Jim Allen (guitar, mandolin, keyboards, vocals) produces music that roams the landscape of American Roots, Rock, country, blues and Celtic music. Known for his freewheeling improvisations on mandolin, guitar, piano and harmonica, “He plays a lot of good bluegrass too,” according to the legendary Bill Monroe. With a musical compass forged in roots, rock, country, and blues, Allen writes songs that cut a path straight to the heart. His song Lindytown was recently named Grand Prize winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and is included on an EP of original songs recorded with his son Sasha, just released on September 23, 2022, courtesy of  Universal Music Group, Republic Records, and Imperial Music. The duo's EP, 16  Borders, is available on all streaming platforms and for purchase on iTunes and elsewhere.

In addition to reaching Top Eight on NBC’s The Voice as part of the duo Jim and Sasha Allen, he has appeared at countless venues and festivals over the years. These included performances, many of them as a member of The Flagpole Radio Cafe Orchestra, with Bela Fleck, Livingston Taylor, Jonathan Edwards, Peter Yarrow, Dar Williams, Tom Chapin, Guy Davis, Christine Lavin, Vaneese Thomas,  Chris Hillman of the Byrds,  Newgrass Revival, Vassar Clements, legendary fiddler Kenny Baker, and many others, including multiple tour dates with Jonathan Edwards  as a member of Edwards' band.

Rick Brodsky (bass) is a multi-instrumentalist and live event production manager who has played within numerous musical genres over the past 30+ years. He grew up in NYC playing rock, blues and folk on guitar and bass. He later studied and performed acoustic finger-style blues and slide guitar before becoming hooked on bluegrass and devoting himself to upright bass. As a production manager and event coordinator, Rick has 25 years of experience with the Clearwater Festival in Croton, NY and has produced many independent concerts and played bass for previous Flagpole Radio Café headliner Jonathan Edwards for several years. Currently, Rick plays and tours regularly for the bluegrass band Rock Hearts on The 615 Hideaway Records label out of Nashville. Rick loves being a member of The Flagpole Radio Café because of the community connection and the broad range of musical styles presented on the show.

Howie Carlough (fiddle, harmonica, vocals) A native of Bergen County, New Jersey, Howie first became interested in the violin in the late ’60’s when watching a PBS special where he heard American traditional fiddling for the first time. Over the years Howie studied, traveled, and immersed himself in the traditional fiddling styles of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, Ireland, and Scotland. His musical curiosity beginning with blues and jazz, then traditional American and British Isles eventually leading him to gypsy jazz where he performs with the fabulous Swing du Jour.  Howie has a reputation for intuitive playing, and a joyous infectious spirit that makes him a perfect fit as a member of the critically acclaimed Flagpole Radio Cafe Orchestra. Over the years Howie has shared the stage with a broad range of musicians ranging from David Amram to Peter Yarrow.

Francine Wheeler (vocals, guitar, keyboards) is a performer with over thirty years experience on stage, and in jingle and voice work for commercials and films. She was a member of The Dream Jam Band, playing eclectic original rock for kids, whose first album was featured as one of the Top 10 Children's Records by National Public Radio and features songs featured on the national charts of SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Francine is the creative director of Ben’s Lighthouse, a local nonprofit promoting empathy and compassion in children where she directs a summer camp based on her original puppetry and music program The Isle of Skoo. Currently, Francine and her creative team are in pre-production on her original teleplay with music Just Five Minutes, to be filmed and streamed this year. With music and book written by Francine, Just Five Minutes is her journey following the loss of her son Ben. She also teaches voice and piano privately here in Newtown.

Cadence Carroll (percussion, vocals) grew up surrounded by music. Her mother, an elementary school music teacher who taught while she was pregnant, claims Cadence got her sense of rhythm from nine months of listening to guitar playing while in the womb.

For many years, Cadence was a regular feature performer at venues up and down the east coast. She has also played professionally with The Kennedys, Greg Greenway, Cosy Sheridan, and Ina May Wool. These days Cadence is blissfully living the dream of keeping music in her life while being a mom and an elementary art teacher. She can be found providing backup vocals and percussion for The Sloan Wainwright Band, The Flagpole Radio Café Orchestra, Anne Marie Menta and anyone else who asks her to jump in.