Musician for Hire
Jack DesBois
Singer ~ Guitarist ~ Storyteller
Scroll Down for: I. Introduction; II. Album; III. Repertoire; IV. Enrichment Programs; V. Classical Singing; VI. Testimonials; VII. Videos; VIII. Selected Resume; IX Contact
I. Introduction
Singer-Storyteller Jack DesBois is a solo folk musician offering a mix of music inspired by the traditional folk songs of the British Isles and America. Jack brings his classically trained bass voice and self-trained acoustic strumming to an uplifting mix of original songs, folk-rock covers, calypso favorites, Christian songs, Folk Revival classics, old songs from the early New England settlers, and ancient ballads from across the sea.
Jack is available to play at farms, farmers markets, cafes, pubs, and special events such as conferences, weddings, and parties. Based on the North Shore of Massachusetts, his local range extends north to southern Maine, south to Boston, and west to central Massachusetts.
As an educator, Jack offers performance-based educational enrichment programs to schools, homeschool groups, historical societies, and other organizations. He has created programs on the songs of Shakespeare’s plays and the traditional music of New England. Jack is also a solo vocalist specializing in oratorio and church music, and he teaches private voice lessons.
Contact Jack at [email protected] or (landline) 978-887-3133, or through this contact form.
Jack is available to play at farms, farmers markets, cafes, pubs, and special events such as conferences, weddings, and parties. Based on the North Shore of Massachusetts, his local range extends north to southern Maine, south to Boston, and west to central Massachusetts.
As an educator, Jack offers performance-based educational enrichment programs to schools, homeschool groups, historical societies, and other organizations. He has created programs on the songs of Shakespeare’s plays and the traditional music of New England. Jack is also a solo vocalist specializing in oratorio and church music, and he teaches private voice lessons.
Contact Jack at [email protected] or (landline) 978-887-3133, or through this contact form.
II. Album
A sampling of songs from Jack's album "My Brother, My Sister, My Kin." For more videos, including full songs, click here and scroll down the page.
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Announcing Jack’s debut album (released October 2024):
My Brother, My Sister, My KinA selection of traditional English, Celtic, and American folk songs;
Christian songs and hymns; and originals for solo voice and guitar. |
Listen to the Album!
My Brother, My Sister, My Kin is available for streaming on Spotify, YouTube, and other online streaming services.
You can also listen to the first three tracks on the album right here:
You can also listen to the first three tracks on the album right here:
1. Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal (F.R. Warren / William Walker)
2. English Medley (Traditional English)
3. Lost Song (Jack DesBois)
III. Repertoire
Jack’s Repertoire for Folk Music Gigs
1. Adam & Eve (trad. New England)
2. Amazing Grace (hymn)
3. Be Thou My Vision (hymn)
4. Benediction for the Sick and Suffering (original)
5. Blackbird (The Beatles)
6. Bonniekell Rise (Van Reid/original)
7. Carrion Crow (trad. English)
8. Charlie and the MTA (The Kingston Trio)
9. The Cherry Tree Carol (trad. English)
10. Detectorists (Johnny Flynn)
11. Dolly Dawn (Harry Belafonte)
12. Down By the Salley Gardens (trad. Irish)
13. Edelweiss (from “The Sound of Music”)
14. 500 Miles (trad. American)
15. The Fox (trad. English)
16. Gold (from “Once”)
17. God Bless America (Irving Berlin)
18. Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal (hymn)
19. Health to the Company (trad. Irish)
20. I Do, Don’t You? (trad. African American spiritual)
21. If I Had Words (Fitzgerald & Keeley)
22. Into White (Cat Stevens)
23. It Was a Lover and His Lass (William Shakespeare)
24. Jamaica Farewell (Harry Belafonte)
25. Jehovah, Hallelujah (Harry Belafonte)
26. Johnny Sands (trad. New England)
27. Lagan Love (trad. Irish)
28. Le Voyageur (trad. Quebecois)
29. The Liberty Tree (Thomas Paine/original)
30. Life With You (The Proclaimers)
31. The Line (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn/original)
32. Lord of the Dance (Sydney Carter)
33. Lost Song (original)
34. The Lumberman’s Alphabet (trad. New England)
35. Miles from Nowhere (Cat Stevens)
36. Moonshadow (Cat Stevens)
37. Nocturne (original)
38. O Mistress Mine (William Shakespeare)
39. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (from “Oklahoma!”)
