Women of Americana

Women of Americana: A Celebration of American Music

From Joan Baez and Bonnie Raitt to Alison Krauss and Brandi Carlile featuring Cristina Vane and Brennen Leigh

Join us for a heartfelt celebration of early folk, country, gospel, and Western swing music with Women of Americana! This isn’t just a concert—it’s an exuberant exploration of this singular American genre that planted the roots of American music. Featuring vocalists and instrumentalists Cristina Vane and Brennen Leigh, the show includes songs made famous by iconic artists like Brandi Carlile, Emmy Lou Harris, Alison Krauss,  Dolly Parton and more. Titles like  “Blowin’ In The Wind” (Joan Baez),“Angel From Montgomery” (Bonnie Raitt), “Car Wheels On A Gravel Road” (Lucinda Williams), “Can The Circle Be Unbroken” (The Carter Family), and more.  Accompanying video projections make this concert a multi-media event, coinciding with the upcoming Semi-quincentennial (250th anniversary of the United States’ founding).  Women of Americana will entertain and inspire audiences at a historic moment in our nation’s history.

Women of Americana: A Celebration of American Music

Cristina Vane

Songwriter, singer, slide guitar and clawhammer banjo player Cristina Vane has a breadth and depth of serious musical skill. Cristina’s half American, half Guatemalan heritage is as unique as her sound. She is a product of a merging of numerous worlds – her classic rock, 90s indie, and heavier roots with her passion for pre-war blues, old time fiddle banjo music, country and bluegrass. She has an extensive touring history and has provided direct support for Molly Tuttle, Bob Weir, Wynonna Judd, Sam Bush, Nikki Lane, Arlo McKinley and Willi Carlisle just to name a few. Cristina has been mentioned in Rolling Stone Country and NPR, and was featured in the Bank of America ad for Ken Burns’ Country Music documentary.



Brennen Leigh

Brennen Leigh is an American songwriter, guitar player, mandolin player and singer whose to-the-point storytelling style has elevated her to cult icon status in Europe, Scandinavia, the United States, South America and the United Kingdom. Her songs have been recorded by Lee Ann Womack, Rodney Crowell, Sunny Sweeney, Charley Crockett and many others. As renowned for her musicianship as she is for her writing, it’s easy to see how Leigh caught the ear of greats like Guy Clark and David Olney, who described her writing as “tender, violent, sentimental, foolish and wise, she is always Brennen. Confident and at ease with herself, without being a jerk about it.”

Our Mission

Mayo Performing Arts Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, presents a wide range of programs that entertain, enrich, and educate the diverse population of the region and enhance the economic vitality of Northern New Jersey.

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MPAC is grateful to the following donors whose major support helps to sustain the general operating needs of our organization:

Fmkirby Discoverjerseyarts New Jersey State Council on the Arts Morris County NJ
New Jersey Cultural Trust Jacobs Levy Equity Management The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation
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