Michael Reno Harrell is an award winning songwriter, as well as a veteran storyteller and entertainer, and he's from the South… the Southern Appalachian Mountains to hone it a bit finer.

Join the CAU crew at Martyr's tonight January 31st for Jenny Dragon's "A Fair Souvenir" CD Release Show.

Join the CAU crew at Schuba's this Saturday February 2nd at 10 PM for Common Shiner's Album Release Show.

'Mean Mary' James, a Florida native now based in Nashville, began life as a musical prodigy-could read music before she could read words and co-wrote songs at age five. By age seven she was proficient on the guitar, banjo, violin, and entertained audiences across the US with her vocal and instrumental skills.

Sound Cinema is an instrumental group comprised of four individuals: Sarah Wong on Violin, Fred Drueck on Drums , Lisa Smith on Cello and Shaun Sinnott on guitar; is a fusion of Jazz, Metal, Classical and Folk. This is their Bio information, but they are so much more. I was mesmerized by their music. Listening to their performance was like taking journey in your mind. I truly enjoyed the heck out of this group. I have also seen them live and I highly recommend that you do the same.

The door, the gutter, and the grave are three things that 23-year-old Tom Schraeder has one foot in. The door, because he's recently been chosen as one of the Onion A.V.

Curtis Evans was born 21 October, 1979 in Elgin, Illinois. He picked up a guitar and wrote his first song at age 15. He played in the rock group The Void from 1997 to 2000 with current members of acclaimed Chicago outfit, inchWORM. In 2004 he formed Our Friends Electric with professional online poker player Amos Lieberman and since 2006 has been performing throughout Chicago with various backing members. He is influenced first and foremost by The Beatles, later by Sparklehorse and Townes van Zandt.

Sofia Talvik is the next rising star from Sweden. She has emerged like a lady of the forest, bringing a new interesting side to folk music. She's playing a unique blend of folk-pop (someone said Neo-Folk). This American genre filtered through her Swedish heritage, becomes something totally unique, a blend that has attracted attention from American reviewers, blogs and music lovers, allowing her tour the US several times. In 2008, she became the first Swedish female singer to play the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago.

People always want to know where the story began. For Phil Jacobson, and most artists, it all started with an unexplainable need to express something, an inspiration. "I spent a lot of time listening to the radio and re-creating melodies on the piano," Phil says. "The music would bring out feelings in me, even before I understood the words." Raised in the suburbs of Chicago, IL, Singer/Songwriter Phil Jacobson found joy in the form of music.

Each year I pick one episode to be my present to our listeners. This year it is Kurt Loeffler and The Jazz Workshop. I dedicated this show to the most influential man in my life, My Father Gordon Teach. MY thanks to all our listeners for your continued support of CAU. Happy Holidays and my wishes for health and happiness in the New Year.