40. Old Bangum (trad. English)
41. Un Petit Sauvage (trad. Quebecois)
42. Pretty Saro (trad. Appalachian)
43. Scarborough Fair (trad. English)
44. Scarborough Fair, ver.2 (trad. English)
45. She Moved Through the Fair (trad. Irish)
46. Simple Song of Freedom (Bobby Darin)
47. The Snow It Melts the Soonest (trad. English)
48. Try to Remember (from “The Fantasticks”)
49. A Vagabond Song (Bliss Carman/original)
50. Waking Up (original)
51. The Water (Johnny Flynn)
52. Wexford Lullaby (John Renbourn)
53. Wild Mountain Thyme (trad. Scottish)
1. Adam & Eve (trad. New England)
2. Amazing Grace (hymn)
3. Be Thou My Vision (hymn)
4. Benediction for the Sick and Suffering (original)
5. Blackbird (The Beatles)
6. Bonniekell Rise (Van Reid/original)
7. Carrion Crow (trad. English)
8. Charlie and the MTA (The Kingston Trio)
9. The Cherry Tree Carol (trad. English)
10. Detectorists (Johnny Flynn)
11. Dolly Dawn (Harry Belafonte)
12. Down By the Salley Gardens (trad. Irish)
13. Edelweiss (from “The Sound of Music”)
14. 500 Miles (trad. American)
15. The Fox (trad. English)
16. Gold (from “Once”)
17. God Bless America (Irving Berlin)
18. Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal (hymn)
19. Health to the Company (trad. Irish)
20. I Do, Don’t You? (trad. African American spiritual)
21. If I Had Words (Fitzgerald & Keeley)
22. Into White (Cat Stevens)
23. It Was a Lover and His Lass (William Shakespeare)
24. Jamaica Farewell (Harry Belafonte)
25. Jehovah, Hallelujah (Harry Belafonte)
26. Johnny Sands (trad. New England)
27. Lagan Love (trad. Irish)
28. Le Voyageur (trad. Quebecois)
29. The Liberty Tree (Thomas Paine/original)
30. Life With You (The Proclaimers)
31. The Line (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn/original)
32. Lord of the Dance (Sydney Carter)
33. Lost Song (original)
34. The Lumberman’s Alphabet (trad. New England)
35. Miles from Nowhere (Cat Stevens)
36. Moonshadow (Cat Stevens)
37. Nocturne (original)
38. O Mistress Mine (William Shakespeare)
39. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (from “Oklahoma!”)
40. Old Bangum (trad. English)
41. Un Petit Sauvage (trad. Quebecois)
42. Pretty Saro (trad. Appalachian)
43. Scarborough Fair (trad. English)
44. Scarborough Fair, ver.2 (trad. English)
45. She Moved Through the Fair (trad. Irish)
46. Simple Song of Freedom (Bobby Darin)
47. The Snow It Melts the Soonest (trad. English)
48. Try to Remember (from “The Fantasticks”)
49. A Vagabond Song (Bliss Carman/original)
50. Waking Up (original)
51. The Water (Johnny Flynn)
52. Wexford Lullaby (John Renbourn)
53. Wild Mountain Thyme (trad. Scottish)
IV. Educational Enrichment Programs
Entertaining performances to ignite the imagination, expand the mind, and nourish the spirit.
Click on an image to learn more, or visit www.desboistutoring.org/v-enrichment to find out about all of DesBois Tutoring & Enrichment's programming.
Click on an image to learn more, or visit www.desboistutoring.org/v-enrichment to find out about all of DesBois Tutoring & Enrichment's programming.
V is the Valley
A Concert/Conversation featuring Vermont folk songs from the Helen Hartness Flanders Ballad Collection. |
Shakespeare's SongsA concert-lecture of the songs of the Bard's plays: "If music be the food of love, play on!" |
The Western StarAn epic poem, with songs, in celebration of the season of Epiphany and the return of the light. |
V. Classical Singing
Selected Classical Music Performance Credits:
~ Art Song concerts of Gerald Finzi’s Let Us Garlands Bring and Johannes Brahms’s Vier ernste Gesange song cycles
~ Professional solos in G.F. Handel’s Messiah (Bass) and Esther (Haman) and J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion (Jesus)
~ Church solo performances of arias from J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion
~ Art Song concerts of Gerald Finzi’s Let Us Garlands Bring and Johannes Brahms’s Vier ernste Gesange song cycles
~ Professional solos in G.F. Handel’s Messiah (Bass) and Esther (Haman) and J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion (Jesus)
~ Church solo performances of arias from J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion
Jack offers private lessons in classical singing technique. Click here to learn more.
VI. Testimonials
“The feedback we received from our attendees was overwhelmingly positive; many expressed how Jack's performance elevated the entire conference experience.”
—Michelle Orfanos, Back to Basics Conference, Waltham, MA
“A breath of fresh air!”
—Ben Bergstein, Vermont Performing Arts League
“Jack has a unique voice, reminiscent of legendary artists such as Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, and Pete Seeger. His tone is truly one-of-a-kind, and his rendition of the National Anthem was nothing short of breathtaking.”
