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ABE PARTRIDGE sounds older than his chronological age, and there’s a very good reason for that – he’s packed a lot of living into his 37 years. This troubadour grew up in Alabama, moved to a rural enclave of Kentucky, and served with the Air Force in Qatar in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon his return to the states, he turned his attention to being a singer/songwriter & creator of folk art paintings. Partridge draws listeners in with a combination of southern gothic storytelling and a dark humor reminiscent of the late Townes Van Zandt – delivered in a gravelly tone that conjures up images of Tom Waits in his barstool warming days. Partridge is currently putting the finishing touches on a new album he is recording with Nashville guitarist/producer Shawn Byrne. NORA JANE STRUTHERS has written "some of the most quietly powerful narratives within the new wave of Americana artists," says Ann Powers of NPR Music. Born in Virginia, raised in New Jersey and living now in Nashville, Strutters has built her career on these kinds of songs. There’s an honesty and energy to Nora Jane’s stage presence; a vulnerability that is part and parcel of great artistry. In one moment, she joyfully leads the audience in a dance party ... in the next, she lays her soul bare for the world to hear. Her new album ‘Bright Lights, Long Drives’ finds the poetry in the everyday and in life’s little miracles. WoodSongs Kid: Dylan James "Boogie Boy" Shaw is an award winning twelve-year-old blues pianist from Dallas Texas.
TED YODER is a master of the hammered dulcimer and FaceBook viral sensation. His hammered dulcimer cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” became one of the most-watched Facebook Live posts in 2016 when the song received more than 101 million views from music fans around the world. Based in Goshen, Indiana, Yoder’s played the dulcimer for decades (check out the raves here) and even won America’s National Hammered Dulcimer Championship in 2010. He will be performing material from his new album ‘Lean In’. THE HENHOUSE PROWLERS are bluegrass ambassadors. Founded over 15 years ago in Chicago, IL with the simple desire to play original and powerful bluegrass, this quartet now finds themselves at the intersection of performance, diplomacy and education. The Prowlers have now been to more than 25 countries across the globe, working with the U.S. State Department and under their own nonprofit, Bluegrass Ambassadors - incorporating music from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and more into their already robust repertoire of unique traditional American music. WoodSongs Kids: Ashlyn Smith and Brannock McCartan are two incredible bluegrass instrumentalist from Kentucky.
BILL AND THE BELLES have captured the freewheeling, lighthearted approach to music that has endeared them to listeners of every generation. With a spirited sound that falls somewhere between old-time country and vaudeville, the group puts its own spin on a golden era of music, specifically the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. The band’s latest singles mark a new chapter for the Johnson City, TN-based stringband: a bigger, moodier, more decade-ambiguous American sound. VALERIE SMITH & LIBERTY PIKE have developed a unique style and sound that has rocked the bluegrass world for almost two decades with a string of national and international tours, critically acclaimed recordings, and Grammy, IBMA and Dove Award nominations. Originally from Missouri and now based in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, Val's vocals are impressive. She has a staggeringly expansive range and the ability to portray an amazing array of emotion. Her East Coast-based band, Liberty Pike featuring legendary Hall of Famer , Tom Gray on bass, are consistent audience pleasers and skilled musicians. The band’s latest release is ‘Small Town Heroes.’ WoodSongs Kid: Grace Koch is a sixteen-year-old blues musician from Fort Collins, Colorado.
CAROLINA BLUE is a Brevard, NC based band whose roots run deep in the tradition of Bill Monroe. Band members are Bobby Powell on guitar and vocals, Timmy Jones on mandolin and vocals, Reese Combs on upright bass and vocals, James McDowell on banjo and vocals, as well as American and Canadian Grand Master Fiddle Champion, Aynsley Porchak on fiddle, who is recipient of the 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Momentum Instrumentalist Award. The band created a palpable buzz in bluegrass in 2020 with recently signed with Nashville's Billy Blue Records for an album due out in spring. JESSIE CLEMENT distinct sonic style reflects her heavy James Taylor and John Mayer influences. The Murfreesboro, TN,20-year-old's grew up in a family completely immersed in music. Now, she dives deep into her musical roots in her introspective, coming-of-age record ‘Slow Motion Philosophies,’ out via Corum Hill Records. The album is a collection of poetry that chronicles a young woman’s journey into adulthood as she experiences heartbreak, healing, and self-discovery — all set to the tone of vintage R&B grooves, loose Jazz swagger, and crystalline vocals. WoodSongs Kids: The Roberts Sisters hail from Lafollette, Tennessee and love to sing. They are joined by the Birdsongs.
