Thwing Center at CWRU
Location: Rooms 218, 301, 302
Ukulele (INT/ADV)
Mark Laskey
1-1:45pm | Room 218
For this workshop we’ll be concentrating on expanding repertoire to include country blues from the 1920s and 30s. We’ll go over the basics including chords, strums and fingerpicking. We’ll also discuss some of the great players to inspire you on your journey on this wonderful instrument.
Mark Laskey was introduced to the joys of the ukulele as a young boy by his family from Maui. This led to a lifelong love of Hawaiian music and the ‘ukulele. In addition to Hawaiian music, he especially enjoys adapting country blues, jug band and old-time songs to the ‘ukulele.
FolkAbility
Anne Marie Wolfe and Friends
1-1:45pm | Room 301
FolkAbility is a unique acoustic offshoot of RockAbility, featuring a talented group of about nine musicians, several of whom have disabilities. They’re bringing the tunes, along with a Play-along and meet & greet, so don’t miss it. https://npowerservices.com
Topical and protest songs
Charlie Mosbrook
1-1:45pm | Room 302
Topical songs tell our story. Protest songs are a response to the story. In this workshop, songwriter Charlie Mosbrook takes us from Woody Guthrie songs like Pastures of Plenty and Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ into current times with his own music. Charlie demonstrates how songs can help to retain history, stand against injustice, carry messages of hope, and bring us together.
In the tradition of Woody Guthrie, Charlie uses his music as a vehicle to build a better world through programs like Music to Life, Stop the Hate, monthly performances in the local spinal cord injury unit, and countless charities and events that advocate for human rights and environmental action. Charlie’s music is both informed and inspired by the amazing individuals who give themselves to these causes. He does not see his music as political, but honest. Honest about the events the songs are written about. Honest about the impact these events had on our lives, and honest about the agency and advocacy resulting from these events. Charlie believes if you have an honest song, the truth will shine.
Blues Harmonica
Bob Frank
2-2:45pm
The instrument you can carry in your pocket.
Musician, composer, teacher, filmmaker and podcaster, Bob Frank brings a half century of expertise in blues and American traditional music. As described in his highly acclaimed cd release True Stories & Outrageous Lies, Bob plays Ancient & Original Blues relying heavily on his original compositions. Frank has also been a teaching artist with Center for Arts-Inspired Learning for 46years, is a founding member and official historian for the Cleveland Blues Society, and writes, hosts, and produces the popular podcast, Blues You Should Know, with listeners on every continent and in 136 countries. In 2024 Bob was inducted into the Cleveland Blues Hall of Fame.
https://www.bobfrankblues.com
Writing Songs on the Banjo
Tray Wellington
2-2:45pm | Room 301
Banjo player Tray Wellington’s approach to the quintessential American instrument is all about looking forward. An International Bluegrass Music Association Award winner, Wellington is critically acclaimed not only for his technical prowess, but also for leveraging his unique point of view to craft a one-of-a-kind voice on the instrument. It’s a feat that’s all too rare in these roots genres that seem to value emulation and regurgitation over all else.
Songwriting for All
Afi Scruggs
2-2:45pm | Room 302
In this workshop, participants will write a simple blues song using classic Verse-Chorus song structure. Attendees will vote on a song topic, and form groups to write the verses and a chorus. The leader will provide a backing track, so the song can be performed at the end of the session.
Afi Scruggs is a multi-instrumentalist whose primary instruments are bass and keyboards. She’s been a teaching artist since 2004, and has led songwriting workshops in schools throughout the Cleveland area. You can find her at afiplaysmusic on Instagram; and hear her music at https://afiplaysmusic.bandcamp.com
Bass Fiddle / Viola / Cello / Bass Maintentance
Cathy Towns Grady
3-3:45pm | Room 218
Learn how to make adjustments and perform basic maintenance on your instrument from professional luthier Cathy Towns Grady.
