Appalachian Folk Musician Elizabeth LaPrelle to Perform with Pittsburgh’s Wake Robin

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An evening of traditional mountain ballads and three-part harmonies comes to the Undercroft Gallery on Sunday, Oct. 25.

Songspace Gallery will host celebrated traditional folk artist Elizabeth LaPrelle for an evening of old-time Appalachian music on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Joining the bill as special guests are the acclaimed local acoustic trio Wake Robin.

The performance will take place downstairs in the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh’s Undercroft Gallery, offering a setting well-suited to the deep storytelling roots of American traditional music.

Raised in Rural Retreat, Virginia, LaPrelle has spent more than two decades preserving and interpreting the vocal traditions of the Appalachian Mountains. She began performing traditional ballads and old-time songs at age eleven, learning classic singing techniques and harmonies alongside her family while traveling the circuit of regional fiddlers’ conventions.

Her clear, resonant vocal style and deep reverence for historic material brought early recognition from masters of the tradition, including Ginny Hawker and National Heritage Fellow Sheila Kay Adams. Over the course of her career, LaPrelle has earned international acclaim for breathing new vitality into centuries-old murder ballads, hymns, and mountain laments while honoring the lineage from which they emerged.

Sharing the stage is Wake Robin, a Pittsburgh-based folk outfit featuring musicians Hannah Standiford, Judy Swanson, and Annick Odom. Grounded in close-harmony singing, the ensemble draws inspiration from early bluegrass, mid-century folk revival arrangements, and traditional mountain fiddle tunes, weaving those archival influences together with their own original compositions.

Admission will be collected via donation at the door, with a suggested contribution of $20. In keeping with the spirit of community accessibility, attendees are invited to pay what they can to support traveling artists and sustain independent live music in Pittsburgh.

Event Details

  • Event: Elizabeth LaPrelle with special guests Wake Robin
  • Date & Time: Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
  • Location: Undercroft Gallery (Downstairs), First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, 605 Morewood Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
  • Admission: At the door; $20 suggested donation (pay-what-you-can)
  • Artist Info: elizabethlaprelle.com | wakerobin.bandcamp.com