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GABE LEE

Equal parts classic songwriter and modern-day storyteller, Gabe Lee has built his own bridge between country, folk and rock over the

course of three acclaimed albums. His latest release, The Hometown Kid, finds him distilling those sounds into something sharp and singular, examining his roots as a Nashville native along the way. Released October 28th via Torrez Music Group, The Hometown Kid is a record about arrivals and departures, homes and homecomings, the places we leave and the lessons we carry with us.

A mix of autobiography and richly imaginative character studies, The Hometown Kid finds room for southern piano ballads, amplified rock, intimate folk songs, and gospel rave-ups. The stories themselves are equally diverse. Laced with childhood memories and hometown references, the anthemic "Rusty" unfolds like a love letter from a restless road warrior to the city he's left countless times before. Songs like "Buffalo Road" (named after a country lane that Lee visited often during his teenage years, "just to sneak away with my friends, look at the stars, and be somewhere else") and "Wide Open" continue exploring the push and pull of one's birthplace. "Kinda Man" paints a different picture, with lyrics that detail the hard-won wisdom and half-baked follies of a salt-of-the-earth dishwasher who worked alongside Lee during his days as a bartender. A track that's equal parts country song and southern fable, "Never Rained Again" is a song about taking a rougher road that eventually leads to greener pastures, while the empathetic "Lonely" takes its inspiration from fellow songwriter Justin Townes Earle, who passed away during the lockdown of 2020.

"This album is about departing and returning to your hometown," Lee explains. "More specifically, it's about the discovery, searching, and maturing that comes not only with being gone, but with returning to the place you come from."

Raised by Taiwanese immigrants, Lee grew up surrounded not only by Nashville's rich legacy of country music, but also the classical songs and gospel hymns that his piano-playing mother performed weekly in church. "A lot of my friends' parents were musicians, too," he remembers. "Music was always around me, and it became the driving force for everything I did."

Before he could launch his career as one of Nashville's hometown heroes, though, Lee first needed to leave town. Craving new horizons, he headed to Indiana, where he finished college with degrees in literature and journalism. Living in the Midwest gave him a renewed perspective on his Nashville roots, and when he returned home, he began writing songs that drew upon the narrative skills he'd sharpened as a student. His debut album, 2019's farmland, focused on his timeless melodies and deft delivery, while 2020's Honky Tonk Hell showcased a widescreen version of Lee's countrified sound. The reception was seismic. Rolling Stone praised Honky Tonk Hell as one of the "30 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2020," and Lee found himself sharing shows with Jason Isbell, Los Lobos, and other artists who, like him, embraced the full spectrum of roots music.

Lee recorded The Hometown Kid during his busiest year as a touring musician, finding time between shows to enter Farmland Studio — where he also created his two previous albums — with a band of country pickers and heartland rockers. Together, they laced his songs with electric guitar, upright piano, pedal steel, and fiddle. Most of the songs were tracked live, with Lee — his voice in sharp shape, fine-tuned by a schedule of rapid-fire gigs — delivering the most compelling performances of his career. After several days of recording, he'd inevitably hit the road again, bidding another temporary goodbye to Nashville. No wonder The Hometown Kid is so nuanced with its depiction of the comings and goings of a wandering soul — it was created amidst a backdrop of goodbyes, arrivals, late-night drives, early-morning wake-up calls, and life-affirming shows.

Like a collection of postcards sent from various stops along the road, The Hometown Kid is a snapshot of an artist in motion. It's the soundtrack to a journey that's forever unfolding, with Gabe Lee writing not only about where he's going, but where he's been, too.

WILL OVERMAN

Will Overman is a man coming into focus.

The Virginia-raised singer-songwriter spent the last four years watching his first solo album slide away in the rearview mirror. The life he had when he wrote and recorded The Winemaker’s Daughter is gone. His sophomore effort, Stranger, finds Overman with eyes fixed firmly on the dotted line unspooling ahead of him.

“The album is the most fully realized version of me,” the musician says. That’s evident in the tracks. “Virginia is For Lovers,” an earworm of a single released last year, is peak Overman — nuanced, specific, and catchy as all hell. “Held Up by a Woman,” the most recent single, builds on an acoustic foundation toward a powerful, cathartic, electric release. Meanwhile, the intensely autobiographical “The Bottom” finds Overman wrestling with relatable questions of doubt, life choices, relationships, and mistakes — all without providing easy answers.

Recent converts will find much to explore in Overman’s densely layered tunes. And longtime fans will be happy to hear that Overman’s signature traits — deft storytelling embedded in hooky tunes, anchored by precise lyricism and powerful delivery — are all present and accounted for on Stranger.

But don’t expect Overman to stay in one place, musically or otherwise.

Restless by nature, a traveler with a poet’s eye for mountains but a working man’s taste for road food, Overman’s always on the move. He comes by it naturally.

That’s because Overman spent his formative years as a child of two worlds. Summer surf sessions in Virginia Beach gave way to fall backpacking expeditions in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Rinse, wash, repeat. Sunscreen and fly rods, flip flops and hiking boots. Two different landscapes. Two different soundtracks. Rock and pop where water meets earth, bluegrass and folk where trees meet the sky. Somewhere in between, maybe on the interstate between Virginia’s edges and its heart, that’s where the country music is.

Ask Overman about his influences, and he’s just as likely to say The Killers as the Avett Brothers. So it’s inevitable all those worlds would sonically collide inside Overman’s head. A live performance will probably include a harmonica. But you’ll also get a good old-fashioned rock show. Or is it alt-country? Alternative?

Impossible to say, and that’s just the way Overman likes it. That’s because the versatile singer-songwriter has some road behind him now. Has lived enough life to know it doesn’t matter what you call a thing as long as it does the job. And that’s what Overman’s songs do. Aided by unforgettable vocal delivery, Overman fires each track directly at the heart by way of the ears.

Overman is as hard to pin down as his music, a trait illustrated in the album bookend “Landlocked Heart.”

“He lived out of a bag, will read my epitaph,” the song begins. “Ten years on the road, not much to show but a show. Late nights in a van, I don’t know where I am. Loading in and loading out, I never get to see the town.”

It’s an accurate description of a life Overman’s passionate about — playing live music for a real audience. Between brief stays in Nashville, the musician ceaselessly roams the country, solo and with his band. He’s also toured with acts like Boy Named Banjo, Austin Plaine, Justin Wells, and Jonathan Peyton. Notable headlining gigs include the State Fair of Virginia and Artisphere Music and Arts Festival, while a powerful set at Ocean Fest won new fans.

It’s not easy, but it’s real, and it’s true — things the maturing artist values more than anything else these days.

So yeah, Overman’s coming into focus. But he’s moving too fast to stay there long. And anyway, what’s the point of sitting around?

MASON LIVELY

Austin, TX based Country/Americana artist Mason Lively has a sound that’s simple yet complex, easy-feeling but gritty and weathered, inspiring yet heartbreaking. It’s no stretch to say that there’s a song for every emotion in Mason Lively’s catalog.

Born in Victoria, Texas, but raised just outside of town in the rural community of Inez, Mason grew up in a country music atmosphere. Though he enjoyed and was exposed to many types of music, he would obsessively listen to artists far beyond his years, like Willie Nelson, The Eagles, and Merle Haggard to name a few. Growing up, while also being influenced by Pop, Folk, Soul, Blues, and Classic Rock, Mason started to take interest and study the songwriting of artists from his home state’s music scene. Mason claims that song-writing "snuck up on him" around then.

Years later, with the release of his 2018 debut album “Stronger Ties”, Lively and his band hit the road, touring all over Texas and the regional south, while opening up for Country music’s biggest stars. Lively then released his sophomore self-titled album on March 19th, 2021, Co-produced by Wade Bowen. Songs from that album, including “Love Ain’t Done A Damn Thing”, have accumulated millions of listens and streams. Mason released his 3rd record, “Burn The Ground”, on July 12, 2024. The title track, “Burn The Ground” was also featured in season 2 of the hit show “Landman” on Paramount+.

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With a quarter million miles under her belt and counting, North Carolina native Emily Scott Robinson travels the dusty highways of America's wild country, capturing the stories of the people she meets and expertly crafting them into songs. Robinson received critical acclaim for her debut album Traveling Mercies-- Rolling Stone named it one of the “40 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2019.” In 2021, Robinson signed with Oh Boy records, the label founded by the legendary John Prine, and released her follow-up album American Siren. It made numerous “Best of 2021” lists including NPR, Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, and No Depression. In 2022, Robinson released a collaboration for theater called Built on Bones, a song cycle written for the Witches of Shakespeare's Macbeth, featuring artists Alisa Amador and Violet Bell.

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Bob Schneider

Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter and former frontman of The Ugly Americans and The Scabs, Bob Schneider is one of the most-celebrated musicians in the live music capital. Combining diverse styles, Schneider’s music spans genres, blending elements of folk, rock, rap, funk, bluegrass, reggae and country with the more traditional singer/songwriter aesthetic. In short, FRUNK.

Schneider has won more than 59 Austin Music Awards including Best Album, Best Songwriter, Best Musician, and Best Male Vocals making him the most decorated artist in Austin’s storied music history.

Schneider’s fan base reaches far beyond the city limits of Austin. He started gaining national recognition with his major-label debut for Universal Records, Lonelyland. A fiercely-independent artist, Schneider opted to start his own label, Shockorama Records, which has afforded him the freedom to make the music his fans love, on his own terms.

Schneider’s live performances, both solo and with the band, are legendary. A two-time performer on his hometown’s famed Austin City Limits television show, he is also in the 20th year of his residency at The Saxon Pub. All told, he plays over a hundred shows a year and he doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.

Mitch Watkins

Mitch Watkins discovered the guitar at age 13. Only months later, he was gigging with a surf band in McAllen, Texas. He hasn't stopped since. His musical journey has taken him down many stylistic pathways, and to the far corners of the globe. He is most grateful for his talents and successes, and humbled by how much more there is to learn.

"A man for all musical seasons."

- Jazz Times

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THE ASK ME ANYTHING TOUR

A seated, interactive, concert experience. Guests will be able to ask questions during the set, hear stories Donavon has never told before, come up on stage to jam for a song, request songs you’ve always wanted Donavon to play, and so much more.

Exclusive merch items, original paintings by Donavon, and clothing from The Barn 808 will be available! Don’t miss it!

For nearly four decades Donavon Frankenreiter has been travelling the globe, first as a professional surfer and now as a musician. Born in Southern California, Donavon spent most of his youth chasing waves, turning pro at the age of 16. 
 These days instead of surf competitions, it’s concert halls that brings Frankenreiter to town, where he entertains audiences with his unique blend of laid-back grooves, philosophical lyrics and soulful delivery. 
 You can find him touring the world with his three-piece band and still catching waves anytime he can.

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Will Hoge has a career whose milestones include Number One hits, Grammy nods, major-label record deals, and hard-won independence. Years before Americana music received its own category at the Grammy Awards, Hoge was on the frontlines, helping to pilot and popularize the genre's blend of American roots music. In the current digital era dominated by influencers seeking shortcuts to stardom, Will Hoge proudly treads the scenic route, immersing himself in the journey rather than fixating on the destination.

Will Hoge released Sweet Misery, the Grammy-nominated artist’s 15th studio album in August.

On Sweet Misery, Hoge reminds listeners that he isn’t afraid to break new ground - all while giving a keen nod to his rock and roll roots with the kind of grace and purpose that only comes with experience - without the baggage of predictability.

In Will's own words - “Following the re-recording and re-releases of Carousel and Blackbird On A Lonely Wire I found myself really wanting to make a louder, hooky, rock-n-roll band record again. Good stories, big choruses, shit to make you play it loud and drive fast with the windows down. I was without a band so I enlisted a crew of folks who I love - folks that I believed could really help bring out the bigger ideas in the songs. I hope folks will find some headphones and give it a good, loud listen. Top to bottom, the way albums should be listened to.”

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After years of collaborating in bands, Blake Brown shifted his focus to his own project: Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir. The intention was to create a project with full flexibility where he could play solo, duo (with his wife and mainstay member Tiffany), and with a rotating cast of musician friends. Rooted in acoustic sounds and characterized by seemingly simple, but nuanced melodies and heartfelt lyrics, Brown ignites a sense of bold honesty across a catalog of sincere songs spanning the genres of Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Rock n’ Roll, Indie, and Americana. Throughout many years of establishing himself in the Colorado music scene, the American Dust Choir has included members of The Fray, The Films, American Football, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Tennis, and Wovenhand. Marked by a captivating subtleness, Brown’s music and stage presence draws in his audience and leaves them wanting more.

March of 2018 found the band releasing its debut full-length album, Long Way Home; a ten-song collection of well-crafted, Indie-Americana works produced by Joe Richmond (Churchill, American Authors, Bon Iver). Upon the release of the album, the band performed multiple official showcases at SXSW in Austin, TX, including Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater supporting Keith Urban. Following SXSW, Brown went on the road supporting Justin Townes Earle as an acoustic duo. Arriving home from tour, the band continued to perform regional festivals in the Rocky Mountains and performed with such acts as Rayland Baxter, The Band of Heathens, ZZ Ward, and Son Volt. Brown also appeared at Moeller Nights GAS Feed & Seed Festival IV in Davenport, Iowa alongside Early James and Ruston Kelly. Songs “Fever Dreams” and “Between the Lines” were licensed to MTV while “Kissing Knives” was featured in The CW hit series, In The Dark.

On the heels of Long Way Home’s success and maintaining their momentum, Blake and band returned to the studio to record Turning Tides again with Producer/Engineer Joe Richmond. The band continued to add to its repertoire, this time approaching a less straightforward Americana sound, and striving for a more minimalistic and spatial sound with high sonic production influenced by Brown’s love for Daniel Lanois, U2, and The Cure. Turning Tides was released in Fall of 2019. Upon its release, the band continued to play locally and regionally, all while picking up steam nationwide and performing in high reputable venues such as Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, Rockwood Music Hall in New York City, and SPACE in Chicagoland.

Just as all pistons were firing, years of hard work came to a screeching halt when the COVID-19 pandemic was announced. It was due to this new found era of unlimited time that Brown found himself in a state of self-reflection and reassessment. During this uncertain time, he found a sense of comfort and familiarity in picking up his guitar and returning to songwriting basics.

With a new view on the preciousness of life, Blake, Tiffany, and their daughter left Colorado and relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. Shortly after settling into Nashville, and with a new batch of songs, Blake and Tiffany hit Cartoon Moon Recording Studio with Producer Ken Coomer (Uncle Tupelo/Wilco) in East Nashville. On production and drums duty, Coomer brought a lively perspective to the songs. With Blake on guitars/vocals, Tiffany on keys/piano/vocals, Sam Wilson on guitars and Scotty Huff on bass, the result is a 5 song EP titled, Don’t Look Back. Don’t Look Back was released September 30, 2022 with complimentary reviews and premieres from The Bluegrass Situation (BGS), Lonesome Highway, Atwood Magazine, Americana UK, and more…

Brown is now based in Austin, Texas and recently released his latest full length album, Show Me The Light, on October 4, 2024. The album is Produced by Grammy Nominated Producer, Chris Frenchie Smith (Jet, Meat Puppets, Built to Spill, and more). Singles and the album are featured in The Bluegrass Situation (BGS), Americana U.K., and Rolling Stone.

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From their beginnings in mid-Sixties Ohio as a group of friends playing cover tunes to the present-day unit featuring the propulsive team of drummer Scott Thompson and bassist Jared Camic, keyboard master Randy Harper, guitar ace/vocalist Jeff Zona and Pedal Steel/Saxophonist John Heinrich, PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE continues to embellish the rich 50-plus year history of one of Country-Rock’s pioneering forces. As one reviewer recently wrote: “PPL’s sound combines sweet memories with edgy, contemporary muscle. Their vocals are as strong as Kentucky moonshine and the musicianship and performance skills are as sharp as a straight razor”.

 Their eponymous first album – featuring the Norman Rockwell/Saturday Evening Post cover that introduced fans to PPL’s trademark cowpoke “Sad Luke” – has been hailed as a “major early influence in the emerging popularity of Country-Rock music”. Their second effort, the multi-platinum “Bustin’ Out” brought us the Craig Fuller-penned classic “Amie”, along with other gems of the genre. With “Two Lane Highway”, nine more albums and countless shows, a legacy has been forged and enriched, highlighting contributions from several noteworthy members, including original co-founder George Ed Powell, Cincinnati’s legendary Goshorn Brothers, Country Hall of Famers Gary Burr and Vince Gill, award-winning writer Jeff Wilson (3 Top-20 singles), top Nashville session vocalist Curtis Wright, and a host of other guest appearances from Chet Atkins, Johnny Gimble, EmmyLou Harris, David Sanborn, Don Felder, Nicolette Larson, Rosemary Butler, Jenifer Wrinkle, Jeff (Birdman) Kirk, Mat Britain and many more.

 Now in their sixth decade, Pure Prairie League continues to lead the way for the new generation of Country/Rockers such as Keith Urban, Nickel Creek, Wilco, Counting Crows and so many others that cite PPL as a major influence.

 With the release of their new album “Back On Track” PPL brings it all back home with a dozen new songs that complete the circle begun in 1970 and continues to this day.

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Depending on who’s talking, Walker Lukens is “one of the best songwriters in Texas” (Free Press Houston), “a non-sexually threatening version of Prince” (Austin Chronicle), and “a rhythmic sound effect master” (All Songs Considered). So does that make him pop? Rock? “Who cares!” says NPR of the Austin-based singer, songwriter, and producer. “Walker Lukens is loyal to only one category: excellence.” Walker is also the co-creator and host of the songwriting-confessional podcast called, coincidentally, Song Confessional, and co-owns Paradise Lunch, a recording studio where he produced his fourth studio record, Accessible Beauty, which is out this summer.

