Scott Cullen is a writer, editor, publisher and if that isn’t enough he has been presenting concerts for the better part of 17 years!

Concerts At The Crossing is recognized by peers, audiences and musicians, alike as one of THE premiere stages in New Jersey.

Audiences love to hear famous international, national and regional talent and with the likes of Dala, Iris Dement, John Gorka, Christine Lavin, Craig Bickhardt, Josh Ritter, and Odetta gracing his stage over the the years, it IS the place to be for a great night of music.

Cullen has fostered relationships with peers and within his community by attending conferences, speaking on workshop panels, and looking for that special act to bring to his stage. Musicians love the sound, the lighting, the professionalism and care Scott takes to make each event a special one. Most of all, Scott delights in presenting emerging – up and coming – must see acts.

How did your concert series begin? “This is season 17!! I moved to PA from CT with my job, and I used to go to alot of concerts in CT, similar to what Concerts At The Crossing is now. I saw people like me putting on concerts, and I thought WOW, if they can do it I can do it. My former wife, (still a volunteer and friend today) and I started to go to the Unitarian Church in Titusville. They were building a new sanctuary and I thought it would be a great place to do concerts. So when it was finished, we approached the church and they were very receptive. I booked my first 3 shows with Lucy Kaplansky, Dave’s True Story, and Kate Jacobs. After that I was hooked! Before I knew it, I had booked half a season and then a full season. As many as 12 shows a season. The series was successful from the beginning and continued to grow with patrons coming from the church and the community. As it grew it became clear that making the series a non profit would be the way to go, with a board and volunteers.”

“Over the years, I found that I needed to look for talent in new places and started going to conferences, like NERFA (Northeast Regional Folk Alliance) and FAI (Folk Alliance International) and I was like a kid in a candy store. So many great acts to choose from, I could easily present 52 shows a year.”

Scott’s girlfriend Mary Acciani, Concerts At The Crossing’s Lighting Director, is also involved. A pretty woman, she accompanies Scott in search of the next emerging must see act.
Concerts At The Crossing 17th Season has already begun with a bang! The first of the season, was held September 22 with international performers hailing from Canada, Dala, who performed for a full house.

October 27 the Last-Minute Music Festival with headliners Rebecca Pronsky, Loretta Hagen, John Francis and Caleb Hawley is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Originally, Gretchen Peters would headline the night but as Scott says “What do you do when your performer for October (Gretchen Peters) has to reschedule the date because she has an opportunity to go on tour opening for John Prine and you don’t find out until the last minute? You either take the night off, or you get creative and put together a show featuring four amazing performers we’ve been dying to book and present Concerts at the Crossing’s Last-Minute Music Festival. We guarantee you’ll have a great time as you experience the joy of musical discovery.”

Four talented singer-songwriters will share the stage at Concerts at the Crossing in a special event called The Last-Minute Music Festival on Saturday, Oct. 27. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and takes place at the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing in Titusville, New Jersey.

Brooklyn, N.Y. native Rebecca Pronsky continues to impress with a terrific new record (Viewinder) and countless live performances across the U.S. and Europe. Her music shuffles through the dark territory where old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll, country, and folk come together. NPR describes her music as “personal, anecdotal and emotional [and] her voice conveys the wisdom of experience.” and Time Out NY describes her songs as “literate, passionate and wry.”

Loretta Hagen delivers rich alto vocals, polished award-winning lyrics and tightly woven harmonies. Her music has been described as one-part Americana, two parts folk, a dash of country-flavored rock. A 2011 winner of the NJ Folk Festival Songwriter Competition, and 2012 Finalist at CT Folk Festival Song Competition, Hagen recently released her third CD, Mud and Stone, featuring uplifting heartfelt ballads, playful up-tempo country swing, and cool bluesy grooves. The CD debuted at #10 on Folk DJ Charts, consistently #1 on the Roots Music Report for NJ, #5 Top 50 Folk Albums RMR, and is receiving airplay throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Loretta’s melodies leave folks feeling as if they are listening to their own stories set to song.

Caleb Hawley has demonstrated an uncanny ability to write intricate lyrics, complimented by cutting-edge chords with his lightening fast licks and ear for taste and style. Receiving top honors in the prestigious New York Songwriters Circle Contest, the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, the Telluride Festival, the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, and Rocky Mountain Folks Fest for his songwriting, he also has a voice to place him in the final fifty on the 2011 American Idol season. While lyrically influenced by observational writers such as Randy Newman and Tom Waits, Hawley is also well known for his outstanding vocal capacity and range. He captivates audiences with soothing folk tunes in the same manner as James Taylor, and with the next breath blows them away with his powerhouse of soul, likened to that of Stevie Wonder.

Philly based John Francis burst upon the Philly music scene in 2006 with the release of his critically acclaimed CD, Strong Wine & Spirits, buoyed by the single “Heavy, Heavy Love”, which garnered extensive radio play in the Northeast. Drawing on the deep waters of rock, folk, country, and gospel music, Francis conjures the spirits of his eloquent brand of songwriting, and passionate live shows. He’s been honored by ASCAP as the recipient of two national lyricist awards. The prestigious Sammy Cahn Lyricist Award, for his song “Love Came to Me Dressed in Red”. (Previous winners include John Mayer and Josh Ritter.) And recently he received the Jay Gorney Award for socially conscious lyrics for his poignant song, “Who?” Francis’ latest CD, The Better Angels, was released in 2010. It features the single “Johnny Cash on the Radio” and the two songs for which Francis received national songwriting awards.

Tickets for the Last-Minute Music Festival are $20 for adults and $5 for ages 14 and under.

The Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing is located at 268 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road in Titusville, N.J. For tickets and directions, call Concerts at the Crossing at (609) 406-1424 or visit http://concertsatthecrossing.com.

Who is on your radar, on your bucket list to present one day? “Four acts currently on my bucket list, Jonathan Richman, The Avett Brothers, Amos Lee, First Aid Kit.

Coming Up at Concerts At The Crossing
Oct. 27, 2012 – LAST-MINUTE MUSIC FESTIVAL featuring Rebecca Pronsky, Loretta Hagen, Caleb Hawley, and John Francis

Nov. 17, 2012 – Burning Bridget Cleary w/special guests We’re About 9
Dec. 1, 2012 - Tracy Grammer w/special guests The Stray Birds
Jan. 26, 2013 – The Kennedys w/special guest Carolann Solebello
Feb. 16, 2013 – Seth Glier & Liz Longley
March 23 -2013 – TBA Tentatively Gretchen Peters
April 13, 2013 – Night of 1,000 Guffaws featuring Carla Ulbrich, Honor Finnegan, and Mark Allen Berube
May 18, 2013 – Jess Klein w/special guest Caitlin Canty

http://concertsatthecrossing.com