Memorable Past Performances

Over the years The Mainstay has held about two performances per month on its stage, for a total of over four hundred. The genre presented has been diverse, drawing an equally diverse audience. In the list below, there are names that are recognized nationally, even internationally. There are also names that will be recognized only closer to home. The Mainstay deliberately offers its stage to talent that is just getting started, the next generation.

The Byrd Series

The Mainstay was fortunate to have the late jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd on its stage several times before his death. Because he and his family developed such an affection for The Mainstay, in 2001 The Mainstay inaugurated an annual Charlie Byrd Concert Series in his memory. These concerts feature musicians who play in the jazz style of Charlie Byrd, many of whom were his friends and protégés. Concerts to date have included:

• Charlie Byrd (1998 & 1999)
• Howard Alden
• Bill Allred
• Gene Bertoncini
• Joe Byrd
• Bucky Pizzarelli
• Chuck Redd
• Robert Redd
• Warren Vaché
• Frank Vignola

Barbershop

• Bay Country Chorus
• Pride of the Bay Chorus

Blues Singers

• Cephas and Wiggins
• Guy Davis
• Lea Gilmore
• Catfish Hodge
• Barbara Martin
• Dean Rosenthal
• Terraplane

Bluegrass

• Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition
• Bittercreek
• Critton Hollow String Band
• King Wilkie
• The Lovell Sisters Band
• Molasses Creek
• Northern Lights
• Red Mountain, White Trash

Chesapeake Bay Music

• Chesapeake Scenes
• Songs of Sultana

Classical

• Bam String Quartet
• Bayfield Brass
• Susan Duer, fortepiano
• Caroline Kaufman, Violin
• Michael Chapdelaine, Guitar
• Chesapeake Brass
• The Diamond Trio
• Stacey Mastrian, soprano
• Moeller Guitar & Cello Duo
• Rosedale Trio
• West Chester Guitar Trio

Country

• Chester River Ramblers
• Jerry Harmon
• Betsy Heffner
• The Mooks
• Mike McBride
• Dean Sapp & The Hartford Express
• Courtney Spath & Early Bird
• J. B. Beverley & the Wayward Drifters

Dixie & Ragtime

• Banjo Dusters
• Banjo Jim & The 23rd Street Sultans
• Daryl Davis, Boogie Woogie
• Dixie Power Trio
• Mickey Dulin, Stride Piano
• The Federal Jazz Commission
• Sally McHugh, Boogie Woogie
• New Line Brass Band
• The Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• Bob Seeley, Piano
• U.S. Naval Academy Jazz Ensemble

Ethnic

• The Catonsville H.S. Steel Drum Band - Caribbean
• Castle Bay - Celtic
• Ceoltoiri - Celtic
• Connemarra - Celtic
• The Kane Sisters - Celtic
• Col. Leonard’s Irregulars - Celtic
• Music from the Isles - Celtic
• Antoinette Smith - Celtic
• Lynn Soarce - Celtic
• Whirligig - Celtic
• John Wright & Maurice Dickinson - Celtic
• Carmel Dempsey - Irish
• Meredith Hadaway - Irish
• Bonnie Rideout - Celtic Violin
• Tommy Sands - Irish
• Mike Elosh - Israeli
• Judith Kay - Latin
• Trio Sambosa - Latin
• Real Time - Scottish

Folk

• Banjo Man & Bill with Tom Anthony
• Big Hats, No Cattle
• Gordon Bok
• The Boomers
• Eastport Oyster Boys
• Aengus Finnan
• Karen Goldberg
• Pres Harding
• Kim & Reggie Harris
• High Road
• Hot Soup
• Hootenanny Fun
• Kindred Spirits
• Magpie
• Owen McCoy
• Walt Michael & Company
• Kevin Roth
• Sparky & Rhonda Rucker
• Two Old Boys Headin’ South
• April Verch
• Waltzing Matildas
• Bob Zentz

Gospel Singers

• Friends in Christ
• Gospelfest
• The New Gospelites
• Prophets of Praise
• Sombarkin

Holiday

*Nowell Sing We Clear

Jazz Musicians

• Howard Alden & Dream
• Harry Allen
• Bill Allred
• Tom Allan, Banjo
• Gene Bertoncini
• Joe Byrd
• Dick Durham
• Hokum
• O’Donel Levy
• Bucky Pizzarelli
• Chuck Redd
• Robert Redd
• Ruthie and the Wranglers
• Statesmen of Jazz
• Warran Vaché
• Frank Vignola

Jazz Vocalists

• Guys & Dolls
• Esther Haymes
• Sue Matthews
• Melissa McGlynn
• The Swing Sisters
• Karen Somerville

New Age

• Bill Dickson
• Flutar
• Keith Greeninger & Dyan Kai
• Al Pettaway
• Terra Nova

Religious Music

• Archiglas, St. Petersburg, Russia
• Maryland State Boys Choir
• Valaam Monastery Singers, St. Petersburg, Russia
• Wesley Bell Ringers

R&R, R&B

• The Blues Brothers Revisited
• Deanna Bogart
• The Elliots
• The Holmes Brothers
• Native Son
• The Trash
• Wicomicos

Swing & Big Band

• B.E.D. with Becky Kilgore
• John Coury Sings Sinatra
• Sam Scalzo Jazz Band