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Acclaimed indie singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mobley returns with a sprawling, epic concept album, "We Do Not Fear Ruins," via Last Gang Records / MNRK Music Group. Written, performed, and produced by Mobley himself,this release continued the sci-fi concept album foreshadowed in his previous music and video releases, following the mysterious dissident Jacob Creedmoor. Traversing cinematic art rock, indie ballads and progressive, psych pop, Mobley’s sound mirrors the vast scope of his story's narrative. Championed by Billboard, Alt Nation, American Songwriter, KCRW, Rolling Stone and more, he continues to impress audiences nationwide with his immersive and captivating live shows.

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45 years.

It seemed to go by in a blur, pounding the road, seeing the world, raising babies and sending them to college, mowing lawns, romances, marriages, high school drama, endless airports, the nights at the Hollywood Bowl, the night at the Red Barn in Louisville dodging various barroom projectiles, frozen diesel lines, blast furnace desert heat, hours of practice, late nights and early mornings, and lots and lots and lots of laughter.

No laptops, no cellular phones, no Google, no downloads, no Skype, no Tweets, no Apple, no Microsoft, no texting, no electric cars, no Uber. A different world. But there were three young men with drive and wit who wanted to keep a special music alive. They believed in preserving the heritage of Western Music and presenting it to a new generation. They believed in entertaining, and they did so… entertaining themselves as well as the audience! And they believed in creating original Western Music to continue the tradition, not just seal it in amber as a museum piece. What they did not realize at the time was that they would be doing the same thing 45 years later.

45 years ago, Ranger Doug, Too Slim and the late Windy Bill Collins played that first date on the bitter cold evening of November 11th, 1977 at Herr Harry’s Frank N’ Stein Rathskeller in Nashville, and small listening room dates followed. By August of the following year demand was building, and while Windy Bill left, Woody Paul joined, and the true professional beginnings of the band began at the Kentucky State Fair, where the trio played 10 days for $2500 - and bought their own rooms and meals out of that!

A first wave followed, including appearances on Austin City Limits; recording contracts with Rounder, then MCA, then Columbia; guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry leading to membership in 1982; and a three-year run on The Nashville Network with a TV show called “Tumbleweed Theater,” which yet in turn led to a seven-year run on public radio with “Riders Radio Theater. People Magazine, interested in the Riders phenomenon, ran a story which happily caught the eye of a Hollywood producer.

And so the second wave broke, sending the boys to Hollywood to star in “Riders In The Sky” on CBS for a year on Saturday mornings, introducing them to yet another generation. More recordings, endless show dates, and television appearances followed for a decade before the fine folks at Pixar called and asked the quartet – by this time they had been joined by Joey the Cowpolka King – to sing a tune called “Woody’s Roundup” in the movie “Toy Story 2.” Thus, the third wave began, highlighted by a number of projects for Disney, including two albums, both of which won GRAMMY Awards!

The creation of satellite radio has recently given them a new platform, as they continue to produce episodes of the award-winning “Classic Cowboy Corral” on Sirius/XM.

Still more road dates and recordings (several on their own Riders Radio Records label) and other film and television projects have filled the days and weeks and years, and since the quartet has slowed up very little, the numbers begin to add up: an astonishing 7,200+ appearances, 35 years on the Grand Ole Opry, 40 records albums (well, now CDs,) and tours of all 50 states and all over the world.

Honors accumulated as well. In addition to the two Grammy Awards, Riders received numerous awards from the Western Music Association, including the highest: membership in the Western Music Hall of Fame; numerous Wrangler awards from the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum; awards from the Academy of Western Artists; enshrinement in the Walkway of Western Stars, and more. What began as a celebration of classic Western Music and an evening of hilarity has become a career, and that career has become a legend, one which, 40 years on, shows no signs of stopping or even slowing down much.

Ranger Doug, Too Slim, Woody Paul and Joey the Cowpolka King… 45 years on, “The Cowboy Way.

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On the honey shores of Cape Cod in a beach shack during the summer of 2020, Courtney Marie Andrews found self-love and her voice. Every morning, she’d walk 6-8 miles around the back trails of an island and meditate on her life, perusing old memories and patterns like browsing a used bookshop. That summer of introspection led her to a joyous sense of beginnings and ends. When she let love for herself in, she therein let the outside love in, too—the summer feeling, the swaying cypress, the full moon, and the possibility of healthy love. This phase came only right after one of her darkest, though, where being alone with oneself was the most terrifying thing you could do. After more than a decade on the road, the Phoenix-born songwriter, poet, and painter finally had the space to process all the highs and lows of a life of constants. She was finally ready to make a record of triumph, while not completely forgetting the years that made her. Produced with Sam Evian at his New York studio, that record is Loose Future, out October 7 on Fat Possum Records. Her guideposts were lots of harmonies and alternative percussion. The rest was pure exploration. At Flying Cloud Recordings, she dipped in the creek every morning before proceeding for the day. She wanted to embody the feeling of letting love in. Taking the dip is what letting love in feels like. Sometimes you plunge, and sometimes you walk slowly in.

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Nashville's Taylor Zachry is getting set to release his debut solo album, aptly titled Songs I've Had Forever. He plays in the beloved Nashville band Blank Range and has toured with artists like Courtney Marie Andrews, Erin Rae, Yola, Rayland Baxter, and Jonny Fritz to name a few. In 2020, he teamed up with producer Ryan McFadden (Torres, Meg Elsier, Parker Millsap) to start recording his own songs. What started as a straightforward Nashville indie-folk record morphed over the following years into an exploration of Taylor himself, both the person and the artist.

Over the course of making this album, both Ryan and Taylor faced some of life's most defining events: family deaths, marriage, falling in and out of love, truly staring in the face of life's biggest and toughest truths. In the words of Ryan, "Nothing but truth holds up after five years of life’s tumbling."

The resulting album, Songs I've Had Forever, is truth at its core. It is a record that feels as if it arrived from somewhere else - dug up from a mysterious basement somewhere or one that magically appeared in your collection. It is for fans of Neutral Milk Hotel, The Microphones, Sparklehorse: these enigmatic projects that feel like a window into something more.

Taylor has become known in circles of Nashville for his unpredictable and nearly indescribable live shows that blend songs from his record with semi-improvised and intensely refreshing performances using cassette tape loops, a Barbie karaoke machine, and other objects.

In the words of producer Ryan McFadden:

"The record began to sound unearthed more than constructed. We no longer knew the guys who built it and therefore we could love it without ego, and judge it without ego, the work had nothing much to do with us. Feeling the freedom in that, we wondered how to separate from a creation in real time, to have objectivity without distance. Taylor started trying to answer that question in his live shows. Not improvisation but somehow to be an immediate audience member to his own performance. What he learned from those shows he brought back to the studio. We put on the original tapes, worked intuitively and found a path that allowed us to finish the record."

Songs I've Had Forever has the potential to be indie canon. The kind of record you return to again and again, that changes and ages with you and always offers something more.

It's maybe best summed up by fellow Nashville musician and producer, Jerry Bernhardt (Courtney Marie Andrews, Erin Rae, Ron Gallo), in a note to Taylor after he first heard the record: "It speaks to all that is holy to me in music...So natural, absolutely next level. You have created such a world with this collection of songs. A bent, hallucinogenic, enchanting and inviting world."

Taylor has opening dates on an upcoming Courtney Marie Andrews tour in Spring of 2026 in both the US and EU.

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DANIEL FEARS:

I grew up loving a lot of different types of music. From the gospel and christian music I was raised on, to the hip hop and R&B that informed me growing up, to the classical music I studied at The University of Texas and Yale University.

Since my first project in 2020, Fears I’ve sought out musical experiences of all types. I’ve performed intimate backyard concerts, opening for touring R&B acts Mac Ayres and BLK ODYSSY, performed at folk festivals, and at sold out shows with an 18 piece orchestra. My path has been (and perhaps will always be) an unconventional one.

My latest project, “Close to Home” attempts to bring these influences into one space. “Close to Home” combines distinct melodic R&B sound (imagine John Legend, Marvin Gaye, Frank Ocean) with an ensemble of strings, voices, guitar, and piano, totally unplugged and recorded live.

Some of my music can be heard in the award-winning indie documentary “Route To Emancipation” and in the upcoming short film “If They Took Us Back”--a reimagination of American history (for release on Juneteenth, 2024).

LEW APOLLO:

Born and raised in rural Northern Minnesota, Lew Apollo’s genre-bending soul music reflects on deep-rooted internal struggles, cloaked in a sepia and rose tint. Catalyzed by his father’s suicide in 2022, his songwriting and style fuse the legacies of Bob Dylan and Prince with modern influences like Hozier, Leon Bridges, and Labrinth, creating lush, cinematic soundscapes through hypnotic guitar, ear-candy production, and a sultry voice. Following the release of his debut EP, Lew has sold out countless shows, toured in support of Los Lonely Boys, and earned radio rotation on KUTX with singles like “Diamonds and Gold” and “Let the Light In.” His self-produced debut album Fool’s Gold (Aug 2025) has already surpassed 300,000 streams in under two months and is generating buzz, with KUTX calling him “the perfect summer vibe,” AMP Music declaring “Lew Apollo will be a force in the R&B and pop stratospheres. Be warned,” and Earmilk praising how “Apollo’s signature smoky voice sets the tone for a sultry soundscape.”

SOMEBODY SOMEONE:

Austin, TX-based musician SOMEBODY SOMEONE (pronouns: they/them) has been causing quite a stir since the release of “Better,” their debut single under that moniker last year. Called “riveting and spellbinding” by American Songwriter, the track kicked off increasing momentum that sees them included in NPR’s coveted “Tiny Desk,” featured on the popular podcast “Telepathy Tapes,” and included in Adam Durwitz’s of Counting Crows’ Underwater Sunshine Festival in NYC.

Chosen by NPR’s music staff to be included in this Summer’s “Tiny Desk Contest On The Road Tour” when the caravan hit Austin, TX, Somebody Someone took part in the sold out outdoor show sponsored by KUTX at Mohawk. “I'm SO excited,” they exclaim. “I submit every year not expecting much to come of it, but I have to admit that after nine years of entry, an official recognition in my home city is pretty damn cool.”

Heralded by former Tiny Desk winner Quinn Christopherson who once proclaimed “This is a song I wish I wrote,” about their previous “Top Shelf” Tiny Desk performance, Somebody Someone’s inclusion in this show holds special significance. “Austin has been like my own piecemealed grad school for music,” they explain. “I've cut my teeth here and I'm confident enough to say they're razor sharp and ready to go! Everything feels like it's lining up like a planetary event.” More information here: https://tinydeskcontest.npr.org/2025/tour-page/.

Proving that the stars continue to align, they were featured on the massively popular podcast Telepathy Tapes which focuses on telepathic communication, particularly among individuals with autism. “I'm neurodivergent with several things in the mix,” they say. “This podcast has been so validating for so many reasons.”

In the current political and societal climate where autism is being demonized and marginalized unfairly, Somebody Someone wants to shine the light even brighter on autism to dispel the harmful myths that currently abound. “Especially in light of the *gestures broadly* political landscape and news cycle, ‘autism’ is a dirty word societally speaking,” they say. “Most people presume incompetence when folks are labeled as such, but really autistic people are responsible for some massive social and artistic movements - Greta Thunberg, Temple Grandin, Satoshi Tajiri, Naoki Higashida... we're all over the place.” More information here: https://thetelepathytapes.com/podcast.

Tapping into the momentum, Counting Crows frontman Adam Durwitz took note of Somebody Someone’s music and invited them onto the Underwater Sunshine Fest that takes place in New York City on November 21-22, 2025. Carefully curated to include the newest, brightest, independent music artists that Adam and the larger team of producers can find, the festival is an immersive celebration of songwriting and music that previously hosted such musical luminaries as Fantastic Cat, Red Wanting Blue, Monks of Doom, Stephen Kellogg, among many others. “It's a music lover’s festival with an emphasis on songwriting, which is exactly the kind of room I like being in,” they explain. More information can be found here: https://underwatersunshinefest.com/

MOTENKO:

In an era where the old and the new clash more rapidly and forcefully than perhaps ever before, Austin’s Motenko offers a musical vision of harmony between generations and perspectives. Deferential to soul’s ‘60s and ‘70s heyday without being overly beholden to it, enlivened by the infinite possibilities of modern technology and production without losing the grit and realness that gives soul its, well, soul, Motenko’s sound is an expression of wonder for the heights of the past and the promise of tomorrow. And on the aptly titled To Grow, Motenko respectfully nods to his past work while showcasing how much more evolved he has become.

Self-described as both his most personal work to date and his most collaborative, Motenko’s To Grow is art in flux in the best possible sense. Written as a musical conversation between Motenko and his late mother, “Free Yourself” is perhaps the most vintage sounding track on To Grow with its Stax rhythm and Philly Soul vocal stacks and strings but its message is thoroughly modern– technology has given us more freedom than ever before to connect yet in so many ways that has pushed us all further apart as we become more dependent on devices and platforms that encourage us to be critical of ourselves and others.

Motenko’s specific journey this year includes not only the release of To Grow in October, but also on a tour with Wild Child beginning in November on a string of dates in the midwest. Care to join him?

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A Grammy-winning American guitar player and rock & roll Hall of Famer, Jorma Kaukonen is best known as a founding member of psychedelic rock legends Jefferson Airplane and cult blues-rockers Hot Tuna. His fingerstyle guitar method, which is rooted in blues, folk, and Americana, has made him an influential figure and in-demand instructor -- he operates his own guitar camp. In addition to his work with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, Kaukonen is a prolific collaborator and successful solo artist who has released albums at a steady pace since the late 1970s, including River of Time (2009), Ain't in No Hurry (2015), and The River Flows (2021).

Jorma Kaukonen was born and grew up in Washington, D.C., where he first turned to the guitar. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early '60s, playing backup to singer Janis Joplin in local clubs. In 1965, Kaukonen became a founding member of Jefferson Airplane, which soared to fame in 1967. Though Kaukonen's songs and vocals were not prominently featured in the band, his distinctive guitar-playing was crucial to its sound.

With bassist Jack Casady, Kaukonen formed a spinoff duo from the group in 1970 called Hot Tuna, and this became his primary musical vehicle after Jefferson Airplane split in 1973. Hot Tuna recorded a series of albums on which Kaukonen sang and played guitar until 1978. After that, Kaukonen worked as a soloist and with such groups as Vital Parts (1980). Kaukonen reunited with Casady in Hot Tuna during the '80s, and both participated in the 1989 reunion of Jefferson Airplane. A Hot Tuna reunion album appeared the following year. Kaukonen remained active as the 20th century ended and the 21st began, regularly touring and recording in different configurations before finding a home with Red House Records , which released acclaimed efforts like Stars in My Crown, (2007), River of Time (2009), Ain't in No Hurry (2015), and The River Flows (2021). ~ William Ruhlmann & James Christopher Monger, Rovi

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During the creative explosion that was country music in the 1990s Suzy Bogguss sold 4 million records with sparkling radio hits like “Outbound Plane”, “Someday Soon”, “Letting Go”, “Drive South”, and “Hey Cinderella". But you can’t peg Suzy that easily…

In the midst of her country popularity she took time off to make a duets album with the legendary Chet Atkins. In 2003 she made an album of modern swing music with Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel. An album of original music in 2007 landed her at number 4 on the jazz charts. Her folk music roots show through in her frequent appearances on public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion, in the Grammy she earned for her work on Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster, and in her critically acclaimed album and book project from 2011, American Folk Songbook. In 2014 she released Lucky, a collection of songs written by Merle Haggard and interpreted through Suzy’s crystal vocals from the female point of view. Her latest offering, Prayin’ For Sunshine, is an Americana tour de force with all songs written by Bogguss. She continues to tour the world, both on her own and with fellow country radio divas Terri Clark and Pam Tills as “Chicks With Hits” and more recently, with Kathy Mattea on their Together At Last tour. So yes, you can call her a country singer if you want, but really that’s just the beginning.

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“There was no ‘a-ha’ moment,” says Jonathon Linaberry, “no life-changing revelation, no singular flash of inspiration. It was just a fierce, steady, undeniable energy, a force of nature I had to wrestle and wrangle with for years until I could harness it.”

It’s easy to understand, then, why Linaberry—better known as The Bones of J.R. Jones—would call his mesmerizing new album Slow Lightning. As its title would suggest, the collection is raw and visceral, pulsating with an understated electrical current that flows just beneath its seemingly placid surface. The songs are restless and unsettled here, often grappling with doubt and desire in the face of nature and fate, and frequent collaborator Kiyoshi Matsuyama’s production is eerily hypnotic to match, with haunting synthesizers, vintage drum machines, and ghostly guitars fleshing out Linaberry’s already-cinematic brand of roots noir. The result is a moody, ominous work that’s equal parts Southern Gothic and transcendentalist meditation, an instinctual slice of piercing self-reflection that hints at everything from Bruce Springsteen and Bon Iver to James Murphy and J.J. Cale as it searches for meaning and purpose in a world without easy answers.

“I felt very lost at the time I was writing these songs,” Linaberry confesses. “It was a moment of deep crisis and anxiety, but I knew the only way out was through, which meant I just had to bring myself to the table every day and put in the work.”

Linaberry’s no stranger to putting in the work. Born and raised in central New York, he got his start playing in hardcore and punk bands before becoming enamored with the field recordings of Alan Lomax, who documented rural American blues, folk, and gospel musicians throughout the 1930s and ’40s. Inspired by the unvarnished honesty of those vintage performances, Linaberry launched The Bones of J.R. Jones in 2012 and, operating as a fully independent artist over the course of the ensuing decade, released three critically acclaimed albums along with a trio of similarly well received EPs; landed his songs in a slew of films and television series including Suits, Daredevil, Longmire, and Graceland; and toured the US and Europe countless times over as a one-man-band, playing guitar or banjo while simultaneously stomping a modified drum kit everywhere from Telluride Blues to Savannah Stopover. Along the way, Linaberry also shared bills with the likes of The Wallflowers, G. Love, and The Devil Makes Three, soundtracked an Amazon commercial helmed by Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi, and earned praise from Billboard, American Songwriter, and Under the Radar, among others.

