Jesse Ruben and Kate Gaffney Co-Bill – Lyrical Storytelling and Modern Folk From Two Seasoned Songwriters

Jesse Ruben and Kate Gaffney come together for a co-bill night of songs shaped by years on the road and deep roots in the songwriting tradition. Ruben brings his sharp lyrical storytelling and songs heard on TV and streaming platforms worldwide, including his top-10 single “This Is Why I Need You.” Gaffney draws from her coast-to-coast touring life and her concept album Here by the Ocean, inspired by coastal living and collaboration with longtime Philadelphia musicians. Set in the Intimate Atmosphere of Godfrey Daniels, this evening offers a close-up experience with two artists whose work blends personal stories, wide-ranging influences, and a strong connection to their audiences in a true Live Music Listening Room.

Jesse Ruben
jesseruben.com

Jesse Ruben is a singer/songwriter based in Atlanta, GA after spending 15 years in NYC. Best known for his lyrical storytelling and engaging live shows, his songs have been heard on more than a dozen TV shows in the US and abroad including Teen Mom, Switched at Birth, The Bachelor (Germany), and the recent Disney+ series Diary of a Future President. His most recent single "This Is Why I Need You” reached the top 10 in 12 different countries, and has been streamed more than 60 million times across all platforms. He has recorded live sessions for NPR and MTV Asia, and has been featured on PBS.

Beyond his music career, Ruben is highly active in philanthropic endeavors. He has run the NYC Marathon three times for The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the largest non-profit devoted to spinal cord injuries, and five times to raise money for Lyme disease research. He is a co-founder of Generation Lyme, a community built to empower people facing Lyme disease through sharing patient stories, and they are the world’s largest provider of online Meet-ups for anyone impacted by tick-borne illness. In addition, he is the founder of The We Can Project, an initiative for young students that helps them discover their passions and give back to their communities. To date, more than 800,000 young people have participated. To promote the program, he was personally invited by Hoda Kotb to perform live on The Today Show.

Kate Gaffney
kategaffney.com

Singer-songwriter Kate Gaffney honed her skills in her native Philadelphia, jumped from coast to coast, and toured everywhere in between. She laid musical roots in Northern California, building a loyal following in Sacramento and within the San Francisco Bay Area music community. Pennsylvania has since called her back home.

The exploration of coastal living, in all of its glory, splendor, isolation, and mystery, inspired Kate to produce a concept album. Here by the Ocean is a studio collaboration with long-time Philadelphia friends, producer Andrew Lipke & multi-instrumentalist Chris Kasper. Recorded before the world shut down, it is now available on streaming platforms and Kate will honor the music by catching and releasing it in physical form (Vinyl and CD) on October 4, 2025.

Gaffney’s festival nods include Philadelphia Folk Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass & Hangtown Music Festival. She has opened for a variety of touring acts, including Richie Havens, Todd Snider, Xavier Rudd, Chris Smither, Carolyn Wonderland, Jackie Greene, Karl Denson, Kaki King, Elephant Revival, and Dead Winter Carpenters. Kate Gaffney has released four albums: Highways, The New Then, The Coachman (including contributions from Lehigh Valley's own Steve Kimock and John Morgan Kimock), & the aforementioned Here by the Ocean.