Fantastic Winter Season Begins on February 7 at the me&thee

The me & thee coffeehouse begins its winter season with a vast array of amazing musical talent. The genres include singer-songwriter, traditional jazz, blues, and folk-pop. The me & thee is celebrating the 50th year of presenting high-caliber national and local acoustic acts in an intimate setting with great acoustics. All ages are welcome to attend the shows; the doors open at 7:30 and shows start at 8 PM. The coffeehouse is located at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead at 28 Mugford Street.

Bob Franke and Lui Collins along with special guest, Bob Simons, appear on February 7. Franke is a Boston-area favorite who has been contributing his poignant songs to the American folk music songbook for several decades. He will be appearing with his friends, Buffy Groves and Martin Grossvendt. Lui Collins will be playing her most memorable songs accompanied by Anand Nayak. Bob Simons has the distinct honor of being the first musician to appear on the me & thee stage in 1970. The February 14 show brings traditional jazz to town. The New Black Eagle Jazz Band is one of the premier early jazz bands and are most definitely a New England treasure. Imagine the sounds of New Orleans wafting through the coffeehouse on Valentine’s evening.

An Evening with Chris Smither actually marks the 50th anniversary of the me & thee. Smither’s music draws deeply from the blues and it’s mixed in with folk music, modern poetry, and humanist philosophy. It’s raw and emotional and very powerful. Smither has been one of the most requested artists to appear at the coffeehouse. Musicians in the round will be featured on February 28. Singer-songwriter, Jim Trick, has invited his friends, world-class pianist / accordionist Radoslav Lorkovic and 2019 Kerrville New Folk winner, Lisa Bastoni, to play their own songs and join in together for a joyous celebration of musical friendships.

The Oshima Brothers make their me & thee debut on March 6. Their acoustic pop songs are dynamic and catchy and their sibling harmonies are cool and hot at the same time! Sean and Jamie Oshima have been making music their entire lives and it shows. A magical duo called Hawthorn opens the show. Their powerful vocals dig into their folk roots and are simply delightful. Marblehead’s own Hayley Reardon brings her original music back to our stage before she heads off to Germany for a six-month residency. This show on March 13 will be special in many ways. Special guest and long-time favorite, Chris O’Brien, opens the show. The winter season wraps up with the sensational Holly Near on March 20. She is celebrating 50 years of singing powerful songs to enhance the human spirit. Holly’s life story and dedication to social action through music was recently aired in a PBS American Masters program. She will be joined by Tammi Brown, Jan Martinelli, and Tory Trujillo.

Tickets for all me & thee shows can be purchased online at www.meandthee.org. Student tickets are always $10. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the The Digital Docs which is located at 157 Elm Street or the Arnould Gallery at 111 Washington Street in Marblehead. As at all me & thee events, refreshments are available, including homemade pastries, coffee, and teas. The me & thee has a handicapped-accessible entrance and an accessible bathroom, is a smoke-free environment, and is easily reached by MBTA bus.