After living in constant motion for the better part of ten years, though, Linaberry found himself at an unexpected standstill in 2021. At the time, he and his wife had recently relocated from Brooklyn to an old farmhouse in the Catskills, and the change of pace was both rewarding and challenging all at once.

“It’s a pretty remote, rural area we moved to,” Linabery explains, “the kind of place where spring is just a continuation of the cold, grey, muddy, brown of winter. I was exhausted by the seasons, working on songs nine hours a day in the attic, and it all felt very isolated and insular.”

Where the most recent Bones of J.R. Jones release, 2021’s A Celebration, drew inspiration from a trip into the vast, desert expanses of the American southwest, the songs that began taking shape in upstate New York this time around were more difficult to pin down, seeming to come and go of their own accord.

“That’s where the notion of ‘slow lightning’ was born,” Linaberry explains. “It’s about a power you can’t control, a force that’s bigger than you and follows its own path no matter how badly you want to mold or direct it. That’s what this record felt like, and it’s something I had to figure out how to embrace.”

That kind of all-consuming power is palpable from the start on Slow Lightning, which begins with the boisterous “Animals.” Gritty and insistent, the track taps into something primal and uninhibited, learning to trust its gut and make peace with aiming high and sometimes falling short. “Well my heart’s just trying to kill me,” Linaberry sings over roiling guitars and drums. “It always vibrates above / With always grand notions / But it plays in the mud.” Like so much of the album, it’s a testament to resilience, to letting go of failure and pressing on even when things feel hopeless. The bittersweet title track explores tenacity in the face of disenchantment, while the lo-fi “Blue Skies” insists on reaching for hope regardless of the cost, and “The Flood” conjures up a wistful portrait of survival and loss as it builds from a dreamy blur into a searing crescendo.

“I remember lying in bed in the dark hearing the coyotes laughing out in the field behind our house just before they killed something,” Linaberry recalls. “It was so haunting and eerie, but at the same time, you’re just so totally in awe of what’s happening right outside your window, this elemental moment of life and death all wrapped up together.”

Despite the looming sense of danger that permeates the album, Slow Lightning still manages to find moments of humor and levity. The darkly romantic “I’ll See You In Hell” revels in a love so strong it carries on through eternal damnation; the sardonic “I Ain’t Through With You” gets high on an addictively toxic relationship; and the relentlessly taut “Heaven Help Me” surrenders to overwhelming infatuation, with Linaberry recalling, “Love is the kind of thing that will keep you warm / That's what she said / As she was burning down my home.”

In the end, though, it’s perhaps the breezy “Salt Sour Sweet” that best encapsulates the spirit of the record, with Linaberry looking back on a lifetime of love and heartbreak, dreams and disappointment, success and failure, and ultimately recognizing that it’s the grand sum of them all that make us who we are. “It’s the salt sour and sweet / That holds,” he sings in an airy falsetto. Call it maturity, call it self-awareness; it’s the kind of wisdom that can only arrive on a bolt of Slow Lightning.

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Having spent every Wednesday night for two years playing at a little hotel in Sydney called the Hollywood, this unsigned songwriter took a leap of faith and headed to the U.S. for the first time to play SXSW. Just a few months later, she signed a record deal with Verve (UMG), moved to Hollywood California, to release her debut album Omaha.

Falls has spent the time since its release traversing the length and breadth of the United States, crossing continents, playing shows, and writing the songs that would become her new album. 

Recorded with Grammy Award winning producer Joe Chiccarelli at iconic Sunset Sound Recorders in LA, and largely shaped by their love of Americana music, the songs on her new record elegantly capture both the thrill and the fallout of following through on a dream. Illustrating life on the road and the feeling one gets when you no-longer know where home is anymore.

Onstage, it’s clear that Falls wears her heart on her sleeve, with her emotionally fueled live performances drawing rave reviews. She is fast developing an impressive live resume, growing a sizable and loyal fanbase here in the United States and her native country Australia. Her songs have been featured in several national US ad campaigns for national brands and have also received prominent television syncs in the US and Australia. 

Featured in Billboard Magazine’s “Tomorrow’s Hits” and recent winner of the International Songwriting Competition in the Americana category, with her intimate yet catchy Indie Folk/Americana and sweet vocal harmonies, Falls is quietly making a name for herself in 2025.

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David Nail’s candor cuts like a laser through star-making propriety, a ritual of predictable answers to predictable questions, recited by artists averse to the controversy that truth can bring.

True, he is respected up and down and beyond Music Row. He’s written or co-written multiple hits. Critics laud his singing too: The late, revered Chuck Dauphin, for one, marveled at Nail’s ability to turn an “ordinary lyric and arrangement” into a “tour de force,” adding, “simply put… he is not one of us.”

So he’s got rock-solid credentials. And he earned them despite a refusal to present himself in a false light. His songs pull no punches in evoking the demons with which he has wrestled through much of his life. As Nail explains, it’s not so much an act of courage to write about depression and its effects. Rather, it is simply who he is; he says, in conversation and through music, what he must say.

In Nail’s own words, “My philosophy has always been, I just hope to have a good enough year that I can have a next year while staying as true to myself as I possibly can.”

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In 2022 Lissie released her critically acclaimed Americana-tinged indie folk album ‘Carving Canyons’. The album is a fresh chapter in an already impressive career. Produced by Curt Schneider (Patti Smyth, Lucero) and recorded in Nashville, ‘Carving Canyons’ focuses upon finding an inner strength to face the uncertainties of the future, to main hope to battle personal and social adversity - no matter how tough those challenges appear to be. Most recently, Lissie released her new EP “Promises”, a covers EP with a unique touch. She has picked a six-song collection of famous and renowned songs that hold personal significance to her own life experiences. That personal touch gives the songs an added layer of emotion, bringing something fresh and unique to material that is still instantly recognisable.

Lissie’s storied career took off with 2010’s ‘Catching A Tiger’ which was certified Gold in the UK, while her other three studio albums have all reached the UK Top 20. Her previous album, 2018’s ‘Castles’, was her highest charting record to date when it debuted at #9.

Her other experiences include appearances on the TV shows ‘Twin Peaks’ and most recently, ‘Loudermilk’, where she played Lizzie Poole in the 3rd season and performed her song “When I’m Alone”.

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Americana/folk stalwart Slaid Cleaves has been putting out highly acclaimed records for 25 years now, consistently delivering songs that strike people's hearts and become part of their lives. Together Through the Dark is no different. Producer Scrappy Jud Newcomb and Cleaves teamed up for the third time in early 2022 between Covid surges to record a new batch of songs, Slaid's first in five years. Familiar themes of struggle and resilience will be a surprise to no one. As Scrappy puts it, “This album speaks to the hopeful, the hard working, the battered, confused, and the sad. But above all to the believers in the city of freedom that we heard in the stories of our youth and all those FM radio hits.” Watch for single releases to radio and streaming services in early 2023 in anticipation of a March 3rd worldwide album release.

Joseph Hudak of Rolling Stone Country calls Cleaves “a master storyteller, one influenced not by the shine of pop-culture but by the dirt of real life.”

The music of Texas-based singer/songwriter Slaid Cleaves is rooted in traditional country and folk forms, but is distinct enough to have held interest amidst a sea of singer/songwriters since the 1990s. While he released a handful of recordings during the early '90s, he gained significant notice with No Angel Knows, which was released on Rounder's Philo subsidiary in 1997. Joined by former Lucinda Williams guitarist and producer Gurf Morlix, Cleaves combined his interest in folk songs, early rock and roll, and traditional country music into an amalgamation of styles becoming known at that time as Americana. Not surprisingly, the album rode high into the charts at Americana-formatted radio stations across the U.S. and Canada that year and set the tone for the rest of his career.

In his hometown of South Berwick, Maine, Cleaves began playing keyboards in garage bands while still in high school. His first band, founded in 1980 by childhood friend Rod Picott, was dubbed The Magic Rats. After the lead singer was kicked out of his next band, The Classifieds, Cleaves started singing cover songs behind his Hammond Porta-B organ in local road houses, hotel lounges and bowling alleys while still in his teens. After reading in Rolling Stone about Bruce Springsteen's inspirations for the Nebraska album, he climbed into his parents' attic to rediscover the treasure trove of albums which he recalled hearing as a child – Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry - and which became guides to the budding songwriter. While in college, where he studied English and philosophy, he learned a few guitar chords and spent a school year in Ireland, where he began to write and sing his own songs and joined the league of buskers on the streets of Cork.

After a few post-college years in Portland, Maine, fronting the alt-country band, The Moxie Men, Cleaves and future wife and business partner Karen set out on a career adventure, moving to Austin in late 1991. Despite the echelon of acclaimed singer-songwriters like Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen, Butch Hancock, and Joe Ely, all centered around the Austin scene at the time, Cleaves was eventually able to make a name for himself there. In 1996, he began his collaboration with Morlix, who liked Cleaves' homemade demo tape and ended up serving as producer for five albums, starting with 1997's No Angel Knows.

During the following decade Cleaves began touring relentlessly throughout North America, the UK, and the Netherlands, while releasing three more acclaimed albums, starting with the career-defining Broke Down in 2000, followed by Wishbones (2004) and then a collection of covers of friends' songs, Unsung (2006). With an eclectic, bare-bones combo he was well received at major folk festivals including, Newport Folk Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, and Kerrville Folk Festival (where he had been a “New Folk” winner in 1992).

After signing with Jimmy LaFave's Music Road Records, he issued Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away (2009, featuring liner notes from fan Stephen King), the two-disc Sorrow & Smoke: Live at the Horseshoe Lounge (2011), and Still Fighting the War (2013), produced by beloved Austin guitarist Scrappy Jud Newcomb. The title song was inspired in part by Craig F. Walker's Pulitzer-winning photo-essay depicting a Marine's harrowing return to civilian life. The album was praised as "one of the year's best albums" by American Songwriter and "carefully crafted, . . . songs about the struggles of the heart in hard times" by the Wall Street Journal. The New York Daily News called his music "a treasure hidden in plain sight," while the Austin Chronicle declared, "there are few contemporaries that compare. He's become a master craftsman on the order of Guy Clark and John Prine."

2017's Ghost on the Car Radio, on his own Candy House Media label, found Cleaves teaming up with Mr. Newcomb for a second time to present an album of vivid snapshots of regular folks dreaming, loving, scraping by and getting old in small town America.

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Christie Lenée is more than a musician - she’s an experience. Symphonic compositions flow from her fingertips effortlessly, with sound ranging from transcendental folk-pop to virtuosic instrumentals.

Christie has been described as “Dave Matthews meets Joni Mitchell and Michael Hedges,” integrating melodic pop lyricism with catchy hooks and percussive, harmonic textures. An artist celebrated across eclectic audiences, Lenée has performed at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, was a 2x Finalist in the USA Songwriting Competition, and has been covered in a variety of articles in Guitar Player Magazine, Premier Guitar, Americana Highways and Acoustic Guitar Magazine.

In 2017, Lenée won first place in the International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship, and was named “One of the Best Acoustic Guitarists in the World Right Now” by Guitar World in 2020. She’s performed alongside Tommy Emmanuel, Andy McKee, Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), and Tim Reynolds (Dave Matthews Band), and was featured on the Melissa Etheridge Cruise in 2021.

Beyond her technical prowess and abundant joy, Lenée has the rare ability to connect with audiences through an emotional landscape. Her spiritual depth resonates with listeners, filling them with healing and lasting inspiration.

On Wednesday, April 15th, Christie will be performing at the 04 Center alongside one of Austin's favorites Katie Marie, with a set sampling both Lenée’s instrumental and vocal repertoire as well as unreleased material.

Christie Lenée's live show embodies loops, percussion, vocal FX, acoustic tapping, bass and high energy performances. She has released six albums and toured extensively as an independent artist, selling out venues all over North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, as well as making radio and television appearances in various regions. “Adding multi-instrumentalist Katie Marie to the show has been a breath of fresh air. Her joy and vibrant musicianship has added new life to the songs,” muses Lenée, adding that it’s made her performances “even more sweet and invigorating.”

Christie Lenee’s most recent album "Coming Alive" reminds devout listeners of her spiritual and sublime songwriting, inspirational lyrics, and of course, sensational guitar playing. The first line of the intro title track (“I’ve got a feeling deep inside”), tells you everything you need to know: Lenée’s sixth album is a chronicle of joy and hope, of self-confidence and empowerment, of renewal and light.

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Katie Marie is an award winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and engineer. She has been performing, writing and recording music for over 30 years and has toured extensively across the UK, US and Europe. Katie has worked with many well-known artists including Paula Cole, Sophie B.Hawkins, Ruthie Foster, Jimmy LaFave, Rachael Sage, Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Phil Gould (Level42), Rebecca Loebe, Carrie Elkin, Grace Pettis and more. Proudly endorsed by Takamine Guitars, L R Baggs, and Schlagwerk Percussion.

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Lera Lynn is an acclaimed singer-songwriter whose haunting voice, cinematic soundscapes, and genre-defying style have earned her a devoted cult following. Blending Americana, indie rock, folk noir, and art pop noir, she has crafted an unmistakable sonic identity that is both timeless and ever-evolving. Lynn first gained wide recognition for her music featured on HBO’s True Detective (Season 2), where her atmospheric songs and on-screen performance left an indelible mark on viewers.

A fiercely independent artist, Lynn has built a career on thoughtful songwriting, poetic lyricism, and meticulous production, all while nurturing a direct relationship with her fans, running her own independent label, Ruby Range Records. Beyond her own albums, she has composed and produced music for video games, podcast theme songs, and films, collaborated with a vast array of artists, and produced records for others. Her music has been placed in countless films and television series, further cementing her ability to create evocative, cinematic soundscapes. On stage, she has toured from California to Eastern Europe and everywhere in between, delivering mesmerizing performances that captivate audiences worldwide.

Now, 10 years after True Detective, Lynn revisits that pivotal era with True Sessions, a three-song EP reimagining the music that introduced her to a wider audience. This special release serves as a heartfelt gift to her fans, offering a glimpse into how far she has come while honoring the raw, moody essence of those songs.

But Lynn is not one to dwell on the past. On April 18, she will officially announce her ninth studio album, Comic Book Cowboy, set for release on September 19. Expanding her stylistic repertoire while sharpening her singular sound, this album plays with contrasts—gritty realism versus idealized heroism, and the absurdity of living up to a fantasy. It explores the tension between self-perception and the roles society expects us to play, capturing the struggle of wrestling with one’s own mythology.

Both self-aware and even subtly comedic at times, Comic Book Cowboy stands out as an anthem for anyone striving for authenticity in a world so full of expectations. It delivers the moody, immersive textures Lera Lynn fans have come to love while pushing into uncharted sonic territory. Lush production, dynamic arrangements, and deeply introspective lyrics weave together to create an album that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.

With Comic Book Cowboy, Lynn reaffirms why she remains one of the most compelling independent artists of her generation—an artist unafraid to evolve, take risks, and forge her own path, all while staying deeply connected to the fans who have supported her every step of the way.

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Jason Eady writes songs that feel lived in. Raw, acoustic driven Americana music rooted in the South and shaped by years on the road. With a storyteller’s eye and a stripped-down sound, he delivers timeless truths in plainspoken poetry.

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To quote Robert Keen, “it’s the little things.” John Baumann has that songwriters eye. His songs are populated with those little things from life. Familiar things that draw you in, paint pictures in your mind and make you say, "wish I would have thought of that". That's the great thing about this kind of songwriting, it’s not flashy in any kind of way, except it’s emotional depth. - Bruce Robison

Since his debut EP in 2012, John Baumann has established himself as equal parts brilliant songwriter and captivating entertainer. He’s released four solo records, landed cuts with other artists - from Kenny Chesney to the Randy Rogers Band - and continued to cement his budding reputation as a distinctively talented singer-songwriter. He is always working on new material, maintaining a steady run of tour dates with his band and as a solo performer, while also a member of the acclaimed group The Panhandlers. Richard Skanse (Lonestar Music Magazine) writes: "Too soon for accolades? Nah, More like right on time. And so long as he keeps gunning for the horizon and doesn’t succumb to the middle of the road, there oughta be a lot more of ’em coming not too far down the line."

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Join us at the 04 Center on Saturday, April 18, 2026, for Dave Madden’s 9th Annual 11:59 Songwriting Group Showcase with support from Sun Radio! Experience a magical night featuring over a dozen talented songwriters, both fresh faces and seasoned pros, unveiling brand-new songs crafted this year. With a killer house band elevating every performance, this showcase promises an unforgettable celebration of original music and creative camaraderie. Don’t miss it!

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Founded in 2018, the 11:59 Songwriting Group is an annual project designed to provide inspiration, support, accountability, and feedback for a diverse group of musicians and songwriters.

Every year, the group’s founder Dave Madden curates a collective of artists ranging from singer-songwriters to instrumentalists, poets, visual artists, composers, solo artists, and bands. It’s a vibrant community where many genres of music are represented. Since its inception in 2018, the group has created over 1,000 songs—and they're just getting started.

In 2023, the group was awarded a $10,000 Live Music Fund grant from the Music & Entertainment Division of the City of Austin’s Economic Development program. This grant has allowed the group to flourish in new and exciting ways. The funds were distributed widely throughout Austin, impacting more than 70 individual small business owners, local companies and artists.

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Good things, it’s often said, come to those who wait. And yet, as one of the great poets of our time also famously observed, the waiting is the hardest part.

