2026 Music Lineup
Live music has been featured from the very first ride, when The Twin Cities Recorder Guild stepped onto the stage at St. Thomas on September 10, 1995. Over the years more than 80 bands have played the Saint Paul Classic. A few favorites include Spider John Koerner and Tony Glover, the Irv Williams Quartet, Laura MacKenzie, Nachito Herrera, Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs, the High 48s, and the ever lovin’ Eddies.
This year we welcome back the country blues of the Saint Paul Mudsteppers to Lilydale Regional Park and our legendary legacy band, the Roe Family Singers to Como Lakeside Pavilion. Quillan Roe first played the Classic in 1998! His band will finish up the festivities at Como Lakeside Pavilion. Stick around and enjoy a discounted beer at Dock and Paddle.
We’ve engaged many excellent accordion players at the Classic and this year will feature Dee Langley and the Masked Accordions at Mississippi Gorge Overlook.
Dean Magraw and Suwal Singh will open up the Music Festival with their genre bending acoustic tunes at Como Lakeside Pavilion. Heating up the Phalen Lakeside are the Southside Aces Big Three with their time-honored, New Orleans-inspired jazz.
COMO LAKESIDE PAVILION
As always, Kevin Barnes is our MC. You may recall his long tenure at JAZZ88 FM and his celebrated String Theory program. Doug Lohman is our talented sound technician.
7:45 to 9:20 a.m. and 9:40 to 10:15 a.m. ~ Dean Magraw (guitar) & Suwal Singh (tabla) explore, extend, and celebrate their music at the classic! Their duo is a unique expression of the interplay between strings and percussion – featuring the sonic cornucopia of tabla weaving into the colorful vibrations of guitar – melodies, grooves, laughter, tears, heart – hear it, heal it.
10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ~ The Roe Family Singers, the Cities’ most joyful jug band will be bringing it all back home to wrap up your ride. Have a cold beverage or a slice of watermelon as you enjoy Kim and Quillan and company dig into some of America’s favorite songs. Alongside Americana standards you’re sure to enjoy cuts from their album, Sisters and Brothers. More at roefamilysingers.com.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER GORGE REST STOP ~ Mile 7
8:00 to 10:00 a.m. ~ Dee Langley and the Masked Accordions will be upping the accordion ante at the Gorge Overlook this year. While the whole gang won’t show up, half a dozen or more will be playing away on popular tunes like Sounds of Silence, I’m a Believer and the perennial pleaser, Tequila. More traditional-minded music lovers will take to their swing numbers and perhaps a French musette or two. Oui oui!
LILYDALE PARK REST STOP ~ Mile 14.2
8:30 to 11:00 a.m. ~ Saint Paul Mudsteppers ~ Playing country blues inspired by bands like the Mississippi Shieks from the early 1900s; the Mudsteppers spin their own take on these old tunes and mix in surprises like No Woman, No Cry by Bob Marley. Like their recent release, you’ll be Taking a Trip down the Mighty Mississipp. More at Mudsteppers.com.
LAKE PHALEN REST STOP ~ Mile 5.5 (Lollipop Loop) or Mile 25 (Grand Round)
8:15 to 10:00 ~ Southside Aces Big Three ~ The Aces have been playing “Vintage Jazz for Modern Times” since 2003. Tony Baluff leads the Big Three (a tighter version of the sextet) on clarinet accompanied by trumpet and banjo. Expect traditional New Orleans jazz echoing the joyful sounds of Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Amstrong. The Big Three will be playing songs off their latest release, The Big Beat.
10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. ~ TBA ~