HAWKTAIL is the instrumental acoustic quartet of fiddler Brittany Haas, bassist Paul Kowert, guitarist Jordan Tice, and mandolinist Dominick Leslie. Though at first glance it looks like an acoustic superpicker side-project, their all-original music is cohesive and unique, distinguishing them as an ensemble with a sound built from the ground up. Each member of Hawktail brings a strong individuality to the project. Haas, whose 2004 self-titled release instantly became the touchstone for a generation of old-time fiddlers, has since lent her sound to Crooked Still, Live From Here, Steve Martin, and David Rawlings, where she played alongside Kowert, well known as the Grammy-winning Punch Brothers’ virtuosic bass player. Tice is a rare guitar player whose music showcases his unique identity and a particular knack for song and tune-writing, and Leslie is a versatile mandolinist whose rhythmic sensibility has made him ubiquitous on the acoustic music scene for over a decade. Their monstrous compositional and instrumental forces are on full display on their much-anticipated sophomore album, ‘Formations.’ APPALACHIAN ROAD SHOW is a visionary acoustic ensemble, bringing new-generation interpretations of traditional Americana, bluegrass and folk songs, as well as offering innovative original music, all presented with a common thread tied directly to the heart of the Appalachian regions of the United States. GRAMMY-nominated banjoist Barry Abernathy, joins forces with GRAMMY-winning fiddler Jim VanCleve, fresh off of his recent stint touring with multi-platinum country artist Josh Turner, as well as esteemed vocalist and mandolinist Darrell Webb, who has recorded and toured with Dolly Parton and Rhonda Vincent, among many others. The group also includes bassist Todd Phillips, an acknowledged legend in bluegrass music circles, with two GRAMMY wins and four GRAMMY nominations under his belt, along with 23-year-old “old soul” guitarist Zeb Snyder, whose fierce and versatile playing recalls Doc Watson and Norman Blake as readily as it does Duane Allman and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Appalachian Roadshow released its debut album last year, and the band is back in the studio working on its second offering due out early 2020. WoodSongs Kid: Beth Davis is sixteen-year-old fiddler and vocalist from Carbondale, Illinois.
MICHAEL LEE is a Fort Worth based Blues artist. He was featured as a contestant for the 2018 Season of The Voice and has been the featured artist w/ The BB King’s Blues Band this past year including their WoodSongs appearance. Raised around blues music his entire life, Michael spent the majority of his young life in blues clubs receiving an ivy league education from watching and playing with blues legends such as Andrew "Jr Boy" Jones (Freddie King), Buddy Whittington (John Mayall), Lucky Peterson (Willie Dixon). On nights he was not in the blues clubs he was down in the stockyards soaking in the Country sounds which emanated from those honky tonks. Like Delbert McClinton and many Fort Worth musicians before him, Michael’s style of music has the perfect blend of Blues and Country. Lee's released his sophomore album 'Heart of Stone' early this year. THE RESONANT ROGUES craft fresh songs from a variety of vintage styles, featuring vocal harmonies accompanied by accordion, guitar, banjo, fiddle, and upright bass. Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina with a passion for folk music that spans continents and oceans, The Rogues weave the threads of Appalachian folk, Swing Manouche, Vintage Country, and Euro folk together into a beautiful tapestry that simultaneously showcases tradition and innovation. The Rogues’ third studio album, 'Autumn of the World', is available now.
KYLE DILLINGHAM, of Oklahoma City, started playing the violin when he was nine. While still in high school, Dillingham was featured twice on Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and had performed with legends Roy Clark and Hank Thompson. Dillingham has taken his music to 37 countries earning him the title of “Oklahoma’s Musical Ambassador” and wrapped up his 2019 Silk Road and The Fiddle Sister State Tour through China marking his 13th trip there. He also made his Grand Ole Opry debut in July. FAST TRACK is new bluegrass super group following the recent announcement of the retirement of long time Cardinal Tradition band leader, David Parmley. The five members of Fast Track are not only all highly decorated in awards from the IBMA and SPBGMA organizations, but are also veteran players on the Grand Ole Opry stage, across the United States, up through Canada, and throughout Europe. Between all of the gentlemen, they have performed with, recorded on and participated in countless projects with bluegrass and country music royalty throughout their most impressive careers. The Fast Track members are: Dale Perry (banjo, bass vocals), Steve Day (fiddle, vocals), Ron Spears (bass, vocals), Jesse Brock (mandolin, vocals), and Duane Sparks (guitar, vocals). The band’s debut EP is set to be released after the first of the year. Their WoodSongs performance will be their first official show as an ensemble. WoodSongs Kids: Kentucky Just Us is a family bluegrass band from Greensburg, Kentucky..
