024\, she earned a scholarship to the Musical Writers Festival\, attending workshops with Broadway’s Amanda Green. \nCurrently\, she is developing her original musical\, Velvet Curtain\, consisting of 26 original songs for which Jodie composed book\, music\, and lyrics. Velvet Curtain received a feedback session from Broadway’s Joey Contreras and Alyssa Payne at the 2025 Musical Writers Festival\, had a Concert Performance in May 2026\, and a Stage Reading in November 2026.  Jodie is the Chair of the Theatre Program at Arts Bonita and is also a Resident Artist there. \nhttps://linktr.ee/jodiefoxmusic \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$250 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/grace-morrison-marc-douglas-berado-in-concert-jodie-fox-opens-sunday-show/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-11.50.23-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270228T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270228T170000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260813T194150Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260813T194150Z UID:3996-1803826800-1803834000@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:ACMA presents Abbie Gardner @ The Alliance for the Arts. Michael Boswell Opens DESCRIPTION:Doors at 2:30Tickets at the door or at www.artinlee.org. $20 members /$25 General admission\n\nGet ready for an unforgettable night of raw\, captivating acoustic music as award-winning singer-songwriter and virtuoso resonator guitar player Abbie Gardner takes the stage. Known both for her stunning solo work and as a member of the acclaimed Americana harmony trio Red Molly\, Gardner brings an unmistakable sound that seamlessly blends folk\, blues\, and bluegrass into an intimate live experience.\nWhat sets Abbie Gardner apart is her rare mastery of the lap-style Dobro. Bouncing between a driving rhythmic backbone and ripping lead lines\, her slide guitar acts as a second voice\, perfectly dancing in conversation with her vocals. Her live show is a masterclass in solo performance\, channeling the gritty soul of Bonnie Raitt\, the confessional depth of Lucinda Williams\, and the slide expertise of Jerry Douglas\, while remaining entirely her own.\nA first-rate musician and a songwriter to be reckoned with\, Gardner has earned widespread national recognition. Her solo record DobroSinger climbed to #11 on the Billboard Blues Chart and #2 on the Folk DJ Charts\, celebrated by critics as a raw\, real\, and intimate recording free of studio tricks. Her previous album\, Wishes on a Neon Sign\, featured a standout co-write with country superstar Chris Stapleton. Her exceptional talent has earned her honors as a Kerrville New Folk Finalist and a nomination for Folk Alliance International’s Artist of the Year.\nDon’t miss the chance to experience this world-class artist live in an evening full of storytelling\, brilliant instrumentation\, and soulful songcraft.\nwww.abbiegardner.comhttps://www.instagram.com/abbiegmusichttps://www.facebook.com/abbiegardnermusic\n\nOpening for Abbie is ACMA Member Michael Boswell\nBoswell’s musical journey began in the small town of BrightonTennessee\, nurtured by the sounds of his father’s guitar and hisgranddaddy’s fiddle. After years of performing in bands across the country spectrum\, Michael found his true calling in songwriting—a passion that brought him and his wife to Nashville in 1988.\nDuring his time in Music City\, Michael secured a publishing deal with Levy Production and honed his craft at renowned songwriters’ nights\, including The Bluebird and Douglas Corner. His path eventually led him into world of video production with the Christian Television Network (CTN)\, prompting a move to Florida.\nWhen you look into Michael’s eyes\, you see the sincere warmth of a man who knows his purpose. God has guided him to a point in his life where his gentle\, authentic songs and media work are powerfully used to touch and bless everyone he reaches URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/acma-presents-abbie-gardner-the-alliance-for-the-arts-michael-boswell-opens/ LOCATION:Alliance for the Arts\, 10091 McGregor Blvd\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33919\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-3.36.11-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270302T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270302T200000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260816T194205Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260816T194205Z UID:4009-1804012200-1804017600@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:ACMA Songwriters Showcase at The Collaboratory DESCRIPTION:The ACMA is excited to present these FREE public concerts in a beautiful setting at The Collaboratory in downtown Fort Myers! \nThe Collaboratory has partnered with the ACMA to bring you a special songwriter showcase featuring all-original music by talented local musicians. Each concert features three artists sharing their songs\, the stories behind them\, and the experiences that inspired them—much like the Island Hopper Songwriter Fest or Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Café. \nExpect a fun evening of professional-quality Americana music\, blending blues\, roots\, folk\, bluegrass\, and country. \nBring a chair or blanket and enjoy an evening under the stars. Shows will move indoors if needed. \nThe ACMA\, a Fort Myers-based nonprofit\, is dedicated to supporting and promoting original music. \n🎶 Live music: 6:30–8:00 PM\n🪑 Bring a chair or blanket\n🅿️ Plenty of free parking\n📍 The Collaboratory — Downtown Fort Myers\n🎟️ FREE and open to the public \nMeet the three featured songwriters below! \nDhruva’s folksy\, homestyle  renditions will touch your heart and make you smile and hum along. A seasonal resident of Fort Myers hailing from the hills of Appalachia\, she is a lifelong educator-musician who loves to make music with others.  