Hudson Valley Highlights

Ernie Sites

Ernie Sites is a western entertainer and an experienced cowboy. Among his many talents, he is a western performer, songwriter, cowboy poet, trick roper, bull rider, rodeo clown, team roper and a calf roper. He has traveled the world over, using his gifts to teach people about cowboys and the west. Western author, Corinne J. Brown, has dubbed Ernie “the urban cowboy troubadour.” Along the trail, Ernie Sites has performed with such luminaries as Riders in the Sky, Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Gene Autry, and the Sons of the Pioneers. He has been a guest on CBS, PBS, TNN, the BBC, and Good Morning, America. Along with these accomplishments, he is also a playwright and has created a fun filled songbook for kids. Hailing from Southern Idaho, Ernie Sites has spent his life travelling from coast to coast performing for audiences, but now calls the Hudson Valley his home.

Wired Gallery

Wired Gallery was established in May 2012 with the mission to show works by Mid-Hudson Valley artists. Located at 11 Mohonk Road in High Falls, New York, and open Saturdays and Sundays 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Wired Gallery was named “one of Ulster County’s most high-profile, prolific sources of quality art exhibitions” by Almanac Weekly.

Paul Huth

Paul Huth brings nearly 50 years of natural and cultural history research on the Shawangunk ridge, mostly concentrated at Mohonk and the surrounding Mohonk Preserve. He worked for 15 years with the Preserve’s 1st Director of Research, Daniel Smiley, and with his brother Keith, founders of the Mohonk Trust in 1963. Paul followed Dan as the Preserve’s 2nd Director of Research and served for over 20 years. Paul authored and coauthored over a hundred Research Reports and published papers on a diversity of subjects, including the century old Mohonk Lake Cooperative Weather Station, where Dan and Paul both served as long-term Cooperative Observers for the National Weather Service. Paul’s decades of service insured the future of Dan’s science legacy, now being digitized, for future generations.

Frank Marquette

Frank Marquette, a lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley, is the owner-operator of Murder Café and Theatre on the Road. He has been writing and producing original murder mystery plays for Mohonk’s Mystery Weekend since 2017 and has been presenting “living history” tours and performances at local historic sites since 2013. Beginning in 1998 he has written and produced 12 original plays and has acted in and directed dozens more; Frank has also appeared in national commercials, and a number of television shows. He also conducts workshops at the annual NYSTEA (New York State Theatre Education Assoc.) Conference.

Vinnie Martucci

Vinnie Martucci has toured extensively on the international jazz festival circuit as co-leader of the Jazz Fusion Quartet “The Dolphins” with Dan Brubeck and Mike DeMicco. As an arranger, accompanist he’s performed with Laurel Masse (Manhattan Transfer), Eileen Fulton (Award winning star of As the World Turns), Blues artist Rory Block and many others. As a composer, Vinnie co-wrote the music for the off-Broadway play “Clue, The Musical” with Galen Blum. Vinnie has composed and produced numerous cable network TV themes for Lifetime, the Travel Channel, CNN, as well as daytime TV dramas “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light”. As a producer, engineer, and studio musician, he worked with composer Baikida Carroll on numerous productions such as WGBH and the Tony award winning play “Having Our Say”. Vinnie is an educator, teacher, and clinician, giving master classes across the US, Europe, South America, and China. During his time as Professor of Jazz Studies and chair of the Music Department at SUNY New Paltz, Vinnie developed a broad range of courses and programs in Jazz, improvisation, recording technology, and music industry studies. Vinnie also teaches at summer festivals and camps, especially at the Ashokan Center, where he has taught swing piano every summer for over 20 years.

Rich Syracuse

Rich Syracuse has been a mainstay on the New York area scene for more than four decades. He began his performing career at an early age in New York City and then went on to become the winner of the prestigious Congress of Strings Award. Not long after he received a Bachelor of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Rich performed with The Group for Contemporary Music under the Conductors Charles Wournin and Harvey Solberger, The Hartford Ballet and the New Jersey Lyric Opera Company. Early jazz groups included work with John Mehegan, Joey Calderazzo, Ted Rosenthal and Bruce Barth. In addition he has performed with an array of artists including Mose Allison, Kurt Elling, Brubeck Brothers, Michael and Randy Brecker, Warren Bernhardt, Vinnie Martucci, Sumi Tonooka, David Torn, Mike DeMicco, Mark Dziuba, Pete Levin, Sam Morrison, Jimmy Cobb, Bernard Purdy, Adam Nussbaum, Jeff “Siege” Siegel, Eddie Henderson, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Dena DeRose, John Medeski, Michael Musillami and Ale DeMogli. For over 22 years, Rich was bassist for legendary pianist Lee Shaw. He is the Professor for String and Electric Bass Studies at Skidmore College in Saratoga, New York, Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut, and SUNY at New Paltz. Rich is a member of the International Association of Schools of Jazz. He has toured throughout Europe, South America and Southern Africa.

Peter O’Brien

Peter O’Brien has performed and recorded with many of the greats in the worlds of jazz, blues and rock music over a career spanning 40 years including such names as Brother Jack McDuff, The Edgar Winter Band, Roy Buchanon, Orleans, The John Hall Band, Rory Block, Doctor Lonnie Smith,, Warren Bernhardt, Eric Person, Kenny Werner and many others. Peter is currently a member of the Arlen Roth Band, John Esposito Trio & Sextet & is an adjunct professor at Bard College.

Willa Vincitore

Willa Vincitore has been building a fan base across the Hudson Valley for nearly two decades and was inducted into the NY State Blues Hall of Fame in 2018. While her songwriting is an eclectic mix of blues, soul, rock, funk and (occasionally) pop, there’s one thing that ties it all together—that voice. Willa spent the early part of her stage career backing Chris O’Leary (Levon Helm’s Barn Burners) as an original member of his band, but she’s been performing on her own with a collection of extraordinary musicians since 2013. The Company of “Willa Vincitore and Company,” which rotates and changes based on each individual performance’s spin, can be stripped bare or piled high, but always features exceptional musicians.

Arrowood Farms

Arrowood Farms is a farmhouse, brewery, and distillery all wrapped into one. Arrowood grows their own hops, grains, rare and heirloom produce, and other native ingredients that bring purity and distinction to their beverages. Arrowood even has their own apary where the bees do the most important work here. They pollinate the gardens and, in the process, supply the one-of-a-kind house culture that defines Arrowood Farms beer and spirits.