FOLK TRADITIONS: The Princeton Folk Music Society will bring folksinger Jeff Warner to Christ Congregational Church for a concert on December 15. (Photo by Ralph Morang)

On Friday, December 15 at 8 p.m., The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Jeff Warner in an evening of traditional American folksong at Christ Congregational Church, 50 Walnut Lane.

Warner is considered to be among the nation’s foremost performer/interpreters of traditional music. His songs connect 21st century audiences with the everyday lives and artistry of 19th century Americans, bringing us “the latest news from the distant past.”

Warner is the son of folk song collectors Frank and Anne Warner, and he grew up listening to the songs and stories of the traditional singers his parents met during their collecting trips through rural America. He accompanied them on their later field trips and is the editor of his mother’s book, Traditional American Folk Songs from the Anne and Frank Warner Collection. He plays concertina, banjo, guitar, and several “pocket” instruments, including bones and spoons.

“Jeff is my nominee for the best folk singer in America,” said Bob Bossin, founder of the Canadian folk group Stringband. “He has a mischievous sense of humor, he plays most any instrument you can name, and his repertoire is encyclopedic, ranging from Black gospel to shanties to music hall. In a time when most folk singers rarely sing a folk song, Warner sings, almost entirely, old songs.”

Tickets at the door are $25 ($20 for members, $10 for students 12-22, and $5 children 11 and under. Ample free parking. For more information, visit princetonfolk.org.