ANNOUNCING OUR SPRING 2026 LINEUP
DAVINA SOWERS
DAVINA SOWERS
DAVINA SOWERS
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2026
Davina Sowers will grace the Grassroots Concerts stage this spring for a rare intimate show. Known for leading the Billboard-charting Davina and the Vagabonds, Davina’s solo work blends jazz, blues, folk, and smooth gospel undertones into a sound that’s completely her own. Her stage presence is legendary, and this setting is your chance to see her in a whole new light. “Davina Sowers creates her own Americana mishmash — a little Amy Winehouse-worthy neo-soul here, a little Great American Songbook-influenced songcraft there.” - Rolling Stone Magazine
PIETA BROWN
DAVINA SOWERS
DAVINA SOWERS
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2026
Hailed as a “self-styled poetess, folk goddess, and country waif” by the BBC, Pieta Brown first came to international prominence with the release of her self-titled debut in 2002. She has toured globally with John Prine, Amos Lee, Ani DiFranco, and Mavis Staples, and collaborated with Calexico, Iris DeMent, and more. Continually revealing new layers as a songwriter, singer, musician, producer, visual artist and performer, Brown is being recognized as a true multi-hyphenate and one of modern Americana’s true gems. “A rustic Southern Gothic sensibility that’s utterly her own.” - The New York Times
MIKE MUNSON
CORPSE REVIVER
CORPSE REVIVER
FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2026
https://mikemunson.net
Mike Munson is an adept slide guitar player who has built a career on solid songwriting and a reverence for tradition. With over a decade of long drives to well-lit, expansive stages, tiny dive bars, and everything in between, Munson has seen plenty of the country that influences his songwriting. He is a listener first, soaking up the subtleties of stylistic differences of players from rural Mississippi to St. Paul, Minnesota. In 2024 Munson added to his prolific catalogue of original music with the release of his tenth full-length album “Perihelion Day” (Liatris Records), under the moniker upup/OVER.
CORPSE REVIVER
CORPSE REVIVER
CORPSE REVIVER
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2026
www.facebook.com/corpserevivermpls
Taking their name from a mid-19th century cocktail from New Orleans, Corpse Reviver is a group of folk musicians from the Twin Cities, MN. They came together in the fall of 2010 for a monthly residency at the infamous 331 Club (in NE Minneapolis) to play forward the music found on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. With authentic drive and nuance, they’ve been performing their own brand of these songs ever since. Corpse Reviver features Adam Kiesling (banjo/guitar/vocals), Mikkel Beckmen (washboard), and Jillian Rae (fiddle/vocals).
GRASSROOTS WELCOMES NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Kelley Smith
"Saying hello! I’m Kelley Smith, a folksinger/songwriter with roots in the Brainerd Lakes Area, MN. I performed at Grassroots Concerts in the spring of 2023, after I released my first music, and was woo-ed by their low bells + whistles approach. A cozy space with amazing acoustics, and a loyal + engaged crowd.
Since then, I’ve been thinking on ways that I can help boost our arts experiences in the Brainerd Lakes Area. When I heard that the historic Grassroots series was bound to close its doors, it felt like a no-brainer to take over as Artistic Director.
Original folk music in the lakes area, since 1988. It’s a new hat for me to wear, and I’m so thankful to former director Dawn Stattine for entrusting this thing to me, and for sticking around to show me the ropes.
I’d love to see our north country friends coming out for these shows, not out of obligation, but because everyone's ears will be happy and we’ll all be better for gathering as a community around folk music." - Kelley
Kelley Smith by Marija Leilynn