Songs from the Chesapeake Bay & Beyond

The historic Newtown Theatre will present “Songs from the Chesapeake Bay & Beyond” featuring Janie Meneely and Rob van Sante.

Chesapeake songster Janie Meneely and internationally touring musician Rob van Sante join forces to present a lively brand of largely homespun music from the Chesapeake Bay and the world beyond.

Meneely, born and raised on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, brings her nautical perspective to the world of folk music and storytelling. Her music celebrates the maritime history, characters and traditions of the Bay region, rambling from the raucous ruminations of ne’er-do-well charter captains and myth-busting mermaids to more thoughtful ballads about the people who make a living “working” the water.

Four years ago, she partnered with Dutch-born singer, instrumentalist and fellow sailor Rob van Sante, who lends his knack for melodies and flair for harmony to Meneely’s compositions. Commonly seen performing with the likes of Alan Reid (of The Battlefield Band) or John Conolly (who penned the maritime favorite Fiddler’s Green), Rob draws deep from the well of traditional music, adding his virtuoso guitar as accompaniment to the gems he’s collected during a lifetime performing around the world.

Their album Partners II was released in June 2019.