Pop Up Performance Series
Roswell Arts Fund, in partnership with Friends of Mimosa Hall, Steve’s Live Music, and Roswell Music Club, is proud to present an ongoing concert series that brings outstanding live music to our community.
Please note: dates, times, and locations may vary. We encourage patrons to check the event calendar regularly for the most up-to-date information.
Join us each month and experience the joy of live music, community, and artistic collaboration.
Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive Roswell, GA)
Richard Smith
Music partner: Steve’s Live Music
Internationally renowned guitarist Richard Smith takes the stage with a dazzling repertoire that spans genres and generations. From fiddle tunes and Joplin rags to jazz standards, blues, classical pieces, and even Sousa marches, Smith’s mastery of the guitar knows no bounds. Winner of the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship and member of the Thumbpickers Hall of Fame, he has shared stages with legends like Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Tommy Emmanuel, and Victor Wooten. A true virtuoso, Richard Smith offers an evening of artistry, joy, and jaw-dropping musicianship you won’t forget.
Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive Roswell, GA)
Grant Green Jr
Music partner: Steve’s Live Music
Born into jazz royalty and raised in a Detroit neighborhood filled with music legends like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Gladys Knight, Grant Green Jr. has been steeped in rhythm and soul since childhood. A longtime New York City performer and a driving force behind the Godfathers of Groove, Grant blends funk, soul-jazz, and blues into a style that’s uniquely his own. His live shows are energetic, heartfelt, and groove-heavy—winning over audiences from the New Orleans JazzFest to the North Sea Jazz Festival. Along the way, he’s shared the stage with greats like Carlos Santana, George Benson, Tedeschi-Trucks Band, and Widespread Panic. Expect a night of electrifying guitar and irresistible rhythm from a true master of the groove.
Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 3:30 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive, Roswell GA)
Jacob Lay
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
Jacob Lay is an Atlanta-born baritone whose commanding voice and artistry have taken him to stages nationwide, including The Atlanta Opera, Knoxville Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Cedar Rapids Opera. A passionate advocate for underrepresented composers, Lay has devoted much of his career to researching and performing the works of William Grant Still, bringing vital American voices to today’s audiences. In addition to his performance career, he is an accomplished composer, with award-winning works recognized in national competitions. Join us for an evening of music that blends tradition, advocacy, and artistry, showcasing a baritone with both exceptional talent and vision.
Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive Roswell, GA)
Jon Shain
Music partner: Steve’s Live Music
Jon Shain is a celebrated singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music seamlessly blends piedmont blues with folk, bluegrass, swing, and ragtime. Winner of the 2019 International Blues Challenge (solo/duo category), Shain has released nine acclaimed solo albums and toured extensively across the U.S. and Europe, sharing the stage with legends like Keb’ Mo’, John Hiatt, and Little Feat. His fiery fingerstyle guitar and rich storytelling draw deeply from American roots traditions while exploring timeless themes of resilience, history, and justice. With a career spanning decades, Shain continues to captivate audiences with his artistry, authenticity, and connection to the blues.
Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 3:30 pm
Location: Old Mill Machine Shop (95 Mill Street Roswell, GA)
Harrison Cook
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
With a Master of Fine Arts in Cello Performance from Carnegie Mellon University, Cook has graced the stages of the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Ballet, and Greenville Symphony, bringing technical precision and expressive depth to every performance. Currently serving as Director of Orchestras at Kennesaw Mountain High School, where his ensembles consistently achieve superior ratings at the Georgia Large Group Performance Evaluation, Cook brings over nine years of experience as both performer and educator.
His extensive performance background enriches his interpretive approach, allowing audiences to experience beloved works—from Bach’s elegant suites to romantic masterpieces—with fresh insight and emotional resonance. An active advocate for cello pedagogy and passionate champion of classical music education, Cook’s commitment to musical excellence shines through in every note.
Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive Roswell, GA)
Eliot Bronson
Over the course of six albums, indie folksinger Eliot Bronson has created his own brand of American roots music. He’s an award winner. A road warrior with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. An internationally-renowned songwriter with a voice that swoons and sweeps, making fans out of everyone from his hometown newspaper, The Baltimore Sun — who championed Bronson from the very start, hailing him as “a folk singing wunderkind” back when he was still playing local coffeeshops — to Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb, whose work on 2014’s Eliot Bronson and 2017’s James placed Bronson on the same client roster as heartfelt songwriters like Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton.
Embraced by the likes of CMT Edge, Country Weekly, Guitar World, Sirius XM’s Outlaw Country, Acoustic Guitar Magazine and more, Paste Magazine called Bronson and his music “an Americana gem” and “a poetic blend of urban coffee house and outskirts-of-town saloon.” Bop n Jazz upped that ante by heralding him as “maybe the best singer/songwriter since Dylan.” Bronson has won such esteemed songwriting awards as first place at Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest and Eddie Owen Presents “Songwriter Shootout,” and he’s been a finalist at Kerrville Folk Festival, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest Songwriting Contest, and New Song Contest Lincoln Center NYC.
Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 3:30 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive Roswell, GA)
Andy Hudson
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
Experience the dynamic artistry of clarinetist Andy Hudson, celebrated for performances that blend “uncommon singularity of purpose, technical virtuosity, youthful vigor, and mature sensitivity.”
Associate Professor of Clarinet at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music and Artistic Director of the internationally acclaimed sextet Latitude 49, Hudson is a passionate champion of both traditional and contemporary repertoire who has captivated audiences across North America, Europe, and Africa.
His performances with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, and North Carolina Symphony showcase his expressive range and innovative spirit, while his recordings on New Amsterdam Records have earned widespread critical acclaim.
As Bass/3rd Clarinetist of the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra and an advocate for kindness and empathy in the music profession, Hudson brings not only exceptional technical mastery but also a generous artistic vision to every performance.
Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive Roswell, GA)
Lavahi
LAVAHI is a jazz-crossover and neo-soul vocalist, songwriter, and scholar whose artistry blends Black musical traditions with contemporary improvisation. Known for her spontaneity and fearless creativity, she treats her voice as an instrument, crafting unique, in-the-moment performances with her ensemble.
She has performed at sold-out venues and major festivals, including Atlanta’s High Museum, The Velvet Note, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, and nationally at Blues Alley, City Winery, and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. Collaborations with Grammy-nominated and award-winning artists like Yola, LaTocha Scott, and the BOOM! Trio highlight her versatility and dynamic musical presence.
A scholar as well as a performer, LAVAHI explores music, culture, and performance as tools for reflection and connection. She created Call and Response, a performance series that invites audiences to engage in dialogue with music, and contributed a chapter to The Lemonade Reader examining Beyoncé’s Lemonade as a cultural and spiritual work. Her performances are soulful, engaging, and unforgettable.
Sunday, May 17, 2026 at 3:30 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive Roswell, GA)
Ryan Gregory
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
Join Atlanta native Ryan Gregory for an intimate afternoon celebrating the viola’s rich, lyrical voice and expressive power.
A versatile artist who has graced the stages of the Kennedy Center as a member of the Anacostia String Quartet and served as Artist-in-Residence with the District New Music Coalition in Washington, DC, Gregory brings both technical mastery and emotional depth to his performances.
Currently performing with the Atlanta Opera and as part of the Mirror Duo with harpist Tyler Hartley, he has also appeared with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, and served as Acting Concertmaster for the Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra. Trained at Kennesaw State University and the University of Maryland, Gregory has received coaching from Atlanta Symphony members and performed in masterclasses with renowned artists including Roberto Spano, David Coucheron, and Midori Goto.
Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Location: Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive Roswell, GA)
Caroline Herring
Caroline Herring is an American singer-songwriter whose work blends storytelling, history, and social conscience. Known for songs that explore injustice, hope, and perseverance, she has released eight albums and toured extensively across the U.S. and Europe. Her music has been recognized by NPR, the Boston Globe, Songlines, and Texas Music Magazine, with several songs—like Mistress—earning distinction among the best Texas and Southern-themed works.
Herring has collaborated with artists and projects worldwide, including co-founding Thacker Mountain Radio, performing in the Cecil Sharp Project in the UK, and participating in literary and historical concert series honoring figures such as Eudora Welty and the Freedom Riders.
In addition to performing, Herring teaches songwriting and lectures on American musical traditions, sharing her passion for storytelling and music history. Mary Chapin Carpenter calls her “fearless and uncompromising,” and her performances invite audiences to connect deeply with the lives and stories behind her songs.
Highlights from Past Performances
- On February 27, 2020, the inaugural season of the RAF Pop Up Performance Series began with a sold-out concert featuring Ed Roland of Collective Soul at the intimate Roswell Historic Cottage.
- During COVID-19, we quickly reimagined our events and transformed parking lots into safe, physically distant yet social spaces for artists and audiences. That year, 1,400 concert-goers coming from Roswell, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Marietta, Smyrna, Decatur, and Atlanta joined us for in-person outdoor concerts.
- Another 2,100 households tuned in for our first-ever live stream concert in May 2020.
- In October 2021, we welcomed Jake Xerxes Fussell and his band to our first concert under the stars at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. This Pop Up also marked our first performance funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
Beginning in 2022, we launched a partnership with the Roswell Music Club to add world-class classical musicians like Kenny Banks, Tiffany Uzojie, Bevin Hill, and Mikyung Sung to our music mosaic on Sunday afternoons. - In 2024, in partnership with Steve’s Live Music, we added our monthly Thursday evening pop up series, showcasing world music, blues, jazz, folk, with a diverse range of excellent musicians such as Layla Musselwhite, Richard Smith, The Bonaventure Quartet, Tray Dahl & The Jugtime Ragband, Rev. Jeff Mosier, The Pat Bianchi Trio, LAVAHI, Matthew Kaminski & Mondo Hammondo, and Olli Soikkeli & Caesar Garabini.
- As of December 2025, our Pop Up Performance Series has hosted over 65 concerts and welcomed more than 3,500 patrons!
