GENESEE COUNTY - Two weeks ago today Stevie Wonder was at the Palace of Auburn Hills performing his legendary album from 1976, Songs in the Key of Life.

In the infectious single Sir Duke, he sings, "Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand. With an equal opportunity for all to sing, dance, and clap their hands."

Folks, what's around the county that can induce an opportunity of that personified vibe?

The Flint Folk Music Society's Sippin' Lizzard Café, with a winter calendar as interesting as the venue's name and atmospheric vibe kept intact through the decades, might be that place for you.

On Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Matt Watroba will take to the stage and bring his nationally revered pure sensibility, along with a robust set list filled with lyrics of compassion and experience.

The sonic journey continues with a New Years Eve Pot Luck/Concert Song Circle featuring Watroba, Kitty Donohue, Michael Hough, and Annie and Rod Capps.

On Jan. 9 Red Tail Ring, a male/ female duo of imagination and skill, are slated to perform a mix of old and new folk energy with a myriad of instruments and hypnotic harmonies.

"The Sippin' Lizzard Coffee House" is our link to the history of folk music in Flint, our link to what the term coffeehouse meant before Starbucks-to enjoy music that you could not hear anywhere else... that often challenged the establishment, questioned values, and confronted social evils," stated group member and historian Jim McTiernan.

The desired echo in this county was to offer the same purity of the singer songwriters who blessed the historical lyric archive with pure expression of soul, style, and highly emphasized writing style.

Famous examples of those with the heart and vein poured into their song catalogue include Joni Mitchell, Donovan, Laura Nyro, and Loudon Wainwright.

In fact, Joni Mitchell performed in Flint at Sippin' Lizzard in the early years of her career, enchanting the audience seated before her on the floor, witness to her early genius.

Currently located within The Unitarian Universalist Church at 2474 Ballenger Hwy. In Flint, the Sippin' Lizzard has been in several locations throughout its' colorful history.

Jackie and Don Bowles started the musical base for youth in their household basement in the 60s, and later found a rental space on the corner of Lewis and Bennett Streets in Flint in 1965.

School officials, constantly harassed the Bowles son Paul, about his apparel and his friends choice in hairstyles, spurring a meeting with a counselor that birthed the name of the venue.

Paul and friends were called "nothing but a bunch of no good, long-haired, guitar-playing, coffee-sipping lizards. And the "Sippin' Lizzard" was born," said McTiernan.

According to McTiernan, the anti-establishment entertainment wasn't so fondly admired in the community at the time. The place was often raided, as police were routinely "looking for marijuana using "hippies," he stated.

Jackie then created the less offensive "Concert Gallery" name and location in 1968 at the corner of Atherton and Fenton. Raids continued, putting a halt on the lively communion of passionate musicians joined within.

After the closing of The Concert Gallery, folk music was rarely heard except in "in the smoky confines of downtown Flint Bars," before the Flint Folk Music Society provided rebirth to it in 1999.

Before this phoenix-rising moment, the genre here was "dormant and exiled."

"We are now operating like a club for loyal listeners, but would love to have more people know about us and grow into a popular venue," said President, Linda Jordan.

Jordan said they have a pretty good rotation of college age musicians within their yearly roster of booked talents, but she desires a stronger youth audience to keep the music alive for years to come in Genesee County.

"I wish I would've seen Joni Mitchell back then, but I was culturally-deprived at the time," Jordan said with a laugh.

The power of folk music is immense, and that is why Jordan and friends welcome all ages to get the earliest introduction they can.

In the past decade hipsters have been flocking to record shops or searching online for Joni Mitchell's Blue, Vashti Bunyan LP's, and recent folk standouts like Devendra Banhart.

This month may be a great time for readers to find the music forgotten by many, but important to all.

A visit this season to the Sippin' Lizzard should prove to be an interesting step back in time, or forward into the heart of a powerful genre just a few miles away from home.