William and Mary are a newly-formed local duet focusing on roots music. William (Bill Johnston) is a folk music performer who has been playing in the local area for seven years in schools, nursing homes, and entertainment venues. He began playing folk music during the 1960 Folk Revival. He developed and performs (with the ElderBerrys) a “Roots” program entitled Timeline of American History in Folk Songs.  This program is modeled on a class he developed and teaches in the Clarke County School grade schools.  He has a life-long interest in American folk music and continues to study its context, genres, and styles.  He has directed the Roots of American Music series for over five years and the Berryville Music in the Park series for over seven years.

Acoustic guitarist and singer song writer Mary Ray Roberts has been performing for small community venues for the past 15 years, not to mention a few watering holes along the way.  She took her roots in the 70’s from her parents and the bluegrass circles they frequented throughout the Shenandoah Valley and eventually sang her way into folk music, blues and acoustic rock.  Influenced by great women of the 60’s and 70’s, filling the air with stories of love, heartache, and the social condition is what her audiences have come to know and love about her performances.