It has been 5 years since Rita Hosking made her debut at Caltech, and we remember the fine mix of music that she and her band, Cousin Jack, brought us that evening, including some fine “story” songs about California’s rural history and present. For the 2016 show, Rita, who plays guitar, banjo, and harmonica, will be joined by husband, Sean Fedor, who sings harmonies and plays dobro and banjo. Rita, who lives in Northern California, sings of culture clash, dishes, forest fires, the working class, and hope. Her latest of six albums, the hero’s journey themed Frankie and the No-Go Road,” was praised by Maverick as having “more authenticity and integrity than you can shake a stick at.” With her stories in song and soul-stirring voice, this “force of nature” (Fiddlefreak Folk Review) partners with Sean Feder on sparkling dobro and banjo to deliver what Acoustic Magazine calls “timeless, unhurried elegance.” They will be undoubtedly be performing some of the songs from this monumental work that was inspired, in part, by Joseph Campbell’s book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces.

The concert will be in Beckman Institute Auditorium (Little Beckman). Tickets for the show are $15 for adults, and $5 for Caltech students and children. Call the Caltech Ticket Office Monday through Friday, 9:00AM – 4:00 PM at (626) 395-4652. You can buy tickets online for this show here until Thursday, October 20, and we will also be selling them at the door on the night of the show. Note that there is a service charge for phone orders and for online sales. You can by tickets without a service charge at the Ticket Office during their business hours on the Caltech campus at Winnett Student Center (building #51 on the campus map, at room 101 on the south side of the bookstore building, next to the ATM machine.)

Still to come in the dwindling season of free shows at Pasadena’s Levitt Pavilion is Stonehoney on Friday, September 23, and Element Band on Saturday, September 24. Each show is at 8:00 PM.

FolkWorks, the dedicated group that keeps us all informed about folk music in all of its forms in Southern California, will have their Folk/Roots Festival on Saturday, October 8, 10AM – 11PM. There will be workshops- learn about mandolin playing from Tom Corbett, singing from Susie Glaze & Christina Ortega, fiddle, from David Bragger, guitar from Fred Sokolow, and even storytelling from our own Nick Smith! There will be folk dancing (even Morris Dancing!), jamming, and the evening will bring some great performances, featuring the likes of Susie Glaze New Folk Ensemble, Ross Altman, Tracy Newman, Witcher, Recupido, and Leavitt and others. It will be at the Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club at 1210 4th Street. This festival promises to be a delight!

And the Old Time Fiddler’s Convention and Festival is a go the very next day, Sunday, October 9 in Goleta, just past Santa Barbara as you go up Highway 101. They have workshops and performances too, plus you can enter the contest and share your musicianship, with the chance of winning a prize! It is a great family event, near the sea, and includes tours of the historic Stow House. Performers will include Sausage Grinder, Peter Feldman and the Very Lonesome Boys, Thompsonia, Echo Mountain, and others. A wonderful day with jamming and lots of musical energy. We highly recommend this festival. If you don’t mind walking a mile and a half, or arranging a ride, you can even take the Amtrak train here.