RIDERS IN THE SKY have been keepers of the flame passed on by the Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, reviving and revitalizing the genre for over thirty years. And while remaining true to the integrity of Western music, they have themselves become modern-day icons by branding the genre with their own legendary wacky humor and way-out Western wit, and all along encouraging buckaroos and buckarettes to live life "The Cowboy Way!" Riders In The Sky are stars of the stage, screen, the Grand Ol' Opry, National Public Radio, XM Satellite Radio, Saturday morning TV, and are the only exclusively Western artist to have won a Grammy Award. They truly are "America's Favorite Cowboys! WoodSongs Kid: Phoebe White is an award winning 8-year-old singer from London, Kentucky.
JOE MULLINS & THE RADIO RAMBLERS are at the top of their game. Celebrating their 10th year as a professional touring band, JMRR won the coveted “Entertainer of the Year” Award at the 30th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards; this is the band’s first win – and first nomination – in this category. In addition, JMRR won "Collaborative Recording of the Year" for "The Guitar Song" with special guest, Del McCoury. They have been seen by thousands of fans across the continent through performances at a vast array of venues including the National Folk Festival, Bluegrass Underground, Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman, and regular guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. Their latest is release is 'For The Record' on Billy Blue Records. GUMBO, GRITS & GRAVY is a ‘gathering’ featuring three brilliant musicians with culturally and musically diverse backgrounds. The new musical roots collaboration are mystic violinist Anne Harris, Creole torchbearer Marcella Simien, and renaissance blueman Guy Davis. As the name implies, Gumbo, Grits & Gravy is grounded in the roots of a hearty, home-cooked meal, the foundation of family and tradition, which is more often guided by maternal inspirations. Through this understanding, it is a celebration of a musical and cultural diversity that this trio hopes to document and spread to the world in 2019 and beyond. WoodSongs Kids: Skyline Drive is youth bluegrass band from Kentucky.
ROB ICKES AND TREY HENSLEY are a powerhouse acoustic duo that has electrified the acoustic music scene. Rob is a 15-time IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Dobro Player of the Year and Trey a Tennessee-born guitar prodigy who made his Grand Ole Opry debut at the age of 11. White-hot picking and stone country vocals are still the driving force of the duo, but now with added grit and a nod to the rootsier side of Americana. Their new Compass Records album is ‘World Full of Blues’. LARRY CAMPBELL & TERESA WILLIAMS have been called “The First Couple of Americana” (Mojo). Multi-instrumentalist-singer-songwriter Larry Campbell and singer-guitarist Teresa Williams’ acclaimed eponymous 2015 debut, released after seven years of playing in Levon Helm’s band – and frequent guesting with Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Phil Lesh, Little Feat, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassady, brought to the stage the crackling creative energy of a decades-long offstage union. A whirlwind of touring and promo followed, and when the dust cleared, the duo was ready to do it all again on ‘Contraband Love’, their new album on Red House Records and a riskier slice of Americana. WoodSongs Kid: Duncan Stiit is a fifteen-year-old award-winning dobro player from Knoxville, Tennessee.
CHARLIE HUNTER AND LUCY WOODWARD are known for excelling in different genres, yet the two veteran musicians have been running in similar circles before pairing up for touring in 2018. With a career spanning 26 years and almost 20 albums, virtuoso guitarist Charlie Hunter has worked with the likes of Norah Jones, Mos Def, John Mayer, and D’Angelo. He is widely considered the authority on the seven and eight - string guitar. Lucy Woodward made her major label debut in 2003. She has since recorded/toured with Rod Stewart, Snarky Puppy, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Pink Martini, Chaka Khan and Carole King releasing 3 more albums along the way. ‘Music!Music!Music!’ marks the recorded debut of the musical partnership and an exhilarating blast of blues, soul and funk. GINA CHAVEZ is a 12-time Austin Music Award winner, including 2019 Best Female Vocals. Her bilingual, pan-Latin sound explore the true meaning of “Americana" as she and her five-piece band take audiences on a high-energy journey through Latin America and beyond. Gina tours internationally as a cultural ambassador with the U.S. State Dept, and runs Niñas Arriba, a college scholarship fund for young women in gang-dominated El Salvador. Her NPR Tiny Desk concert has more than 890,000 views and her national TV debut is now airing on PBS stations nationwide.
MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY is one of the most revered and accomplished singer songwriters of his generation. Considered as “America’s Cowboy” because of his work to preserve the music and lifestyle of the west, he is also a prolific artist. From his his songs WILDFIRE and GERONIMO’S CADILLAC, CAROLINIA IN THE PINES and more his music has crossed all boundries from pop to rock, bluegrass to folk and more. MIHOKO GOTO is one of the leading accordionists in Japan, whose unique sound and performing style is highly praised both at home and abroad. Mihoko started playing the piano at the age of five, and at age ten, she took up the accordion. She is an artist with inclination towards classical and east European and Roma music. At the same time, she adheres to and cherishes her own identity, which brings her affection and appreciation towards Japanese music. Audience will be intrigued by Mihoko’s presentation of accordion music – a new genre of collaboration of Japanese and European music on a traditional European instrument. WoodSongs Kids: Alexander and William Auer are accomplished violists from Lexington, Kentucky who are twin brothers.
DARIN & BROOKE ALDRIDGE combine rich harmonies with impeccable musicianship to create the unmistakable sound that has made them one of the hottest young acts in acoustic music. Darin spent 6 years as a member of the acclaimed County Gentleman and is a highly sought-after multi-instrumentalist. Brooke has been lauded for having one of the most powerful voices in music of any genre is the reigning IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year. The North Carolina duo will be performing songs from ’Inner Journey’, their debut album on Rounder Records. STEPHANIE URBINA JONES is well-known for celebrating her Hispanic heritage through her music, which can be described as Latin-rooted Americana, or “Texicana country folk-rock.” Jones' latest studio album, ‘Tularosa’, is an inspired marriage of country classics and mariachi rhythms named for the place where it was recorded. Tularosa honors Urbina Jones’ musical icons — a string of legends from Dolly, Patsy, Willie, and Merle to Johnny and June — and the Mexican heritage that feeds her sound and soul. She will be performing on WoodSongs with her band Honky Tonk Mariachi. WoodSongs Kid: Jenna Quinones is a fourteen-year-old ukulele player and singer from Lexington, Kentucky.
THE FOLK LEGACY TRIO are George Grove and Rick Dougherty formerly with the Kingston Trio and Jerry Siggins, former lead singer of The Diamonds. These three men have been involved with the music of the great Folk Era since it's very beginning sharing stages stages with the best known names with musical icons like Peter Paul & Mary, Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, The Limeliters, The New Christy Minstrels, The Chad Mitchell Trio, The Mamas & The Papas, John Sebastian, Josh White Jr, Glenn Yarbrough, Pete Seeger and more. It is a journey through the Great American Folksong Booky with their signature dynamic harmonies enriching some of the most beloved songs ever written. CHANCE MCCOY is a Grammy Award winning Indie Folk musician from West Virginia. A virtuoso fiddler, guitarist, and banjo player, McCoy is best known as a member of GRAMMY-winning Americana powerhouse Old Crow Medicine Show, but ‘Wander Wide,’ his debut solo album, reveals a remarkable depth and versatility far beyond anything we’ve heard from him yet. Captivating in its cross of the traditional and the progressive, the record shows little regard for the conventional boundaries of genre and decade, blending old-school bluegrass melodies with modern rock and roll arrangements and rich, atmospheric production. WoodSongs Kids: Marlee Hart and Hudson MacReady hail from Knoxville, Tennessee and perfom blues and roots music as a duo.
