Jeff Ray

The Roots & Resophonics 4th Sundays series welcomes a rare double bill on Sunday, March 22 at 4pm, as Grammy‑winning guitarist Mike Dowling joins Minneapolis resonator stylist Jeff Ray at the Midway Saloon in St. Paul. Dowling’s storied journey—from early mentorships with Joe Venuti, Jethro Burns, and Vassar Clements to Nashville sessions, global touring, acclaimed teaching, and his signature National El Trovador guitars—has made him one of the most respected voices in American acoustic music. Ray, the series presenter, brings his own boundary‑crossing approach to slide guitar, blending country blues, fingerstyle folk, and subtle Carnatic influences into performances that feel both intimate and exploratory.