Events

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Jess Klein will bring her powerful voice, deeply personal storytelling and roots-driven sound to Bishop Hill Creative Commons on Sunday, October 18.

Presented by Crossroads Cultural Connections, the all-ages evening will begin with an optional potluck dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the concert at 7 p.m. Guests who would like to participate in the potluck are invited to bring a dish to share. A suggested donation of $20 to $30 will be collected.

Klein’s music finds light, resilience and even joy within some of life’s most difficult experiences. Her acoustic-driven songs explore love, loss, empowerment, rage, sensuality and the complicated realities of being human, delivered with an emotional honesty that has connected with audiences around the world.

The New York Times has described Klein as “a songwriter with a voice of unblinking tenacity.”

Over the course of her career, Klein has performed everywhere from intimate listening rooms and theaters to major festivals in front of tens of thousands of people. She has toured nationally and internationally in support of Arlo Guthrie, Josh Ritter, Damien Dempsey, John Fullbright and Jonathan Byrd, and has opened for artists including Ani DiFranco, Steve Earle and Alejandro Escovedo.

Her performances have taken her to the Newport Folk Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival and Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival. She has also appeared on Good Morning America and NPR’s All Things Considered.

Despite that extensive résumé, Klein’s live shows remain remarkably intimate. With a guitar, an expressive voice and a willingness to be emotionally vulnerable, she creates performances that invite audiences into the stories behind the songs.

The Bluegrass Situation described her music as “one part grassroots social activism, two parts alt-country guitar rock,” capturing the combination of conscience, songwriting and musical energy that has become a hallmark of her work.

Her most recent album, When We Rise, released in 2023, explores empowerment and the joy of overcoming adversity through a dynamic, roots-inflected collection of songs. The album reflects a recurring thread throughout Klein’s career: an insistence on acknowledging life’s darkness without surrendering the possibility of hope.

For audiences who value songwriting that can challenge, comfort and connect, Klein’s intimate performance at Bishop Hill Creative Commons offers an opportunity to experience a veteran artist whose songs are rooted in both vulnerability and strength.

Presented by Crossroads Cultural Connections, this concert continues the organization’s mission of bringing meaningful, high-quality live music experiences to Henry County and surrounding communities.

EVENT DETAILS

Who: Jess Klein
When: Sunday, October 18
Potluck: 6 p.m.; bring a dish to share if participating
Concert: 7 p.m.
Where: Bishop Hill Creative Commons, Bishop Hill, Illinois
Admission: Suggested donation of $20–$30
Audience: All ages welcome

Contact:
John Taylor
john.r.taylor@gmail.com
(309) 299-4999