Singer-songwriter behind “Sleeves Up” returns for an evening of music and community

BISHOP HILL, Ill. – Crys Matthews, whose “Sleeves Up” received Song of the Year at the 2026 International Folk Music Awards, will return to Bishop Hill Creative Commons on Wednesday, November 18, 2026. Crossroads Cultural Connections will present the 7 p.m. concert at 309 N. Bishop Hill Street, preceded by an optional potluck and social hour at 6 p.m.

Matthews' music draws on country, folk, blues, bluegrass and Americana. Her album Reclamation asks a question that reaches beyond musical categories: What does it mean to claim the traditions that helped make a person who they are? For Matthews, a North Carolina-raised preacher's daughter now based in Nashville, the answer includes her Southern upbringing, faith, and experiences as a Black lesbian.

The idea took shape after a discussion at Folk Alliance International in 2024 prompted her to think about music in terms of a person's own tradition. Recorded at Nashville's Sound Emporium Studios and produced by Levi Lowry, Reclamation explores belonging and the place of Black and LGBTQ people within country music, faith communities and the South. The album was also nominated for Album of the Year at the 2026 International Folk Music Awards.

The recognition follows an earlier Song of the Year award for “Changemakers” at the 2022 ceremony. Matthews first earned the grand prize in the NewSong Singer-Songwriter Competition in 2017, leading to the recording of These Old Hands with producer Gar Ragland. Her subsequent appearances have included the Kennedy Center, Kerrville Folk Festival and Sundance Film Festival.

In a 2024 conversation and live session with Nashville Public Radio, Matthews discussed everyday life and love alongside subjects including immigration and gun safety, and the challenge of making difficult issues approachable through music. The Bishop Hill concert gives listeners a chance to meet that work in a room where the words can be heard and the experience can be shared with neighbors.

The Commons' invitation includes time together before the music. Guests may bring a dish for the optional 6 p.m. potluck or arrive for the 7 p.m. concert. All times are Central. The event welcomes all ages, with a suggested donation of $20–30.

Reservations: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crys-matthews-bishop-hill-il-tickets-1996441708894

Presented by Crossroads Cultural Connections, this concert continues the organization's mission of bringing meaningful, high-quality live music experiences to Henry County and surrounding communities.

Contact:
John Taylor
john.r.taylor@gmail.com
(309) 299-4999