Both truths have been proven once again on the journey to singer-songwriter Mindy Smith’s sixth studio album Quiet Town, which brings a treasured musical voice back into the spotlight.

Fans can look forward to hearing new songs from Quiet Town as well as beloved tracks from her previous albums during her live performances.

A good rule of thumb when going to a Mindy Smith concert, bring a hanky, a tissue or an extra sleeve. Your tear ducts don’t know the difference between laughing tears and crying tears and you’ll likely be doing both. “Humor is how I compensate for singing so many sad tunes back-to-back,” says Smith.

Mindy Smith is a Long Island-born, Americana award winning, Dove nominated, Nashville based singer-songwriter with a clear and honest passion for Americana, jazz, pop, rock, blues, and folk. As a recording artist, she has sold over 750k albums and singles and amassed over 175 million streams to date. She has played some of the most prestigious festivals in the world including Cambridge Folk Festival, Maverick Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, MerleFest, Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, Bonnaroo and more. Smith has also appeared on The Grand Ole Opry over 20 times.

Her original songs have been recorded and released by the likes of Alison Krauss, Lee Ann Womack, Faith Hill and most recently Danny Burns ft Sam Bush. Mindy has performed with and toured alongside the likes of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, John Prine (US AND UK Tour), Nickel Creek (US Tour), and Mary Chapin Carpenter (US Tour. Most recently, Smith was the featured vocalist on Kenny Chesney’s charting single, “Better Boat”.  Says Chesney, “if you just close your eyes and listen to her voice -- I’m speaking for me --she brings calm, she brings a sense that it’s all going to be all right. [T]o me, when I hear her voice, it’s like an angel, her voice is so--what’s the word?—‘genreless.’ It’s bigger than all of us.”

“Her voice carves melodies so sharp and fine you can almost see them…” – New York Times

“Smith’s best songs sound like little miracles.” – USA Today

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The position that Radney Foster enjoys in the music landscape is remarkable. Mainstream country music and independent Americana tend to occupy separate orbits. Yet for 37 years, Foster has thrived in both as a songwriter, recording artist, live performer and producer. His songs—solo, with Foster and Lloyd and recorded by other artists—have topped the country, Americana, and AAA charts alike.

Foster developed his best-of-both-worlds sensibilities growing up in the small West Texas town of Del Rio, where he absorbed music from both the local pop radio station by day and the renegade country from border station XERF by night.

He first gained attention as half of the duo Foster & Lloyd. who, with “Crazy Over You” became the first duo in history to top the Country charts with their debut single. Their music appealed as much to college rock listeners looking for an edgy roots sound as it did country fans craving tradition, and they went on to release three ground-breaking albums for the label. He then established himself as a solo artist in the early 90’s with his critically acclaimed release Del Rio, Texas 1959.

Known as a songwriter’s songwriter, his songs have been recorded by everyone from Keith Urban and the Chicks to Hootie & the Blowfish and George Benson. His own hits like “Just Call Me Lonesome,” “Nobody Wins,” and “Texas In 1880” continue to be played on radio and by bands around the world.

His most recent project For You To See The Stars is in two parts, a book of short fiction, and a companion CD of the same name.

Foster has written eight number one hit singles, including his own “Nobody Wins,” and “Crazy Over You” with duo Foster & Lloyd. His discography contains countless cuts by artists ranging anywhere from country (Keith Urban, The Chicks, Brooks and Dunn, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) to contemporary (Marc Broussard, Hootie & The Blowfish, Kenny Loggins, Los Lonely Boys, George Benson) and his songs have sold 50 million copies worldwide. He was recently inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

He recently reunited with the Randy Rogers Band to produce their new album Homecoming, nearly 20 years after he produced the band’s debut Rollercoaster, and subsequent two albums.

Foster’s most recent project For You To See The Stars is in two parts, a book of short fiction, and a companion CD of the same name. He has appeared in film, TV and stage including as host of CMT Crossroads, in the feature film Beauty Mark, on stage in the acclaimed musical “Troubador.” He is currently working on another book of fiction, as well as developing film and TV projects.

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KATE HOWARD

Nobody writes a song the way that Kate Howard does. Equal parts honesty, humor and poignancy, Kate’s performances are always honest and captivating. At age 50, Kate wrote her first song. By age 62, she's written over 400 tunes and shows no signs of slowing down. This year, she performed in the Texas Women Songwriters Festival; released her EP, "I'm Not Here to Help You"; and started recording her 3rd release. Jon Dee Graham (thrice inducted into Austin Music Hall of Fame) calls Kate "the Dorothy Parker of Austin". Iain Johnson (IndieDock) says "Kate Howard is a national treasure in local disguise." Tony Scalzo (Fastball) says of Ms. Howard, “Her lyrics take you to a place no other songwriter will.”

SUZANNA CHOFFEL

Known for her distinct voice and reggae-inspired guitar technique, Austin native Suzanna Choffel's music has been described as "a unique sound equal parts Beat poetry, smoky soul grooves and indie-pop eccentricity." (Jim Derogatis). Having made appearances at ACL Music Fest, SXSW, Voodoo Fest, as well as on screen in movies like "Catfish" and NBC's The Voice (earning singular praise from Rolling Stone as "the only artist you'd want to listen to a complete album from"), Choffel feels equally at home singing in a dimly lit club as she does front and center in front of (literally) millions.

Over the course of her two decade career Choffel has shared the stage with a diverse array of artists like Buena Vista Social Club, Suzanne Vega, Crystal Gayle, Solange, Carrie Rodriguez, Davíd Garza and many others. As a songwriter she has won multiple awards in both the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the International Songwriting Contest and her albums have appeared on top 10 lists across Texas.

Choffel was born and raised in Austin and cut her teeth as a teenager singing in beloved hometown haunts like Saxon Pub and Broken Spoke. She moved away to Santa Fe to study music at a small “hippie college” as she likes to call it, improving her guitar & songwriting chops, moved back to Austin & recorded her first album Shudders & Rings and hit the clubs hard, developing a following at places like Momo’s, Strange Brew, (both have closed) and Cactus Cafe. She started to appear on many “one to watch” lists in Austin & in 2009 won Best Indie Band at Austin Music Awards.

Since that time life has had huge changes for her; she did a short stint on reality tv (NBC’s The Voice), moved to New York, toured in France, gave birth to two daughters, recorded & released two more albums, toured internationally and became a radio personality/DJ on Austin’s Sun Radio (100.1FM). Her unique “radio” voice landed her a gig as the voice of Whataburger in 2023.

Choffel released her fourth studio album Bird by Bird on Sept 27th, 2024. Choffel teamed up with Grammy-winning producer Davíd Garza for Bird by Bird, which was recorded in both Los Angeles and the Sonic Ranch studio complex outside of El Paso. The album does keep its Austin bona fides: Adrian Quesada, of the Black Pumas and Grupo Fantasma, and fiddle phenoms Carrie Rodriguez and Warren Hood play on the album.

EMMA DEAN

Originally from Louisiana and a resident of Austin, Texas for many years now, Emma Dean Moseley is a rising singer-songwriter and acoustic finger style guitar player.

DAVID PULKINGHAM

David Pulkingham grew up traveling internationally, recording and performing music.

He was first published at age four and was on his first recording session at age seven.

Deciding to pursue music professionally at age 20, David enrolled in the prestigious Jazz studies program at the University of North Texas. Upon graduation he moved to Austin, Texas where he has been a mainstay of that city’s thriving music scene ever since. Known for his abilities in numerous styles, he has been called on for many recording sessions whether it be Latin music or Rock and Roll.

Tony Visconti, the legendary record producer best known for producing David Bowie, calls Pulkingham “the complete guitarist.”

“David is one of the best guitarists I’ve ever worked with,” said Visconti, who has worked with some of the greatest guitarists of the last five decades. “He is equally brilliant in pick styles, finger styles, classical, Flamenco, Brazilian — rock ‘n’ roll and jazz. He always amazes me.”

From 2002 until 2012 David toured internationally as the right hand man of the famed Texas troubadour, Alejandro Escovedo. He was also the musical director of the Alejandro Escovedo Orchestra. This lead him to performances on such stages as Carnegie Hall and to share the stage with such icons as Bruce Springsteen.

In December of 2012 he was asked to be the bandleader and guitarist for two shows with Robert Plant and Patty Griffin, and went on to tour with Patty Griffin in 2013 in support of her new album release “American Kid.”

In 2011 he released a solo instrumental album entitled “David Pulkingham Plays Guitar.” In 2012 he released a 5 song EP of originals called “David Pulkingham Plays Guitar and Sings” and in 2014 he released a third volume of “David Pulkingham Plays Guitar”, and will release a full album of originals.

David currently tours with Patty Griffin and plays internationally under his own name.

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Deep Blue Something is an American alternative rock band formed in Denton, Texas in 1993. the band is composed of Todd Pipes (vocals and bass), his brother Toby Pipes (vocals and lead guitar), Kirk Tatom (guitar and backing vocals), Clay Bergus (guitar and backing vocals), and John Kirtland (drums).

The band is perhaps best known for their hit single "Breakfast at Tiffany's" which reached the top 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became a global hit in 1995, culminating with a U.K. #1 in 1996. The band's music encompasses a range of styles, including dream- pop, alternative rock, pop, and post-grunge.

The band's debut album, 11th Song, was released in 1993 followed by Home in 1995, Byzantium in 1998 and Deep Blue Something in 2000. Each album showcases the band's songwriting and musicianship, earning them a devoted fanbase and critical acclaim.

Deep Blue Something has also earned a reputation as a dynamic and engaging live band, having toured extensively throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. They have shared the stage with acts such as Oasis, Collective Soul, Phil Collins, Letters To Cleo, Alanis Morrisette, Adam Ant, Spin Doctors, Everclear, Manic Street Preachers, Cheap Trick, and ZZ Top, and have performed at major festivals such throughout the globe.

Despite going on hiatus in the early 2000's, the band reunited in 2014 to perform a series of live shows and released the Locust House EP in 2020. With a renewed interest in touring, the band began recording a new album, Lunar Phase in 2024. The new album will be released by Flatiron Recordings in early 2025. While not a concept album, Lunar Phase was created with a very clear direction in mind. Instead of falling into the trap of trying to sound current, DBS decided to shape the sound of the record to feel as if it had been recorded in 1992—in the glory days of jangly underground guitar bands, from which the band had drawn so much inspiration when solidifying their sound. This was the time of Material Issue, Teenage Fanclub, The Charlatans, and Sugar—when everyone was waiting to see if The Stone Roses would ever make another record. . . before grunge took over. Drawing once again from these early sources of inspiration, Lunar Phase was created with that wonderful time in mind.

Over 400 million streams on Spotify alone stands as a testament to Deep Blue Something's enduring appeal of their distinctive sound and style.

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Born and raised in Belfast, Andrea Magee made a bold leap across the Atlantic to pursue her musical dreams in the United States in 2014. Since then, she has emerged as one of the most compelling live performers in Austin’s vibrant music scene. A master of the bodhran, a traditional Celtic drum, and a multi-instrumentalist, Andrea captivates audiences with her dynamic performances that blend rich musical traditions with contemporary influences. Her heartfelt songwriting and captivating voice are deeply rooted in her personal experiences and cultural heritage.

As the founder of Music Helps, a non-profit organization, Andrea has dedicated herself to providing music workshops for children at Helping Hand Home for Children. Through this initiative, she connects local musicians with at-risk youth, creating a nurturing environment that fosters creativity and emotional healing. The impact of these workshops has been profound, not only providing an outlet for the children but also offering meaningful employment for musicians in the community. Andrea's commitment to giving back has transformed her into a beacon of hope for many, showcasing the healing power of music.

In addition to her non-profit work, Andrea serves as the festival director for She Rises Fest, an annual event that celebrates women in music and the arts. Under her leadership, the festival has featured an array of talented artists and has become a significant platform for promoting gender equality in the music industry.

Musically, Andrea's journey has been marked by significant achievements. She has toured extensively, sharing stages with legendary artists such as Brian Wilson, Brian Setzer, and Jeff Bridges as the opening act for Beat Root Revival. Her recent studio album, Belfast Girl, highlights her unique sound and artistic evolution. The album has received praise for its raw authenticity and emotional depth, resonating with audiences and critics alike.

Andrea is poised for new adventures with the release of her upcoming single, "Chase the River," on November 29th. This new sound is a departure from her previous work, featuring Andrea as the sole musician on the recording. Leaning into her bodhran drum, belle drum, and singing bowls, she explores the profound journey of self-reliance and introspection, creating a deeply personal soundscape that invites listeners to connect with her at an intimate level.She is currently gearing up to record her next full-length album at Arlyn Studios

Through her music and philanthropic endeavors, Andrea Magee embodies the spirit of Austin's live music scene, bringing people together and inspiring change through the universal language of music. As Andrea says, “Music is about community, connection, and giving back. It’s the threads that weave us together, and I’m honored to be a part of that tapestry.”

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With her enchanted voice and evocative songwriting, Leslie Mendelson has won the hearts and minds of both an adoring fanbase and fellow artists alike. No less than Jackson Browne has declared, “Leslie’s melodies are timeless. They reach me way back in my youth somewhere. I hear traces of Burt Bacharach and Carole King, and hooks and passages that remind me of the pop songs I grew up hearing on the radio,” while The Wallflowers frontman Jakob Dylan shares: “Voices like Leslie’s can get away with almost anything. Along with being a great songwriter, this leaves her with few if any peers.”

A Grammy Award-nominated artist, Mendelson returns this summer with her fourth studio album, After The Party. For this latest effort, she collaborates with not one, but three producers: the legendary Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt), the young, in-demand Tyler Chester (Madison Cunningham, Sara Bareilles, Sara Watkins) and her longtime songwriting partner, three-time Grammy Award-winner, Steve McEwan. Recorded at Jackson Browne’s studio Grove Masters in Santa Monica, CA, she was joined by an ace band featuring guitarists Waddy Wachtel and John Jorgenson, bassists Leland Sklar and Derrick Anderson, and drummers Jim Keltner and Abe Rounds.

“Collaboration was so important to me with these songs. My previous album, If You Can’t Say Anything Nice… looked inward and was often colored by the dark socio-political climate circa 2018 and 2019 when it was written. Throw in the pandemic during which it was released, and it just became really clear that I needed to have fun making music again,” explains Mendelson. “When the opportunity presented itself to have both Tyler and Peter produce me, along with Steve who’s been with me since the very beginning of my career, it felt as if the stars had aligned and were demanding that I indulge in the joy of creating with all of these musical geniuses who wanted to work together.”

Throughout After The Party’s ten tracks, Mendelson crafts a distinctive folk-rock, pop-Americana flavor, evoking the sounds of Laurel Canyon, but with the downtown grit and sharp wit of Brooklyn, the city she has called home for over two decades now. There’s a refreshing realness and effortless musicality that feels both nostalgic and new on songs like “Rock And Roll On The Radio,” “Signs Of Life,” and “I Know A Lot Of People.” The album’s first single “Other Girls” is an intoxicating twist of aural voyeurism mixed with a healthy dose of sexual openness. Its chorus suggestively musing, “I like it, I said I like it when you talk about other girls.”

“‘Other Girls,’ is about women empowering women,” says Mendelson. “Who doesn’t love women?! It’s also another way of looking at conventional relationships and indulging in fantasy. A bit of commentary on the ever-changing world we live in.”

Other standout tracks, “Have a Little Heart,” “The Good Life” and the title track offer warm musings on a life worth living and a newfound appreciation for the little things.

“I would love for this record to connect,” said Mendelson. “I think there’s something in there to speak to people. There are personal moments, there are moments of fun, where you can turn it up loud and sing along, and there are moments of reflection. This record is an emotional journey, and I hope that people can take it with me.”

“Leslie is one of these very rare singers who can combine elegant precision with the soul and emotional resonance of a deeply moving writer and performer,” concludes producer, Peter Asher. “She has a remarkable voice and one we need to hear.”

—

Ben Danaher writes songs like he’s lived every line—and most of them, he has. The newly Texas based songwriter has spent the last decade turning personal truth into timeless songs, carving out a space where country, soul, and Americana meet with grit and grace.

His new EP, Strangers, out August 8th, is Danaher at his most raw and revealing. Across five hauntingly honest tracks, he explores distance—between people, within ourselves, and from the lives we thought we’d be living by now. Anchored by the standout single “Professional Stranger,” the EP captures the quiet ache of feeling disconnected in a world that’s always performing.

Danaher’s voice—both literal and lyrical—has earned comparisons to Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton, but his perspective is uniquely his own: shaped by loss, sharpened by years on the road, and softened by hard-won self-awareness.

With Strangers, Ben Danaher doesn’t just share songs. He holds up a mirror—and somehow makes the loneliness feel a little less lonely.

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Dave Scher grabbed onto an electric guitar at age 10, and has spent little of his waking time ever since without having one in his very capable hands. That is, unless, he happens to be playing mandolin, fiddle, bass, piano, organ or any number of other instruments, just to keep things interesting. He’s been known to dabble in jazz, funk, or even a little country whenever he temporarily wanders from his beloved blues, but basically he does it all. Dave ScherAnd then there’s his voice—powerful and sensual enough to convey every emotion on the spectrum, a natural extension and perfect complement to his work on the guitar.

It is Dave’s honor and pleasure to play as a sideman for many well-known local acts, and his versatility and enormous talent enable him to really up the ante and make any band sound incredible. But he mostly shines as a solo performer or when leading his own trio, belting out original material in addition to his own exciting, inventive arrangements of popular and classic covers of all genres.

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People ask Warren Hood a lot of questions at the end of a show – what was the name of that song you played – it sounded like Stephane Grappelli maybe, right after the Doug Sahm cover? How did you learn to play fiddle like that? Are you playing anywhere else this week? How old are you? Warren always obliges to answer all of the questions, that’s just his character (the answers are usually something like, “Black Cat”, hard work and listening to the right records, yes, definitely, and older than you think). He cares deeply about the experiences of the people who come to his shows and buy his records and works hard to create memorable live performances and albums.

