Music in the Garden

Come join the free performance series for Fall 2024. Please sign up for our e-newsletter to be the first to know as future performances for Music in the Garden are announced here.

Music in the Garden at Woodlands takes place in the screened-in Pavilion.  Performances are free to the public and take place rain or shine. ‘Music in the Garden’ takes place on numerous Sundays in the spring and fall between 2 and 4 pm; other music events occur as announced. Our performers are local musicians who donate their time and talents! Be in touch with questions (404-373-2222 or director@woodlandsgarden.org). 

***Please keep in mind that off-site parking may be required for Music in the Garden. Off-site parking options can be found here. Contact director@woodlandsgarden.org with questions.

2024 SCHEDULE 

  • Fall 2024
    • October  6 : Songwriters Charles Absher, John Cable & George Eckard
      • Charles Absher has been playing music since high school (yes, over 50 years ago). There was a 10-year period when he put down the guitar to earn a civil engineering degree, but it soon became his stress reliever as he advanced in his career. He’s played in Bluegrass, Folk/Rock and Americana bands both before and after the college degree. Now retired, he continues to compose and perform his own songs.
      • John Cable began his career in the late 60s. After serving as lead guitarist and vocalist for the Texas country rock pioneers, Colours, he became a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He has performed on The Tonight Show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, The Midnight Special, Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry and some great concert venues, including Wolftrap, Carnegie Hall, and Red Rocks.
      • George Eckard has lived in the Atlanta area for more than 50 years and has been playing various instruments for longer than that. He has played at local venues solo, with the Unusual Suspects and with the 4 Man String Band. His second recorded collection of original songs, Love the Land, was completed recently. He leads the Songwriting Lab at the Frank Hamilton School.
    • October 13 : The Nearly Normal String Band with The duo of David Gibson and Libby Eason
      • The Nearly Normal String Band consists of husband-and-wife team Viva and Neil Araki. They play multiple acoustic instruments in several styles, including blues, bluegrass, Celtic, 60s folk, and old time Appalachian. The Band plays at state parks, farmers markets, coffee houses, private parties, weddings, and music festivals. They are also annual performers at the Friday night concert series at the historic Union County courthouse.
      • Libby Eason and David Gibson Have performed in the Atlanta area for many years. They have performed as a duo for over a decade and both solo as well as with various groups including The Unusual Suspects. They are both songwriters and talented musicians.
    • October 20 : Black foot Daisy
      • The Black foot Daisy includes Don Sechelski on vocals, guitar and bass, Wendy DuMond on vocals, percussion, ukelele and guitar and Eric Toomsen on fiddle. They will perform a set of original songs along with some old favorites.
    • October 27 : Red Wine Jam with Voices for Now
      • Red Wine Jam is a trio with Chris and Carol Moser and their friend David Leinweber. They will be doing a tribute to the famous Canadian Singer/songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot.

      • Voices for Now is a friendly group of choral singers who believe that music has the power to help us feel, heal, and connect. We formed our own a cappella choir in 2022 and enjoy singing at community events and senior centers. Raising awareness about good causes is forefront in our minds when seeking out new venues for performances.

    • November 3 : Mocking Bird’s Wing
      • Mockingbird’s Wing is an acoustic band made up of four diverse musicians: Barbara Hotz, a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards; Jonathan McBee, a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago; Paul Pendery, a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet; and Suzy Schultz, whose day job is full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird’s Wing sound. Like the mockingbird’s song, the different voices and styles come together to make a unique sound.
  • Spring 2024
    • April 14: John Cable & Blackfoot Daisy
    • May 5: Mockingbird’s Wing
    • May 19: Nearly Normal String Band and In the Wheelbarrow
    • June 2:

      Four Songwriters

      Two Solo Songwriters – Cyndi Craven and George Eckard

      Two as a Duo – Libby Eason and David Gibson

  • Fall 2023
    • October 1: Frank Hamilton School Players
      Jim Anderson, Vikki Ganger, Lee Leonard, and Maura Nicholson
  • The FHS Players is a group of friends and musicians from the Frank Hamilton School. The individual members vary from performance to performance, but the group is always comprised of a collection of instructors and students. This particular group is made up of four members who have played together for quite a while, and obviously love doing so! Jim Anderson, Vikki Ganger, Lee Leonard, and Maura Nicholson will bring a selection of old-time tunes, a few songs, and a lot of energy!
      • October 8:
          • 2-3 pm Three Songwriters: John Cable, Ashley Filip, Lindsay Petsch

      • John Cable began his career in the late 60s. After serving as lead guitarist and vocalist for the Texas country rock pioneers, Colours, he became a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He has performed on The Tonight Show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, The Midnight Special, Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry and some great concert venues, including Wolftrap, Carnegie Hall, and Red Rocks.

