11 Things with Leigh Jones

Steve Poltz is the consummate folk singer, and then some. Having toured the globe for over 30 years, his collective stories, paired with his unparalleled energetic stage presence, make for live shows that are equal parts magnificent, hilarious, and heartwarming. Listen in as Steve discusses the origins of his wild spirit, his somewhat legendary liaison with Jewel, and how the first girl he ever kissed turned out to be a lesbian. www.poltz.com

Patrick Cooper is a blues and Americana musician based in New Orleans. Listen in as he chats about his geographical trajectory (Japan to Louisiana to California and back to Louisiana), his influences from John Prine to Allen Toussaint, and his former life as a lawyer. www.patrickcoopermusic.com

Xander and Orion Hitzig (aka The Hitzig Brothers) hail from southern West Virginia, and have been touring the country over the last six years with Brown Chicken Brown Cow Stringband. Now the two are turning their focus on a duo project, a brotherly mix of folk, bluegrass, and celtic-influenced tunes. Listen in as the Hitzigs discuss things like: being attacked by a pigeon, how their first gig was at a civil war reenactment, and being just about as mature now as they were when they were eleven.

The Coffis Brothers and the Mountain Men are a rootsy rock n’ roll band born and raised in the Mountains of Santa Cruz, California. The band, fronted by brothers Jamie and Kellen Coffis, released their second full-length album, Wrong Side of the Road, earlier this year. Listen in as the 5-piece discusses growing up together, their common influences, and the pros and cons of being a Santa Cruz band. www.coffisbrothers.com

Formed in Santa Cruz, California in 2012, Marty O'Reilly and the Old Soul Orchestra throw a resonator guitar (O'Reilly), a double bass (Jeff Kissel), and a dirty fiddle (Chris Lynch) into a blender, and churn out a haunting, bluesy, and driving musical sound that is at once uniquely theirs, and also reminiscent of some of the delta greats with a generous spattering of Tom Waits. Listen in as the trio discuss their respective beginnings in music, how they work together to create songs, and the importance of audience connection. They talk about farting, too. www.martyoreilly.com

Liana Stampur is a New York City based musician and music educator, and a co-founder of the non-profit organization ArtStrides, which provides free early childhood arts education for New York families. Listen in as Liana discusses the path that led her to teaching, her love for and special connection to Pete Seeger, and her impending motherhood! www.artstrides.org www.youtube.com/lianadstamps

The Brothers Comatose are a 5-piece string band based out of San Francisco. Over the past few years, the oft-touring band has shared the stage with the likes of The Devil Makes Three and Yonder Mountain String Band, and have played prestigious festivals such as Outside Lands, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and High Sierra. Listen in as the fellows of BroCo discuss how they formed, who and what influences them, and where they dream of playing, with no small measure of humor. www.thebrotherscomotose.com

KC Turner is a San Francisco Bay Area music promoter and musician. In 2013, his production company "KC Turner Presents" put on nearly 100 concerts. He's come a long way from growing up in small-town Missouri and impersonating Elvis for his family as a kid. Here, KC talks about taking the leap to pursue a full-time career in the music industry, the artists who inspire him most, and his experience putting together a last minute house concert for G. Love. www.kcturnerpresents.com

John Elliott is a San Francisco-based songwriter and musician, who recently released his eighth album, entitled Good Goodbyes. Listen in as we rap about our theater school backgrounds, John talks about growing up in Minnesota, and sheds a positive light on LA, where he lived for 12 years. www.thehereafterishere.com

Randy Schwartz is a drummer based in the San Francisco bay-area. He played and toured with Brett Dennen for six years, and now performs with Oakland-based Ethiopian jazz band, Sun Hop Fat. Listen in as Randy discusses his influences and his interest in mixing different musical genres, what it means to approach music as a "sculptor" rather than a "painter," and shares a memorable encounter he had with Conan O'Brien.