Warren started playing classical violin at age 11 in the school orchestra, later studying privately with Bill Dick. He won classical music competitions, including the Pearl Amster Youth Concerto Competition and the Austin Youth Award, which gave him the opportunity to perform as a soloist on “Lalo Symphonie Espagnole” with the Austin Symphony, conducted by Peter Bay. Warren later balanced studying at Austin High with touring with Charlie Robison and the South Austin Jug Band. After high school, Warren earned a rare scholarship to Berklee College of Music where he majored in Violin Performance, played with Steven Tyler and formed an acoustic string band, Blue Light Special. At Berklee, Warren earned the coveted String Achievement Award, an award chosen by faculty to honor talent and as a vote of confidence on future success.

Leaving Berklee, Warren returned to Austin and was in demand as a sideman, playing with Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, and joining The Waybacks, a band he would play with for the next ten years. Through all of this, Warren played with the South Austin Jug Band when he could, especially as a part of their Sunday night residency at Momo’s on W 6th St in Austin. When the residency ended for SAJB, Warren gathered a group of friends and took over Sunday nights under his own name, starting his first solo venture and releasing his first studio record, “Warren Hood”, an eclectic mix of both songs and legendary Austin players including Marcia Ball, Cindy Cashdollar, and Ephraim Owens.

The Momo’s Sunday residency lasted seven years and was a testing ground for Warren where he found his sound, learned how to lead a band, and gave the artists he shared the stage with space to shine - something he had plenty of experience with from the other point of view, having been a sideman for 10+ years. The way Warren ran Sunday nights had a lot in common with the residencies he grew up around in Austin – his father, Champ’s, ‘Singin for your Supper’ at Threadgill’s (Marcia Ball, Butch Hancock, Ruthie Foster, Sarah Elizabeth Campbell, Jimmie Dale Gilmore) and Toni Price’s ’Hippie Hour’ at The Continental Club.

The band Warren plays with now (Marshall Hood and Willie Pipkin on guitar, Nate Rowe on bass, and Jordan Cook on drums) is the current version of the band he started back in 2004 at Momo’s. This band plays every week at ABGB, drawing a mix of “old Austin” and newcomers, musicians and music lovers, and dancers who stay on the floor from the first to last song. The Warren Hood Band plays a mix of their own songs, classic country, and blues, with a nod towards their Texas roots with a few Uncle Walt’s

Band songs mixed in. Warren recorded “Warren Hood Band” in 2013, an album produced by Charlie Sexton and released by Red Parlor Records. A multi-instrumentalist (violin, guitar, mandolin) and accomplished singer-songwriter, Warren is described in the press a lot of different ways: “virtuoso” ”seven time Austin Music Award winner - Best Strings” ”Texas fiddler” ”Chet Baker crooner” “bluegrass picker” – but for him it all kind of blends together into everything he does (and what he does doesn’t always have fiddle). Warren says slyly that “playing different styles of music is like speaking different languages - the difference between violin and fiddle is how you roll your Rs. The more languages you speak the more people you can talk to.”

Warren's greatest influence is certainly his father, Champ Hood. Champ was a member of Uncle Walt’s Band, an acoustic folk trio from Spartanburg, South Carolina that also included Walter Hyatt and David Ball. They moved to Austin in 1975, prime time for the zeitgeist of the Austin heyday, playing at Waterloo and the Armadillo and building a cadre of lifelong fans. Their intricate harmonies and creative songwriting inspired their contemporaries, many of whom are today’s best loved and most respected songwriters and artists, and continue to touch those who discover their records today. Warren spends as much time with his band as he does playing and recording alongside other artists: David Ball, The Bodeans, Hayes Carll, Joe Ely, Alejandro Escovedo, Robert Earl Keen, Ben Kweller, Little Feat, Lyle Lovett, Joan Osborne, Toni Price, Bob Schneider, South Austin Jug Band, Redd Volkaert, Jerry Jeff Walker The Waybacks, Bob Weir, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis and more.

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Emily Gimble

The best storytellers always do a careful dance. Details offered, details withheld. Drawing you in one raised eyebrow at a time, whispering here, bellowing there. Are you listening? These are secrets being told, not to mention joys, sighs, even – if you can detect them – sly bits of advice. Lean into it. Close your eyes. They’ll carry you softly home.

It’s a dance singer-songwriter Emily Gimble performs on her debut album “Certain Kinda,” with songs as soulful as they are winsome, broody as they are beautiful. It makes sense for a woman who grew up with music in her blood, singing and playing on-stage since she was seven years old. Maybe it couldn’t be helped: when your dad is Dick Gimble, beloved guitarist and upright bass player, and your grandfather is Johnny Gimble, one of the most beloved fiddle players of all time, there’s really no choice but to play, is there?

Piano beckoned Emily early on – in fact, the Austin Music Awards named her “Best Keyboards” of the city three times (2013, 2014, 2018) – as did another instrument, full of natural range and feeling: her voice. “A Case of the Gimbles,” the 2005 album she recorded with her father and grandfather, showcased her vocals and launched Emily on a national family tour, playing folk festivals and charming audiences across the country. 

“The time I got to spend traveling around the country playing music with my Dad and Grandpa are the most cherished musical memories of my life,” says Emily. “It was then that I really started learning how to communicate through music, speaking with my dad and grandpa through solos and spaces on stage.”

It wasn’t long before other musicians started to take notice of Emily, including Marshall Ford Band, where she romped on some western swing, and Warren Hood and the Goods, where she explored jazz, country, folk and pop. In 2012, that band started touring nationally, then went on the road the next year with Hayes Carll as his backing band. 2013 would also see the release of a record, “The Warren Hood Band,” produced by Charlie Sexton, and in 2014, Emily joined the iconic, Grammy Award-winning country band, Asleep at the Wheel. It was an opportunity that put Emily in touch with a lot of her heroes: nothing beats playing on “Austin City Limits” (twice), except maybe for recording a duet with one of her idols, Merle Haggard. 

A storied musical history, to be sure. But in many ways, Emily’s story was just beginning. 

“On New Year’s Day of 2015, I was having dinner with some of my buddies, and we were going around the table with our resolutions. That’s when I suddenly burst out: ‘welp, I’m going to make a record this year. It’s time.’” 

A week later, Emily got a call from Andrew Trube of Greyhounds, who invited her over to hear some new tunes. A week after that they were recording, holed up in a small house and recording space run by fellow musician Sam Patlove, near Austin’s 12th and Chicon St. corner.

“What came out of that day really shocked me,” admits Emily. “It brought tears of joy to my eyes when I heard it. I kept thinking of this project, this thing with Andrew, as a fun little experiment, unsure of what would come of it. But the four tracks we did on that first day made me completely fall in love. I kept listening, and it kept moving me.” 

The song “East of Kerns” came out of those initial sessions, seducing the listener into a jazzy, blacktop road trip, letting us gaze out the window with a heart full of longing and a head full of memories. “With One Eye” finds Emily defiant and truth-telling, belting out proclamations to a frustrating lover before giving way to percussive, sultry vocals. “Canyons of Gold” is an arms-stretched-wide embrace of growing up, with a touch of gospel vocals for good measure. Title track “Certain Kinda” is soft and thoughtful by turns, assurances to a companion undercut by notes of ambivalence. “It’s a wonder that we ever made it,” Emily sings, but this album – cut, mastered, and mixed with the likes of Jimmie Vaughan is just the opposite. 

“Certain Kinda” was mastered at Ardent Studios in Memphis, whose catalog includes the likes of Bob Dylan, The Raconteurs, and The Staple Singers (a huge influence on Emily), as well as Texan natives the Vaughn Brothers and ZZ Top. Well-honed musical ears will appreciate a production that feels unfussy but pristine, vintage but clean. It’s the result of a musician who’s spent decades learning her craft, and a lifetime building her musical family. If this arresting debut album is any sign, we’ll be hearing the name “Emily Gimble” for many years to come.

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Introducing Wonder Women of Country

Kelly Willis, Melissa Carper, and Brennen Leigh

Their debut record, Wonder Women of Country: Willis, Carper, Leigh, was recorded at Bismeaux on the Hill in Austin, TX in December of 2023. It features two songs by each artist, including a couple of Carper/Leigh co-writes, and one reimagined John Prine tune. Each track captures the magic these three create night after night on the road. Wonder Women of Country are the super heroes we’ve all been waiting for.

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“An introspective, homespun philosopher” - New York Times

Steve Forbert is a true American musical treasure, underscored by the new album, Daylight Savings Time. Like all his albums, it's saturated with what venerated rock journalist Robert Christgau discerned as his "omnivorously observant" songwriting, marked by Steve's gift for finding the more profound meaning and magic within everyday moments, as well as his abundant melodic and poetic enchantment

"Like Warren Zevon, Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen, Steve Forbert has left his unmistakable imprint on the landscape of American music," says American Songwriter. As with other esteemed creative souls, his work is marked by his own distinctive qualities, and he speaks genuinely to his listeners.

As Forbert approaches the milestone of his 70th birthday, Daylight Savings Time contemplates and celebrates the proverbial 'extra hour of daylight' that comes with the time change. "Yeah, to chirping crickets and to daylight savings time!" he sings on the album's first single, "Sound Existence," "The best ain't yet to come, but you could still get by just fine."

Daylight Savings Time is Forbert's third album helmed by producer/engineer Steve Greenwell. Its core components were cut at Greenwell's studio in Asbury, NJ, with drummer Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors) and keyboard player Rob Clores (Jesse Malin, The Black Crowes, Tom Jones.) Supple bass lines were contributed by Byron House (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Al Green, and more.) Gurf Morlix, whose guitar and production gifts were elemental in launching Lucinda Williams into the spotlight, tracked his note-perfect six-string contributions at his home studio just outside Austin, Texas.

When Steve arrived in New York City from his Meridian, Mississippi hometown in 1976, his aim was establishing a lifetime of creating, performing, and recording the songs he'd started writing at age 17 after cutting his teeth as a teen in local rock bands. He slotted seamlessly into the "new folk" revival in such Manhattan clubs as Folk City, The Bitter End, and Kenny's Castaways, yet at the same time took the stage at CBGB, ground zero of the burgeoning punk/new wave movement. He also busked on the streets of Greenwich Village and in the elegant confines of Grand Central Station.

Forbert chose his solo approach of voice, acoustic guitar, and harmonica, accented by foot stomps, to best approximate the melodic fullness and drive of a band. It inevitably caused him to be tagged as one of the numerous "new Dylans" that emerged in the 1970s. "Evoking the young Dylan has become a cliché for artists of this sort," observed The New York Times, "but, in this case, Mr. Forbert deserves the evocation." However, Steve focused on refining his singular musical voice and personality.

He quickly won a major label deal with Nemperor/CBS Records and released his heralded debut, Alive on Arrival, in 1978. His next album, Jackrabbit Slim, won similar acclaim and brought wider renown to Forbert with its #11 pop chart hit "Romeo's Tune." It provided the stature for his troubadour existence, which has kept him active ever since as "a striking performer, very much worth seeing and hearing," according to The New York Times.

Steve has released 20 studio albums featuring his songwriting gifts. His live show is markedly different and genuinely of the moment. It has yielded four live album releases on record labels, plus 14 more concert recordings available exclusively on his website. His oeuvre is further rounded out by a tribute album to his fellow Meridian native, country music founding father Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time (nominated for a Best Folk Album Grammy award), Steve's 2020 LP of interpretations of favorite songs by other talents that have inspired him, Early Morning Rain, and collections of outtakes and early recordings.

Venerable Milwaukee concert promoter Peter Jest perhaps best encapsulated Forbert's creative presence. "His ability to craft songs that capture the essence of the human spirit is nothing short of remarkable. His voice is a beacon of authenticity in a world saturated with noise."

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GOLDPINE

Bold + gold harmonies straight from Nashville. Winner of the Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest and seen on NPR's 'Mountain Stage with Kathy Mattea' and the KC Chiefs National Anthem, Goldpine's brand of “aggressive Americana” is a flawless channel for their bold and reminiscent compositions. Husband and wife of 16 years, Goldpine has just released their third album, appropriately titled Three, which collects stories of sorrow, tested-love and space-trips. Mastered by Dave McNair (Shovels & Rope, Lauren Daigle), the album was captured from a mash of actual live performances on the road in 2024, showcasing the duo’s live energy as you would experience it straight from the stage. “…sharing a sound that’s cast in honesty, emotion and homespun sentiment…the songs say it all, providing clear indication that Goldpine has established a precious standard.” -Lee Zimmerman (Goldmine Magazine)

GRITTY SUNSET

Gritty Sunset is comprised of Brazilian multiinstrumentalist Eli Menezes and singer/model/actress Courtney Gayle who are making waves as one of Austin’s most compelling creative duos. With a global footprint and genre-defying artistry, their collaboration brings together world-class musicianship that captivates audiences and reflects the rich musical tapestry of Austin and beyond.

BETH // JAMES

Beth // James is an Americana duo from Austin, Texas made up of award-winning singer-songwriters Mikaela and Jordan Burchill. After two dazzling EPs, and their original song, "Lion Eyes" in Spike Lee's Academy Award-winning feature film 'BlacKkKlansman', the duo is back with their debut album "Get Together", recorded and produced by James Petralli of White Denim.

Singing about the dog of their dreams, an ill-fated group tattoo, and saved voicemails of a lost loved one, Beth // James wields poignant everyday details to chronicle both the most carefree, and most challenging themes of their career. It's an album that spans genres, hopping from gaze-to-infinity Americana twang, to twinkling vintage-inflected indie pop, to hold-your-lighter-to-the-air love songs.

Mixing musical traditions is natural for the newly married duo, who first met at the University of North Texas's prestigious jazz program, and cut their teeth on jazz guitar and vocals. Both highly accomplished players, Jordan and Mikaela are deeply embedded in the Austin music scene, and have gathered a constellation of like-minded friends who contribute throughout the record. Jordan has been a collaborator of Austin psych-rockers White Denim in the past, and their shared love of jazz, great songwriting, and all things guitar proved to be a perfect fit. “We listened to so many records together throughout the recording process”says Mikaela, “and spent a ton of time just talking about life and guzzling coffee.”

With its bubbling synths and euphoric guitar licks, "Shake It Out" is the auditory equivalent of cold beers in the sun, freeways with the windows open. Meanwhile, "Boy Genius" is an ethereal folk-pop epic, seeing Beth // James stake their claim as the South Austin Fleetwood Mac. "Sean" is a rollicking, sincere ode to friendship that rides Jordan Burchill's storytelling (that tattoo story very much happened). Another highlight, "Voicemails", grapples with the death of Mikaela's father. The track is simple and delicate, offering raw honesty in a beautiful, dreamy melody that seems to say, that's the way it is, and sometimes it’s really sad.

Beth // James has managed a collection of songs that spans the range from light-hearted to deeply moving, picking and choosing from the spectrum of American music traditions with deft taste and artistry.

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It might’ve even been last night, but Steve Poltz just played the greatest show of his life. Guess what?

The next show will be even greater, making that show the greatest show of his life.

Are you starting to notice a trend?

He isn’t shy about it either.

Even after most likely thousands of shows (but who’s counting?), he hits the stage with the same amount of energy and always makes sure to declare, “This is the greatest show of my life.”

It’s why he’s quietly emerged as the kind of live phenomenon celebrated passionately by a diehard fanbase worldwide and renowned as a festival favorite everywhere from Bluesfest in Byron Bay and High Sierra Music Festival in California and Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado to Cayamo Cruise (where he actually got married). It’s why his music has crept into pop culture via collaborations with everyone from Jewel and Billy Strings to Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, Nicki Bluhm, Oliver Wood, and even the late Mojo Nixon. It’s why after over a dozen albums, he’s still creatively firing on all cylinders and critically acclaimed by the likes of Rolling Stone, Associated Press, Billboard, and many more.

Nevertheless, the next gig will be the greatest show for him (and maybe for you too)…

“I started doing it years ago, because I feel grateful to still be alive,” he notes. ”Even today, I still do it, and I believe my own bullshit. I convinced myself that every show is the greatest show I’ve ever played. They’re all different, and it depends on my mood each day, but I know I’m there to entertain people. It always cracks me up when I stumble into some sort of weird thing that’s handed to me like a gift from the freaky deadly heavens above.”

Steve might as well be “a gift from the freaky deadly heavens above” himself. He was born in Nova Scotia—Halifax, to be exact. Somewhere along the way, he began his relationship with the guitar at six-years-old. “We’re joined at the hip and lip and it’s always near my grip,” he affirms. He grew up in Los Angeles and Palm Springs (where he “met Elvis and Liberace”) and settled in San Diego (where he cut his teeth “under the tutelage of The Beat Farmers”).

He kicked off his musical journey in San Diego-bred underground favorites The Rugburns. However, the world got to know Steve when co-wrote two tracks from Jewel’s diamond-certified debut Pieces Of You, including the multi platinum Billboard Hot 100 #2 “You Were Meant For Me” (he’s also in the video). He delivered his own full-length debut One Left Shoe in 1998 and paved the way for an extensive solo catalog defined by what he calls “evocative lyrics mixed with positivity and traces of tragicomedy.”

If you so choose, you can trace his evolution from “Everything About You” (which popped up in Notting Hill) to the staple “Can O’ Pop”— christened “a fizzy delight” by Rolling Stone. The latter graced his 2022 album, Stardust & Satellites. Co-produced and created with The Wood Brothers, it garnered widespread acclaim. HOLLER. hailed it as “a wonderfully energized, often joyful and wryly provocative release from the charismatic Steve Poltz,” while No Depression dubbed it “poignant and ultimately uplifting.” Glide Magazine applauded how, “He takes chances like few others and seems to be increasingly more unconventional as he embraces Americana.”

