Heritage Voices

Washington Revels Heritage Voices, a multicultural, multigenerational community of performers, is committed to telling the American story through song. Drawing from members of the Washington Revels Jubilee Voices, Gallery Voices, and the larger Washington Revels community, the group performs traditional American music–patriotic music, parlor music, work songs, folk tunes, spirituals, hymns and more. Often supplemented by local instrumentalists, the ensemble has performed in historical venues ranging from large outdoor spaces to the most intimate indoor parlors and concert halls. The ensemble, originally formed for the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War, has performed at a number of historic sites and concert venues, including  the National Archives, Fort Ward Park in Alexandria, Virginia; Fort Stevens and President Lincoln’s Cottage in Washington, DC; Glen Echo Park in Maryland; and at Montgomery County’s Heritage Days events. You can also hear members of this group on Washington Revels’ recording, Hard Times Come Again No More, as well as on the soundtrack of the documentary film, Life in a War Zone: Montgomery County during the Civil War 1861-1865.”

Currently, the group’s repertoire has expanded beyond the American Civil War period to include msic from other events in American history, including the Civil Rights Movement. 

Learn more about Washington Revels Recordings →

The Maryland-based old-time string band, Roustabout, specializes in American traditional music.  Roustabout often performs with Heritage Voices, but is also available for individual bookings, performing traditional music of the American Civil War era, but also offering interactive, hands-on workshops for children and families.

The band, made up of Chris Romaine (fiddle and banjo), Lars Hanslin (vocals, banjo, guitar and banjo-uke), and Bruce Hutton (vocals, guitar, mandolin, banjo and banjo-uke), never fails to entertain with their engaging and interactive style. Known as one of the finest dance bands for squares and contras, Roustabout has played for dances and performed in concerts from Florida to New Hampshire.

The band has been featured at many festivals, including Pinewoods (Plymouth, Mass.), Fiddle Head (Ashville, N.C.), Chesapeake Dance Weekend (Annapolis, MD), The Washington Folk Festival, The Takoma Park Festival, and numerous events sponsored by the Country Dance and Song Society.

President Lincoln’s Cottage

President Lincoln’s Cottage hosted the Heritage Voices of the Washington Revels in this special spring event. A visit from President Abraham Lincoln highlighted this program of American folk songs, spirituals, patriotic music, and readings.

Special 3-D Video

New video from “The Civil War Comes to Rockville,” June 29, 2013 (3D video by Rupert Chappelle)

For more information about Washington Revels Heritage Voices, and to explore hosting a performance at your site, contact Colin Bills at cbills@revelsdc.org.