My trip through New Orleans, Black Pot Festival in Layfayette, NY, VT and MA was wonderful, but I am sure glad to be home and ready for a festive season.

Light and warmth, especially human, is a treasure this time of year. I have scheduled several holiday concerts and events to keep the heart fires alive, sharing music and good company with you. There is even a family event.

Spud Siegel and Bill Uhlig joined me at Winter Folk a year ago and we are delighted to play in Cafe Artichoke, a great listening room.

This show features not only olde Christmas music, but also songs that explore the polarities of light and dark in the themes of nature, families, hope, loss, despair and humor. The music touches the ancient and common stirrings of the soul during these long, dark nights, celebrating the secular and human experiences of the season. Expect lots of singing along opportunities and material from English, Celtic, bluegrass, blues, African -American Gospel traditions, as well as a story or two.

http://artichokemusic.org/

Sat Dec 21 8 pm Muddy Rudder

8105 SE 7th AVe Portland OR 503- 233-4410

Solstice Party and Christmas Music for pub singing

Enjoy the roaring fire and music as we blaze through part of the longest night of the year together. Similar to the other show, but in the pub atmosphere, I hope you'll come prepared to join in Christmas songs as the night progresses. The Rudder is a fine example of a modern public house, in an old house in fact, with a fire, delicious artisan pizzas and other food, a fabulous micro-brew selection and plenty of good cheer. (No TVs or gambling machines.)

House Concert Sun Dec 22 7 30 pm Claudia Nygaard with Zoe Carpenter & Lauren rsvp lauren@laurensheehanmusic.com $10-20 .00

Claudia Nygaard , a "female John Prine", is the star of the show and a friend I've made on the road. She is a wonderful performer and song writer from Nashville and I think you'll love her. Check out her website at this link.

http://www.claudianygaard.com/epk.html

Lauren and daughter, Zoe Carpenter, will open the show, expect some fa la la-ing.

Library Family Shows Mon Dec 30 2pm & 3:30 pm Woodstock Library 6008 SE 49th 503-988-5399

Keep the Lamps Burnin' - All ages songs and stories from our American heritage to celebrate the season, audience participation encouraged. It'll be the 5th day of Christmas, so expect a bit of that!

House Concert

Sun Dec 29 7:30 pm $5-20 pay what you can house party and jamming to follow byob rsvp - Lauren@laurensheehanmusic.com

Rhapsody is Joe Seamons and Ben Harper, an inspiring duo singing and digging deep into roots blues and folk on banjo, fiddle and guitar. The music that emerges is rich, informed by vintage sounds but alive and ready to ring in the new. Expect a good time as their blues include the party blues - just try not to smile and boogie in your chairs or around the room. http://benjoe.bandcamp.com/track/broke-down-engine-blues

Zoe and Lauren will open the show.

House party and jamming to follow concert.

The Light Still Burns Lauren Sheehan

The Light Still Burns zoomed to #3 on the Folk DJ Radio charts and #2 on the Oregon Roots music charts. Thank you DJs for the air play.

» March 15, 2013 | NPR radio story, Laura the Luthier

» March 19, 2013 | Oregonian Story, "Portland's Lauren Sheehan salutes 'Kalamazoo Gals' with the guitars they built"

The story ...

While the men were off to the war, women filled in and kept the lights burnin' at Gibson's. The guitars of this period have a banner across the headstock, hence "Banner Guitars" and are oft considered among the treasures of Gibson guitars. Who were the women, what was their story, why did Gibson cover up the fact that they made these guitars, why are the guitars so wonderful sounding and how were they made? These questions and more about the story are the subject of the book.

Eventually, the author, John Thomas, thought about how cool it would be if folks could also hear these guitars the women made. He raised some funds, got guitars donated from all over the country for a recording project and then found a women to play them - me. Many songs seemed to suggest themselves to me after I read the manuscript so picking the music was easy. The songs are suited to the times and themes in the book and we used a different guitar for each track. Eric Tate engineered it in New Haven, CT, at Firehouse 12 Studio, so that you , the listeners, would be able to hear and appreciate the sonic details and differences of the guitars without bells and whistles.

Buy CD: http://www.laurensheehanmusic.com/buy.php

Buy book: http://www.kalamazoogals.com/