Simultaneously, a myriad of artists continue to seek him out as a collaborator in the studio. Whether it be “Leaders” with Billy Strings or “Million Miles” with Molly Tuttle, he’s got dozens of cuts with various friends under his belt. He contributed two tunes to Deer Tick’s Emotional Contracts with frontman John J. McCauley going on to profess to Brooklyn Vegan, “Steve Poltz may be the biggest, most direct inspiration for me on this record.”

Steve adds, “Usually when these folks and many others come over to my house in Nashville we end up with something I love. I try not to overthink it. There are no rules. It’s kind of like fishing. You don’t catch anything if you don’t throw your rod in the water. So I guess I just try to be available for inspiration, mixed with perspiration and exasperation.”

Speaking of perspiration, he regularly travels far and wide to audiences of all ages and all continents most every day.

“I travel from town to town and fool people,” he grins. “I sing them songs and tell them stories and somehow they decide to pay money to obtain some merch and witness the spectacle. Then I return a year later and fool them again.”

In the end, Steve is probably gearing up for the greatest show of his life as you read this.

Thankfully, that will never change.

He signs off, “I’m just a weirdo, a freak, a bon vivant, a rounder, a rabble rouser, a workaholic, a people pleaser, an idiot and a grateful kid who ran away and joined the circus.”

Can we say it might just be The Greatest Show on Earth?!

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JOSEPH ARTHUR is an American singer/ songwriter who is also recognized for his qualities as a painter. He paints live on stage creating loops with his guitar and voice (a technique he pioneered in the 90’s and has since been widely adopted) Spotted by Lou Reed and Peter Gabriel, in 1996, the artist now has fifteen albums and several EPs to his credit. He’s also at the origin of several bands: The Lonely Astronauts, Fistful Mercy which he founded with Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison, RNDM with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, Arthur Buck with Peter Buck and most recently Silverlites with Rich Robinson, Peter Buck and Barrett Martin. Joseph has enjoyed much success in the past on triple A radio with songs like Honey And The Moon (also featured in the OC and American Pie) And His song "In the Sun" which was covered by singer Michael Stipe of R.E.M and Chris Martin of Coldplay, as well as by Peter Gabriel and was featured in the movie ‘Saved’. Joseph Arthur on stage defies simple description who with his guitar, pedals, drum pads, keyboards and mics, builds live productions of swirling compositions which gives
stripped-down pieces a kind of improvised orchestration that is unlike anyone else. Joseph Arthur draws his inspiration from a wide range of artists ranging from Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Nick Drake to Nirvana, the clash and early hip hop. The finesse of the compositions and the richness of the orchestrations make Joseph Arthur one of the best American songwriters of the XXI century. His new album with Peter Buck called Arthur Buck 2 is coming out October 2025 And his new solo album will be released early in 2026, the first single ‘Rise’ is a return to the magical strength of the strongest work of his past. Written the day Neil Peart (RUSH) died, it’s an uplifting homage to living a life of inspiration and celebration of the potential of all of our dreams. is an American singer/ songwriter who is also recognized for his qualities as a painter. He paints live on stage creating loops with his guitar and voice (a technique he pioneered in the 90’s and has since been widely adopted) Spotted by Lou Reed and Peter Gabriel, in 1996, the artist now has fifteen albums and several EPs to his credit. He’s also at the origin of several bands: The Lonely Astronauts, Fistful Mercy which he founded with Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison, RNDM with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, Arthur Buck with Peter Buck and most recently Silverlites with Rich Robinson, Peter Buck and Barrett Martin. Joseph has enjoyed much success in the past on triple A radio with songs like Honey And The Moon (also featured in the OC and American Pie) And His song "In the Sun" which was covered by singer Michael Stipe of R.E.M and Chris Martin of Coldplay, as well as by Peter Gabriel and was featured in the movie ‘Saved’. Joseph Arthur on stage defies simple description who with his guitar, pedals, drum pads, keyboards and mics, builds live productions of swirling compositions which gives

stripped-down pieces a kind of improvised orchestration that is unlike anyone else. Joseph Arthur draws his inspiration from a wide range of artists ranging from Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Nick Drake to Nirvana, the clash and early hip hop. The finesse of the compositions and the richness of the orchestrations make Joseph Arthur one of the best American songwriters of the XXI century. His new album with Peter Buck called Arthur Buck 2 is coming out October 2025 And his new solo album will be released early in 2026, the first single ‘Rise’ is a return to the magical strength of the strongest work of his past. Written the day Neil Peart (RUSH) died, it’s an uplifting homage to living a life of inspiration and celebration of the potential of all of our dreams.

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Abe Partridge is a heralded musician, singer/songwriter, visual artist, storyteller and documentarian based in Mobile, Alabama. Since the release of his debut album Cotton Fields and Blood for Days in 2018, Partridge has toured relentlessly, including several tours throughout Europe. He is a regular at several great music festivals such as the 30a Songwriters Fest, and the Laurel Cove Music Fest as well as listening rooms across the country including the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Eddies Attic in Atlanta, and Duke's in Indianapolis. Recently, he toured extensively with Matthew Sweet, Drivin' N Cryin', and Dar Williams in support of his latest release Love in the Dark. He has performed on several syndicated NPR radio programs including, Mountain Stage and Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour. 

Partridge along with co-producer Ferrill Gibbs created the Alabama Astronaut podcast, where Abe attempts to properly record songs previously undocumented at holiness, serpent-handling churches in Appalachia. It was in the Top Ten documentary podcasts on Apple Podcasts within days of its release and now has over 100k downloads and a 4.9-star rating. 

When Partridge is not writing or touring, he is also a highly acclaimed visual artist. His paintings, primarily acrylic on tarred board and watercolors, now hang in art galleries around the southeast and in the private collections of Tyler Childers, Mike Wolfe (American Pickers), Rick Hirsch (Wet Willie), Tommy Stinson (The Replacements) and Tommy Prine. Abe's art is featured yearly at Howard Finster's Paradise Gardens. His artwork was featured in Stephen King’s 2019 sequel to The Shining - Dr. Sleep. He painted the cover art for Charlie Parr’s, Last Of The Better Days Ahead (Smithsonian Folkways). He also created art for Tyler Childers’ 2022 release, Can I Take My Hounds To Heaven? (RCA), as well as promotional posters for the Red Clay Strays' 2024 release Made by These Moments (RCA). Partridge's first major art exhibition With Signs Following was on display at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center in Mobile, AL in 2023. His book "With Signs Following - Portraits + Stories from the Serpent-Handling Faith" released following the exhibit to wide acclaim.

Three members of the Red Clay Strays occasionally join Abe for a punk side-project they share together, The Psych Peas. They have one album, Lackluster, that has only been released on physical formats. The band has created a reputation for giving high-energy, chaotic live performances, and has garnered a cult-like following. John P. Strohm of The Lemonheads compared them to "Scratch Acid and Butthole Surfers in their prime".

Abe also works with the legendary North Carolina songwriter, David Childers and his band The Serpents. Together, they are The Satan, You're a Liars, with an album, Let's Build This House Together, released on vinyl, CD, digital download, and Bandcamp in early 2025.

He is now gearing up for a 2026 release of a new album produced by Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth. 

American Songwriter Magazine said, “Abe Partridge has established himself as one of the most respected songwriters and visual folk artists in the southeast.” 

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Born in 1953 in Detroit, Michigan, Marshall Crenshaw learned to tune a guitar correctly at age ten and has been trying ever since. His first big break came in 1978 playing John Lennon in “Beatlemania”, first as an understudy in New York, then in the West Coast company, followed by a national touring company. Removing himself from that situation in Feb. 1980, Marshall settled in New York City. Enthralled by the hyper - diverse musical culture of the City, and the local Rock scene in particular, Marshall formed a Rock and Roll band with brother Robert on drums and Chris Donato on bass. After crossing paths with the great and legendary Alan Betrock, Marshall recorded his debut single “Something’s Gonna Happen” for Betrock’s Shake Records label; at nearly the same time, legendary Rockabilly singer Robert Gordon’s recording of Marshall’s “Someday Someway” was released as a single on the RCA label. These two records simultaneously broke big on New York’s WNEW-FM, causing Marshall and his trio’s local popularity to explode. And so began a career that’s spanned four decades, 13 albums, Grammy and Golden Globe nominations, film and TV appearances (Buddy Holly in “La Bamba”) and thousands of live

performances. Marshall Crenshaw’s musical output has maintained a consistent fidelity to the qualities of artfulness, craftsmanship and passion, and his efforts have been rewarded with the devotion of a broad and loyal fan base.Presently, along with touring around the country and the occasional recording project, other current projects include producing a documentary film-in progress about legendary record producer Tom Wilson. Says Crenshaw, “This is a road that I’d never imagined taking before, but it’s been an incredible learning experience.”

“Although he was seen as a latter-day Buddy Holly at the outset, he soon proved too talented and original to be anyone but himself.”–Trouser Press

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“If you can’t say it, you don’t have to,” sings John Fullbright on “Bearden 1645,” the opening track to his new record “The Liar.” The song details the GRAMMY-nominated songwriter finding refuge in playing the piano, starting as a child and still today. For fans, it may feel like a bit of a rebuttal to “Happy,” the opener from 2014’s “Songs,” one of several in his repertoire that speak explicitly about mining one’s angst in order to make music. In that way, “Bearden 1645” is also a firm nod to the fourth wall: Fullbright knows you’re thinking about his songwriting. He is, too…but not quite the way he was before. The public at-large hasn’t heard much from the him since the critically lauded “Songs,” a chasm of eight years that seemed unthinkable for someone with so much hype—including a GRAMMY nod, an Americana Music Association Emerging Artist nomination and awards from ASCAP and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame—surrounding his early career. Why did it take so long? “It’s been a process of learning how to be in a community of musicians and less focusing on the lone, depressed songwriter…just playing something that has a beat and is really fun,” Fullbright said. “That’s not to say there are no songs on this record where I depart from that, because there are, but there's also a band with an opinion. And that part is new to me.” He recorded the album, an exploration of the highs and lows of emotion, the good times and the aftermath, with his band of “usual suspects,” all of them key players in Tulsa’s vibrant music community. Also in the title track of “The Liar,” we find Fullbright talking to God, again. It’s the soft landing of his lifelong struggle with the concept of God, of accepting tenets of Christianity without believing in its central figure. He explored this notably in 2012’s “Gawd Above,” where the vengeful title character exacts terror and salvation in equal measure. “Give ‘em wine and song, fire and lust / When it all goes wrong, I’m the man to trust,” Fullbright sang. In “The Liar,” the power dynamic has shifted. “God, grant me whiskey,” Fullbright sings, “and I promise I’ll be good.” It’s all done with a wink and a nod, less like a prayer and more like a request of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” The sentiment is real, but the words are false. He’s still telling essential truths, which was always his gift, but this time they’re a little more slant. Maybe lying to tell the truth was always the songwriting target. Maybe throwing out some of the rules is what got him there. So is Fullbright, as a songwriter, a liar in his own estimation? “What I love about songwriting is you're the hero in your own story, most of the time, and I think that's very human,” he said. “But short answer: yes.”

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Jack O’Neill and Cary Pierce, the “Jack O” and “Pierce” who make up the seminal duo Jackopierce, are celebrating 35 years of making music that has amassed a loyal following of millions of fans across the country and the world with a super high-energy live show and what the Dallas Morning News has called “spotless harmonies.”

Having just released their first studio project 'Feel This Good' in 5 years, Jackopierce is poised and ready to get back on the road full-time.

Jackopierce formed in 1988 in Dallas as theater students at SMU. The duo steadily made a name for themselves, especially with two of their signature tracks, “Vineyard” and their version of the classic “Please Come to Boston.” They released ten studio albums (two for major label A&M), toured three continents, nine countries, and 45 states - amassing millions of loyal fans along the way . Over the years They have shared the stage with John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band, Matchbox20, Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, Sheryl Crow, Toad the Wet Sprocket - to name a few. After a five-year breakup, the guys reunited in 2002 to test out the waters. They were very warm and city by city, Jack & Cary got back out there to play for grateful fans that thought they would never see them again. The two now have a totally renewed creative vigor, mutual respect and deep gratitude for their fans.

These good vibes shine through on their 25th anniversary live album “Live 25.”

It’s definitely been a creative time for the duo, and celebrating the past inspires the guys to move forward in new, inventive ways. To freshen up the live show, Jackopierce started creating uniquely intimate “Destination Shows.” These shows are a whole new fan experience where people can enjoy gorgeous scenery, share delicious food & wine and have “campfire”- type access to their favorite band. It’s a vacation and concert in one. Each Destination Show provides a unique experience dedicated to the local culture: Napa/Sonoma vineyards at sunset, a ranch in Austin Hill Country, high society in Dallas, a two-mile-high a private club in Aspen, amazing history at the Biltmore in NC, a 14,000 square foot hacienda in San Miguel de Allende, MX - and the list goes on. July 27, Jackopierce will host their first 7th Destination Show in Martha’s Vineyard and they’ll be back for their fourth annual Destination Show in San Miguel in April 2020.

“We have been doing destination events for 10 years now and they have been a huge hit with our fans and have allowed us to make so many great new ones along the way,” said Cary Pierce. “I think these events continue to grow and sell out because people want more than "just a show” - they want an experience. They want to create lasting memories, explore a new place or visit an old favorite. In some cases, we're offering them a trip of a lifetime. We're finding there a lot of people that really value these experiences.”

Jackopierce has celebrated numerous career milestones including the T-Bone Burnett produced A&M debut album “Bringing on The Weather,” being a part of one of the world’s largest live events with close to 400K people in attendance at the 1997 Blockbuster RockFest at Texas Motor Speedway alongside artists No Doubt, Counting Crows, and Matchbox Twenty, performing on Conan O’Brien in 1992 with the Max Weinberg Band backing them up and sitting in the chairs on the Rosie O'Donnell Show.

“Even after 35 years I feel like we're just getting started,” said Cary Pierce.

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Malford Milligan is an American, Austin, Texas-based soul, blues and gospel singer who has been compared to Otis Redding, Al Green and James Carr. He is an eight-time award-winner as “Best Vocalist” at the annual Austin Music Awards (last awarded in 2015).

In 1994, he helped form and fronted the Texas supergroup, Storyville, with guitarists David Holt, David Grissom, and the rhythm section from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble, which included bassist Tommy Shannon, and drummer Chris Layton. The band released three albums: Bluest Eyes (1994), A Piece Of Your Soul (1996) and Dog Years (1998). As a session singer, Milligan was in great demand. He toured and worked on albums together with other outstanding musicians, including Doyle Bramhall II, Marcia Ball, Alejandro Escovedo, Sue Foley, Eric Johnson, Stephen Bruton, Chris Smither and Hal Ketchum. During this period he also expanded his horizons from strictly secular music, releasing the two Gospel albums The Gospel According to Austin (2000) and The Gospel According to Austin, Vol. 2 (2001).
For several decades, Malford has been the lead-singer at the weekly Blue Monday nights at the legendary Antone’s Nightclub, in the house-band that was (and still is) lead by Derek O’Brien, one of the most respected blues-guitarists all through Austin’s musical history.

Malford appeared on Live And Beyond, by Alien Love Child featuring fellow Austin guitarist Eric Johnson, in 2000. He can be heard on “Once a Part of Me” and “Don’t Cha Know”. That same year he also contributed vocals to Throw Me A Bone, by local band Neighbor’s Dog, on “Sister Sister”, “Bridge To The Other Side” and “Today”. In 2001 a remake of the Joe Tex classic “I Want To Do Everything For You” was recorded as a duet with Toni Price, and was released on her Midnight Pumpkin album. That same year Malford was also featured on two songs on the Double Trouble album Been A Long Time (“Cry Sky” and “Skyscraper”) plus the nationwide tour that followed the release of that album.
Milligan also fronted ex-Was Not Was guitarist Randy Jacobs’ band The Boneshakers in 2001-2003, releasing the albums Pouring Gasoline in 2001 and Put Some Booty On It in 2002. He left The Boneshakers to form his own group in Austin, confusingly called The Malford Milligan Band (like its Dutch predecessor), which self-released Rides Again in 2004 [3] and No Good Deed Goes Unpunished in 2006.

In 2002 Milligan recorded and released the critically acclaimed Sweet Cherry Soul album, backed by a band from The Netherlands that was put together by Milligan’s friend and Dutch musician/producer Jack Hustinx. The album contains original material written by Milligan & Hustinx as well as a blend of known and obscure Soul, Rhythm & Blues and Gospel classics. Also two songs written by Milligan’s close friend Stephen Bruton were included. This band, The Malford Milligan Band, played three very successful tours in The Netherlands in 2002-2003, as well as a tour in and around Milligan’s hometown Austin, Texas in 2003.
In 2007 Milligan performed, alongside a stellar cast of musical friends of Stephen Bruton such as Delbert McClinton, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, Joe Ely and Ruthie Foster at the big “Road To Austin” concert in Austin, which was later released as a concert-movie and DVD in 2015. Also in 2007, Malford embarked on the M-P-TU project, together with guitarist Phil Brown, bass-player Mark Andres and drummer Pat Mastelotto. The band released an album entitled M-P-TU in 2008. During that time (2007/2009) Milligan was touring with Greg Koch, a multifaceted electric guitarist capable of fluently playing a gamut of musical styles, as well. Together they formed a band called Nation Sack — drawing their name from the lyrics of a Robert Johnson song entitled “Come On in My Kitchen” — who released an album under the same name in 2009 which includes a blending of electric blues and rock styles. When performing live, Nation Sack is known to cover songs from Jeff Beck and Led Zeppelin, such as “Hi-Ho Silver Lining,” “Rock and Roll,” and excerpts from such classic tracks as “Dazed and Confused” and “Heartbreaker.” With Greg Koch, Malford released two albums: Live On The Radio (2007) and Nation Sack (2009).

