With "My Folky Valentine," musical couples celebrate holiday at The Ark

Annie Capps would love you to be her valentine. Or, more to the point, she’d love it if you grabbed your sweetie and headed down to The Ark on Sunday night for the annual "My Folky Valentine" show where she’ll be performing. The concert pairs several musical couples for songs appropriate — and maybe even slightly inappropriate — for the occasion.

Annie and Rod Capps

Maynard Music

But if you’re single, don’t use that as an excuse to stay home. “You never know — if a bunch of single people come, they might meet somebody,” Capps teased.

This is the 6th year she has organized the show around the notion of “together in life, together in music.” The bill includes Capps and her husband, Rod; Allison Downey and John Austin; Jan Krist and Alan Finkbeiner; John and CJ Milroy (aka The Milroys); and J. Oscar and Lauren Bittenger (aka Dublin Station).

“It’s lots of great talent — I could brag about them for hours,” Capps said. “All these artists could have their own shows at The Ark. I think a reason a lot of people like this show is there is this friendship, this cross-pollination musically amongst these five couples.”

Capps promised she and her crew won’t go overboard on the mushy tunes.

PREVIEW

"My Folky Valentine"

Who: Allison Downey and John Austin, Jan Krist and Alan Finkbeiner, John and CJ Milroy (The Milroys), J. Oscar and Lauren Bittenger (Dublin Station), Annie and Rod Capps.

What: Annual show celebrates the theme “together in life ... together in music.”

When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14.

Where: The Ark, 316 South Main Street.

How much: $15.

“We don’t ban love songs, but we basically don’t focus on them either,” she said. “None of us really write love songs, certainly not as a primary source. We play a lot of heartbreak songs, a lot of non-romantic songs, let’s put it that way. But there are some (love songs) thrown in, I confess.”

Musical couples aren’t all that unusual; in fact, Capps met her husband through music. “We could rotate the lineup every year and have a different set of duos that are married,” she said.

The idea for "My Folky Valentine" had been kicking around in Capps’ head for a while before it actually became a reality.

“We were hanging out with John and CJ back in their Tangerine Trousers days; we were brainstorming — I had always wanted to do a Valentine’s show for couples. I think CJ came up with the ‘My Folky Valentine’ title. It was just three couples the first year.”

Meanwhile, Capps reiterated her invitation for single folks to attend.

“It’s a great way to celebrate Valentines Day (and) it’s also a great way to pooh-pooh it if you show up to the concert single,” she said.

Roger LeLievre is a freelance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com.