Friday, October 9, 2026 | 7:30 PM | General Admission
With a vocal and instrumental blend that has been dubbed “outstanding” and “meticulous,” the members of Low Lily (Liz Simmons, Flynn Cohen, and newest member Lily Sexton) come together to create a signature sound that has captivated audiences throughout the US, UK, and Canada.
Low Lily is the colloquial name for the Trout Lily, a wildflower that grows in the northeast and in regions further afield. Like its namesake, Low Lily the band has been blooming across the musical landscape since 2015. Simmons (guitar, banjo & vocals), Cohen (guitar, mandolin & vocals), and Sexton (fiddle & vocals) blend their considerable individual talents into a stylistic bouquet of energetic fiddle music, introspective folk, bluegrass, and Americana. The trio has deep roots in the fiddle tune and singing traditions of North America and the Anglo-Celtic diaspora.
Born in San Francisco to musician parents, Liz Simmons spent her early childhood traveling through the wilds of north America in a sky blue VW bus. Her parents were itinerant, moving from California to Oregon, then to Ketchikan, AK, where they played regular gigs in pubs for the locals. Once the family settled in rural New Hampshire, Simmons received classical musical training, but soon found her way back to folk music. She received a BA from Goddard College where she studied American vernacular music of the 1920s and 30s. She then went on to found Annalivia and then Low Lily with Flynn Cohen, as well as perform alongside Long Time Courting, Hannah Sanders, EVA, Livingston Taylor, Tom Chapin, and others.
Flynn Cohen, at the age of 11, was drawn to the guitar after an injury left him unable to pursue his passion for sports. When he was in his mid-teens, his aunt and uncle turned him onto the likes of Fairport Convention, Michael Hedges, The Bothy Band, and Pentangle. At the time, all he wanted was to play guitar like John Renbourn of Pentangle; so when the opportunity to study with Renbourn arose at the Dartington College of Arts in England, he jumped at the chance. After graduating from Dartington, he headed to Oakland, CA, to attend Mills College, where he immersed himself in the Irish trad and bluegrass music scenes there. Ultimately, he made his way to the east coast after a phone call with accordion champion John Whelan, who offered him a job as his guitarist. Once in Boston, he was also hired to accompany three incredible fiddle prodigies in their late teens – Laura Cortese, Hanneke Cassel, and Lissa Schneckenburger. Cohen has also accompanied luminaries such as Adrienne Young, Cathie Ryan, Ruth Moody, and many more.
Lily Sexton is a fiddler, singer, and songwriter based in western Massachusetts. A student of classical violin beginning at the age of 4, she continued a classical music education in violin at the Westport Suzuki School, and the Talent Education Suzuki School. While pursuing a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, she shifted her focus to fiddle-playing in the traditional Appalachian style. Sexton’s roots have fostered in her a deep versatility; she is equally at home playing a Kenny Baker breakdown, a Scottish air, or finding that elusive 3rd vocal harmony part. Outside of Low Lily, she is front-woman of the indie-folk band Splendid Torch. She is also beloved in the New England roots music scene as a founding member of the neo-bluegrass band Mamma’s Marmalade.
Low Lily’s recordings have received noteworthy attention with two #1 songs on international folk radio and two Independent Music Award wins. Their original song Hope Lingers On (written by former band member Lissa Schneckenburger), has been sung by choirs around the world as an anthem for peace and justice.
The Folk in Fredonia Music Series is sponsored by the Gilman Family