In 2009 Malford moved back to Austin and started getting back into the music scene there. After his longtime friend Stephen Bruton passed away on May 9th, Malford fronted the band at a special memorial show at the Saxon Pub. Recordings of this show were released on CD as An Avening With The Music Of Stephen Bruton in 2010. Another highlight of his return to Austin was his appearance (along with ex-Storyville’s David Grissom) at Antone’s for Blue Tuesday on 20 October 2009. The last two songs performed at this were “Change is Gonna Come” which appeared on Storyville’s first album and “What Passes for Love” from Storyville’s second album.

In 2011 Milligan joined forces with former Dutch band member Jack Hustinx on his ‘Shiner Twins’ album ‘Four Souls – One Heart’ (2011). On this album Milligan was featured as guest-vocalist on two tracks “Never Take No For An Answer” and “Hold On”.
In 2013 Malford joined the weekly residency of The Apostles Of Manchaca at Austin’s Strange Brew listening-room, until the venue was forced to close in January 2017. This band also featured well known and highly respected Austin-musicians Jeff Plankenhorn (guitar-vocals), Michael O’Connor (guitar-vocals), Dave Scher (guitar-vocals), Yoggie Musgrove (bass), Brannen Temple (drums) and Phil Redmond (keyboards). Unfortunately the band never released any albums.

In 2014 Malford contributed vocals to Open Mic At The Knick by The Knickerbocker All Stars from Rhode Island. He can be heard on Bobby Blue Bland’s “Turn On Your Love Light” and on “Love Disease”.
At the 33rd annual Austin Music Awards in March 2015, Malford Milligan received his 8th award for being Austin’s best vocalist, as voted by the general public. Also in 2015 Malford started playing with a new band in Austin, Big Cat, along with guitarist Dave Sebree, bass-player Roscoe Beck and drummer Tom Brechtlein. An album entitled Big Cat was released at the end of 2015.

At the same time, Malford and his Dutch friend Jack Hustinx were working together again, co-writing four songs for Hustinx’ solo-album Over Yonder, with Malford also performing on those tracks as guest vocalist. On two of those tracks (“Life Will Humble You” and “I Won’t Surrender”) Malford and Jack got assistance from John Magnie and Steve Amedée of The Subdudes from New Orleans. Right after the release in November 2015, both Milligan and Hustinx fronted their band The Southern Aces on a tour in the Netherlands to promote the album, that was critically hailed as one of the very best Dutch Americana albums ever made. In 2015-2016 Malford and Jack also played together regularly in the Austin music-clubs, whenever Jack was in town, with an Austin line-up of The Southern Aces.

In 2016 Malford recorded a stunning duet with Jeff Plankenhorn, reviving the Sam & Dave classic “You Got Me Hummin'”, which was featured on Plankenhorn’s Soulslide album later that same year. After Big Cat folded in 2016, Malford started a new band with guitarist Tyrone Vaughan called MVP, the Milligan Vaughan Project. With this band an album with the same name was recorded and released in 2017. That same year Malford recorded a remake of the O.V. Wright classic “Nickel And A Nail”, featured on Brad Stivers’ album Took You Long Enough.

In 2017, Malford and longtime friend Jack Hustinx teamed up again. In May 2018, the two officially announced a new album they had been collaborating on for the last year, co-writing songs and exchanging ideas for an all new Malford Milligan album that was released later that year. After a succesfull tour in the Netherlands the two friends released their latest album in 2021: I Was A Witness.

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Jo James

Jo James brings a powerful blend of Americana, Soul, and Blues that feels both timeless and deeply personal. With grooves that move your feet and lyrics that stir your spirit, his music carries grit, and the heart of a storyteller.

Jo’s sound fuses soulful vocals, bluesy guitar licks, and heartfelt songwriting into something real, something human. 

His songs often walk the line between hardship and hope, exploring faith, redemption, and the beauty of overcoming.

Whether it’s an intimate solo performance or an electric full-band experience, Jo’s shows create a space for connection, the kind that reminds us we’re not alone in our struggles or our healing. His voice carries the weight of experience and the light of renewal.

Based in Austin, Texas, Jo’s music has found resonance with listeners across the country who crave authenticity and soul, with a hint of southern charm. 

It’s real music for real people.

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Amy Speace

Heralded by Rolling Stone, Billboard Magazine and The New York Times and featured on NPR’s “Weekend Edition”, Amy Speace is one of the leading voices of contemporary Folk and Americana songwriters. She was discovered 2005 by Judy Collins, who signed her to her record label and has recorded her songs. Amy is the 2020 winner of the AMA UK’s International Song of the Year. Her 2025 10th release, a spare, solo acoustic album recorded in three hours, “The Blue Rock Session,” recorded at Blue Rock Studio in Wimberley, TX during a writer’s retreat, is gaining the best critical raves of her career. “The American Dream,” was released in 2024 and became the #1 record and the title track was named #1 song in the FAI Radio Charts for its first month out. A “writer’s writer,” Amy’s debut collection of poetry, The Cardinals, will be published by Red Hen Press in September 2026. Her writing has been published by The New York Times, American Songwriter, Salon.com, The Guardian, No Depression, Working Mother, 2 River View and Eunonia. In 2025, she published To The Performer: A Singer-Songwriter’s Handbook, based on her 20 years of teaching performance. In addition to her performance career, she teaches English and Writing at Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN.

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Robby Hecht

Robby Hecht has been captivating audiences as a touring singer-songwriter for over two decades, combining quietly impactful songwriting reminiscent of Tom Waits or Jim Croce with the graceful vocal resonance of James Taylor. With a remarkable blend of insightful lyricism, memorable melodies, and a voice that carries both strength and tenderness, his music resonates with audiences from all walks of life.

Robby’s dedication to the craft and collaborative spirit have solidified his reputation as a versatile and respected artist within the industry. He garnered recognition as a songwriter’s songwriter early in his career, winning a number of revered performing songwriter contests and touring across the US and Europe. His music has been the soundtrack for countless journeys, amassing over 25 million streams to date. And with more than 60 songs recorded by other artists, as well as numerous contributions as a featured vocalist, Robby has added his distinct touch to the work of fellow musicians, reaching music lovers through the voices of others.

Beyond his musical endeavors, Robby is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness. Openly discussing his own journey with bipolar disorder, he shines a light on these issues, breaking the stigma and offering support and inspiration to those who may be facing similar struggles.

Robby's highly anticipated album, Not a Number, is a powerful reflection on the evocative and turbulent journey of the past few years. Featuring twelve introspective tracks, each with the potential to become a personal favorite, the album weaves together themes of divorce, emotional recovery, nostalgia, the unity of humanity, and the profound significance of individual experiences. It is a musical tapestry that resonates deeply with listeners, meeting them wherever they may be on their own life's path.

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For Jon Muq, a singer-songwriter born in Uganda and now living in Austin, Texas, music is part of a larger conversation he’s having with the world and everybody in it. Drawing from African as well as western musical trends and traditions, he devises songs as small gifts, designed to settle into everyday life and provoke reflection and resilience. “These days the world is sad,” he explains, “so I wanted to make happy songs. I wanted to write songs that connected with the listener in a very personal way. When someone listens to my music, it’s not just about me and what I’m singing. It’s about how they understand the songs individually. I think these songs can speak many languages, depending on what you want from them.

Muq’s experiences as a child in Uganda and as a man in America give him a unique perspective on the world he’s addressing. “I grew up in a very different life, where so many people pass through hard times just because they don’t have much. Our biggest issue was food scarcity. Then I came to a different world, which gave me a picture of how to write a song that can find balance with everyone wherever they are, whether they have a lot or not much.” As he completes his debut with producer Dan Auerbach and tours with Billy Joel, Norah Jones, Mavis Staples, Amythyst Kiah, Corinne Bailey Rae, and others, Muq is expanding the scope of his music to speak to more and more people.

He has nursed his obsession with music for as long as he can remember. “When I was 7, I realized there was something about sound that I appreciated. We had a brass band at school that would play the school anthem, and I would sit between the horn players and it was so loud. I loved it. People would ask, Who is this strange boy up there with the band?” Later, he joined the group playing bugle, but was dismayed when he graduated and learned that his new school did not have a band. But it did have voices filling the hallways, which excited him. At night he would lay in his dormitory bed listening to those harmonies, eventually summoning the nerve to sneak out and track them down. He searched the three-story building until he found the choir room, and the group soon adopted the curious child as a mascot, giving him homemade shakers to play. “I joined the choir but didn’t sing. I was just following sound.”

During holidays, he would stay with a cousin in Kampala, cleaning house and working odd jobs to earn extra money. During one of those visits, the teenage Muq saw a CD that caught his attention: We Are the World. “I played it and was astounded. Where are these people singing very differently yet all singing the same song? I’m taking this CD. I didn’t even ask him. I just took it. I listened to it for a long time and I mastered all the vocals and tones of the people who were singing. That was my first exposure to modern western music, and it was fascinating to me.” It was a good lesson for him, as mimicking and mastering the vocals of such a disparate array of artists—from Michael Jackson to Cyndi Lauper to Kenny Rogers—expanded the expressive range of his voice.

It also taught Muq to write songs in English. “Since Uganda has 45 tribes, it has more than 45 languages. People sing in their own languages. My language is Luganda, but I have always sung in English.” In fact, he penned his first song as a love letter in English: “A friend of mine was going through a relationship problem. They were breaking up. He spoke English but could not write it, so I told him, I can write a letter for you to change her mind. And it worked! The girl was so happy, and she kept the letter.” Muq decided to make that his first song, so he asked his friend to steal the letter back so he could copy it. It eventually became “Always as One,” and “it’s still the song I start my shows with.” In addition to pursuing his creative endeavors, Muq has continued to devote time to charitable organizations in both Uganda and the U.S., working with non-profits and community programs that provide education, food, clothing, and support to those in need.

Muq would spend hours walking around the village of Mutungo at night and singing western songs. Residents would peek through fences trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious singer, much as he had done with the school choir, but Muq nervously remained in the shadows. During one of his roaming concerts, he made a discovery that changed his life as much as We Are the World did. “One evening I was walking and singing and I heard someone playing an instrument. It sounded familiar, but also new. Two men were out in their yard performing songs for church, and I just sat there and watched. I was 18 or 19 years old, and this was my first time to see a guitar in my life. I had seen them on TV, of course, but seeing one in person was different. When I saw it, it just made sense to me. When I held it, it just made sense. I knew that this was going to answer so many questions I had about music and the western world.

Muq taught himself to play guitar on his new friend’s instrument, eventually borrowing it for a regular gig at a local hotel. Even after a long shift, he would walk home playing and singing, and a video of him serenading homeless children on the streets of Kampalaled to a stint as an entertainer on Norwegian Cruise Line. That experience not only refined his repertoire but helped him secure a passport and visa. “They saw the vide and asked me if I wanted to sing on a boat. But this like a city on the water. I couldn’t believe it would float. My friends thought the pictures I showed them had been Photoshopped.” He admits there was no grand plan to his career, no strategy or roadmap. “I never expected it to work this way. I never said, I’m going to get a job at a hotel. I’m going to get a job on a cruise line. I’m going to work with Dan Auerbach. Everything happened because I was following sound. I was chasing it. I was just singing.”

On the seas and later in America, he developed a curious approach to writing songs. “I don’t sit down and say, I’m going to write a song now. Most times someone will be talking to me and I’m playing the guitar at the same time. For some reason, my brain can listen to both things at the same time, and I’ll come up with a melody or a phrase, or just an idea. It’s amazing how many songs I’ve written when someone else is talking and I’m just holding my guitar. Even in the studio with Dan, we would be talking about songs or just hanging out, and I would be playing my guitar and coming up with new songs.” That’s how he wrote many of the songs on his upcoming debut, including the plaintive, yet hopeful, “One You Love.” “I wanted to have a relationship with someone but it didn’t work out. This song describes how someone has brought something great into your life, even if they don’t stay in your life. It was not a happy experience, but that didn’t stop me from writing something positive. I wrote it and sang it very slow, but Dans said it could be quick and dancey. It sounds great that way.”

Muq currently calls Austin home, but he’s on the road more than he’s in Texas, touring frequently and bringing his sunny songs to audiences of all kinds. “When I arrived in America, I was coming from a different part of the world, and I was very lost. I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t know what was coming tomorrow. I just following instinct. I always thought, If I can communicate with people through music, it will make me feel like I am not alone. I can speak to people very intimately using music.”

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You're favorite Austin players return for another captivating night of retro rock-n-roll with full performances of A Hard Day’s Night & HELP!. Join us for another amazing night of going back in time with The Pepperland Players!

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When it comes to songwriting, less is more, and simplicity is strength. Just ask Paul Thorn, who’s spent three decades turning soulful grooves and small syllables into songs that pack a big wallop. Maybe he learned the power of minimalism from his years as a pro boxer; maybe it just comes naturally. But whether he’s targeting heads, hearts, hips or the occasional funny bone, he somehow manages to condense large nuggets of wisdom into tight little mantras, the kind embroiderers stitched onto pillows before internet memes existed.

Thorn’s new album, Life is Just A Vapor, contains some beauties: “Life is a vapor, let’s live it while we can”; “tough times don’t last, but tough people do” (from “Tough Times Don’t Last”); “any mountain up ahead is just a hill” (from “Old Melodies”). They’re words of advice, comfort, support, encouragement, often meant to uplift, especially in times of struggle.

“I like for people to be touched by music and get something from it, something that they can take with them throughout the day,” Thorn says. “Every song on this album, there's a message in it of some sort about how to live life.”

American Blues Scene writer Don Wilcock calls Thorn “an everyman (who) addresses things we all think about, but few can articulate with the kind of candor, humor and folksy truth that immediately endear him to almost everyone lucky enough to hear his music.”

Whether he’s expressing love in “I Knew,” warning an ex’s new conquest about the dangers ahead in “She Will,” extolling the value of holding off on sex in “Wait” or listing the ingredients for making a marriage work in “Courage My Love” (“a half-acre on your daddy’s land / and a little luck / a load of white gravel in our driveway / so we don’t get stuck in a rut /a 3-horsepower lawnmower and courage my love”), Thorn delivers his messages with consummate skill — and pinpoint precision. One minute, he’ll unwind an outrageous tale full of wild characters (often accompanied by his own cartoonish illustrations); the next, he’ll tug at heartstrings with confessions of love, loss or failed dreams, balancing wit and pathos with an ease only the best storytellers can pull off. One of Thorn’s favorites was his friend and mentor John Prine, who inspired the title tune.

We’ll discuss that one in a bit, but first, we should mention that in “Wait,” a commentary about dating in the Tinder era, the fella who buys his dates dinner with a two-for-$20 coupon is someone Thorn actually knows. “Geraldine and Ricky” is based on real people, too — well, a real person and her hickory-headed dummy. Whether written solo, with longtime manager/collaborator/album producer Billy Maddox or with Chuck Cannon, Scotty Brassfield or Denny Carr, nearly all of these songs are inspired by or reference actual events or people; Geraldine was a traveling evangelist who couldn’t connect with children until she tried ventriloquism. When she spread the lord’s word through Ricky, kids were mesmerized — including 5-year-old Thorn, who requested, and got, a ventriloquist doll for Christmas.

“I would get up and tell jokes at church, and I'd take it to school and tell jokes at school,” he says, with that Tupelo, Miss.-formed accent and instantly charming, matter-of-fact delivery he has. “I had my mind up that when I grew up, I was going to be a ventriloquist.” (His singing career actually began at 3 — in church, of course; Thorn’s dad was a Pentecostal minister.)

Over a snaky rhythm enhanced by guest guitarist Luther Dickinson, Thorn fictitiously paints Geraldine as “a toxic opportunist looking for anything that will better her situation.” When she lands a dying old sugar daddy, she dumps Ricky. But karma catches up to Geraldine, while Ricky, thankfully, gets rescued.

But Life is Just a Vapor is not all homilies and humor. “I’m Just Waiting,” a catchy, funky tune featuring blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa, deftly examines relationship insecurity. In “Chicken Wing,” over a cool melody on which guitarists Michael Graham and Bill Hinds (on slide) merge T. Rex with Southern rock, a former pimp and scam artist admits: “I’m in the winter of my life / I love my dog, I like my wife / I wash the dishes, I sweep the floor / I keep a 12-gauge behind the door.”

For the record, the song is not about the uncle Thorn introduced on Pimps and Preachers, one of a dozen albums he’s released on his own Perpetual Obscurity Records since founding the label in 2000. (Thorn made his recording debut on A&M Records in 1997, after ex-Police manager Miles Copeland III heard him and had him open for then-client Sting, one of A&M’s top talents.) And just to be clear, Thorn’s definition of pimp includes “anybody that manipulates people and doesn't give them nothing in return.”

“I'm around pimps every day, especially in the music business,” he adds. “A pimp is a larger word than just somebody on the corner with a gold chain. ‘Chicken Wing’ is an overview of a bunch of pimps that I have known in my life and I melded their stories together. … all that song is about is different seasons of life.”

Speaking of seasons of life, two of the album’s most poignant songs contemplate the passage of time. “Old Melodies,” the kind of song a retro-country-loving couple might dance to after renewing their wedding vows, suggests challenges are easier to face with a partner by your side.

“It's about being together through life, and that's where I'm at,” Thorn says. “I'm 60 years old, and the stuff I'm writing about and singing about is for people that get what being 60 years old is.” Then he reveals the song’s sobering origin, which adds a different perspective.