THE KINGSTON TRIO began with Nick Reynolds, Bob Shane and Dave Guard in 1955… Home base: San Francisco. The three founded what turned out to be the most influential music band to emerge from the 1950s, only to be outdone by The Beatles. With talent and tenacity, they rose to become the undisputed kings of an acoustic musical genre that exploded onto the American scene, and still exists today. Celebrating the group’s more than 60 years of entertaining audiences, all three current members, Mike Marvin, Tim Gorelangton and Don Marovich have intrinsic links to and experience with the original group. ALLIE COLLEEN is no stranger to the music industry. A Belmont University graduate from Owasso, Oklahoma with a style that is truly her own, Allie has a passion for singing and songwriting since a young age has garnered her a reputation of being a notable songwriter with an iconic-sounding voice. Her impeccably strong voice with hints of timeless tradition falls between classic country and the emerging country sound. Her recent debut single, “Work In Progress” defines the life that’s shaped her with personal lyrics and transparency in both the vocals and delivery. WoodSongs Kids: The Byrne Brothers are a traditional Irish Music Band and Irish Dancers from Donegal, Ireland. .
From it's humble origins in Hawaii to becoming a worldwide phenomenon, the ukulele is having a global revival thanks to artists like Jake Shimabukuro, Emi Sunshine and more. It was a favorite instrument of George Harrison and Eddie Vedder called it "an activist instrument." On this WoodSongs, we'll be exploring the many styles, sounds and stories of the uke with musicians from across the country. EMISUNSHINE has been attracting national attention since she was nine years old with appearances on “The Today Show,” NBC’s “Little Big Shots,” “Pickler & Ben,” the Grand Ole Opry and elsewhere. Rolling Stone named 15-year-old EmiSunshine among “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know,” but she is more than country. With music described as “old-timey,” the East Tennessee native adds her own unique contemporary blend of roots music that is equal parts Americana, Bluegrass, Gospel, Blues and Jazz. VICTOR & PENNY deliver swing-infused folk-jazz in the band’s signature high-energy style with joy, humor, and soaring musical improvisation. This corset-tight group brings a modern Kansas City voice to their original tunes and prohibition era jazz with sterling musicianship. DIANA CHITTESTER’S live performance is brought to life by her signature percussive, multi-part acoustic ukulele and guitar playing. This Cleveland, Ohio storyteller uniquely developed style is accentuated by her alternating between picking and strumming, all while pounding out bass lines and drum beats.
Jug bands got their name from using instruments that were either homemade or household items such as a jug. Beginnings in the South in the 19th century, with origins in Louisville, KY, they were made up predominately of African-American musicians and were in their heyday from the 1890s to the Great Depression. Playing a mixture of blues, ragtime, and jazz, jug bands were some of the first musicians to record and a key contributor to the evolution of blues and early rock and roll. The folk revival in the 60's launched a second wave of jug-band music and it continues to exist and evolve today. On this WoodSongs broadcast, we'll be celebrating the music and history of jug bands with musicians from across the country. JIM KWESKIN is a folk music legend and founder of the legendary 1960s Jim Kweskin Jug Band which successfully transformed the sounds of pre-World War II rural music into a springboard for their good-humored performances. Their imitators were legion, including The Grateful Dead, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the Lovin’ Spoonful and more. These days Jim is best known as a singer and bandleader, but he also created one of the bedrock guitar styles of the folk revival. JERRON “BLIND BOY” PAXTON transforms traditional jazz, blues, folk, and country into the here and now. Hailing from NYC, his sound is influenced by the likes of Fats Waller and "Blind" Lemon Jefferson. According to The Wall Street Journal, Paxton is "virtually the only music-maker of his generation—playing guitar, banjo, piano and violin, among other implements—to fully assimilate the blues idiom of the 1920s and ‘30s." THE STEEL CITY JUG SLAMMERS made a name for themselves in Birmingham, AL with a new album, extensive touring and the band's recent induction into the Jug Band Hall of Fame. WoodSongs Kids: The Wallace Sisters are three harmozing siblings from Lexington, Kentucky.
JANIVA MAGNESS has traveled millions of miles, sung on thousands of club and festival stages, and made a string of recordings that have earned accolades and awards. She is only the second woman, following blues giant Koko Taylor, to receive the Blues Foundation's B.B. King Entertainer of the Year award. NEW BOOK and ALBUM: This Grammy nominated artist now tells her dramatic, miraculous and deeply moving story about a life worth living with her memior 'Weeds Like Us'. On the this Special Event Broadcast of WoodSongs, Janiva will be read and discuss her book plus perform with her full band. She will feature songs from her new album 'Change in the Weather: Janiva Magness Sings John Fogerty' released on Blue Élan Records, 12 songs curated from the Creedence Clearwater Revival leader's catalog in Magness' soaring, soul-centered style.