Michael and Cathy Grady create a powerful blend of styles that captivates audiences with their variety and intensity. Their lyrics speak to the soul and take you along on a journey through the stories of life.They freely move between Folk, Rock, and Blues to Country and Irish fiddling, but the essence of their sound lies at the crossroads of the Americana and Singer-Songwriter genres.
https://www.gradymillermusic.com
Mandolin for the Win
Bill Lestock
3-3:45pm | Room 301
Ukulele (BEG)
Sheela Das
3-3:45pm | Room 302
Ukulele, learn 3 to 5-chord songs. Bring a ukulele or borrow one of Sheela’s.
Sheela is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who performs regularly with SATO, a high energy 1960’s-90s rock band.
As an Ohio Arts Council roster teaching artist, she has led thousands of music workshops over the years. Her artistic music programming receives top scores in the State of Ohio. Come join the fun and learn with this unique presenter.
Steel Drum Fun
Andrew Parent
4-4:45pm | Room 218
Drew will bring a few drums for you to try!
Drew Parent is a percussionist and multi-instrumentalist based in Cleveland, OH. Prior to working at the Music Settlement, Drew held music faculty positions at Bowling Green State University, University of Toledo, Owens Community College, Trine University, among many others.
Basic Guitar / Banjo / Mandolin / Uke Maintenance
Michael Grady
4-4:45pm | Room 301
Experienced repairman Michael Grady shows how to make adjustment to help it play better, along with basic care tips.
Michael and Cathy Grady create a powerful blend of styles that captivates audiences with their variety and intensity. Their lyrics speak to the soul and take you along on a journey through the stories of life.They freely move between Folk, Rock, and Blues to Country and Irish fiddling, but the essence of their sound lies at the crossroads of the Americana and Singer-Songwriter genres.
https://www.gradymillermusic.com
Community Sing
Joanne Laessig and Folknet
4-4:45pm | Room 302
Sourwood Mountain on Fiddle
Paul Kirk
5-5:45pm | Room 218
Paul Kirk will teach a very fun, old and rare version of the tune “Sourwood Mountain” from Oklahoma. Paul is the author of Marion Thede and the Fiddlers of Oklahoma: The Fiddle Book, the Musicians and Their Tunes (McFarland and Company, 2025). The book includes transcriptions of over 125 traditional Oklahoma fiddle tunes as well as contextual stories, tune histories, and biographies. Paul will have books available for purchase and signing.
Paul Kirk began playing fiddle at age nine, and by age seventeen had taught himself string bass, cello, keyboard, and viola. He attended Cleveland State University where he studied viola, music theory and composition, music education, music history, and musicology. He currently plays fiddle in Down the Road Old-Time String Band, which he founded in 2015, teaches fiddle, leads an old-time music program at The Music Settlement, and gives presentations and lectures about antiques and collectibles. Since 2018, he has been documenting rare and obscure tunes and underrepresented source fiddlers through his Old-Time Tune of the Week series on YouTube.
Write a Better Song
Cathy and Michael Grady
5-5:45pm | Room 301
Professional songwriting team Michael and Cathy Grady share experience and their creative process when writing songs. Feel free to bring your in-progress songs for assistance and suggestions!
Michael and Cathy Grady create a powerful blend of styles that captivates audiences with their variety and intensity. Their lyrics speak to the soul and take you along on a journey through the stories of life.They freely move between Folk, Rock, and Blues to Country and Irish fiddling, but the essence of their sound lies at the crossroads of the Americana and Singer-Songwriter genres.
https://www.gradymillermusic.com
Blues Guitar
Bob Frank
5-5:45pm | Room 302
Introduction to the “Lap Piano”, ragtime, Piedmont, Delta, & Slide
Musician, composer, teacher, filmmaker and podcaster, Bob Frank brings a half century of expertise in blues and American traditional music. As described in his highly acclaimed cd release True Stories & Outrageous Lies, Bob plays Ancient & Original Blues relying heavily on his original compositions. Frank has also been a teaching artist with Center for Arts-Inspired Learning for 46years, is a founding member and official historian for the Cleveland Blues Society, and writes, hosts, and produces the popular podcast, Blues You Should Know, with listeners on every continent and in 136 countries. In 2024 Bob was inducted into the Cleveland Blues Hall of Fame.
https://www.bobfrankblues.com
Northeast
Ohio Musical Heritage Association