Over the years\, she has performed with folk\, bluegrass\, Celtic\, acoustic rock and Southern rock groups and sung in choirs with which she toured China and Italy.  She has released nine solo albums including her latest\, “Romping in the Swamplands\,” as well as providing flute\, percussion and harmony vocals in studio sessions for other musicians. Her YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@sallydhruva features many videos of nature songs written for children of all ages.  For more information\, visit https://dhruasongs.wixsite.com/music \nBob Williams has just released his fifth studio album\, The Long Road Home\, a fitting title for a songwriter who has been following the thread of music since he first learned three chords on a guitar. Influenced by the folk-rock and country-rock sounds of the ’60s and ’70s\, his musical foundation was shaped by iconic folk artists and the golden era of the American singer-songwriter. Over time\, that foundation naturally evolved into what is now known as Americana — a rich blend of roots\, folk\, country\, blues\, and everything in between.\nKnown for sharing the stories behind his songs\, Bob doesn’t simply perform music — he invites audiences into it. His writing is personal\, heartfelt\, irreverent\, funny\, and sometimes achingly sad. Each song has a backstory\, and his ability to tell it draws listeners in long before the first chorus arrives.\nHis performances have been described as “a mix of Neil Young and Crazy Horse with solo acoustic Bruce Springsteen.” While Bob might humbly call that a stretch\, there’s no denying the raw passion and authenticity that define his live shows. One moment he delivers a soulful ballad that quiets the room; the next\, he has the audience laughing with a clever lyric or unexpected turn of phrase.\nComfortable in intimate listening rooms\, theaters\, community concert series\, and special benefit events\, Bob is most at home on a stage where the music matters and the audience leans in. He is a favorite for charity fundraisers and house concerts\, bringing connection\, humor\, and heart to every performance. Whether in front of a packed audience or a small\, attentive crowd\, he creates an experience that feels personal and memorable.   www.reverbnation.com/bobwilliams2 \nBill Veach was a drummer in a rock band in college\, but guitars are easier to move and make for better neighbors so he spent $100 of his precious college beer money on a flame red acoustic guitar. Moving was a part of his life for years\, with a love of travel that is expressed in many of his songs. His songs are often autobiographical\, about his experiences\, travel\, love\, loss\, hurricanes\, and some characters he has met on his journey. Bill is a Western boy\, raised in Colorado and lived in Utah and Wyoming before becoming a full time resident of Fort Myers Beach. He became active writing songs as part of the Cheyenne Guitar Society in Wyoming and finds inspiration in the camaraderie of the ACMA Singer Songwriter Circle on Sundays. Bill has never met a genre he didn’t like\, and his style varies from slow finger picking to channeling that college drummer through a guitar pick. \nBill’s music can be found on billveach.com. URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/acma-songwriters-showcase-at-the-collaboratory-4/ LOCATION:The Collaboratory\, 2031 Jackson St\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/collaboratory-FB-cover.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270306T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270306T170000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260812T174742Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260812T174742Z UID:3980-1804320000-1804352400@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Jesse Terry in Concert\, Carlene Thissen Opens DESCRIPTION:Jesse Terry\, whatever magic potion the troubadours in Laurel Canyon were sipping on in 1971\, Jesse Terry has managed to track it down and take a deep gulp. A New England-based Americana singer-songwriter\, Jesse is an internationally touring\, award-winning artist known for captivating audiences with heartfelt performances that need little more than his acoustic guitar to connect deeply. He spent five years writing songs professionally on Nashville’s Music Row before hitting the road full-time\, and has since shared stages with acclaimed artists such as Dar Williams\, Darrell Scott\, Liz Longley\, Tony Arata\, and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He’s also performed at renowned festivals including Bonnaroo\, Philadelphia Folk