THE BB KING BLUES BAND are the men who walked alongside the iconic bluesman for over 35 years. The band writes the next chapter, on an album that salutes King’s classic songs and showcases their own. Boasting several world-class songwriters in their ranks, ‘The Soul Of The King’ finds the lineup supplying material that stands alongside their late leader’s catalogue. The B.B. King Blues Band are thrilled to announce B.B. Kings daughter, Claudette King (vocals) and Michael Lee from The Voice (guitar & vocals) will be appearing with them for this Special Event broadcast taping of WoodSongs. WoodSongs Kid: Six String Andrew is a thirteen-year-old guitar player from Van Cleave, Mississippi.
DAVINA AND THE VAGABONDS shows are filled with New Orleans charm, Memphis soul swagger and dark theatrical moments. Davina has been compared to Etta James, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday and even Betty Boop, but comparisons don’t suffice. Sowers is a true original. ‘Sugar Drops’ is her first album on Red House Records and marks the first time this Minneapolis-based artist entered a proper studio to record an album. It’s a distillation of bluesy barroom baritone and bravado, graveyard jazz grooves, and noir-ish confessional lyricism backed by boisterous piano, guitar, and strings, the music actualizes. TURLACH BOYLAN and DAVEY MATHIAS are two masters of traditional Irish music. Turlach Boylan was once cryptically introduced onstage as “a musician’s musician”. He learned his music standing in the Culleybackey kitchen of County Antrim flute master John Kennedy, kickstarting a lifelong pursuit of the elusive musical quality ‘Lift’. Davey Mathias is literally a guitarist’s guitarist. He has often performed with fiddler Randal Bays, himself a highly respected Irish music guitarist. WoodSongs Kid: Hudson MacCready is an twelve-year-old guitar player from Knoxville, Tennessee.
JOHN PAUL WHITE grew up in tiny Loretto, Tennessee, and now lives in Florence, Alabama, not far from Muscle Shoals. He has cultivated a music career in Nashville for two decades, first as a songwriter for a major publisher, then half of The Civil Wars – a groundbreaking duo that won four Grammy Awards before disbanding in 2012. With ‘The Hurting Kind’, John Paul White has crafted a stunning album that draws on the lush, orchestrated music made in Nashville in the early 1960s. Yet these songs retain a modern feel, whether he’s writing about overwhelming love, unraveling relationships, or fading memory of a loved one. SIDELINE is a pedigreed six-piece powerhouse whose style has set the pace in Bluegrass for over two decades. Founders Steve Dilling, Skip Cherryholmes and Jason Moore can all claim their own historical significance to the genre as members of highly awarded groups, multiple Grand Ole Opry appearances and years of national and international touring. What started as a side project for the seasoned players soon moved to the front and center as the three were joined by talents of Bailey Coe; guitar, Troy Boone; mandolin, and Daniel Greeson; fiddle, and began to record and release albums in earnest. Combine all this with their on-stage energy and finesse as well as their powerful and affecting harmonies, and you have the embodiment of the North Carolina Bluegrass sound. The Griffin Miller Band hail from Georgia and Florida and features 11-year-old Sadie Miller on vocal and Bryce and Brett Griffin on bass and acoustic guitar.
THE LEE BOYS are one of America’s finest “sacred steel” ensembles and have been bringing their joyful noise around world for over 10 years. This family group consists of three brothers, Alvin Lee (guitar), Derrick Lee and Keith Lee (vocals) along with their nephews, Alvin Cordy Jr. (7-string bass), Earl Walker (drums) and Roosevelt Collier (Pedal Steel) and Chris Johnson, a young pedal steel player from Miami, that is making quite a name for himself. The band’s new album ‘Live On The East Coast’ continues the Lee Boys reputation of playing eclectic, soulful music that incorporates elements of rock, country, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, funk and more. GRADY CHAMPION is a 21st Century Bluesman. This Mississippi-based songwriter/entertainer/musician has been captivating audiences for more than two decades. Champion has been the winner of prestigious Grammy and Blues Music Awards as well as the recipient of the 26th International Blues Challenge. His new CD, ‘Steppin' In’, is a tribute to legendary Texas bluesman ZZ Hill who died 35 years ago. Hill particularly inspired CHAMPION because Hill’s combination of blues & soul stylings helped to restore the blues to modern black consciousness.
