Mel Starr

• Folk
• Singer/Songwriter

Based out of Boston, MA, Mel Starr is a self-taught singer/songwriter inspired by the folk tradition and the fingerpicking style. With no formal music education, intuition is deeply integrated into their music practice.

Mel’s songs are soothing and, at times, haunting. They reflect on family, grief, relationships and finding oneself in their writing. Their debut record, “Wild Thing,” will be out on streaming platforms this winter. Sometimes they are lucky enough to play folk music with their friends in a project called The Moonbeams. They love to collaborate with other talented musicians and see what they can create.

Mel is available to book for songwriting workshops: they can work on anything from writing lyrics to improvising with simple looping interface on guitar and vocals. Outside of music, Mel works in expressive and integrative therapies. They are working on their MSW to become a therapist. They approach learning and processing with kindness, empathy and patience.

Dearest Dear

• Celtic
• Trad

Rooted in the musical traditions of New England, Dearest Dear present traditional tunes from Ireland, New England, Quebec, and France, and craft vocal harmonies for age-old songs with modern relevance.

Rose Jackson came up in the rich folk scene of western Massachusetts. Equally at home in the concert hall and on the dance stage, she studied under fiddler Becky Tracy (Nightingale, Wild Asparagus) from whom she inherited a wide repertoire of music from Quebec, New England, Ireland, and France, a deep love for old tunes, and the intuitive sense of rhythm and danceability which infuses her playing. From multi-instrumentalist Pete Sutherland (Pete’s Posse), she developed her ear for song arrangement and harmony. She’s toured festivals nationally with her band Polaris, and now plays with her quartet Stove Dragon. In 2024, she received one of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s competitive Grants for Creative Individuals for her work as a tradition-bearer of New England fiddle music.

Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Helen Kuhar currently resides in Cambridge, MA. Helen began exploring their connection to folk and Celtic music in 2020 while studying with renowned guitarist Alex Sturbaum (Countercurrent). Since then, Helen has become involved in the thriving New England music scene through playing contra dances and concerts with their band Good Company. Helen also performs with Upstate New York fiddler Tim Ball, whose debut solo album Upstate Crossroads was the No. 1 CD of January 2023 on the FAI Folk music chart. Helen can also be found leading Irish sessions in and around the greater Boston Area.

Together, this duo Dearest Dear invite audiences in for stories, melodies, and lyrics that unite us all in our shared humanity.

Nine Athens Music

Since 2012, Nine Athens Music has provided resources to the musicians, venues and events which make up the New England music scene. We work alongside artists, providing free services aimed at helping them develop their careers and facilitate the creative process through better branding, networking, and financial support for their projects. Through our partnership with Club Passim, Nine Athens Music strives to bring undiscovered Folk music directly to the fans who want to hear it most.

Chuck Honnet is the founder of Nine Athens Music, dedicated to the discovery, encouragement and support of local musicians, venues and events – all focused on his love of Folk, Americana/Roots, bluegrass, and celtic music.