Old No. 1 at 50 – Celebrating the Spirit of Guy Clark – Featured Performances by Michael Braunfeld, Meghan Cary & Peter Farrell, Lance Cowan, Adam & Cate Monaco, Buddy Mondlock, Jack Murray, and Rees Shad | Event at the Charles A. Brown Ice House

On November 7, 1975, the day after his 34th birthday, RCA Records released Old No. 1, legendary songwriter Guy Clark’s debut album. While not a commercial success by any stretch, the album was highly praised by the press and “L.A. Freeway,” “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” “Rita Ballou,” “Texas 1947,” “Let Him Roll,” and “That Old Time Feeling” soon became instant classics. No one could have known then that Old No. 1 would inspire generations of American songwriters, troubadours, and music fans.

The Guy Clark Family Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting songwriters, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Old No. 1 with a series of concerts around the country to bring awareness to the organization and to boost songwriters who work in the spirit of Guy Clark. Songwriters will perform songs from Old No. 1, followed by a set of their original material. 

Ticket sales will benefit The Guy Clark Family Foundation.

The Charles A. Brown Ice House

Located in a historic building along the Lehigh River, the IceHouse Performing Arts Collaborative is a dynamic arts venue in Bethlehem, PA. Presented by the Eastern PA Arts Alliance, this space is dedicated to supporting regional arts organizations and emerging artists. The IceHouse Tonight series offers a diverse lineup of performances and events throughout the week, showcasing the incredible talent of the Lehigh Valley. 

Located at:
56 River Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018

The Guy Clark Family Foundation was established in 2024 by Guy’s only grandchildren, Dylan and Ellie. The Foundation’s mission is to honor Guy’s memory and continue his love and support for songwriters. “Songwriting is not a competitive sport,” Guy often said. He opened his home and heart to songwriters from all over the world. The Guy Clark Family Foundation will do the same. We will offer songwriters who work in the spirit of Guy Clark the opportunity to learn, write, collaborate, record, perform, and share their work with a global audience while we continue to honor Guy’s legacy.

MICHAEL BRAUNFELD
michaelbraunfeld.com

Michael is, first and foremost, a storyteller. His songs capture the everyday triumphs and struggles of ordinary people. His characters – though trapped in the particular circumstances of their own lives – appeal to a universal audience.  Michael was welcomed into the Writers Night Family at The Bluebird Cafe in 2014 and was named a finalist in the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition in 2016, 2018 and 2019. From sold out listening rooms to main stages at festivals, whether solo or with his band, the Boneyard Hounds, Michael is delighting old fans and winning over new audiences at every stop.

A unique, triple-threat artist at the height of his craft, Michael Braunfeld is writing his best songs yet. And onstage, he is a commanding presence. Whether creating compelling everyman characters out of whole cloth, mining his personal history, or addressing topical issues, Michael’s performances combine a powerful guitar style with a seemingly endless supply of urgency. And he has a pretty sneaky sense of humor too.

MEGHAN CARY
meghancary.com

Meghan delivers award-winning original songs with powerful vocals and unshakable stage presence. Hailed a “storytelling troubadour” by Billboard Magazine, Cary inspires connection and community with music that’s earned comparisons to Melissa Etheridge and Brandi Carlile. Her anthem “Sing Louder” and 2025 single “Raise Your Voice” rally audiences to hope and action. A favorite at festivals like Falcon Ridge and Philadelphia Folk Fest, she’s shared stages with Joan Osborne, Chris Smither, and more. Whether performing, teaching, or speaking, Cary empowers others to embrace their stories with humor and heart. “If you can get to a Meghan Cary show—run, don’t walk.”

LANCE COWAN
lancecowanmedia.com
For the past 30 years, Lance Cowan has worked behind the scenes with some of the country’s finest songwriters, including Joe Ely, Nanci Griffith, and Michael Martin Murphey and many more. Along the way, he has quietly honed his own songwriting skills, learning from those artists and a deep well of influences from Jackson Browne to John Prine. His works have been performed and/or recorded by such respected artists as Joan Baez, Janis Ian, David Mallett, and several independent artists. His 2024 debut, So Far, So Good and his new Against The Grain, have been met with tremendous critical acclaim.

ADAM MONACO
adammonaco.com

“Adam Monaco lives what he writes and writes what he lives, allowing him to deeply connect with those he plays for and alongside of.” – Trevor Gordon Hall

These words will ring true for anyone who has experienced folk/Americana artist Adam Monaco’s thoughtful songwriting and poignant presence firsthand. Adam’s music is lush, colorful, melodic, and takes deep root in the complex, beautiful stories that connect humanity. His lyrics resonate like a conversation with an old friend: personal, profound, engaged, and thought-provoking. His authentic performances showcase his ability to evoke the full range and complexity of human emotions; in one musical moment, he can bring audiences to tears, then lift them back up with witty banter and a relatable anecdote.

BUDDY MONDLOCK
buddymondlock.com

Buddy Mondlock met Guy Clark on top of a hill at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1986. It was a moment that changed his life. Guy liked the song he heard and started passing around tapes of the young Chicago songwriter’s songs to people he knew in Nashville. When Guy Clark gives you a tape, you listen. Soon Buddy was headed south to a publishing deal and a manager. Since then his songs have been recorded by Nancy Griffith, Joan Baez, David Wilcox, Janis Ian, Peter, Paul & Mary, Garth Brooks and a host of other artists. In 2001 he co-wrote and recorded a trio album with Art Garfunkel and Maia Sharp called “Everything Waits To Be Noticed.” Guy Clark’s album “The Dark” is bookended with songs Clark and Mondlock wrote together – “Mud” and the title song, “The Dark,” which was their first co-write.

JACK MURRAY
jackmurray.net


Jack Murray is an Americana singer-songwriter whose music blends country, folk, blues, and rock into a warm, rootsy sound. Born in Sevierville, Tennessee—also the hometown of Dolly Parton—and kin to Merle Haggard, Jack brings authenticity and soul to every performance. A fixture in the Philadelphia-area music scene, he’s played major stages like Godfrey Daniels, MusikFest, the Sellersville Theater, and the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

Jack has opened for artists including The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jim Lauderdale, and Joe Ely, and performed in Nashville “In the Rounds” with acclaimed songwriters Tony Arata, Craig Bickhardt, and Thom Schuyler. His songs have been recorded by Nashville artists, and in 2020 he was invited to perform at a memorial tribute to David Olney.When not performing solo, Jack fronts The Blue Tarp Wranglers. His long-awaited album Blue Tuxedo, produced by Grammy-nominated Thomm Jutz, is slated for release in 2025.

REES SHAD
reesshadmusic.com

Rees met Guy for the first time at a recording session in Nashville, where Guy lent his vocal talents to a track on Shad’s debut album.  Guy’s kindness led to manty more people paying attention to the album than would have otherwise, and to pay it forward, Shad has been the organizer of this and other shows in the Northeast to benefit the Foundation.

Over the course of a prolific 40+ year career, 32 releases and 17 solo albums, Shad has crafted music that is both poignant and profound. He is dedicated to crafting short story songs that cross genre lines to serve the spirit of each tale he weaves and engage his audiences in deep and meaningful ways.

Shad’s latest release Porcelain Angel has spent the last few months near the top of the Folk charts being and has lauded for its “grace and elegance” (Americana UK), “all-knowing tonality” (Americana Highways), and for “pushing the boundaries of musical storytelling” (The Rogovoy Report).