      • Ashley Filip has been writing and playing her songs live since she was 14. She stands out for her skilled vocals and her ability to tell true and authentic stories through her lyrics, and she believes that good songs are the best medicine. Her EP, Light Years, is available on Apple Music, and she is currently working on a new album.

      • In his late teens, Lindsay Petsch took an active interest in songwriting and in folk and instrumental guitar styles. He draws inspiration from a broad exposure to many genres of music, but he strives to compose music that tells a story, both melodically and lyrically. Apart from private shows, Lindsay has performed in a variety of venues in Atlanta.

          • 3-4 pm In the Wheelbarrow (Walter Harris and Tara Vogt)

      • Walter Harris and Tara Vogt have dubbed their duo In the Wheelbarrow, a nod to their previous musical group, In the Wheelhouse. In the Wheelbarrow plays the music they love: An eclectic blend of blues, acoustic covers of rock songs from the 60s and 70s, and American, Celtic, and European traditional music.

      • October 15: John Maschinot & Friends followed by an audience-invited jam till 4 pm

        John Maschinot(uilleann pipes and Irish flute), Jan Smith(fiddle), and Walter Harris (banjo, guitar and vocals) will present a program of Irish and old time tunes (and whatever songs Walter elects to serenade us with), followed by a friendly jam session with the audience. All musicians are welcome so please bring your instruments and join in the fun!
        John, Jan and Walter are core musicians of The Marlay House House Band, which plays every Tuesday night at The Marlay House pub in Decatur.

      • October 22: Mockingbird’s Wing

  • Mockingbird’s Wing is an acoustic band made up of four diverse musicians: Barbara Hotz, a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards; Jonathan McBee, a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago; Paul Pendery, a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet; and Suzy Schultz, whose day job is full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird’s Wing sound. Like the mockingbird’s song, the different voices and styles come together to make a unique sound.

      • October 29:
          • 2-3 pm Voices for Now

    Voices for Now is a friendly group of choral singers who believe that music has the power to help us feel, heal, and connect. We formed our own a cappella choir in 2022 and enjoy singing at community events and senior centers. Raising awareness about good causes is forefront in our minds when seeking out new venues for performances.

    Our performance will include music from our spring Earth Day repertoire, including three songs from Hymnody of the Earth by Malcolm Dalglish, Emerald Stream by Seth Houston, and Blackbird by Lennon & McCartney. The concert will also include songs on the theme of Home, including Crowded Table by the Highwomen and The Road Home by Stephen Paulus.

    • 3-4 pm Poetry Reading and Booksigning, Wild Atlanta by Stephen Wing and Luz Wright
  • Spring
          • April 16: Singer Songwriter Showcase
            Charles Absher, Bob Coyle, Steve Cullen, George Eckard

          Charles Absher has been playing music since high school (yes, over 50 years ago). There was a 10-year period when he put down the guitar to earn a civil engineering degree, but it soon became his stress reliever as he advanced in his career. He’s played in Bluegrass, Folk/Rock and Americana bands both before and after the college degree. Now retired, he continues to compose and perform his own songs.
          For Bob Coyle, songwriting is like a road trip without a destination or a road map. Along the way, ideas are invited in and later dropped like random hitchhikers, but somehow the journey is completed and he arrives at a new song. Recent topics include his longing to ascend to the moon via a long ladder, and the likelihood of returning in the next life as a form of fungi.
          Steve Cullen got his first guitar at age 30 after attending his first John Prine concert. He started writing songs soon after because he couldn’t do a decent job of playing anyone else’s songs, and he’s kept on writing songs and performing them. His song, “Love Is Coming Your Way,” is covered by several local performers. “Every now and then,” he says, “I surprise myself and write an uplifting song.”
          George Eckard has lived in the Atlanta area for more than 50 years and has been playing various instruments for longer than that. He has played at local venues solo, with the Unusual Suspects and with the 4 Man String Band. His second recorded collection of original songs, Love the Land, was completed last year. He leads the Songwriting Lab at the Frank Hamilton School.

          • April 30: Harm’s Way

          Harmon Koeltz and Liz Bradley

        • Harm’s Way is an Americana music group that has entertained in the Southeast since the mid-1970s. Its song list includes familiar classics and lesser-known folk tunes. The group is led by Harmon Koeltz, who began his music career as a drummer and band leader in high school. He is joined by vocalist Liz Bradley, who has been singing pop, folk, rock, traditional big band/swing and more since the 1980s.
          • May 21: Two Duos:
            The Nearly Normal String Band (Viva & Neil Araki) and Jerry Brunner & Cyndi Craven
        • The Nearly Normal String Band consists of husband-and-wife team Viva and Neil Araki. They play multiple acoustic instruments in several styles, including blues, bluegrass, Celtic, 60s folk, and old time Appalachian. The Band plays at state parks, farmers markets, coffee houses, private parties, weddings, and music festivals. They are also annual performers at the Friday night concert series at the historic Union County courthouse.

