By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Livingston Taylor
Livingston Taylor has a lot of musical talent – and a knack for longevity.
Taylor is a singer-songwriter who made his first album 55 years ago and has released more than 20 more LPs since then.
Taylor has a long history of touring internationally over the last five decades.
Two of his favorite annual destinations over the years have been the Sellersville Theater in Bucks County in the winter and the Bryn Mawr Twilight music series along the Main Line in the summer.
This weekend, Taylor will make his yearly trek from New England to this area for a show on January 8 at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, www.st94.com).
“I keep touring and doing shows and I’m coming down your way this Saturday,” said Taylor, during a phone interview Tuesday from his home in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
“I’ve played the Sellersville Theater about 10 times. It’s one of my favorite places to play. It has a wonderful feel. Alex Radus is opening for me. He does a good job.”
Alex Radus is hailed as a “versatile crooner” (UMC Nashville) and “skillful fretman” (Morning Call), but his songwriting takes center stage. Known affectionately for his unique brand of “genre whiplash,” Radus pairs whimsical and poignant storytelling with an eclectic mix of Americana, swing, blues, folk and more.
In 2019, American Public television filmed and released “Livingston Taylor Live from Sellersville Theater: Songs and Stories” which broadcast across PBS stations nationally and featured Matt Cusson and Chelsea Berry, both former students and touring musicians.
“I do about 60 shows a year. I play regularly. I like to work,” said Taylor.
Taylor has a new project for 2026.
“Cartoonist Andy Heyward from Kartoon Studios in L.A. is re-doing ‘Winnie the Pooh and got in touch with me last year,” said Taylor. “They made me the voice of Winnie the Pooh.”
Kartoon Studios is developing a slate of original content under the brand Hundred Acre Wood®: Winnie and Friends™, inspired by the beloved classic stories of A.A. Milne. This new series invites viewers into a timeless world filled with kindness, friendship, gentle wisdom, and playful humor.
Created as a respite from the frenetic pace of modern life, the Hundred Acre Wood is a welcoming haven—where children can slow down, breathe deeply, explore freely, and discover at their own pace. Each episode celebrates positivity, laughter, uplifting music, and the pure joy of childhood.
“We’ve already started working on it,” said Taylor. “I have a bunch of scripts – short 10-minute cartoons. I have re-read most of the original ‘Winnie the Pooh.’ That’s been fun to do.
“I’ve been hired to be me. It’s very soft and gentle. It’s for young children. There are all the regular characters and a female character to make it more current.”
Taylor has always kept himself busy with a variety of projects.
“I’m on my way to London in mid-March to record a Big Band record at Abbey Road,” said Taylor.
Taylor also headed to London to record his previous album, “Symphonic Steps” with the BBC Concert Orchestra. It was released January 24, 2025.
“Symphonic Steps” was recorded live at the BBC’s renowned Maida Vale studio in London with music arranged and conducted by the Tony Award®-winning and GRAMMY®-nominated Bill Elliott.
“For the Big Band album, I’ll be working again with my good friend Bill Elliott,” said Taylor. “I approached Bill to do the album with me.
“He’s an arranger who did a great job orchestrating my symphonic album.”
Taylor is a natural performer, peppering his shows with personal stories, anecdotes and ineffable warmth that connect him to his fans.
His relaxed on-stage presence belies the depth of his musical knowledge, and fans might just as often be treated to a classic Gershwin or something from the best of Broadway.
“In my live shows, I do speak about the songs – who wrote them…why they wrote them,” said Taylor.
“It’s always about the idea of making a song – making an experience. I speak about myself – but only in reference to the music not me. A life well-lived is boring.”
Taylor picked up his first guitar at the age of 13, which began a 50-year career that has encompassed performance, songwriting, and teaching. Born in Boston and raised in North Carolina, Livingston is the fourth child in a very musical family that includes Alex, James, Kate, and Hugh.
Livingston recorded his first record at the age of 18 and has continued to create well-crafted, introspective, and original songs that have earned him listeners worldwide.
