Rising Folk Singer Hosts Backyard Show

It’s an overcast summer evening in Forks Township and the hand of a musician tapping on the face of a Martin guitar can be heard echoing off the vinyl-clad houses in a development just blocks from Sullivan Trail. What followed next was the soulful expression of a young woman with an amazing voice.

Brittany Ann Tranbaugh is a 20-year-old musician from the township who doesn’t mind doing what her parents ask of her. But when your parents' only request is for you to play one of their favorite songs, it’s easy to oblige them.

Tranbaugh is a recent alumna of Lehigh Valley Charter School for the Performing Arts and a current student at Temple University. She will will be playing on Aug. 6 at the Martin on Main Festival in Nazareth and on Aug. 12 at Musikfest.

On Sunday, the Tranbaugh residence became a venue (as it has in the past) for Brittany Ann and two other folk groups.

Barnaby Bright is a duet hailing from Kansas and residing in Brooklyn, NY. As Barnaby Bright members Nate and Becky displayed their musical prowess, another performer marveled at the quality of their voices, saying, “Wow, it’s like they're using Auto-Tune, but they're not.”

Nate, aside from playing the guitar, also plays a saxophone, and if that’s not all, Becky plays a harmonium. The dynamic duo is scheduled to perform at the upcoming Musikfest.

Ryan Tennis and the Clubhouse Band opened up with an amazing rendition of Paul Simon’s "The Boy in the Bubble."

This trio starring Tennis, Brahm Gendzlinger and Chris Farrell features three guitarists, one of whom plays the electric mandolin. The band's set was a welcome dose of energy that had everyone dancing on the lawn. Tennis has two shows coming up at his Philadelphia venue aptly named "The Clubhouse." 

Tranbaugh, who played the first set, was welcomed back due to a demanding request for an encore. She ended the set with her mother’s favorite song, "The Weight" by The Band. Tennis, Farrell, and a few other friends joined Tranbaugh for the cover and received a standing ovation. 

Tranbaugh is set to perform at 7pm on Aug. 12 at Musikfest at Lyricplatz.