09/22/2026
The Kennedys release "Smoketree" - their first CD of all new original songs in three years at Jamey's this Friday evening at 8pm. This record is a major addition to their deep body of work and speaks lovingly but with clear eyes to our current world's condition.
"...a simply mesmerizingly cultured and dutifully soulful new recording..." - Exclusive Magazine (July, 2026)
The Kennedys have become dear friends since their introduction by Gene Shay many years ago. We absolutely love them and you will too. Join us for dinner, drinks and a very special night.
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Pete and Maura Kennedy met at The Continental Club in Austin, Texas, in 1992. They first played and sang together a few days later, and, in no time at all, they had written their first song. Their first date was a road trip to Buddy Holly’s grave in west Texas. Pete was a member of Nanci Griffith’s Blue Moon Orchestra at the time. Soon after, Maura filled a vacancy in the band. The duo doubled as Nanci’s opening act, and The Kennedys set off on a lifelong road trip.
As a duo going strong for more than 30 years, The Kennedys have recorded two dozen collections of mostly original songs, along with interesting side projects. The duo’s early albums, beginning in 1995, established them as core artists on the AAA and Americana charts. Despite touring at a rate of 50,000 miles per year right up until the Covid lockdown, they found time for a four-year stint as folk deejays, hosting “The Dharma Café” on Sirius/XM radio. When Covid struck, they didn’t lose their stride, performing over 150 livestreams and playing over 1,000 songs for a global audience.
Nowadays, Pete and Maura are back “home on the road” and busy in the recording studio. Their 2026 release, Smoketree, is the follow-up to the duo’s 2023 release, Headwinds, which spent a month at #1 on the national Folk DJ chart. Smoketree consists of all original, newly written songs that reflect their feelings on things both timely and timeless: environmental concerns, social upheaval as families and entire populations flee violence, the search for peace in the world and peace in one’s heart. All of these are touched upon with their trademark upbeat tone of uplift and encouragement. They are known for bringing the light rather than simply cursing the darkness, and they continue that approach with Smoketree.
Jamey's House of Music
32 S Lansdowne Ave Lansdowne PA 19050
www.jameyshouseofmusic.com
