{"id":3319,"date":"2024-03-19T13:10:07","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T17:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montgomerymag.com\/?p=3319"},"modified":"2024-03-19T13:10:07","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T17:10:07","slug":"cheryl-kagans-other-passion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montgomerymag.com\/cheryl-kagans-other-passion\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheryl Kagan\u2019s Other Passion"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
State Sen. Cheryl Kagan, center, with musicians Lena and Sanford Markley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The state senator finds solace from politics in promoting contemporary folk music.<\/em>
\nArticle and Photos By Susan C. Ingram<\/em><\/p>\n

On a bright and balmy Sunday afternoon, a steady stream of folk music fans pour into Hank Dietle\u2019s Tavern, the legendary Rockville roadhouse that rose from the ashes following a Valentine\u2019s Day fire in 2018.<\/p>\n

The tavern\u2019s colorful tables and chairs fill quickly as patrons gather, chatting and bellying up to the bar, anticipating a concert by local brother-sister folk duo Lena & Sanford Markley.<\/p>\n

Among the crowd, cheerfully greeting acquaintances, colleagues and her long-time friends the Markleys, is Cheryl C. Kagan, a Maryland state senator who has represented Gaithersburg and Rockville since 2015.<\/p>\n

As the Markleys take to the stage, the crowd quiets and music fills the room. Sanford\u2019s guitar and the duo\u2019s close harmonies seem a relaxing balm. Perched on a bar stool, guitar-pick earrings bopping to the beat, Kagan, all smiles, sways while enjoying a sandwich and a local brew. (As with folk music, she is a passionate proponent of local brewers.)<\/p>\n

The folk music scene is a self-drawn district for Kagan, 62. She says she is in her element here, enjoying the freedom to relax and listen, without having to work the crowd as she would at a political event.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe music world is an enormous part of my life,\u201d Kagan says. \u201cIt\u2019s a respite for me. It\u2019s one of the ways I get off the grid from the craziness that can be politics today.\u201d
\nSinging along to the Markleys\u2019 set list, which includes folk standards and originals, a theme emerges through the titles: \u201cThe Times They Are A Changin\u2019,\u201d \u201cAlways Be Humble and Kind,\u201d \u201cCome Together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meeting social issues of the time head-on is a thread running through Kagan\u2019s political and nonprofit careers and into her involvement and care for Montgomery County\u2019s folk music community and its many, and varied, musicians. While being humble and kind in bringing people together through music seems an absolute mission \u2014 including introducing newcomers, who may not initially be interested in the folk scene.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople have a certain view of what folk music is,\u201d Kagan says. \u201cThey think it\u2019s old stuff. Folk music today is contemporary singer-songwriters. Some of the performers, whose music I adore, are about social change and social activism. But that\u2019s just a portion of it. They also write about everything else \u2014 love and joy and friendship and work. This is not all world peace and climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Helping musicians<\/strong><\/p>\n

Singer Lena Markley knows just how Kagan has so successfully combined politics and music. A graphic designer for more than 35 years, as well as a professional folk music performer, Markley produces much of the print graphic design work for Kagan\u2019s music and political efforts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI initially knew her through folk music, and she was really supportive of our music.\u201d Markley says. \u201cI\u2019m aligned with her politically all the way. She\u2019s on the side of issues that I care about. And she works really hard, always. Cheryl\u2019s been amazing in helping musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of her helping musicians includes unionizing her house concert series, which she launched in 2003. That way musicians received retirement contributions, even when performing in Kagan\u2019s living room.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the reasons I unionized was because too many singer-songwriters have no retirement benefits. No retirement income.\u201d Kagan says. \u201cAnd they didn\u2019t used to necessarily have health insurance before Obamacare. Helping support their retirement was really important to me. So I made a pension payment on behalf of anyone who played my house concert series who was a member of Local 1000 of the American Federation of Musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dietle\u2019s co-owner Sarah Bonner (a vintage harmony singer), along with co-owners Tommy Bowes (her drummer husband) and Alan Kresse (a photographer), have been affiliated with the tavern since Bowes started booking music there in 2015.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s super-important what Cheryl is doing. I would be very interested in expanding what we\u2019re doing in the folk area,\u201d Bonner says, in between checking in concert-goers. \u201cWe\u2019re completely delighted to have Lena and Sanford here today. I went to high school with them!\u201d<\/p>\n

Folk \u2018N Great Music<\/strong><\/p>\n

Known around town not only for her work as a senator, former state delegate and nonprofit leader, Kagan has been a die-hard fan and promoter of folk music and musicians for 20 years.<\/p>\n

