Some of the top names on the area performing-arts scene will donate their time and talents for the now-annual Peace All Stars Concert, taking place Saturday at Ann Arbor’s Vineyard Church.

Scheduled to perform are The Chenille Sisters, Josh White Jr., Dick Siegel, Dale Petty, The Sacred Song Singers, Jo Serrapere and Stella, Gemini, The Bob Skon Trio, The Ypsilanti High School Gospel Choir and Jeanne Mackey. Storyteller La'Ron Williams hosts.

“It’s a benefit concert for the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, but even greater it’s a benefit for peace and justice in general,” explained Jessica Sitek, program coordinator. “It’s about the impact we can make locally and globally with our efforts.”

The group is marking its 45th anniversary, and the concert will also commemorate that milestone, she added.

The Chenilles (Grace Morand, Connie Huber and Cheryl Dawdy) are famous beyond the borders of Michigan for their quirky tunes and sweet harmonies. Josh White Jr., well-known, and much-honored for his interpretations of American folk songs, is also an accomplished songwriter and actor. Not only is guitar ace Siegel a terrific tunesmith (“When The Sumac Is On Fire,” “Angelo’s”) he’s also been teaching his craft at the University of Michigan. Gemini — twin brothers Sandor and Laszlo Slomovits — can often be found performing acoustic music for children and families, while Stella is Detroit-area singer-songwriter Jo Serrapere’s new country trio.

The Interfaith Council “serves to unite people of all faiths and backgrounds, people of faith and people of conscience, to take action on certain issues,” Sitek explained.

“Currently we’re surrounded by a lot of despair and pessimism and uncertainty. ... This kind of work can bring the community together to be uplifted and re-energized for peace and justice work, because it can be kind of discouraging, considering the climate right now,” she said.

Williams — who is an Interfaith Council board member as well as organizer, host and performer at the concert — agreed.

“It is more important than ever, not just because of the obvious wars,” he said, “but I believe very firmly we are becoming much more mean-spirited as a society. As a storyteller, I am in schools all the time and I see how kids don’t play the same as they did 20 years ago. Play is much more violent, bullying has become a national problem. We need not only the kind of peace education that prevents us from engaging in war, we need the kind of peace education that helps us to be kinder and more capable of listening to each other, that teaches pro-social skills.”

Music he added, is a great way to build bridges to peace and justice.

“Music has a long history of bringing people together and promoting peace, he explained. “Music is a language that opens all kinds of doors ... it transcends and goes beyond language. It’s a wonderful way to get conversations started.”

As for his performance, Williams admitted recently that he was still undecided about what that would include.

“I always try and do something a tiny bit different. People always expect me to do stories. Maybe I’ll surprise them and do something else,” he said.

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