Singer/Songwriter Showcase

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present a special singer/songwriter showcase on Friday, January 30 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage. Southern Vermont–based artists Jason Scaggs, Emily Margaret, and Michael Roberts will open the evening with an intimate in-the-round set, followed by Nashville-based folk duo Paper Wings.

Longtime friends and collaborators Emily Mann and Wila Frank—known together as Paper Wings—craft warm, pastoral folk songs made for forest wandering, quiet reflection, and long journeys. With delicate banjo and spellbinding close harmonies, their performances are rooted in sincere songwriting and an artful, unpretentious lyrical style. Drawing thoughtfully from classic American folk traditions while maintaining a distinct voice, Paper Wings invite listeners into wide-open landscapes of comfort, strength, and shared human experience.

Originally from California and Oregon, Mann and Frank met as young fiddle players at music camps and festivals. As teenagers, they studied and performed with folk luminaries including Alice Gerrard, Laurie Lewis, Tim O’Brien, Steve Earle, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz. They later relocated to Nashville, where they recorded their self-titled debut Paper Wings (2017) and sophomore album Clementine (2019).

Jason Scaggs’ music lives at the crossroads of Appalachian roots and the adventurous spirit of Southern Vermont. Grounded in bluegrass yet unafraid to bend tradition, his songs feature groove-forward rhythms, unexpected melodic turns, and an improvisational edge. His raw, storyteller vocals and dynamic instrumental work create music that feels rooted but never confined.

Emily Margaret is an 18-year-old singer-songwriter from Guilford, VT, who began writing songs at age nine. Her early performances include opening for The Boxcar Lilies at the Iron Horse Music Hall and singing backup vocals for Lake Street Dive at the Newport Folk Festival. Influenced by R&B and jazz, and inspired by artists such as Amy Winehouse and Hiatus Kaiyote, Emily brings emotional depth, lyrical sincerity, and a voice that moves effortlessly from delicate to powerful.

Michael Roberts is a Vermont-based guitarist, improviser, singer-songwriter, and sound researcher. He founded the indie folk band Wooden Dinosaur, leads the Americana honky-tonk band The Rear Defrosters, and releases ambient and folk music as a solo artist. Roberts has performed at venues and festivals including Carnegie Hall and the Newport Folk Festival, and Seven Days Vermont calls him “a Vermont treasure.”

Next Stage Arts is located at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at the door, and $10 for livestream access. A beer, wine, and cocktail cash bar will be available.