Two of Iowa’s Best Musicians Return to the Carl Sandburg Songbag Concert Series

Marc and Brandi Janssen return to perform at the September 9 “Songbag” concert at the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site in Galesburg. The Janssens, an Iowa City duo, play traditional American music inspired by the first generation of rural recording and radio artists.

Moving seamlessly between old-time, bluegrass, and country music, the Janssens feature rare old fiddle tunes, driving banjo numbers, and early bluegrass songs. They are particularly fond of old country and bluegrass duets, through which they have established a powerful vocal harmony that has delighted audiences across the Midwest. Find them at https://theprairiefiddle.com/.

This performance will be in the Sandburg Site’s barn at 313 E. Third Street in Galesburg. The show starts at 4 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m. with a break for refreshments around 5 p.m. The second set will begin around 5:20 p.m. A donation of $5 per person is suggested. The concert is sponsored by the Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

The final two fall Songbag concerts will feature a popular returning act and one new performer. On October 14, the Roundstone Buskers find their way back to Galesburg. This lively Irish trio from Peoria is always entertaining. On November 11, the Songbag Series welcomes Tom Irwin, a solo folk musician from Springfield, Illinois.

Carl Sandburg was a collector and performer of America’s folk songs. The concert series is named in honor of Sandburg’s book “The American Songbag,” published in 1927. The Carl Sandburg State Historic Site – operated by the IDNR – includes the home where the famed poet and biographer was born. For more information, visit www.sandburg.org.