When Kagan launched her Folk \u2018N Great Music house concert series in 2003, she mounted three concerts in her Rockville home. Over the years, she produced four, five or sometimes six concerts a year. For her 10th season in 2013, she offered eight.<\/p>\n

Growing up in Montgomery County, music was a part of her life. By the time she got to Vassar College, Kagan was on the airwaves, promoting one of her favorite musical genres.
\n\u201cI had a radio show with Broadway musicals, called \u2018Curtain Call with Cheryl Kagan\u2019,\u201d she recalled. \u201cBroadway musicals have always been a love.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it was early in her political career, when she crossed paths with then-Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Maine), that she dipped her toe into folk music waters, and eventually dove in.<\/p>\n

\u201cSen. Mitchell allowed us to honor him at a gala that I was organizing for a national organization where I was executive director,\u201d Kagan says. \u201cOne of his conditions was that we bring down his favorite band, a trio from Maine, called Schooner Fare.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kagan got a cassette tape and listened and, she remembers, \u201cThat was the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to see them at Wolf Trap, and I went to a folk festival. Over the years I dated musicians and ended up meeting my [former] husband through music. I started my house concert series because I wanted to give back to the community that has brought me such joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u2018UnNaugurals\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Politics and music stayed in separate worlds until Donald Trump was elected president.
\n\u201cWhen Donald Trump was elected, I came up with the idea of creating, hosting, producing and emceeing an \u2018unnaugural\u2019 on the night of the inaugural ball,\u201d Kagan says. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the coolest things I\u2019ve ever done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kagan chose five progressive causes she deemed among the most vulnerable during a Trump administration, selling out Montgomery College\u2019s 500-seat Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring for the Jan. 20, 2017, event.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe raised money for Planned Parenthood, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the ACLU, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the League of Conservation Voters. It was really extraordinary,\u201d Kagan says. \u201cA little bit of a Field of Dreams idea; if you build it, they will come.<\/p>\n

The concert gave Democrats the opportunity to do something fun, to celebrate and gather together at a time when rich Republican Trump supporters were getting in their limousines with their tuxedos and gowns to go to inaugural balls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kagan initially considered that concert a one-off, but found people calling for more of the \u201cPlaying it Forward: Voices for Social Justice\u201d concerts. Each year Trump was in office, she brought together folk performers, raising tens of thousands of dollars for progressive causes, including climate change, immigration, hunger, health care, sexual assault, affordable housing, domestic violence, pollution, poverty and suicide prevention.<\/p>\n

The first concert featured Sweet Honey in the Rock, Emma\u2019s Revolution, Brother Sun, Josh White Jr. and Tret Fure, raising more than $60,000.<\/p>\n

Kagan says she had avoided mixing music and politics for years. In 2020, a live, virtual birthday concert benefited her political campaign and community outreach efforts. There was a cavalcade of folk music performers she has known over the years, interspersed with remarks from colleagues and political leaders, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D).<\/p>\n

Keeping the culture alive<\/strong><\/p>\n

Back at Hank Dietle\u2019s, general manager Gina Cocco (a bass player) is busy behind the bar and serving food. She says music promoters and supporters like Kagan and venues like Dietle\u2019s are invaluable to the music community.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially after COVID, it was tough to bring [live music] back. So it\u2019s really important to keep musicians working,\u201d she says. \u201cThere are so many full-time musicians in the area, and providing a good space for them to perform is important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Co-owner Bonner says the tavern books singer-songwriters at least once or twice a month.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a gal who does \u2018Local Cream\u2019 on the first Wednesday of every month, which is all singer-songwriters,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd we have SAW, the Songwriters\u2019 Association of Washington. They come in about once a month and bring in a bunch of songwriters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through her house concerts, her UnNaugural concerts and all the ways in which Kagan supports, promotes and introduces folk music to new audiences, she helps keep a local music culture alive and vital.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just enjoy talented singer-songwriters,\u201d she says. \u201cThese singer-songwriters are super-talented. Just because they\u2019re playing in my living room in Rockville doesn\u2019t mean that they\u2019re not unbelievably brilliant writers and guitarists or keyboardists and singers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have found over the years that if I can get somebody to come to just one house concert, I watch their eyes light up. I watch the light bulb go on,\u201d she adds. \u201cThey discover how much they enjoy it, and they come back over and over and over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Susan C. Ingram is a freelance writer.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The state senator finds solace from politics in promoting contemporary folk music. Article and Photos By Susan C. Ingram On a bright and balmy Sunday afternoon, a steady stream of folk music fans pour into Hank Dietle\u2019s Tavern, the legendary Rockville roadhouse that rose from the ashes following a Valentine\u2019s Day fire in 2018. 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