“I really like to play and see my music brought to people,” said Taylor. “My first show when I knew my music worked was when I was opening for Joni Mitchell at Boston University in 1969. I was third on the bill behind Joni and Jaime Brockett.
“Jaime had played, and the audience was anxious to hear Joni. In my 20 minutes, I was able to win the audience over. The only thing in my mind was that this works. This was before I started recording. I was writing a lot of songs and testing them to see if it works.”
More than a half-century later, it’s obvious that it has worked.
From Top 40 hits “I Will Be in Love with You” and “I’ll Come Running,” to “I Can Dream of You” and “Boatman,” the last two recorded by his brother James, Taylor’s creative output has continued unabated.
His musical knowledge has inspired a varied repertoire, and he is equally at home with a range of musical genres — folk, pop, gospel, jazz — and from upbeat storytelling and touching ballads to full orchestra performances.
Taylor was a full professor at Berklee College of Music, where he taught a Stage Performance course since 1989. He taught young artists invaluable lessons learned over the course of an extensive career on the road.
Former students include current Nashville star and Downingtown native Liz Longley, Charlie Puth, John Mayer, Molly Tuttle, Gavin McGraw, Susan Tedesci, Matt Cusson, Grace Kelly, Clay Cook, and Betty Who.
His best-selling book, “Stage Performance,” which was released in 2011, offers those lessons to anyone who is interested in elevating their presentation standards to professional standards.
“Livingston Taylor: Life is Good,” a documentary feature film directed by Tracy Anarella was released in 2018 at national and international film festivals, garnering awards, nominations, and accolades, including The Van Gogh Award for Feature Documentary at the Amsterdam International Film Festival.
Video link for Livington Taylor – https://youtu.be/A7_uXiYcYis.
Video link for Alex Radus — https://youtu.be/g4sN71NH6cY.
The show at the Sellersville Theater on January 8 will start at 8 p.m.
Tickets start at $35.
Ana Popovic
On January 10, the Sellersville Theater will host highly acclaimed international blues artist Ana Popovic.
Popovic, who has built an international reputation as a stellar blues guitarist, has shown an affinity for living “near the water.”
She was born and raised in Beograd (Belgrade), the Serbian capital that is located at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers.
After leaving Serbia, Popovic settled alongside another river — The Amstel in Amsterdam. Her next relocation brought her to the banks of the Mississippi River in Memphis. Now, she lives in Manhattan Beach, California.
Her most recent album is “Dance To The Rhythm,” which was released in late 2025.
“We did a digital release of ‘Dance To The Rhythm’ in September,” said Popovic, during a recent phone interview from her Manhattan Beach home.
“Dance To The Rhythm” was released on October 30 on CD and September 26 via all digital platforms through Electric Heel Records/Amplified Distribution.
“It’s an album of 70’s funk and blues,” said Popovic. “I’ve been touring in support of the album. It’s been exciting.”
“Actually, it’s not just funk. It’s soulful with really different grooves. There is all different stuff including a few dance songs. It’s all over the place. It has a War/Mandrill vibe.
“The first single, ‘Worked Up,’ is a rock song with straight-on rock. There is a gorgeous guitar on ‘Dwell on the Feeling.’ We cover Paul Simon’s ’50 Ways to Leave a Lover.’
“‘Dance to the Rhythm’ is a full-on dance song. ‘California Chase’ is about life in California – about people who came and didn’t make it.
“There are many, many different styles. ‘Soulution’ has a really different groove. And ‘Hurt So Good’ is pop with acoustic blues.”
The bulk of the album was made in Southern California.
“Most of the work was done here in L.A.,” said Popovic. “We did do some pre-work in Detroit and Dallas.
“I have a nice comfortable studio near me – Kona Town Recording –that I can go to when I want.
“I wanted variety. Some of the songs were left over from ‘Power.’ They were supposed to turn up on ‘Power’ but I wanted to let them simmer.”
