The Buffalo Music Coalition and Yellow Jack present a special live concert featuring some of America’s most vital songs, performed by some of Western New York’s finest folk musicians. They are songs written or performed by Woody Guthrie, the restless American poet, troubadour and chronicler whose music gave voice to working people, wanderers, and just ordinary Americans trying to make their way through hard times. More than eighty years later, his songs remain funny, angry, stubborn, compassionate and all-too-relevant.

Roots rockers Yellow Jack will open and close the night with an expanded lineup featuring the Ribbon of Highway Singers: Chris Jones (Skiffle Minstrels), Captain Tom (Captain Tom & the Hooligans), Tony Petrocelli (Talking Dead Heads) and Kathryn Koch (The Healing Committee).

The night will also include solo sets of Woody Guthrie songs from Tyler Westcott (Folkfaces), Captain Tom, and Sally Schaefer and Tyler Bagwell (The Travesties). Songs will include “Pastures of Plenty,” “Do Re Mi,” “Hard Traveling,” “Deportee,” “This Land Is Your Land,” “Union Maid,” “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know Ya” and plenty of the rougher, stranger corners of Woody’s songbook.

And yes: it’s a singalong! Lyrics for the songs will be posted here so you can sing along. We’ll also have printed lyric sheets available.

Every artist on the bill comes to this music out of admiration for the music of Woody Guthrie, which we think perfectly embody the spirit of our City of Good Neighbors. Come down to the Cave and sing on, neighbor, sing!