Festival\, 30A Songwriters Festival\, and AmericanaFest. \nHis music has found its way onto TV screens\, with placements including Netflix’s Virgin River and The CW’s Hart of Dixie. Jesse has garnered top honors in prestigious songwriting competitions such as The John Lennon Songwriting Contest\, USA Songwriting Competition\, NSAI Song Contest\, and The International Songwriting Competition. \nHis latest album\, Arcadia\, is Jesse’s seventh original full-length album\, showcasing his vivid storytelling and compelling melodies\, offering a big\, bold sound that begs to be enjoyed in the car\, windows rolled down\, chasing the next adventure. Jesse Terry is not to be missed; his performances promise an unforgettable blend of craftsmanship\, passion\, and authenticity. \n“It is easy to compare Terry’s heritage and storytelling to that of Jackson Browne\, James Taylor or Bruce Springsteen. A symphonic delight for the heart and soul.” \n– Americana UK \nCarlene Thissen\, dedicates herself to performing\, speaking\, and songwriting\, singing and playing piano and guitar at house concerts\, clubs\, restaurants\, festivals\, and charity events. She also regularly visits the Northeast\, particularly Saugerties\, New York\, in the Hudson Valley. \nCarlene began performing in the 1960s and ’70s as a young\, guitar-playing folk singer\, performing songs by Bob Dylan\, Joan Baez\, Judy Collins\, Joni Mitchell\, and Melanie. She describes the three days she spent at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair in 1969 as the best three days of her life. Today\, she presents a multimedia program about her Woodstock experience. \nIn 2024\, Carlene donated the guitar she brought with her to Woodstock in 1969 to the Bethel Woods Woodstock Museum\, where it is now part of a display just outside the entrance. The display includes a photograph of Carlene and the chorus lyrics to her song “Back There Again\,” which includes the line\, “the guitar she named Alice.” \nAs she explains in her autobiographical song “Back There Again\,” the Woodstock hippie girl who once dreamed of a different life “…cut her hair and got a career\, and lost herself for 30 odd years.” \nPutting aside her childhood dream of becoming a doctor and working in underserved communities\, Carlene became a successful businesswoman\, well known for her speeches\, articles\, and books on marketing technology. She ended her corporate career as vice president of a large market research company in Chicago\, founded her own international consulting company\, and eventually moved to Naples\, Florida. \nCarlene says a series of God-driven events led her back to her true self through the agricultural community of Immokalee\, Florida (pronounced to rhyme with “broccoli”). She volunteered as a music teacher for preschool children and sang in the choir at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Her love for the farm workers and the Immokalee community inspired two books\, Immokalee’s Fields of Hope and Called From Silence: The Father Sanders Story. \nCarlene has also written several songs inspired by her work and friendships in Immokalee\, including “Take These Hands\,” “Mama in Your Heart\,” “When Papa Goes North\,” “Our Lady of Guadalupe\,” and “On the Road Home.” \nShe earned a B.A. in Business Administration from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul\, Minnesota\, in 1982\, and an M.A. in Latin American History from Florida International University in Miami in 2005. \nCarlene is a member of Nashville’s Global Songwriter’s Connection\, the Women of Substance Female Musician Academy\, and the Americana Community Music Association.www.carlenethissen.com \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$250 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/jesse-terry-in-concert-carlene-thissen-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-1.28.04-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270313T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270313T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260812T182837Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260812T182949Z UID:3983-1804962600-1804973400@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Richard Smith in Concert\, Mike McMillan Opens DESCRIPTION:Richard Smith is far more than an extraordinary fingerstyle guitarist—he’s a musician with an amazing story. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 General Admission/$20 \nBorn in Beckenham\, Kent\, England\, Richard picked up the guitar at the age of five after watching his father play an Atkins and Travis version of “Down South Blues.” His father introduced him to the world of fingerpicking\, and Richard quickly became a remarkable young guitarist. By the time he was 11\, he had already shared the stage with his idol\, Chet Atkins\, after Atkins invited him to play with him at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London. \nRichard’s musical influences include Chet Atkins\, Merle Travis\, Django Reinhardt\, Jerry Reed\, Joe Pass and Big Jim Sullivan. His playing draws from an incredible range of styles\, including country\, bluegrass\, blues\, jazz\, ragtime\, folk\, pop and classical music. His repertoire ranges from Great American Songbook standards and Scott