NEDERLAND — The Colorado journey of folk-rock guitarist Morgan McHugh came from expanding his performing reach. Branching from projects he’d been a part of, the Bellingham-born musician brought his original songs and acoustic guitar stylings to perform solo.
McHugh began performing in small bars and house concerts, touring throughout Washington, California, and Colorado. The first show he played in Colorado was as part of a house concert series hosted by artist Kimmerjae Macarus, beginning their close musical connection. The two enthusiastically share their mutual admiration.
“She just has a kind of enchanting and unique style of playing that I feel like you don’t hear as much anymore,” says McHugh about Macarus. “Even though it’s uniquely hers and her own, it reminds me a lot of Joni Mitchell—just a timeless musical spirit in her guitar playing and voice.”
Mitchell is a huge inspiration for Macarus, who has been writing songs since she was 16. However, she’s primarily worked in stone, steel, and wood for over 40 years, and it’s with this experience that she brings her admiration for McHugh.
“I came to music first as a sculptor, really,” reflects Macarus. “I thought about the shapes in the songs as I was composing them. I was thinking about the forms more, and very slowly came into more awareness of the sound that I’m making. People like Morgan are just in the sound all the time, and it’s gorgeous just being around the music that Morgan makes.”
Both Macarus and McHugh love collaborating with other musicians frequently in their shows and jam sessions, and they both love comparing their styles and giving each other feedback on their work. McHugh, in particular, thinks of himself now as more of a “music absorber,” a term he heard someone use to describe their music consumption.
“I think musicians silently compare certain little things…just analyze after the performance what they do differently,” says McHugh, explaining about the power of performing and discussing music with others. “It’s less critical and more like when you hear something that reminds you of something else, and you’re wondering, ‘Oh, I wonder where they got that from.’”
The two musicians both find immense value in sharing their vulnerable material with musical and general audiences. Hearing feedback on their material and collaborating with others, especially those with differing styles, allows them to build on their performance and songwriting experience.
“I think it’s a time when we stop running around and listen to each other,” says Macarus about sharing music. “It’s so rare in our world these days, and I think that’s got a really strong healing aspect to it.”
Kimmerjae Macarus and Morgan McHugh will be performing a joint set together at Ned General, located at 112 East Second Street in Nederland, on Thursday, February 26, 2026, starting at 5 p.m.