YASMIN WILLIAMS is an acoustic finger style guitarist with a nod to the great MICHAEL HEDGES. Growing up in northern Virginia, her music has been commonly described as refreshing, relaxing, and unique and has been called some of the most imaginative guitar music out today. She utilizes various techniques including alternate tunings, percussive hits, and lap tapping in her music to great effect. She has won various local talent shows, was a finalist in the Rolling Stones Young Gun guitar competition, was the Grand prize winner of New York University’s Ultra Violet Live talent show, and won the grand prize in Culpeper Has Talent. She was recently featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday show. EMILY WOLFE transcends the ranks of ordinary musicians. Her creative songwriting keeps her fans aglow thanks to her strong, powerful lead vocals and dominating guitar style. This Austin, TX’s resident rocker has shared stages with the likes of Heart, The Pretenders, Peter Frampton, Billy Gibbons and Gary Clark Jr. Wolfe a self-taught guitar player starting at the age of 5, has honed her craft over the past 22 years and has been described as a sonic merging of PJ Harvey and Jack White. Featured by the Wall Street Journal, MTV, NPR, and American Songwriter, Emily Wolfe is definitely one to watch. She released a debut self-titled, full-length album earlier this year.
GEORGE WINSTON is undeniably a household name. He's inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, live performance for Winston is akin to breathing. Winston's music is evocative, offering us all a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives and let our minds adventurously wander. ‘Restless Wind’ is the acclaimed 15th solo piano album and a portrayal of Winston's place in a chaotic world -- his compositions extend solace with an idiosyncratic grace. ANDREW BIRD is an internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, whistler, and songwriter who picked up his first violin at the age of four and spent his formative years soaking up classical repertoire completely by ear. Since beginning his recording career in 1997, Bird has released 13 albums and performed extensively worldwide. He has recorded with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, appeared as “Dr. Stringz” on Jack’s Big Music Show, and headlined concerts at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and festivals worldwide. New album 'My Finest Work Yet' is out now.
DANNY BURNS is a red-headed, storytelling, hard-touring Irishman whose own voice is just as evocative as his songwriting. He grew up in the Irish county of Donegal surrounded by singers and instrumentalists receiving a first-class education in Irish folk music along the way. He kicked off his career as a traveling folksinger, logging shows on both sides of the Atlantic. He's been on the road ever since, sharpening a sound that mixes the folk traditions of his native Ireland with diverse American influences. ‘North Country’ is Danny’s new collaborative album filled with appearances by icons like Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, and Tift Merritt. REED TURCHI was raised in the Swannanoa valley of Western North Carolina and grew up playing piano, focusing on boogie woogie and New Orleans styles before becoming infatuated with slide guitar. While learned Hill Country Blues (RL Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, Mississippi Fred McDowell) firsthand in North Mississippi, he’s become a master of guitar driven blues that shapeshift seamlessly between acoustic slide, electric juke joint boogie, and the improvisational, groove-driven, massive sound of his band. Reed’s eleventh album, ‘Midnight in Memphis’ was recorded live at legendary Sun Studio featuring his Kudzu Choir band. WoodSongs Kid: Christian Gisborne is a sixteen-year-old indie rock & roll singer and songwriter from LA.
QUEEN BEE & THE HONEYLOVERS is an unabashedly joyful swing band that performs legends who first defined the genre. The Honeylovers hail from Asheville, North Carolina; a Historic township where tradition collides with contemporary innovation to create *brand new* art and culture. Their arrangements are upbeat and nostalgic - with enough ‘sweetness’ for the whole hive. Vocal-driven with an infectious groove, the Honeylovers are guaranteed to put a grin on your face and a tap in your toes. JAMIE DRAKE is one of LA’s best-kept musical secrets co-writing and collaborating with the likes of Jim James, Mikael Jorgensen (Wilco), Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary), Ed Helms, Glen Phillips, Sara and Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek), and Moby. Drake has all the while been carefully honing her own craft and preparing to take center stage. Now, over 4 million people have discovered Drake’s premiere tracks from her upcoming album, ‘Everything’s Fine’ a record that embraces heartbreak and hope, with indie-pop stylings wrapped in lush orchestrations reminiscent of Jon Brion and Van Dyke Parks and delivered with rich vocals, derivative of her varied musical influences ranging from Harry Nilsson to Sufjan Stevens; from Lucius to Joni Mitchell. WoodSongs Kid: Evan Singleton is a ten-year-old musician from Lexington, Kentucky. Evan will be performing the Earl Scruggs banjo classic “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” on the marimba.
