Memorable Past Performances

Over the years The Mainstay has had two to four performances per month on its stage, for a total of well over 500 to date. 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

• Rory Block
• Cephas and Wiggins
• Guy Davis
• Lea Gilmore
• Catfish Hodge
• Ann Rabson
• Clarence Turner Blues Band
• Terraplane

Bluegrass and Old-Time

• Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition
• Bitter Creek
• Critton Hollow String Band
• Gibson Brothers
• King Wilkie
• The Lovell Sisters Band
• Claire Lynch Band
• Molasses Creek
• Northern Lights
• Red Mountain, White Trash
• Dean Sapp & The Harford Express
• Tony Trischka

Chesapeake Bay Music

• Chesapeake Scenes
• Songs of Sultana
• Them Eastport Oyster Boys

Classical

• Bam String Quartet
• Bayfield Brass
• Michael Chapdelaine, Guitar
• Chesapeake Brass
• Davidsbund Chamber Players
• Diamond Trio
• Susan Duer, Fortepiano
• Louise Earhart, Piano
• Caroline Kaufman, Violin
• Langley Winds
• Stacey Mastrian, soprano
• Moeller Guitar & Cello Duo
• Rosedale Trio
• Serafin String Quartet
• West Chester Guitar Trio

Country

• Chester River Ramblers
• Jerry Harmon
• Betsy Heffner
• The Mooks
• Mike McBride
• Robin & Linda Williams and Their Fine Group
• Courtney Spath & Early Bird
• David Stone: The Johnny Cash Experience
• J. B. Beverley & the Wayward Drifters

Dixie & Ragtime

• Banjo Dusters
• Banjo Jim & The 23rd Street Sultans
• 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

• Daduka da Fonseca & Maucha Adnet - Brazilian
• Catonsville H.S. Steel Drum Band - Caribbean
• Castlebay - Celtic
• Ceoltoiri - Celtic
• Connemarra - Celtic
• The Kane Sisters - Celtic
• Col. Leonard’s Irregulars - Celtic
• Music from the Isles - Celtic
• Bonnie Rideout - Celtic
• Antoinette Smith - Celtic
• Lynn Soarce - Celtic
• Whirligig - Celtic
• John Wright & Maurice Dickinson - Celtic
• Washington College Afro-Cuban Ensemble - Cuban
• Carmel Dempsey - Irish
• Meredith Hadaway - Irish
• Kitchen Quartet - Irish
• Tommy Sands - Irish
• Mike Elosh - Israeli
• Judith Kay - Latin
• Trio Sambosa - Latin
• Real Time - Scottish
• Santa Cruz River Band - Southwestern

Folk

• Banjo Man & Bill with Tom Anthony
• Big Hats, No Cattle
• Gordon Bok
• The Boomers
• Jonathan Edwards
• Aengus Finnan
• Karen Goldberg
• Pres Harding
• Kim & Reggie Harris
• High Road
• Hot Soup
• Hootenanny Fun
• Kindred Spirits
• Magpie
• Owen McCoy
• John McCutcheon
• Walt Michael & Company
• Tom Paxton
• 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
• Charlie Byrd
• Joe Byrd
• Dick Durham
• Jeff Hamilton
• Holly Hoffman & Mike Wofford
• Hokum
• John Jorgenson Quintet
• Jon-Erik Kellso
• O’Donel Levy
• Mamavig
• Joe Negri
• Ken Peplowski
• Bucky Pizzarelli
• Chuck Redd
• Robert Redd
• Revelation: Tribute to Milt Jackson
• Statesmen of Jazz
• Stef Scaggiari
• Warran Vaché
• Frank Vignola

Jazz Vocalists

• Bryan Clark
• Guys & Dolls
• Harmonious Wail
• Esther Haymes
• Sue Matthews
• Melissa McGlynn
• Jacqui Naylor
• Nicki Parrott
• The Swing Sisters
• Karen Somerville
• Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet

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 Beach Bumz
• The Blues Brothers Revisited
• Deanna Bogart
• Daryl Davis
• The Elliots
• The Holmes Brothers
• Native Son
• Ruthie and the Wranglers
• The Trash
• Wicomicos

Swing & Big Band

• Bill Allred Classic Jazz Band
• B.E.D. with Becky Kilgore
• John Coury Sings Sinatra
• Sam Scalzo Jazz Band
• University of Delaware Jazz Ensemble