Second Friday Concerts Present Mark Erelli with Micah A. John

Mark Erelli 

Mark Erelli turns adversity into finely embroidered rock songs that burn with urgency on his 2023 album "Lay Your Darkness Down." Following full-bodied rock forebears Tom Petty, George Harrison, and Roy Orbison, Erelli's songwriting explores the unknown glories of this planet and love’s transformational power.

Over his two decade-long career, the singer-songwriter-sideman-producer-writer has proven himself equally at home in a multitude of roles: producing albums for artists like GRAMMY-winner Lori McKenna; serving as a sideman guitarist for artists like Paula Cole, Marc Cohn, and Josh Ritter; writing and producing his own material, like 2018’s “By Degrees,” for which he was nominated for Song of the Year at the Americana Honors and Awards; and most recently, becoming an advocate for low-vision artists and working with venues to make their spaces more accessible. Written in the wake of his diagnosis with a degenerative retinal disease, Erelli's 2023 album "Lay Your Darkness Down" is the next step on Erelli's journey, following up on 2020's "Blindsided," which garnered praise from Rolling Stone Country, the Associated Press, NPR, The Boston Globe, and more.

https://www.markerelli.com

High school senior Micah A. John is a Boston-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and singer-songwriter. She plays American Roots Music of several types, including Old Time songs and tunes, Bluegrass, Folk, Country, and Americana.

As a 3-year-old, Micah saw Jake Armerding play fiddle at Club Passim and was determined that she was going to learn to play the fiddle someday. She hung on to that desire, and at age 9, after a friend gave her an old student fiddle, she began taking lessons from Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. Across the last 8 years, Micah has been fortunate to study fiddle with several amazing teachers, including Bronwyn, Bobby Britt, and Bruce Molsky. Micah also plays and studies guitar, and she can contribute to a song on mandolin, bass, and clawhammer banjo as well.

Micah has competed and placed in several competitions. Locally, at the Lowell Banjo & Fiddle Contest she has placed in Twin Fiddle (1st in 2022 with Lillian Chase, and 1st in 2021 with Rosalie Coleman), in Old Time Fiddle (2nd in 2022, and 3rd in 2021), in Bluegrass Fiddle (1st in 2019), and in the Youth Division (Honorable Mention in 2018, and 2nd in 2017). In 2022, at Clifftop, Micah placed 3rd in Youth Fiddle. In 2021, at the virtual Deer Creek Fiddlers Convention Contest, she placed 2nd in the Open Vocal division and 3rd in the Open Bluegrass Fiddle division.

Please note: All ticket sales are final. No refunds.