JIMMIE VAUGHAN has dedicated his life to making sure the blues not only stays alive, but remains full of life and an inspiration to all who listen. For the past 50-something years, music has been the guiding light for Vaughan. He started playing young, and when the blues of Freddie King and Frankie Lee Sims crawled deep inside his young soul, it would stay there forever. After worldwide success with the Fabulous Thunderbirds during the ’80s, it came time to leave that band and build his own path in exploring different approaches to the blues.’Baby, Please Come Home’, is a rolling and righteous celebration of everything the blues can be. WoodSongs Kid: Jack Triebold is an 18-year-old guitar player from Charleston, South Carolina.
NEWTOWN features the first-rate vocal and instrumental work of five of the finest musicians in acoustic music who share a bond that combines individual virtuosity with a background of formal training. The band is based in Lexington, Kentucky and fronted by award-winning vocalist/fiddler Kati Penn Williams and her singer/banjo-picker husband, Jr. Williams. They are joined by the extraordinary talents of guitarist/vocalist Hayes Griffin, mandolinist Mitchell Cannon, and bassist/vocalist Travis Anderson – all who have college education backgrounds in music in addition to their collective decades of performing experience. The band’s newest album is ‘Harlan Road’. LARK WATTS is yet another talented singer/songwriter from the state of Kentucky (Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Dwight Yoakam) His songs have a very traditional country element to them, but that voice is pure Memphis soul. RYVOLI is Jenn Whiteman and Samantha Ayres an indie-folk band based in Lexington, KY. WoodSongs Kid. Logan Smith is a talented Singer/Songwriter from Lexington, Kentucky and a WoodSongs Crew member.
LAURIE LEWIS is internationally renowned as a singer, songwriter, fiddler, bandleader, producer and educator. This Grammy Award-winning musician was a founding member of the Good Ol’ Persons and the Grant Street String Band and has performed and recorded since 1986 with her musical partner, mandolinist Tom Rozum. Laurie has twice been voted “Female Vocalist of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association and has won the respect and admiration of her peers. Her latest album with her band the Right Hands ‘The Hazel and Alice Sessions’, was nominated for the Best Bluegrass Recording Grammy in 2017. NEFESH MOUNTAIN is the place where American Bluegrass and Old-time music meet with Jewish Heritage and tradition. Band leaders, genre-pioneers, and husband and wife Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg are the heart of this eclectic offering, and share their love for American music, their own cultural heritage, and each other with audiences throughout the world. The result of this unexpected and beautiful mix is staggering; and while complete with the kind of adept string virtuosity and through composed arrangements one would hope for from a newgrass band with influences from Bluegrass, Old-Time, Celtic, and Jazz, they also play and sing songs of the heart creating music with a sense of diversity, oneness, and purpose for our world today. Their newest and most adventurous recording to date called ‘Beneath The Open Sky’. WoodSongs Kid: Fallon Marie is a fourteen-year-old and from Elizabethtown, Kentucky. She loves to sing and play mandolin.
GARY MORRIS is known world-wide for his vocal mastery. His recording career garnered five #1 and 16 Top 10 singles, including “Why Lady Why,” “The Love She Found in Me,” “Baby Bye Bye.” Morris’ original rendition of the classic “Wind Beneath My Wings” won both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music “Song of the Year” awards. Morris was also named Billboard’s “Male Artist of the Year” early in his career. At the height of his Nashville recording career, the Texas-bred tenor was tapped to play the lead role of Jean Valjean in Broadway’s epic hit Les Misérables, to critical acclaim. ‘Sense of Pride’ is Morris’ latest and his 13th album release. JASON COLEMAN & MEAGAN TAYLOR grew up with two legends at their instruments. Coleman’s grandfather is the legendary pianist Floyd Cramer whose “slip note” piano style was an essential part of countless country, pop, and rock hits in the 1950s and ‘60s and exemplified by his 1960 smash hit, “Last Date”. Taylor picked up the guitar at 18 and turned to her uncle, one of the world’s preeminent guitar virtuosos and most prolific record producers, “Uncle Chester” Chet Atkins for help in the months before he passed away. Their new album ‘Feel Like Home’ honors their families love of music with a deep appreciation of the rich musical heritage while carrying it forward. WoodSongs Kid: Zoe Shiner lives in New Albany Indiana and has been playing mandolin since she was eight-years-old.