—Joanne Peters, Back to Basics Conference, Waltham, MA
“The story of the Magi is an old one, but DesBois’ unique and skillful approach makes it come alive in new ways. His voice is strong and true, his interaction with his audience brings those present skillfully into his tale, and his lovely music and singing voice touches chords at the deepest level.”
—Peggy Bonesteel, St James Episcopal Church, Essex, VT
—Michelle Orfanos, Back to Basics Conference, Waltham, MA
“A breath of fresh air!”
—Ben Bergstein, Vermont Performing Arts League
“Jack has a unique voice, reminiscent of legendary artists such as Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, and Pete Seeger. His tone is truly one-of-a-kind, and his rendition of the National Anthem was nothing short of breathtaking.”
—Joanne Peters, Back to Basics Conference, Waltham, MA
“The story of the Magi is an old one, but DesBois’ unique and skillful approach makes it come alive in new ways. His voice is strong and true, his interaction with his audience brings those present skillfully into his tale, and his lovely music and singing voice touches chords at the deepest level.”
—Peggy Bonesteel, St James Episcopal Church, Essex, VT
VII. Videos
A sampling of songs from Jack's album "My Brother, My Sister, My Kin." See videos of full songs below:
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A sampling of songs from Jack's folk repertoire. For more videos, including full songs, click here.
VIII. Selected Resume
Selected Resume
Education:
2018-19: MLitt Shakespeare & Performance candidate, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA (did not finish; withdrew after 1 year); GPA: 3.86
2012-16: BA Music, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT; summa cum laude; GPA: 3.91
2011-12: BA candidate, Yale University, New Haven, CT (transferred after 1 year); GPA: 3.71
Performing Arts Employment:
March 2016–Present: Self-Employed Musician, Middlebury, VT, and Topsfield, MA
• Classically trained bass voice; professional credits in opera, oratorio, musical theatre, churches
• Folk acoustic guitar; perform live at farms, farmers markets, conferences, cafes
• Organize and lead Sunday musical worship at a small house church
• 2024 solo album “My Brother, My Sister, My Kin,” available to listen at jackdesbois.com/apct
August 2020–Present: Dir. of Educational Enrichment, DesBois Tutoring & Enrichment, Topsfield, MA
• Co-founded an academic tutoring and educational enrichment service, offering educational enrichment programs for schools, homeschool groups, and organizations
• Develop, produce, and perform educational enrichment programs
September 2015–March 2020: Teaching Artist, Courageous Stage and Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, VT
• Co-led school residencies, teaching performance and literacy skills; each residency culminated in the production of a Shakespeare play with about 100 student performers in grades 3–6
• Taught week-long and month-long camps for students ages 7–21 in theatre and musical theatre
September 2015–July 2019: Activity Leader, Activities Coordinator, Elderly Services, Inc., Middlebury, VT
• Led music and performance enrichment activities at an elder day center
• Assisted the Activities Director in creating and implementing a monthly calendar of activities
• Worked with volunteer presenters and entertainers, providing tech and program development support
Education:
2018-19: MLitt Shakespeare & Performance candidate, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA (did not finish; withdrew after 1 year); GPA: 3.86
2012-16: BA Music, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT; summa cum laude; GPA: 3.91
2011-12: BA candidate, Yale University, New Haven, CT (transferred after 1 year); GPA: 3.71
Performing Arts Employment:
March 2016–Present: Self-Employed Musician, Middlebury, VT, and Topsfield, MA
• Classically trained bass voice; professional credits in opera, oratorio, musical theatre, churches
• Folk acoustic guitar; perform live at farms, farmers markets, conferences, cafes
• Organize and lead Sunday musical worship at a small house church
• 2024 solo album “My Brother, My Sister, My Kin,” available to listen at jackdesbois.com/apct
August 2020–Present: Dir. of Educational Enrichment, DesBois Tutoring & Enrichment, Topsfield, MA
• Co-founded an academic tutoring and educational enrichment service, offering educational enrichment programs for schools, homeschool groups, and organizations
• Develop, produce, and perform educational enrichment programs
September 2015–March 2020: Teaching Artist, Courageous Stage and Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, VT
• Co-led school residencies, teaching performance and literacy skills; each residency culminated in the production of a Shakespeare play with about 100 student performers in grades 3–6
• Taught week-long and month-long camps for students ages 7–21 in theatre and musical theatre
September 2015–July 2019: Activity Leader, Activities Coordinator, Elderly Services, Inc., Middlebury, VT
• Led music and performance enrichment activities at an elder day center
• Assisted the Activities Director in creating and implementing a monthly calendar of activities
• Worked with volunteer presenters and entertainers, providing tech and program development support
View a PDF of Jack's full resume here (updated March 25, 2025):
IX. Contact
Thank you for reading, listening, and watching! Please contact Jack at (landline) 978-887-3133, [email protected], or by clicking the button below:
