Last June, we lost The Vanaver Caravan cofounder William “Bill” Vanaver, one of the Hudson Valley’s most active and widely loved personalities. On September 14, to honor the legacy and music of the late musician, folklorist, and teacher, the Ulster County Performing Arts Center (UPAC) will host “A Life in Song: A Tribute to Bill Vanaver in Song and Dance.”
Some heavy regional names from among many Vavanver’s friends and fans in the folk, pop, and world music realms are set to appear at the Sunday afternoon concert. Scheduled to perform are Natalie Merchant, Tom Chapin, Guy Davis, David Amram, Cole Quest and the City Pickers, Brenda Buffalino, Matoaka Little Eagle, Ramona Staffeld, Joel Hanna, and others.
All proceeds from the event will go to the newly formed Bill Vanver Memorial Fund, whose mission is to “ensure that his songs—and the songs of future keepers of tradition—continue to be heard.” The incentives of the legacy funded effort include the creation of new works and world-class touring performances (including Vanaver’s “America in Motion” and “The Nine Muses”); preserving and sharing Vanaver’s vast archive of original and traditional music; bringing world music and folk traditions into schools and community programs; supporting international collaborations and cultural exchange; providing scholarships for young musicians and dancers; and fostering intergenerational mentorship in the performing arts.
Despite his departure from the earthly realm, perhaps Bill Vanaver still has a thing or two teach us. In addition to his love of the arts and the power of connection via shared folk traditions, he embraced the ongoing process of discovery, of constantly learning and enriching ourselves intellectually as well as emotionally. “Not knowing is the best place to be,” he told Chronogram in 2007. “I think it’s the whole point of spirituality, and it’s the whole point of science, even though we think of science and spirituality as being so different.”
“A Life in Song: A Tribute to Bill Vanaver in Song and Dance” will take place at UPAC in Kingston on September 14 at 4pm. Tickets are $45-$150.
This article appears in September 2025.
