Roger McGuinn: An Evening of Songs & Stories

The pioneer of folk-rock and the unmistakable voice behind some of the most influential music of the 20th century, Roger McGuinn, is bringing his legendary storytelling and signature 12-string Rickenbacker sound to Patricia Reser Center for the Arts September 22nd, 2026.

As the founder and frontman of The Byrds, McGuinn didn’t just play music; he helped invent a genre. From the jangly, celestial heights of “Eight Miles High” to the definitive folk-rock anthem “Mr. Tambourine Man,” McGuinn’s influence is woven into the very fabric of American rock and roll.

An Evening of Stories and Songs

This intimate performance offers fans a rare journey through the history of rock music. Armed with his guitar and a lifetime of experiences, McGuinn delivers a format that is part concert and part masterclass. The setlist spans his storied career.

Artist Bio

Roger McGuinn began his musical career at 14, quickly becoming a sought-after guitarist and banjo player who worked with The Limeliters, The Chad Mitchell Trio, and Bobby Darin before landing in New York as a studio musician and songwriter at the Brill Building. There he helped Paul Simon demo “The Sound of Silence,” served as Judy Collins’ musical director, and became fascinated by the Beatles’ fusion of folk and rock — an obsession that led him to form The Byrds with Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke. The band’s reimagining of Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” — with McGuinn’s Bach-influenced intro and a rock beat — hit #1 worldwide and launched one of music’s most influential careers.

After disbanding The Byrds in 1973, McGuinn pursued his folk roots through solo albums, collaborations with Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, and Joan Baez, and a Grammy-nominated recording with Pete Seeger and Judy Collins. A lifelong advocate for traditional folk music, he has posted a free folk song recording on his website every month since November 1995 — a project now archived by the University of North Carolina. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Byrds in 1991, when asked if he plans on retiring, McGuinn laughs, “What? Give up show-business? It’s called ‘playing music’ and I’ve been playing since I was 14.”