In May 2023, Popović released “Power,” her first studio album in five years – her first post-COVID album. Her previous album, “Live for Live,” had been released in 2020 as a DVD and a CD.
“The album is called ‘Live for Live’ because we live for playing live,” said Popovic. “We hadn’t played a live show for a year.
“We recorded the album in December in the south of France. We had a six piece band and six cameras. The music had a lot of power and a lot of guitars. We really had the music cooking.
“It was the right time to record. And it was showcase of great players. I have a European band and a band for American shows with different members.”
Popovic’s two most recent albums prior to “Live for Live” were “Trilogy” (2016) and “Like It On Top” (2018).
“‘Trilogy’ was a three CD set,” said Popovic. “‘Volume Three’ was jazz. ‘Volume Two’ was rock and blues. ‘Volume One’ was funk and soul. Every record is different. Every record brings out a new sound.
“My audience is used to that. That’s what they’ve come to expect from me since the beginning of my career – funk, blues, good shuffles.
“The inspiration for ‘Trilogy’ came when my fans would tell me about compilations they made of my songs from different albums. I was able to feature musicians whose strength was in each genre.”
“Trilogy” was produced by Grammy Award winner Warren Riker (Lauryn Hill, Carlos Santana), Grammy Award winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi) and Delfeayo Marsalis, one of the top trombonists, composers and producers in jazz today.
Some of the standout musicians who made guest appearances on the ambitious project were Joe Bonamassa, Robert Randolph, Bernard Purdie (The Purdie Shuffle), Cody Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars), rapper Al Capone and many others.
Serbia was part of Yugoslavia when Popovic was growing up and Communist-controlled Eastern Europe was hardly a place where blues music flourished. But, Popovic didn’t have to go far to hear blues music — it was all around her.
“I grew up with blues music,’ said Popovic. “I had listened to blues music since I was little in my house because my dad was a blues musician. He’d hold jam sessions in our house every week.
“Also, he was playing blues records all the time — albums by artists such as Robert Johnson, Son House, Elmore James, Albert Collins and Bukka White. We also listened to jazz and funk albums too. When I heard Ronnie Earl and T-Bone Walker, I liked the jazz element too.
“I was 15 when I started playing guitar, but I had been involved with the blues for a long time before that. When my dad had his jam sessions, I would be in there singing along with the band. I formed my first band and started performing on my own when I was 18.
“I studied graphic design in Beograd and then started studying jazz at the Conservatory of Music in Amsterdam in 1999. I decided to study jazz so I could create my own style that combined blues and jazz. I wanted to go out and play with people other than those who were totally into blues.
“I didn’t want to just stay in the same place musically. I wanted to get out and not be afraid to swim in a new style. I love to play a variety of styles with respect to each other — rock, jazz, funk and blues.
“I like to look at the guitar as a sound instrument more than just a solo instrument. I like to be different in every song. I love writing about the things that I see and the things that I feel.”
One thing certain about a Popovic concert or album – no song is going to sound exactly like the one that preceded it.
Video link for Ana Popovic – https://youtu.be/0haBO0V3BmY.
The show at the Sellersville Theater on January 10 will start at 8 p.m.
Tickets start at $35.
Other upcoming shows at the Sellersville Theater are Dale Watson and His Lone Stars on January 9 and The Kody Norris Show on January 11.
Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) is hosting “The 2026 Kennett Flash Jazz Jam” on January 8, “A Journey Through Strings and Stories: Hiroya Tsukamoto” on January 9, Dan Ciccone Trio featuring Dave Mattock and Mike Raymond on January 10 and “The Legendary Kennett Flash Open Mic Night” on January 11.
Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) is a place to go if you’re looking for tasty music along with tasty food.
Jamey’s will host Kate Gaffney & Benjamin Chandler on January 8, Rev Chris and Les Garçons Crasseux on January 9, Bees Deluxe on January 10
On January 11 from 1-3 p.m., Jamey’s will present “SUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM” featuring the Girke-Davis Project.
