A musician sits in a studio, resting one hand on the back of his neck while holding an acoustic guitar with the other. He wears a tilted brown fedora and a dark shirt, looking down thoughtfully. Behind him, several guitars hang on the wall, handwritten lyric sheets are taped up, and amplifiers are stacked in the corner. — Gregory Alan Isakov, who plays Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg, Florida on Jan. 18, 2025. Credit: Photo by Glen Ross / Sacks & Co.

One of the most haunting voices in American folk music is finally coming to Florida this winter.

Yesterday, Gregory Alan Isakov announced plans for a short run of scaled-down acoustic shows that will take the 45-year-old Colorado songwriter across the Southeast, Eastern seaboard and Canada.

South African-born Isakov, who first made his living as a farmer, is known for his singular voice, which is deep, moody and perfectly-suited for his style of dusty, yet modern Americana-folk. His 2018 album Evening Machines was nominated for Best Folk Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards (it lost to Patty Griffin’s self-titled outing), and he recently toured with the Colorado Symphony.

His latest full-length, 2023’s Appaloosa Bones, peaked at No. 81 on the Billboard 200.

Gregory Alan Isakov

Time Sun., Jan. 18, 8 p.m. 2026

Location Duke Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater, 400 First Street South, St. Petersburg

Isakov wrote that the shows will be mostly solo, with the possibility of a friend or two coming along. “Sorta kitchen table versions of songs,” he added.

Tickets to see Gregory Alan Isakov play the Duke Energy Center for the Arts at Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg on Sunday, Jan. 18 go on sale to the public on Friday, Sept. 19 and start at $55. A fan pre-sale is happening now, for anyone who uses the code “WATCHMAN” for access.

To honor the memory of his friend, the late American poet Andrea Gibson, the tour will donate $1 from the sale of each ticket to public libraries and literacy organizations in the Bay area.