All-Star Concert at Passim Will Honor Managing Director Matt Smith's 30-Year Legacy

Singer-songwriter Rose Cousins and bassist/bandleader Zachariah Hickman will lead a concert celebrating the 30-year career of Passim Managing Director Matt Smith. The event will take place at Arrow Street Arts as part of the Passim Presents series.

Smith began volunteering at Passim in 1995 and went on to become Managing Director, helping shape the venue’s role as a hub for folk music and emerging artists. Over three decades, he has contributed to more than 11,000 shows and remains involved in day-to-day operations, including running sound for performances.

“Matt is one of the rare people who can hold the history of Passim in one hand and the future of folk music in the other — usually while running the soundboard with his elbow,” said Passim Executive Director Michael Busack. “His influence runs deep through the mission we live every day: nurturing artists, building community, and making the room feel like home.”

Curated by Cousins and Hickman, the concert will feature performances by Ellis Paul, Richard Shindell, Jobi Riccio, Margaret Glaspy, Peter Mulvey, Kris Delmhorst, Rachel Sumner, Kemp Harris, Alisa Amador, Mark Erelli, Pamela Means, Edie Carey, Mercedes Escobar, Sweet Petunia, and Dinty Child. Cousins will host the evening, with all performances backed by a band led by Hickman.

“Matt Smith represents something that has sadly gone out of favor — a venue-runner that prioritizes developing artists,” said Hickman. “For 30 years now, Matt has been tending to the garden of the Boston folk music scene and its many far-reaching tendrils.”

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All-Star Concert at Passim Will Honor Managing Director Matt Smith's 30-Year Legacy

4/15/2026