ROBERT LESTER FOLSOM
Robert Lester Folsom appears with Liz Cooper in a Songbyrd and U+N Booking presentation celebrating Folsom’s archival recordings. The performance is tied to *Sunshine Only Sometimes: Archives Vol. 2, 1972–1975*, a collection of southern folk rock, psychedelic pop, country, and singer-songwriter recordings made in Georgia during the first half of the 1970s.
Folsom, who grew up in Adel, Georgia, began making music after discovering the Beatles and trading a children’s record player for a battered guitar. He later became a home-recording producer and arranger, using a Sears 3440 two-track reel-to-reel recorder and improvised overdubbing techniques to document neighborhood musicians, classmates, family members, and collaborators including guitarist Hans VanBrackle. Those sessions, recorded in bedrooms, a barn, a motel room, and other unconventional locations, yielded the material collected on *Ode to a Rainy Day* and *Sunshine Only Sometimes*, as well as eventually contributing to the formation of his progressive southern rock group Abacus.
The archival recordings reveal a wide-ranging sound that moves between mellow folk, rural country, psychedelic pop, downcast moods, and alternate-timeline classic rock. The page cites “Ease My Mind,” “Julie,” and “Lonely Lovers” as examples of the collection’s melodic, country-blues, and psychedelic character. Folsom’s later album *Music and Dreams*, originally released in 1976 and reissued by Anthology Recordings in 2010, brought a smoother West Coast and Laurel Canyon-influenced style to his songwriting. The archival release documents the earlier, more exploratory period of his work and the collaborative spirit that shaped it.
Liz Cooper supports the performance. The Vermont-based singer-songwriter’s album *New Day* grew out of a period of personal change that included moving to New York, living through the pandemic, coming out, and experiencing a first queer relationship and breakup. The record marks a shift toward psychedelic pop and away from the Americana and guitar-player labels Cooper had previously been associated with. She recorded demos alone in her apartment, took on production responsibilities for the first time, and worked with co-producer Dan Molad to create new textures using synthesizers, guitar effects, amplifier feedback, and experimental recording techniques.
When: October 8, 2026
Showtime: 7:00 PM
Doors: 7:00 PM
Tickets: $25 / $30
Lineup: Robert Lester Folsom with Liz Cooper
Ages: All ages
Genres: Country, folk, and singer-songwriter
Venue: Songbyrd Music House
Address: 540 Penn Street NE, Washington, DC
Organizer: Unregistered Nurse Booking, an independent booking company founded in Baltimore in 2009 that promotes curated events and tours and serves as a talent buyer for Songbyrd and other venues.
Event type: Concert