        • Cyndi Craven and Jerry Brunner have been playing music together since the 1980s, and so far, they haven’t come up with a good reason to stop. Two guitars and two voices blend up an assortment of original songs and recast covers by folk music greats as well as lesser-known artists. The result is a right satisfying serving of comfort music with a side order of good times.
          • June 4: Perennial Favorites Bluegrass Band
        • (pictured l to r) Jeff “Bergamot” Bergman (banjo), Walter “Snapdragon” Stark (guitar and fiddle), Vickie “Wildwood Flower” Sullivan (washboard), John “Morning Glory” Hunsinger (fiddle), Kim “Daisy May” Fair (bass), and Reuben “Sweet Pea” Fair (mandolin).
        • Perennial Favorites Bluegrass Band is composed of members from Tucker Station String Band and Smoke Rise Bluegrass Band, plus Jeff Bergman. Tucker Station played in and around Atlanta for about 20 years; two of its members, Reuben and Kim Fair, were also members of Smoke Rise. During Covid there were no band practices and, subsequently, no bands. Now there’s a new band, with the addition of banjo player Bergman, who met other band members when they were performing Smoke on the Mountain for Tucker Main Street Theatre. They call their sound “traditional, but modern.”
      • June 11: Blackfoot Daisy
    • Pictured left to right: Don Sechelski, Wendy DuMond, Tom Wolf
    • Blackfoot Daisy is a humble trio that plays original, Americana style music. Formed by Wendy DuMond and Don Sechelski in 2013 with Tom Wolf joining in 2020, the band loves murder ballads, story songs, and old rock and roll.

 

          • Fall
            • Oct 1: TBA
            • Oct 8: TBA
            • Oct 15: John Maschinot & Friends
            • Oct 22: Mockingbird’s Wing
            • Oct 29: TBA

2022 SCHEDULE

          • October 23: Singer Songwriter Showcase


Pictured left to right are Matt Donald, Ashley Filip, Lindsay Petsch and Heidi Pollyea.

Soulful songwriter Matt Donald has been a part of the Atlanta music scene since the 90s. He has performed as a rhythm guitarist, backup vocalist, and percussionist for various Atlanta rock groups, and is leader of the popular Americana/rock band, Ol’ Matt Donald’s Farm.

Ashley Filip has been writing and playing her songs live since she was 14. She stands out for her skilled vocals and her ability to tell true and authentic stories through her lyrics, and she believes that good songs are the best medicine. Her EP, Light Years, is available on Apple Music, and she is currently working on a new album.

In his late teens, Lindsay Petsch took an active interest in songwriting and in folk and instrumental guitar styles. He draws inspiration from a broad exposure to many genres of music, but he strives to compose music that tells a story, both melodically and lyrically. Apart from private shows, Lindsay has performed in a variety of venues in Atlanta.

Heidi Pollyea is a singer/songwriter known for her funky folk style, her easy interplay with her audiences, and her love of dogs. Heidi plays guitar, keyboards, and (of late) a bit o’ banjo. Her songs range from tongue-in-cheek bluesy rockers to soulfully stirring ballads. She plays venues and festivals both locally and regionally.

          • October 30: Garden Fresh Pickers

Garden Fresh Pickers return to the Pavilion for the final show of 2022!

Pictured left to right are Mike Nugent, Keith Caldwell, and Annie Godfrey. Not pictured is Rick Herzog.

The Garden Fresh Pickers have been playing together for over nine years. The members of the band are Keith Caldwell (guitar), Annie Godfrey (banjo), Rick Herzog (guitar), and Mike Nugent (mandolin).  Mike and Rick also play with other groups. Cumulatively the band members have over 100 years of musical experience. The band plays a variety of acoustic music, including folk, rock, and country tunes, with a solid focus on both contemporary and traditional Bluegrass.

Previous performances this season:

May 1: Mockingbird’s Wing


Pictured left to right: Paul Pendery, Suzy Schultz, Barbara Hotz, Jonathan McBee

Mockingbird’s Wing is an acoustic band made up of four diverse musicians: Barbara Hotz, a singer/songwriter with deep roots in Mexico and a love of the old standards; Jonathan McBee, a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter out of Chicago; Paul Pendery, a Montana/Alaska/Texas singer/songwriter whose songs evoke soulful stirrings and happy feet; and Suzy Schultz, whose day job is full-time artist, adds vocals/flute/cello to the Mockingbird’s Wing sound. Like the mockingbird’s song, the different voices and styles come together to make a unique sound.

