Folkie Fest: Strong Women of Song

March 9th brings our salute to Women’s History Month. There will be “Strong Women of Song- Standing Tall” to inspire everyone. This is one of our most popular events. The strong women in this lineup are Inda Eaton, Rorie Kelly, Linda Sussman, Lindsay Whiteman and Amber Louise.

We had so much fun with Inda Eaton last year, we invited her back again. Inda’s warm humor, free-spirited emotionality, and literate flair make her songs feel as comfy as a favorite pair of jeans. Inda’s vocals have a whiskey and honey-tinged raspy quality that’s both stirring and soothing. Her stories and musings feel instantly resonate. Inda’s songwriting spans fist-pumping anthemics and bucolic balladeering, and it embraces a wide swath of influences, including country, classic rock, folk, and pop. “We can argue politics and policies, but, at the end of the day, we are bound together beyond these,” shares Americana singer-songwriter Inda Eaton. “I do what I do to connect—music has this great disarming quality—it leads to vulnerability quickly as people lay down their shields.”

Another veteran of this theme performing this afternoon is Rorie Kelly. She is an award-winning singer/songwriter/ladybeast from Long Island. Her mission in life is to spread healing through art, and to remind you to love yourself with the fierceness of a kitten that doesn’t know it is tiny. Her music has been featured in film and TV shows, received radio airplay around the world, and led her to perform at the Obama White House in 2016. Her most recent album Shadow Work is about shining a light in the darkness and healing wounds. The production is big and dark, and performed largely by just two people – Rorie herself, and her father/production partner, Kevin Kelly. “It was exciting to us to see just how much power we could pack into these songs as two humans in a studio with a vision,” says Rorie. The songwriting looks deeply into topics like self-worth, growth and letting go, and how our culture treats people who don’t fit the mainstream “default.” The opening song, “Full Moon Charm Bracelet,” was featured in the 2021 film Hearts and Vines, which won a Telly Award for Use of Music. A powerhouse performer, Rorie gigs frequently, lighting up stages with her fiery vocals and her sense of humor.

It’s been a while since Linda Sussman graced our stage, so we are thrilled to have her return. Linda Sussman is an award-winning singer-songwriter whose music is a mix of alt-folk and blues that digs deep into our shared human experience. With songs of courage, love, struggles and triumphs, Linda's vocals are frequently compared to Joan Baez, while her self-taught guitar style leans into open tunings, unique fingerpicking and a bit of acoustic slide. As KTAL radio host Ron Cooke says: “Linda makes songs worth listening to. She makes the personal universal and the universal personal." Linda's earliest musical inspiration came from listening with her family to Bob Sherman's weekly Woody's Children radio show, and she has followed in the tradition of crafting songs that meet the moment. She has played numerous stages over the years, including the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame and New York's iconic The Bitter End. After a 10-year hiatus, Linda re-emerged on the music scene in 2018 and, with her studio musicians, has released five full-length albums since then (most recently Win or Lose in 2024). Her music has been shared on radio programs across the US and abroad and is available on all streaming.

Joining us for the first time, Lindsay Whiteman is an up-and-coming Long Island singer-songwriter. As a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Lindsay frequently wows audiences with her unique lyrics and powerful voice. She is an acoustic indie pop artist with folk influence, and uses her songs to paint her own personal experiences. Lindsay has played at City Winery NYC, Stephen Talkhouse, My Fathers Place, and Rockwood Music Hall. Her music can be found on all streaming platforms.

Another first-time performer on our stage, Amber Louise is a local singer-songwriter based in modern folk music. She has lived on Long Island since 2021 and had been a singer-songwriter since 2019. Amber takes inspiration from classic folk songwriter such as Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Band, etc, and moder folk musicians such as The Lummineers, Odie Leigh and The Shins. Over the summer, she participated in “Music Throughout the Village Port Jefferson” and has become a local staple throughout the Port Jefferson community. Amber is very passionate about the Long Island music community and works at the venue “Suite 208” where they give a platform for local musicians to book and play shows. More recently, she started recording songs for release and posting her originals on YouTube. Amber hopes her music will spread light and love to the people who enjoy it and plans to pursue songwriting full-time.

Join us at the Moriches Community Center, 313 Frowein Rd, Center Moriches, NY 11934

2 pm to 5 pm

$15 (cash only) at the door

Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/12Ffuh6h4Yf/

Folkie Fest offers an ongoing concert series with local acoustic artists in the spirit of folk music as envisioned by the late Pete Seeger. We provide a listening space and support local, singer/songwriters sharing their original work. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the community center, and a 50/50 raffle is held to benefit Long Island Cares.

Like "Folkie Fest" on Facebook to keep up with all our events. If you want to check out some of the past events and some of the artists we have had on our stage, there are highlights on the Folkie Fest YouTube channel. To keep up with happenings, like Folkie Fest on Facebook, or sign up for our mailing list at folkiefest@gmail.com