This post is sponsored by The Folk Project
****Morristown Green readers get a 25% discount on tickets with the code MGREEN. Enter MGREEN on the Billing Details screen, click Apply, then enter your payment to see the discount. Purchase tickets here.***
By Olga Alvarez
Two talented bands, featuring virtuoso fiddlers and great vocals, take the stage at Troubadour Concerts this Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.
Ryan Shupe and The RubberBand combine bluegrass prowess with rock, rap, and jazz, while the contemporary folk duo Rakish brings a progressive flair to their Celtic and Americana-rooted stagecraft.
Connor Hearn and Maura Shawn Scanlin make up Rakish. After playing in a folk band, they branched out to play the music they loved.
“We wanted an outlet to play more traditional Irish music and Celtic stuff, and we started playing a couple of gigs together,” Maura said by phone from Ontario, where she and Connor are teaching at the Celtic College and Kids Camp, part of the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival.
Rakish has wowed audiences across the U.S. The duo has played at the Library of Congress, Celtic Colours International Music Festival, Prince Edward Island’s Festival of Small Halls, the Corvallis Celtic Festival, and official showcases at Folk Alliance International.
Maura grew up in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains, starting Suzuki violin lessons at a young age and listening to fiddle music. Connor was raised in D.C. and Baltimore, where he played Irish and Scottish music with his siblings. Now, they write songs inspired by their backgrounds, favorite poems, and traditions.
It’s been a decade since they began playing together, and their music has evolved. “In the tradition that we play, there are a lot of old tunes that we started playing, but these days we are composing most of it ourselves, which is a rewarding experience,” said Connor.
Maura has twice won the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship and has taken first place at the Glenfiddich Fiddle Competition in Scotland. She also plays the clawhammer banjo. Connor is a fiddler as well, but he prefers guitar. He brings plenty of experience as a collaborative guitarist and uses his interest in literary theory and poetry when writing songs.
Maura said their inspiration often comes from their experiences on the road. “We get exposed to a lot of people’s music,” she explained, adding, “it’s an unfolding where you just keep hearing about more and more new music, and in the process of checking it out we’re definitely getting inspiration and writing new stuff.”
On Friday, Maura and Connor will play a mix of songs from their albums along with some new material they’re working on.
Video: Rakish plays ‘The Lucky One’:
MANDO AND MORE
Ryan Shupe is a fifth-generation fiddle player who turned professional at age 10. He grew up in a family full of musicians, playing with the PeeWee Pickers, a band started by his father, Ted Shupe, known as the “father of Utah bluegrass music.” They toured both the U.S. and Europe.
Today, Ryan and his dynamic group, The RubberBand, put on a show that’s very different from his early days. The songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has dubbed their sound as “Rocking Newgrass,” a mix of country, rock, folk, jazz, and rap that add up to a memorable performance.
Fans enjoy their energetic arrangements, impressive solos, strong vocal harmonies, and clever lyrics, all of which make for a great night out. Ryan is also a talented songwriter; his song Dream Big brought an uplifting message to the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Video: Dreaming Big with Ryan Shupe:
Ryan and the band have amassed decades of positive reviews. No Depression wrote: “Shupe is a mandolin player sans pariel… he sings with extraordinary bravura. This man loves what he does, and he takes his band along, and they’re quite adept.”
Bluegrass Unlimited hailed the ensemble as a “fresh hybrid of new music influenced by bluegrass but featuring the percussive fervor of rock, rap and other styles…They bring imaginative arrangements and daring musicianship to their quintet sound.”
To honor his father, who passed away in 2025, Ryan will return to Wallsburg, Utah, later this year to run TedFest, a celebration of contemporary and traditional roots music. His dad started the festival, later named for him by popular demand. All the performers will pay tribute to Ted during their sets.
Video: Ryan Shupe and The RubberBand perform “Even Superman”:
Coming Attractions:
On Friday, Aug. 21, it’s Campfire Night at The Troubadour. Ken Galipeau, James Gedeon, and Joe Crookston will sing, share stories, and lead singalongs in the round, all without microphones. There will be s’mores with marshmallows and hot cocoa, too!
Vet Songs, taking place on Friday, Aug. 28, will be a special show. Nine veterans shared their stories with nine Folk Project songwriters, who turned those stories into songs. These talented performers will play their creations during an evening focused on healing.
And on Friday, Sept. 4, two fan favorites will take the stage: Standout singer-songwriter Greg Greenway and gender-blending Jenna Nichols.
To find out more about the Troubadour Concert Series, other Folk Project events, or to buy tickets online, please visit our website.
Morristown has a long history of people stepping forward in pivotal moments.
When you chip in to Morristown Green, you’re helping your neighbors stay informed, strengthening our civic backbone, and carrying on the spirit that’s defined this town since its earliest days.
Rally for local news.
