The Oswego Music Hall welcomes Vance Gilbert and show opener Cam Caruso to its National Stage on Saturday, Feb. 24. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. at the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake St., Oswego.

Gilbert’s new album, “The Mother of Trouble,” features Grammy winner Lori McKenna on background vocals, Juno award recipient Joey Landreth on guitar, and Americana-roots master mandolinist Joe K. Walsh. Thirty years into his career, the songwriter’s influence can be felt all over the contemporary folk and Americana realm as he helped pave the way for many Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) artists who have followed.

Gilbert was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. He aspired to be an R&B and jazz singer when he started out, but at college Gilbert discovered his affinity for the storytelling sensibilities of acoustic singer-songwriting. Word spread like wildfire about his stage-owning singing and playing, and Shawn Colvin invited him to be special guest on her 1992 Fat City tour where he took much of America by storm and by surprise.

Noted for being the ever-consummate performer, Gilbert has recorded 13 albums, including five for Philo/Rounder Records. Along with being the opener of choice for artists as varied as Arlo Guthrie, Anita Baker, The Milk Carton Kids and Southside Johnny, the mid-2000s found Gilbert opening 150-plus shows for comedian George Carlin.

Gilbert has also been a prominent presence at some of the world’s most prestigious gatherings and venues. They include the Newport, Winnipeg, Rocky Mountain, Calgary, Ottawa and Falcon Ridge folk festivals; the Kate Wolf Music Festival; Australia’s Woodford Folk and Mullum Music Festival; Mountain Stage; Boston’s Symphony Hall; Nashville’s Lyman Auditorium and The Barns at Wolftrap.

Gilbert has been a songwriting, performance and voice coach all around the world, from Australia to Winnipeg, at all the festivals listed above plus at the Kerrville and Rocky Mountain song schools. He is currently an instructor/professor at the University of Colorado Denver and has a decade worth of summer programs at the Berklee College of Music under his belt.

For more information about Gilbert, his music and tour schedule, visit https://vancegilbert.com/.

Cam Caruso is a singer/songwriter from Oswego who has been performing in the Central New York area for nearly eight years. He has released several of his own albums and produced projects with fellow singer/songwriters in the area. Caruso’s personal and collaborative projects have been nominated for four Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMYs) including his EP, “Up Above & Down Below,” which won the SAMMY Award for Best Singer/Songwriter Recording in 2020. Most recently, he brought home another SAMMY Award in 2023 with a win in the People’s Choice category for Best Artist or Band.

Caruso is currently branching out to new venues, working on a couple of personal and collaborative recording projects and continuing to develop his craft.

For more information about where to find his next show, visit http://www.camcarusomusic.com/.

The spring season continues with Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen on March 9, Shawna Caspi & Rachael Kilgour on March 23, Big Sky Quartet on April 13, Livingston Taylor on April 27 and Sam Robbins in the season finale on May 11. 

Ticket prices range from $15 to 18. Admission is half-price for children aged 6 to 16 and free for those aged 5 and younger. Tickets can be purchased at any concert, online at www.oswegomusichall.org or at the river’s end bookstore, 19 W. Bridge St., Oswego. The community is encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time to ensure seating.

Oswego Music Hall shows start at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 6:30 p.m. Located in the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake St., Oswego, the venue is wheelchair accessible. The building is adjacent to Breitbeck Park and overlooks Lake Ontario and Oswego Harbor. The atmosphere is intimate with candle-lit tables surrounding a small stage. Light refreshments will be available.  

The Oswego Music Hall is a family-friendly, non-profit organization that has been run entirely by volunteers from its inception over 40 years ago. Volunteers can earn admission to shows through various tasks, from running the sound board to making popcorn. Students can also earn credit for community service. To volunteer, email Volunteer Coordinator Michael Moss at ocpaoswego@gmail.com.

The Oswego Music Hall pays close attention to federal, state and local COVID-19 guidelines to do what’s best for performers and patrons – being mindful of everyone’s safety and enjoyment of the show. Should conditions warrant, safeguards may be reinstated without notice. Please check www.oswegomusichall.org for updated information.

For performance schedules, ticket details or other information about the Oswego Music Hall, go to www.oswegomusichall.org, email ocpaoswego@gmail.com, or find it online on Facebook and Instagram.

Oswego Music Hall concerts are made possible in part with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the governor and New York Legislature. Other major supporters are the City of Oswego and Shineman Foundation. 

GILBERT RETURNS TO OSWEGO MUSIC HALL – Folk singer/songwriter Vance Gilbert (pictured) performs at Oswego Music Hall along with show opener Cam Caruso on Saturday, Feb. 24. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake St., Oswego.