When he was barely out of high school, Canadian born Garnet Rogers was on the road as a full-time working musician with his older brother, Stan. Together they formed what has come to be accepted as one of the most influential acts in North American folk music. Since Stan’s untimely death, Rogers has established himself as “One of the major talents of our time.” Hailed by the Boston Globe as a “charismatic performer and singer,” Garnet is a man with a powerful physical presence — close to six and a half feet tall — with a voice to match. With his “smooth, dark baritone” (Washington Post) his incredible range, and thoughtful, dramatic phrasing, Garnet is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the finest singers anywhere. His music, like the man himself, is literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful. Cinematic in detail, his songs “give expression to the unspoken vocabulary of the heart” (Kitchener Waterloo Record). An optimist at heart, Garnet sings extraordinary songs about people who are not obvious heroes and of the small victories of the everyday. As memorable as his songs, his over-the-top humor and lightning-quick wit moves his audience from tears to laughter and back again. Get a Witness, a long-awaited concert album which is his latest release, was selected as one of the top 10 folk albums in 2007 by the Boston Globe.

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Bonnie Lee Panda has the voice of an angel heard through songs that soar with spirit. Connecticut Magazine recognizes Bonnie Lee (a Cheshire, Connecticut native) as one of the new generation of singer-songwriters with a “big voice and telegenic looks.” Her music is a blend of country and folk with soul. When she begins to sing and play her acoustic guitar, “her voice resonates throughout the room until everything else just fades away” (Shannon Becker, Cheshire Herald). In 2006, Bonnie Lee was named a finalist in the prestigious Plowshare’s songwriting contest in Phoenixville, PA. In 2004, Bonnie Lee advanced into the regional finals in the Nashville Star Competition, after winning the local finals. She performed live and was interviewed on Hartford’s WWYZ Country 92.5 FM. Since Bonnie Lee performed at our open mic in January 2007 she has released Live, a well-received album.

Photo by Gerri Karamesinis

In conjunction with the Golden Key Society at UMass Boston and WUMB radio, the me&thee will be collecting warm clothing for children in need. Please bring items of gently worn winter clothing so that we can contribute them to this worthwhile cause.

He mixes the powerful and the gentle and demonstrates his mastery of both . . . One of the major talents of our time. . . Boston Globe

droll, erotic . . . vivid, passionate writing, laden with the fears and courage of hard-hit ordinary people Boston Phoenix

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Her voice is supple and expressive, one of the best instruments in the folk world. John Platt (WFUV 90.7 FM, New York City