Sunday, March 1, 2026
6 pm Doors // 7 pm Music
All Ages
$25 ($32.30 w. taxes/fees) Advance General Admission
$30 ($35 w. taxes/fees) At The Door General Admission
Ticket purchases are final and non-refundable
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Considered one of the best songwriters of his generation, The Parkway is thrilled to once again present legendary troubadour Freedy Johnston as he celebrates his iconic album, Can You Fly. Called “perfect,” a deluxe version of the critically-acclaimed album was released in 2025, the first time in print in 25 years! Copies of Can You Fly will be available for purchase at the event as well.
The night kicks off with an opening set by Molly Maher, an incomparable singer, songwriter, and guitarist who graces the stage with compelling depth and soul.
“I’ve always loved both Freedy’s voice and songwriting. There’s something so matter-of-fact yet plaintive about his records, and that combination is incredibly compelling. I’m absolutely delighted he has a new record coming out and even more delighted to be singing on it.” — Aimee Mann
“A master of subtle songcraft, almost to a fault.” — Pitchfork
"Johnston's gift is that he can distill hurt, desire, and all the complicated shadows in between into an electric guitar tone and a couple of vivid phrases." — New York Magazine
"Johnston has the ability to construct entire ecosystems and narratives out of this kind of working class ephemera, and that’s what makes him a singular songwriter." — Stereogum
"His albums were filled with elegant, catchy melodies and rich, short-story-like vignettes, long on character development and narrative detail." — VH1
“A master storyteller.” — Rolling Stone
Freedy Johnston is one of those rare singer-songwriters who counts critics among his biggest fans — and whose heroes consider him a peer. Not bad for a self-proclaimed “geek in glasses who never left his room.” Originally released on Bar/None Records, Can You Fly earned Johnston a major label deal with Elektra Records, for whom he released four albums. AllMusic dubbed the album “stunningly accomplished,” while People described it as, “an extraordinary second album, one of the most tuneful, propulsive and penetrating of this or any year.”
In 1994 Rolling Stone named Johnston the ‘Songwriter of the Year’ (just ahead of Kurt Cobain), describing him as “A master storyteller, (who) sketches out full-blown tragedies in a few taut poetic lines.” Adding, “He joins that elite cadre of songwriters — Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Elvis Costello — whose brilliant pop compositions turn magical with the addition of a defiantly idiosyncratic singing voice.
Touring over the years, and hearing fans endlessly ask for a re-release, Can You Fly is available again for the first time in a quarter-century, remastered for compact disc and vinyl, including a clear vinyl first pressing, all released by Sunset Boulevard Records. The album will be available for purchase (and meet & greet with Freedy) at The Parkway.
Molly Maher resides on the border between the lands of Americana and the Blues and moves beautifully between them, blending simmering guitars and cutting lyrics. She has traveled the roads of the American music tradition and returned to sing about it with an authentic and sage voice. An incomparable singer and songwriter with compelling depth and soul and draws from the deep roots of music. With songs that ring true, her singing is a fine balance of deep and soulful, somewhere between Lucinda Williams and Bonnie Raitt. Twangy and lament-filled spirit, guitar driven country-folk-jam with a blues swagger.