Joe Jencks will be performing at Oxford's 6 on the Square at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 17. The show will also be the kickoff of 6OTS' Sweet 16 Fund Our Future Campaign, which will raise funds to celebrate their 16-year anniversary and continue 6OTS into future years. (Submitted photo)

OXFORD — 6 On The Square in Oxford turns “Sweet 16” this month, and the venue will celebrate the milestone with a concert from audience favorite Joe Jencks at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 17.

Jencks is a 25-year veteran of the international folk circuit, an award-winning songwriter, and celebrated vocalist based in Chicago. Merging conservatory training with his Irish roots and working-class upbringing, he delivers engaged musical narratives filled with heart, soul, groove and grit.

Having penned several #1 folk songs, including the ever-relevant “Lady of The Harbor,” Jencks is also co-founder of the harmony trio Brother Sun. From festivals like Falcon Ridge, Kerrville, Mariposa and Old Songs to venues like Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, he is noted for his unique merging of musical beauty, social consciousness and spiritual exploration. Blending well-crafted instrumentals and vivid songwriting, Jencks serves it all up with a lyric baritone voice.

In August 2022, Jencks released his 17th recording, “The Coming of the Years,” an album that centered around songs he wrote while on tour in Ireland over a 12-year period. It blends past and present with themes of immigration spanning multiple generations.

In addition to his performance work, Jencks' skills as a vocal harmony arranger are in demand. With over 30 appearances as a guest vocalist and arranger on various studio recordings, he brings a unique rich sound to the work of other artists.

On the stage, in the studio, or in the classroom, Jencks applies conservatory training to contemporary genres, bridging styles and techniques. Drawing on his Irish heritage (as a dual U.S./Irish citizen), he uses his lyrical voice to enchant, heal and inspire. He has won numerous songwriting awards and is also highly regarded as a song interpreter.

Learn more online at joejencks.com.

Tickets for the June 17 show are $25; purchase online at 6onthesquare.org or call 607-843-OTS6 (6876) to make a reservation. Doors open one hour before the start of the performance. The performance also will be streamed live online; more information at 6onthesquare.org.

Masks and COVID-19 vaccinations are strongly encouraged but not required for entry.

This concert is made possible in part by Patocka’s Fine Dining Restaurant in Greene and public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

At this June 17 show, 6OTS will be kicking off our Sweet 16 Fund Our Future Campaign, raising funds to celebrate our 16-year anniversary and continuing 6OTS into the future years.

6 On The Square will hold their Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 15, at 5:30 pm. All are welcome to attend.

6 On The Square will celebrate summer with four free Sunday concerts in Oxford’s Lafayette Park, right outside 6OTS’s doors. Here is the lineup: Richie and Rosie on July 9, Damn Tall Buildings on July 16, Alice Howe with Freebo on July 23, and The Pairs on July 30.

All shows will start at 2 p.m. Bring your own chair or blanket. In case of inclement weather, the concerts will move inside 6OTS. The free concerts are sponsored by the Robert C. Smith Foundation, NBT Bank, Pete Perkins and Patocka's Restaurant.

6 On The Square, Inc. is an intimate, not-for-profit, volunteer-based acoustic music listening room and arts venue located at 6 Lafayette Park in downtown Oxford.

-Information provided by 6OTS