May 15: Blackfoot Daisy


Pictured left to right: Don Sechelski, Wendy DuMond, Tom Wolf

Blackfoot Daisy is a humble trio that plays original, Americana style music. Formed by Wendy DuMond and Don Sechelski in 2013 with Tom Wolf joining in 2020, the band loves murder ballads, story songs, and old rock and roll.

June 5: Solo Songwriters Showcase


Pictured left to right: Cyndi Craven, Steve Cullen, Lori Muskat, Ben Wakeman

Cyndi Craven has written songs about a train from the train’s point of view, a guardian angel with a crooked wing (and possibly a criminal record), starfish habitat, secret turtle language, and a dog with an unfortunate reputation, and she’ll sing some of them at Woodlands Garden. A longtime member of Atlanta’s acoustic music community, Cyndi has performed at pretty much every area coffeehouse venue. She also helped run Lena’s Place for eight years and the Freight Room for five with Tom Wolf. Cyndi was a 1991 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk finalist, and she has sung at the Bluebird in Nashville.

Steve Cullen is a former cheese-head, born and raised in Wisconsin, who got his first guitar at age 30 after attending his first John Prine concert. He started writing songs soon after because he couldn’t do a decent job of playing anyone else’s songs, and though some could argue he doesn’t do a very good job of playing his own songs either, he still keeps writing and playing them. His song, “Love Is Coming Your Way,” is covered by several local performers. Steve is fond of saying, “Every now and then I surprise myself and write an uplifting song.”

Lori Muskat grew up listening to her parents’ albums of “golden age” Broadway musicals. Influenced by them, folk music, and country rock, Lori began writing songs in college. With Corinne Curcio and Carol Kassel, she performed as part of the musical comedy trio Estrogen and received two OutMusic Award nominations for Song of the Year. After a long break, Lori returned to songwriting during the pandemic. She is new to the songwriter-in-the-round format and grateful for the opportunity to share her music with an audience again.

If James Taylor and Suzanne Vega had a love child who spent summers with Jackson Browne, that singer-songwriter would be Ben Wakeman. In his musical career, he’s written nearly 200 songs, recorded five albums, done a USO tour of the Middle East, and shared the stage with Gillian Welch, John Mayer, Shawn Mullins, and Kristian Bush. His songs invoke a sense of longing, but the warmth in his voice and presence make you want to lean in.

June 19: 4 Man String Band Trio
Charles Absher, Clark Brown and George Eckard


Charles Absher                 Clark Brown                        George Eckard

July 17: What Showed Up

What Showed Up is a Decatur bluegrass band that has been playing together since 2016. Ashley Kane (mandolin), Rick Herzog (guitar), Shawn Reeves (guitar), Joey Charles (bass), Brennan Breed (fiddle), David Joiner (dobro), and Patrick Jackson (banjo).

          • October 2: The Hills and the Holler & John Cable


2 until 3 pm
The Hills and the Holler is a musical duo from Atlanta: singer-songwriters Monica Arrington and Stacey Cargal, who began playing together in the rock group Blackfox. They perform traditional music of the South and original songs with southern themes.

3 until 4 pm
John Cable is a veteran musician who began his career in the late 60s. After serving as lead guitarist and vocalist for the Texas country rock pioneers, Colours, he became a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, which in 1977 became the first American band to perform in the Soviet Union. John is currently playing and touring with John McEuen and The String Wizards.
John was the first American to lecture at the Moscow Conservatory of Music on the history of Western Blues and Rock music. He has performed on The Tonight Show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, The Midnight Special, Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry. He has performed in some of the great concert venues, as well, including Wolftrap, Carnegie Hall and Red Rocks.

          • October 9: Irish Friendsy

Irish Friendsy (pictured left to right): Barbara Hall, David Marcus, Alan Abramowitz, Ann Abramowitz, Priscilla Dodds.

Alan, Ann, Barbara and David have been friends for many years, often playing music together just for fun. A few years ago, while some of the musicians were in a class together at the Frank Hamilton School, they decided to add their friend Priscilla and her fiddle and officially become a group. They chose the name “Irish Friendsy” to celebrate both their long friendship and the Irish leanings of the music they play, which also includes old time American folk tunes. The group includes accordion, hammered dulcimer, pennywhistle, fiddle and guitar, with an upbeat, traditional sound.

The 2023 season will start in the spring.