“We had a family problem a long time ago, a relative that ran off the tracks with drugs and everything,” he explains. “When my dad was dealing with the pain of the heartache that somebody he loved was in a dark hole, he was just standing there, crying. And he said, “Man, ‘Amazing Grace’ used to be my favorite song, but now it’s ‘We Shall Overcome.’ Boy, that just hit me right between the eyes. They're both great songs, but ‘Amazing Grace’ is more like a praise song. ‘We Shall Overcome’ is, ‘We got something we gotta deal with, and we're gonna deal with it, and we're gonna get past it.’ I thought that was a beautiful thing he said.”

Thorn, a brilliant gospel stylist, could sing the heck out of either of those songs. If you haven’t heard his version of the O’Jays’ hit, “Love Train,” from Don’t Let the Devil Ride, his 2018 album of gospel covers, you haven’t experienced the song the way it truly should be heard. On this album, he’s backed occasionally by Tupelo gospel group New Testament, or Muscle Shoals session singers Cindy Richardson and Marie Lewey (aka the Shoal Sisters) — who sing on “Life is Just a Vapor,” a phrase adapted from scripture.

It's safe to say no one but Thorn would start a song with the lines, “Me and John Prine was eating ice cream / at the Double Tree Inn Suite 1019.” And no one but Thorn would follow them with, “Don’t tell Fiona she won’t understand / Life is a vapor. Let’s live it while we can.”

Of his late friend, Thorn says, “He’s one of the greatest songwriters of all time, and one of the nicest people, too. I can't even count the times I've opened up for him, which was a great opportunity for me.”

As he will do for countless audiences, Thorn narrates the story behind those lyrics: “One night after I opened up for him,” he recounts, “John invited me and a few other friends to come to his hotel room and have some ice cream after the show. So I went, and it was a big thrill. Then the next morning I went on Facebook and I wrote about my encounter, and I said to the world what a moment it was for me to get to hang with John and have this ice cream and everything.

“Right when I posted it, his manager called my manager and said, ‘Take that post down immediately. John is a severe diabetic, and his wife Fiona is going to kill him for eating ice cream.’”

In total straight-man mode, Thorn nonchalantly adds, “Yeah, I got him in trouble for eating ice cream.”

And that’s how the finest troubadours do it: Set ‘em up with humor, then hit ’em in the feels with lines like, “Every day’s a gift, breathe in and hold it. / Every day’s a gift, it’s gone before you know it.”

Gorgeous, moving words. Simple, straight-forward and, if you’ve lost a loved one, or a hero like Prine, very likely tear-inducing.

“I'm just trying to put out a good body of work that will be remembered like John's music,” Thorn admits. “I'm trying to carry on his tradition, to keep it alive.”

Prine, the heavyweight champ at spinning humor and heartbreak into gold, would have loved this song, and this album. Maybe the lyrics he inspired will motivate someone to grab some thread and start stitching.

“Shoulda, woulda, coulda, I’ll do it someday, / Turns into time just slippin’ away. / The hour glass is runnin’ out of sand, / Life is a vapor. Let’s live it while we can.”

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The Cleverlys is a one-of-a-kind, unique comedy and music experience. From the groups humble beginnings in the Ozark Mountains, to currently headlining festivals and PAC's all over the country, even performing regularly on the coveted Grand Ole Opry stage. One thing is for certain, there is no other show like this out there.

Dr Digger is the master churner of all things buttery and smooth. "His comedy is a hybrid of Homer and Jethro and the office" said Rolling Stone Magazine.

"If Dolly Parton, Earl Scruggs, and Spinal Tap spawned a litter of puppies, it would be The Cleverlys" says the New York Times.

"The group has evolved over the years and the comedy and musicality is the best it's ever been. Our show is now on the top shelf." says Digger Cleverly.

The group is comprised of Dr. Digger, his Son, Ziggy Cleverly, his nephews, Steven Tyler Dale, Plug,and Sock Cleverly.

This group is a master class of comedic timing, showmanship, and world class musicianship.

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Best known for the wildly popular viral video series, “Guy On A Buffalo,” Jomo & The Possum Posse have made a name for themselves with their unique blend of cynicism, dead-eyed soul and anti-machismo honky-tonk.

Three-time Winners Best of Fest Frontera FestThe band is led by Jomo Edwards, who’s award-wining lyrics tend to skate the line between the sardonic and the arcane. In September 2021, Jomo took home first place in Merlefest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest.

In 2020, the band was selected “Best of Fest” at FronteraFest for the 3rd year in a row at the long-running Austin Fringe Festival. The band’s original programs highlight their brand of original music and comedy and are shown exclusively at this live theater event.

The band released their third full-length studio album, Take a Number, Satan in 2019 on CD, vinyl and digital. The album received excellent critical reviews, including an Englishman’s review that described many aspects of the album as “fine.” The band believes “fine” to mean “really good” in British version of the language, but they could be wrong.

The album was featured in 2020 on Jack Ingram’s Texas Music Scene.

In 2017, the band released LIVE AT THE HIGHBALL on Get Off My Lawn Records features 18 tracks and captures the energy of the band’s live shows.

Recorded at The Highball (Alamo Drafthouse) on South Lamar in Austin, the band performed a significant portion of its set synchronized to video projected on a massive screen behind them.

Jomo & The Possum PosseTheir second studio album, Local Motive was released in 2016 and skews heavily toward roots rock & roll.

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Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother’s ukulele. “Uncle Howard,” Smither says, “showed me that if you knew three chords, you could play a lot of the songs you heard on the radio. And if you knew four chords, you could pretty much rule the world.” With that bit of knowledge under his belt, he was hooked. “I’d loved acoustic music – specifically the blues – ever since I first heard Lightnin’ Hopkins’ Blues In My Bottle album. I couldn’t believe the sound Hopkins got. At first I thought it was two guys playing guitar. My style, to a degree, came out of trying to imitate that sound I heard.”

In his early twenties, Smither turned his back on his anthropology studies and headed to Boston at the urging of legendary folk singer Eric von Schmidt. It was the mid-’60s and acoustic music thrived in the streets and coffeehouses there. Smither forged lifelong friendships with many musicians, including Bonnie Raitt who went on to record his songs, “Love You Like A Man” and “I Feel the Same. (Their friendship has endured as their career paths intertwined over the years.) What quickly evolved from his New Orleans and Cambridge musical experiences is his enduring, singular guitar sound – a beat-driven finger-picking, strongly influenced by the playing of Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin’ Hopkins, layered over the ever-present backbeat of his rhythmic, tapping feet (always mic’d in performance).

Smither’s first albums, I’m A Stranger, Too! (1971) and Don’t It Drag On (1972) were released on Poppy Records, home of kindred spirit Townes Van Zandt. By the time Smither recorded his third album, Honeysuckle Dog with Lowell George and Dr. John helping out, United Artists had absorbed Poppy and ultimately dropped much of their roster, including Smither. Smither made his next record in 1985, when the spare It Ain’t Easy on Adelphi Records marked his return to the studio.

By the early ’90s, Smither’s steady nationwide touring and regular release of consistently acclaimed albums cemented his reputation as one of the finest acoustic musicians in the country. His 1991 album, Another Way to Find You, was recorded live in front of an in-studio audience with no overdubs or second takes. This would be the first of two albums with Flying Fish Records. His next recording, Happier Blue, was embraced by Triple A radio and received the NAIRD (now AFIM) award as Best Folk Recording of 1993. Up On The Lowdown (1995) marked the first of a trio of albums to be recorded with producer Stephen Bruton at The Hit Shack in Austin and his first of five albums with roots label HighTone Records. Up On the Lowdown rode the crest of the newly formed Americana radio format wave and sparked considerable interest abroad. A tour of Australia with Dave Alvin and extensive solo touring in Europe led to an expanding global interest in Smither. His song, “I Am the Ride,” from this album inspired the independent film, The Ride, for which Smither also composed the original score.

In early 1997 Smither released Small Revelations. It climbed the Americana and Triple A radio charts and led to concert dates with B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Nanci Griffith, and the hugely successful, original Monsters of Folk’ tour with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Dave Alvin and Tom Russell. Small Revelations also generated several film projects for Smither. Emmylou Harris recorded his song, “Slow Surprise,” for the The Horse Whisperer soundtrack on MCA. And his recording of “Hold On” was used in the indie feature film Love From Ground Zero. Smither also shared insight into his guitar style and technique on two instructional DVDs, available from Homespun Video.

His CD, Drive You Home Again (1999), garnered four-stars from Rolling Stone. And with it, Smither continued to tour world-wide. Shortly after, in 2000, Smither released his one-man-tour-de-force, Live As I’ll Ever Be. Recorded in-concert at various clubs and concert halls in California, Dublin, Galway, Boston, and Washington DC, it has proven to be a fan favorite, capturing Smither at what he loves to do: performing in front of an audience.

Train Home (2003) was Smither’s last record for HighTone and his first with producer David Goodrich. Over a six-week period, basic tracks for Train Home were recorded in the relaxed environment of Smither’s home near Boston. Working with new session musicians, the record is simultaneously sparse and assured. Bonnie Raitt graciously provided backing vocals and slide guitar on Smither’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row.” And Smither’s “Seems So Real” from the CD earned a Folk Alliance Award as “Song of the Year.”

In 2005, jazz great Diana Krall covered “Love Me Like A Man,” introducing what is now a blues standard to a whole world of jazz fans. Shortly after, Smither’s song “Slow Surprise” was included in the independent film, Brother’s Shadow. In addition, Smither narrated a two-CD audio book recording of “Will Rogers’ Greatest Hits.” Continuing to expand his creative horizon, Smither was invited to contribute an essay to Sixty Things to Do When You Turn Sixty, a 2006 collection of essays by American luminaries on reaching that milestone. In 2009, Melville House published Amplified, a book featuring 16 short stories by notable American performing songwriters. Smither’s story Leroy Purcell about a touring musician’s encounter with a Texas State Patrolman leads off the collection.

With the release of his 12th recording Leave The Light On (2006) on his own imprint, Mighty Albert, Smither began a new label relationship with the renowned acoustic and modern folk label, Signature Sounds. For the recording, Smither reunited with producer David Goodrich and session musicians Mike Piehl, Lou Ulrich and Anita Suhanin. As an added treat, Smither invited good friend and Grammy Award-winning multi- instrumentalist, Tim O’Brien, along with rising American roots stars, Ollabelle, to add their distinctive talents on several tracks. Smither followed this with Time Stands Still (2009), his most stripped down recording in some time, working with just two accompanists after the same trio had played a rare band performance – a non-solo setup required in order to play a Netherlands festival.

About the recording Smither says, “We’re the only three guys on this record, and most of the songs only have three parts going on. We had a freewheeling feeling at that festival gig, and we managed to make a lot of that same feeling happen in this record.” In 2011 Smither put out two fan projects: a collection of live tracks from newly discovered concert recordings from the 1980s-1990s titled Lost and Found and the rollicking EP, What I Learned in School, on which Smither covered six classic rock and roll songs.

Smither followed these fan-projects with Hundred Dollar Valentine (2012), a ★★★★★ (MOJO) studio record of all Smither-penned songs. With longtime producer David “Goody” Goodrich at the helm, this collection sported Smither’s trademark acoustic guitar sound and evocative sonic textures meshed with spare, brilliant songs, delivered in a bone-wise, hard-won voice.

In 2014 Smither released Still on the Levee (2014) – a double-CD retrospective. Recorded in New Orleans at the Music Shed, this career-spanning project features fresh new takes on 24 iconic songs from his vast career and some very special guests including the legendary Allen Toussaint and Loudon Wainwright III.

The coffee table style book Chris Smither Lyrics 1966-2012 and Signature Sounds’ Link of Chain – an all-star tribute record including a stellar list of artists offering their takes on some Smither favorites including Josh Ritter, Bonnie Raitt, Loudon Wainwright III, Dave Alvin, Peter Case, Tim O’Brien, Patty Larkin, and many others were fan-favorite accompaniments to the retrospective CD .

In March 2018, Smither released his eighteenth record, Call Me Lucky (Signature Sounds/Mighty Albert) once again teaming up with producer and multi-instrumentalist David Goodrich. Also joined by Billy Conway (Morphine) and Matt Lorenz (The Suitcase Junket), Smither recorded eight new originals along with some very special and surprising covers at the Blue Rock studios in the Texas hills in June 2017.

In October 2020, More From The Levee, the followup to the 50-year career retrospective Still on the Levee, was released. Said Acoustic Guitar: Smither sings about “the big things – life, love, loss – in a penetrating and poetic yet unpretentious way.”

The 20th release, All About the Bones (release date: May 3, 2024 on Signature Sounds/Mighty Albert, distributed by Redeye) is as elemental as the inky black shadows cast by a shockingly bright moon. Featuring eight brand new Chris Smither songs and Smither renditions of Eliza Gilkyson’s “Calm Before the Storm” and also Tom Petty’s “Time to Move On”, the listener is welcomed into some gothic mansion on an imaginary New Orleans street, and there in the lamplit parlor confronts the band, a minimalist skeleton crew: Smither’s inimitable propulsive guitar and rumbling baritone are joined seamlessly to producer David Goodrich’s carpetbag of instruments, Zak Trojano’s rock-steady, primal drumming, BettySoo’s diaphanous harmony vocals, and the flat, mournful flood of Jazz legend Chris Cheek’s saxophone. Recorded at Sonelab Studios in Easthampton MA by Justin Pizzoferrato All About the Bones has a feel that is somehow baroque and austere at once.

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Shake Russell/Dana Cooper Band -

In the late 70's, Shake Russell formed a band in Houston and was joined by hometown friend & fellow Songwriter/Musician Dana Cooper. Based in Houston, the duo enjoyed immense success and was given extensive airplay on local radio stations. Many of the melodies on "Songs On The Radio" album were recorded at Houston's KLOL.

For over a decade, The Shake Russell/Dana Cooper band garnered a large following in Texas as well as appearing on "Austin City Limits". Although their respective careers have since diverged to different regions of the country, each of them has continued to nurture their talent and maintain a successful, creative music career.

Dana Cooper -

In the 1970's, Cooper landed a record deal with Elektra Records and released his acclaimed self-tiled debut album in 1972. Backed by renowned LA studio musicians "The Section", including Leeland Sklar & Russ Kunkel, the album showcased Cooper's lyrical depth & virtuoso guitar playing. Through the 80's & 90's, he built his reputation on the club circuit while also collaborating with artists like Lyle Lovett, Kim Carnes, Susan Werner, Kim Richey, Hal Ketchum & more. Central to Cooper's unique artistry is his ability to connect with audiences through his authentic stories and warm stage presence.

Over his 50+ year career, Cooper has amassed a catalog of over 30 albums and continues to tour actively. His latest Release "The Ghost of Tucumcari" has garnered much critical acclaim and was voted #1 Album of 2024 on "Americana Highways" Readers Poll. Several established artists lent their voices to this album, including Lyle Lovett, Hayes Carll, Susan Gibson, Shake Russell, Darden Smith, Mando Saenz & Libby Koch.

"Few artists can claim to make music for 50 years and still do so with the same eagerness and enthusiasm that marked their initial efforts." Lee Zimmerman, American Songwriter

"Dana has a poet's eye for beauty and detail, a blues man's soul & a songbird's gift. He is remarkable." Hayes Carll - Songwriter/Musician

Shake Russell -

For more than 50 years, Texas singer-songwriter Shake Russell, has been entertaining audiences throughout the region and all over the United States with his unique Americana style of folk rock. Weaving sophisticated harmonies through his songs and drawing from various genres, Shake created a style of folk-rock that is uniquely his own.

Shake has released 30+ albums in his career and more to come. Shake’s recent releases, “Chasing the Song” & "Gold To Me", showcase a delightful array of original compositions that beautifully show the extraordinary talents of this singer-songwriter. To fully appreciate and comprehend the magnitude of Shake’s contributions to music, one need only listen to his life’s work. From his 1978 album “Songs on the Radio” to his latest “Gold To Me”, Shake’s music is a testament to the reasons why he is so widely celebrated as a Texas Music Legend!

"Shake Russell, like Mark Twain or Guy Clark, has the gift of making us think and feel deeply at the same time. He's a prolific pioneer and a true American Treasure." Chad Watson - Songwriter/Musician

"Shake's music walks right up to you, says howdy, and gives you a big hug. Nobody writes a better love song." Bruce Bryant - Ghost Ranch Films

Doors @ 7pm
Show @ 8pm
Full Bar
Free On-site Parking
All Ages

Doors @ 6pm
Show @ 7pm
Full Bar
Free On-site Parking
All Ages

Foy Vance

The seventh album from Foy Vance, 'The Wake' marks the completion of a decades-long journey defined by tireless soul-searching and life-altering revelation. Overcome by grief and a galvanizing clarity, Vance resolved to create seven albums informed by the loss of his father—a traveling preacher who moved their family to the American South when Vance was a baby. At turns devastating and ecstatic and wildly illuminating, 'The Wake' reveals an artist highly attuned to the task of preserving the human spirit in an often-unforgiving world.

Produced by Ethan Johns (Brit Award-winning producer), 'The Wake' brings Vance’s gritty vocal work to a potent convergence of folk and soul and Southern blues, instilling every moment with an unbridled vitality. In his intimate exploration of the human condition, the Scotland-based artist muses on matters both intensely personal (fatherhood, heartbreak) and wholly existential (the slippery essence of time, the looming crisis of AI’s unchecked ascent).

The final volume in a run of albums that began with his 2007 debut 'Hope'—and also includes standouts like 2016’s 'The Wild Swan' (executive-produced by Elton John), 2019’s 'From Muscle Shoals' and 'To Memphis' (recorded at the historic FAME Studios and Sam Phillips Recordings Studios, respectively), and 2021’s 'Signs of Life' —the result is the purest distillation yet of his truly singular artistry, imparting a defiant joy into songs of longing and loss and hard-won acceptance.

$1 per ticket goes to HER Campaign: https://hercampaign.org/about/