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Me&Thee Music announces plans to kick off its 53rd season with Marblehead’s best known musical duo, Mason Daring and Jeanie Stahl, on Friday, Sept. 9. Former Marblehead resident Ina May Wool of New
York will open the evening, which begins at 8 p.m.
Mason and Jeanie have been performing together since the 1970s with a collaboration that spans a broad range of styles, from classic 1930s jazz to contemporary folk to originals. Mason’s “Marblehead Morning,” which was a regional hit, has become a trademark anthem for many.
Mason is a critically acclaimed film and TV composer whose work is heard in more than 75 motion pictures and mini-series. Jeanie, who has recorded three solo albums, is a vocalist who has been featured on PBS as part of Masterpiece Theater. Opening the evening will be Wool, who is releasing a new album this fall following appearances at Mountain Stage and at the Edinburgh Folk Festival.
Talent and Booking Committee member Robin Miller says the Me&Thee, which closed for more than two years during the pandemic, will continue in the fall with two concerts a month designed to welcome back old friends and new acquaintances to the North Shore’s longest running acoustic music series. Me&Thee Music is located in the historic Unitarian Universalist Church at 28 Mugford St.
Over five decades, the Me&Thee has welcomed a wide range of performers including Tom Rush, Jonathan Edwards, Dar Williams, Holly Near, Suzanne Vega, Livingston Taylor, Tom Paxton, Pete Seeger, John Gorka, Tracy Chapman, Odetta, Loudon Wainwright III and numerous local and regional favorites.
This summer, to enhance the safety of concert-goers, the Me&Thee financed the installation of a state-of-the-art Micro-Filtration Ultra-Violet Ionization Air Purification System. This new system continually changes the air and pumps in fresh exterior air to improve the atmosphere. A unique fee-free ticketing system has been launched by Me&Thee using a new vendor “Tito,” which eliminates all the ticket fees usually seen with
online ticket sales.
The new service is easy to navigate with a simple and secure dropdown menu. The Me&Thee Board also voted unanimously to bring back the $10 student ticket to encourage families to introduce their children to meaningful, live music. Older students will need to show their student identification at the door.
The Me&Thee is also expanding its musical offerings to include jazz, blues some rock and even occasional dance music following last spring’s highly successful Cajun/Zydeco Dance Party. While the all-volunteer organization wants to expand its offerings to welcome broader and more diverse audiences, the Me&Thee will continue to primarily focus of its folk and acoustic roots.
Coming later this fall will be Antje Duvekot with Chris O’Brien opening on Sept. 23. National musician and humorist Cheryl Wheeler with special guest Kenny White will be featured on Oct. 7. Local jazz musician Stan Strickland with his quartet will grace the Me&Thee stage on Oct. 21.