The Details

Portsmouth Singer Songwriter Festival

23 singer songwriters - Legends, Stars, & Up-And-Comers - in a packed festival weekend, this year celebrating Americana music. Concerts, parties, round robin featuring Seacoast talent, two venues. Click here to see all the shows in the Festival!

Merle Haggard and The Strangers

Three time Grammy Winner, Country Hall of Famer, 2010 Kennedy Center Honoree, calling this man a legend is just telling the truth. In the ever-expanding array of country music stars, hitmakers and idols, Haggard walks in no man’s shadow. Instead, he casts a far-reaching shadow of his own. Rare is the country balladeer that has mastered the idiom at so many different levels as has he.Haggard has written hundreds of songs many of which have made their way to the top of the music charts.

Opener: Elsa Cross

A Portsmouth favorite now living and working in Austin, Texas, Elsa says it was 1950’s Rock ‘n’ Roll that led her to its roots in old country, where she found the songs of Patsy Cline, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and the young Elvis Presley.

“…Reminiscent of the great Hank Williams but with the gusto of a tattooed rockabilly beat.” – Portsmouth Herald

A Word About Sampling

We’re getting asked about SSF and how best do the Festival experience – we have two venues practically across the street from each other. So, let’s say you buy a pass for the weekend, and on day two you’re sitting in the Historic Theater for the evening show but you’ve heard that Elsa Cross who opened for Merle Haggard the night before has her own show with Lucy Wainwright Roche so you think, I’ve got to head to the Loft – and you can! You have that pass. Or you bought a ticket for the Round Robin on the closing day and you think hmmm this is six hours long – but you can come and go – right? So, get lunch and see some singers – but no need to stay the entire time! Part of the festival experience is trying things you haven’t tried before – with two venues across the street, it couldn’t be easier.