Joplin rags to Bach\, Tárrega\, Barrios\, traditional fiddle tunes\, Beatles songs and his own original compositions. \nAfter forming the Richard Smith Guitar Trio with his brothers Rob and Sam\, Richard moved to Nashville in 1999 with his wife\, American cellist Julie Adams. During his 25 years in Nashville\, he became deeply involved in the city’s music scene and founded the Hot Club of Nashville\, a group that combined gypsy jazz and western swing and featured musicians including John Jorgenson\, Pat Bergeson\, Bryan Sutton and Stuart Duncan. \nRichard has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in guitar\, including Tommy Emmanuel\, Chet Atkins and Les Paul\, and has collaborated with musicians such as Joscho Stephan\, Brent Mason and Martin Taylor. He has performed at major festivals including Merlefest and the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society Convention and continues to tour extensively throughout the United States\, as well as in Europe and Asia. \nHis accomplishments include winning the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield\, Kansas\, in 2001. He was named Thumbpicker of the Year by the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame in 2008 and 2021\, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009\, and has received the Golden Thumbpick Award from the Association of Fingerstyle Guitarists. \nBut awards and credentials only tell part of the story. Richard Smith is an entertainer as well as a remarkable guitarist\, combining dazzling fingerstyle technique\, percussive playing\, musical versatility and an engaging personality into a performance you won’t soon forget. \nMike McMillan is a songwriter whose music is deeply influenced by the blues. Though he’ll tell you he’s still a student of the genre\, his songwriting and guitar work have inspired many local musicians to start writing their own blues songs. But Mike’s talents don’t stop there his writing draws from folk\, Americana\, and roots traditions\, creating songs that are honest\, soulful\, and full of heart. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 General Admission/$20 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/richard-smith-in-concert-mike-mcmillan-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-2.21.49-PM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270327T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270327T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260813T124700Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260813T144240Z UID:3986-1806174000-1806183000@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Walter Parks in Concert\, Bill Frey Opens DESCRIPTION:If you’re up for something a little different\, this is going to be a very special show. \nIf you don’t know Walter Parks\, do yourself a favor and check him out online. He’s an extraordinary guitarist\, singer\, songwriter and storyteller whose music draws from blues\, folk\, gospel\, swamp music\, jazz and more. He also spent 10 years as the guitarist for the legendary Richie Havens. \nWalter is one of those artists who is hard to put into a box—and that’s exactly what makes this show so special. \nCome hear something you may not have heard before. We think you’re going to love it. \nWalter Parks is both entertaining and educational\, presenting historic music\, original music and stories that preface songs in a contemporary way. Walter toggles between hollers\, spirituals\, Appalachian reels\, Delta blues\, work songs\, swamp jazz and even bits of opera all delivered with Walter’s northeast Florida swampy feel. At every show Walter tributes Woodstock legend Richie Havens with whom he served as sideman for 10 years performing worldwide in Madison Square Garden\, The Glastonbury Festival and Carnegie Hall amongst other prestigious venues.  \nWalter was recently invited by The Library of Congress/American Folklife Collection to archive his research work on the music made in southeast Georgia’s Okefinokee Swamp. Now based out of St. Louis\, Walter has recently co-written with Stan Lynch\, former Tom Petty drummer and has performed at various venues with R&B drum legend Bernard Purdie and at Lincoln Center with Judy Collins. Walter was a founding member of The Nudes\, a popular folk duo\, with cellist Stephanie Winters.     waterparks.com \nBill Frey\, “The Blues Dr.”\nBill began his musical journey in the 1960’s as a “Jersey Boy”\, honing his skills on guitar and harmonica while developing his distinctive songwriting style. While drawing inspiration from Miles Davis\, Billie Holiday\, Bob Dylan and Kenny Burrell\, his sound remains deeply rooted in the blues embracing an eclectic range of influences from Rev. Gary Davis to Paul Butterfield. He has recorded five albums\, with his latest\, Lenny the Lip and the Blues Dr.\, “On the Street”.  His alternate career as a Clinical Psychologist has provided endless hours of blues material and song-writing catharsis. He has played venues in NYC\, Philadelphia\, up and down the Jersey Shore\, the Hamptons\, Boston and across Vermont. His career has included stints with The Floyd Morgan Blues Band\, The Bristol Flames and for the past 30 years leading the Deep Freyed Blues Band.\nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$20 \nGeneral Admission/$25 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/walter-parks-in-concert-bill-frey-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/walt-parks.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270403T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270403T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260813T130717Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260813T130717Z UID:3989-1806778800-1806787800@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:8 Ball Aitken In Concert\, Diwakar "Bon" Mokadam Opens DESCRIPTION:Let’s get the party started! 🎸. Doors open at 6:30 PM\, and the show starts at 7 PM. \nIf you need a little extra energy this Saturday night\, this is the place to be! We’ve got two very unique artists coming together to put on a very special show. \nCome ready for great music\, great energy\, and a night you won’t want to miss! \n8 Ball Aitken has toured the world performing his blues\, soul\, swamp-rock and groovy slide-guitar across twenty countries to date. He’s earned a loyal fanbase from his live shows and internet videos\, while paying his dues as a singer\, songwriter\, guitarist\, and producer. He’s headed to Memphis with Taya Chani and his band in January 2026 to represent the Blues Association of South East Queensland at the International Blues Challenge. \n8 Ball moved to Nashville\, Tennessee\, USA in 2012 and worked for nine years with many of the best in the blues business today. He won second place in the 2021 International New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival. \n8 Ball is back with a brand-new collaboration album ‘Nightbird’. He wrote and produced the recording with soul singer Taya Chani at his home studio in the Glass House Mountains. The title-track ‘Nightbird’ immediately hit #1 on the Australian AMRAP Regional Charts in March 2025 for two weeks in a row as did their second single ‘Miss You The Most’ in May. 8 Ball & Taya’s signature harmonies and groovy guitars have proved to be a winning combination and festival favorite. \n8 Ball’s previous two self-produced albums ‘ICE CREAM MAN’ & ‘ICE CREAM MAN 2’ both hit #1 on the Australian Blues & Roots Charts. The cast of musicians include 8 Ball’s band plus Grammy winning drummer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy) and saxophone legend Buddy Leach (George Thorogood & The Destroyers). \nDiwakar “Bon” Mokadam is a business executive who also creates music as a songwriter and independent recording artist. His musical background is deeply tied to his family history and a passion for progressive storytelling rock. His mother\, Louise Y. Mokadam\, was an accomplished musician proficient in the piano\, violin\, and flute. This early exposure to multi-instrumental classical music laid a foundation for his creative endeavors later in life.  \nAs a recording artist\, his most recent project is an expansive\, 17-track conceptual alternative rock album titled\, “The Jon Banders Experiment.” The project is a mix of progressive rock\, alternative rock\, storytelling\, and pop. It is characterized by thought-provoking lyrics mixed with guitar-driven soundscapes. You can find his music on all major streaming platforms. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$20 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/8-ball-aitken-in-concert-diwakar-bon-mokadam-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-9.01.50-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270417T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270417T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260813T144801Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260813T144801Z UID:3993-1807988400-1807997400@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:The Black Feathers in Concert Chakulla Opens DESCRIPTION:The Black Feathers Reviews  \n“The Black Feathers could well be Britain’s answer to Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings” \n“…gorgeous close harmonies – two voices paired to perfection” \n“…their blend of English folk influences and Americana is a tasty concoction indeed” \n“The Black Feathers are acoustic\, but with enough power and force to drive a sledgehammer.” \n The ability to write songs that are both modern and ancient is a rare thing. The product of an arcane art of weaving in traditional influences so thoroughly that they become the warp and weft of fresh creations. \nThe Black Feathers\, made up of Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler\, are two such talents. They first became aware of the magic between them while collaborating on several musical projects\, becoming The Black Feathers and life partners in 2012. \n“Once in a blue moon\, the whole soars far above the sum of its parts. That’s what happens when The Black Feathers perform live” Black Mountain News\, North Carolina \nAmericana\, Folk\, and Acoustic Indie Rock sensibilities coexist comfortably in their musical world\, with Hughes’ guitar work buoying the kind of harmonies often only heard in family bands. Their music quickly draw the interest of listeners\, but it is the stage chemistry that will keep them riveted. \nHaving already built up a loyal following in the UK\, The Black Feathers have been spreading their wings