AN EVENING WITH NATALIE MERCHANT at THE ROUGH NOTES FESTIVAL

Join Kinderhook Books for the second night of the inaugural Rough Notes Festival—a three-day celebration of the craft of storytelling in all its forms.

For one intimate evening, Natalie Merchant will sit down at the piano to play, sing, and take us inside her songwriting process—sharing the stories behind the songs and exploring the choices, revisions, inspirations, and instincts that shaped them.
In conversation with Sarah LaDuke, Executive Director of Folk Alley, Natalie will talk about the craft of writing, with live music woven throughout.
A rare chance to experience Natalie Merchant and her music from the inside out!
Doors open: 6:30 p.m.
Show begins: 7:30 p.m.

ABOUT NATALIE MERCHANT

Over a four-decade career, Natalie has earned a place among America's most respected recording artists, building a reputation for thoughtful songwriting through ten solo albums and six albums as the lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs, released on Elektra and Nonesuch Records. Her eleventh album, Cabinet of Wonder, a collection for children, will be released by Nonesuch Records on August 21, 2026. Merchant has toured extensively throughout her career and collaborated on stage and in the studio with a diverse range of artists including Billy Bragg, Philip Glass, David Byrne, The Chieftains, R.E.M., Wilco, Medeski Martin & Wood, Tracy Chapman, Mavis Staples, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
ABOUT SARAH LaDUKE

Sarah is the Executive Director of Folk Alley, a member-supported human-curated and hosted 24/7 streaming radio station that preserves and celebrates global roots music. Founded at WKSU, Folk Alley is now a service of The FreshGrass Foundation. For 20 years, Sarah was a producer and host at the NPR member station WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Her career is dedicated to hearing, learning, and broadcasting the voices and stories of women and members of the BIPOC and LGBTQAI+ communities, especially those in the arts.