Folkus 20th Anniversary Show

Folkus celebrates our 20^th anniversary—just a year late--by going back to our roots with Folkus founder Joe Cleveland and our key leader for many years, Dana Cooke. 

Many years ago, Dana and Joe played together as Dana “Short Order” Cooke and His Band Joe.

Dana with a Side of Stantons, combines one of Central New York’s wittiest, most respected songwriters with the multi-talented husband-and-wife team of Jeff and Judy Stanton. 

Cooke's songs are famously quirky and sardonic, mixing humor, sentiment, clever word-play, and often unusual topics. Some are apt to make you laugh, others make you misty. The best does both. The Stantons also contribute a few of their own songs, and the trio has a large catalog of country, pop and bluegrass songs. Dana plays guitar; Jeff, stand-up bass; and Judy, fiddle and mandolin. 

Joe Cleveland plays banjo and guitar and enjoys using music to explore life’s questions and to create a deeper sense of community. Before becoming a Unitarian Universalist minister Joe Cleveland Joe studied literature and literary theory at Syracuse University and taught writing and literature at several colleges. In 2000 he founded The Folkus Project to bring folk and acoustic music to the Syracuse, NY community.  Read more about Folkus’ history.

"You have to like Dana Cooke's sense of humor. It's a cheekiness that sets him apart from other songwriters."  — Syracuse Post-Standard

Click below to sample music from our Anniversary Show performers.

Dana “Short Order” Cooke with a Side Order of Stantons sing

“My Father’s Bald”

“SkyDiver”

Dana Cooke and Joe Cleveland sing:

“Would You Have Me Just Not Say It”

Joe Cleveland sings

“Swimming to the Other Side” by Pat Humphries