across the US. They have performed at Philadelphia Folk Festival\, Kate Wolf Music Festival\, and AmericanaFest\, and have also been awarded official showcases at the International\, North East Regional and Far-West Folk Alliance conferences. \nChakulla\, affectionately known as Grandfather Chakulla\, is far more than a singer-songwriter. For more than four decades\, he has been creating a unique musical experience that blends Folk\, World\, Jazz\, and Americana into something unmistakably his own. \nWith acoustic guitars\, harmonicas\, loop pedals\, and live vocal percussion\, Chakulla builds rich\, organic rhythms right before your ears. His music can fill a 60\,000-seat concert venue just as easily as it can connect with an audience at an intimate house concert\, club\, festival\, radio or television appearance—or even out on the street. \nOver the years\, Chakulla has shared stages with legendary artists including Richie Havens\, Pete Seeger\, Arlo Guthrie\, Buddy Miles\, and Aztec Two-Step. But what truly sets him apart is the connection he creates with an audience. His performances are engaging\, uplifting\, spontaneous\, and often highly participatory. Before the night is over\, you may find yourself singing along\, laughing\, and becoming part of the music rather than simply watching it. \nAnd there is another important part of every Chakulla performance: “Singing Out for Food.” \nChakulla is the driving force behind The Hunger Bus\, a project dedicated to raising food\, awareness\, and support for local food banks and food pantries. Wherever he performs\, he uses his music to remind us that there are people—especially children—who don’t always know where their next meal is coming from. \nSo when you come to a Chakulla concert\, bring your voice\, bring your enthusiasm\, and if you can\, bring a non-perishable food donation for a local food bank\, pantry\, or community food program. \nCome for the music. Stay for the connection. And help Chakulla feed hungry people—one concert at a time. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$20 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/the-black-feathers-in-concert-chakulla-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-13-at-10.33.56-AM.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270424T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270424T213000 DTSTAMP:20260830T010542 CREATED:20260817T122629Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T122629Z UID:4011-1808593200-1808602200@www.americanacma.org SUMMARY:Jennings and Keller In Concert\, Gene Martin Opens DESCRIPTION:Jennings & Keller is an award-winning nationally touring duo based out of Florida. They offer up 21st Century Americana with influences in folk\, jazz\, and roots music. They fuse many different musical elements into a unique eclectic style that is refreshingly diverse. \nDana Keller\, a veteran pedal steel\, dobro\, and guitar player\, has spent years performing on stage or in the studio with such luminaries as Vince Gill\, Ricky Skaggs\, Stevie Wonder\, Larry Graham\, Marvin Gaye\, Dave Mason\, Johnny Rodriguez and The Allen Brothers\, to name a few. Dana has been an endorsee of the Gretsch Guitar and Drum Company since 1980. His dobro playing has been called “jaw-droppingly good”. Along with being lauded for his world-class musicianship\, he is known as a “songwriter’s songwriter”\, often drawing comparisons to Gene Clark and Jessie Winchester. \nLaurie Jennings Oudin is a former Shakespearean actress who has spent many years on the stage. Her theater background combined with a lifetime of professional singing gives her an obvious command of the stage as well as the songs she sings. With a vocal style that ranges from early Joni Mitchell to Emmylou Harris\, Laurie leaves audiences mesmerized by her stunning vocal delivery.  \nIn the 17 years of playing together\, Jennings & Keller have released 4 CDs. They have received accolades and airplay from radio stations at one end of the country to the other. In true troubadour spirit\, Laurie and Dana travel the country in their motor home\, performing at festivals\, cafes\, wineries and house concerts. Along with developing a large and loyal fan base\, they have earned a reputation for quality musicianship and expert storytelling. \nGene Martin opens the show. Gene\, who has sung in choirs\, choruses and glee clubs most of his early life\, first started playing ukulele at age 13\, then banjo and guitar. He graduated from medical school in 1967\, was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968\, and served as a battalion surgeon in Vietnam for a year. He joined the ACMA in 2016 and has been writing music ever since. He is leader of the band The Floridians. \nTickets for the show are available at the door. Door donations: \nACMA Members/$15 \nGeneral Admission/$20 \nThe Listening Room doors open at 6:30 pm and the concert begins at 7:00 pm URL:https://www.americanacma.org/event/jennings-and-keller-in-concert-gene-martin-opens/ LOCATION:ACMA. at All Faiths Unitarian\, 2756 McGregor Blvd.\, Fort Myers\, FL\, 33901 ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.americanacma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-17-at-8.17.47-AM.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR