eTown

This week on the eTown airwaves we’re joined by Shook Twins (@ShookTwins), the Portland-based indie-folk duo (and twin sisters) known for their incredible harmonies as well as the wide range of instruments they play. Also with us is longtime friend of the show, gifted songwriter and player extraordinaire Danny Barnes (@Wildknees) (a past winner of The Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass).

Plus we’ll share an inspiring eChievement Award story about a New Jersey man who started a foundation that builds playgrounds in areas of disaster or devastation, to honor the victims of tragedy, provide places of hope and community for children and inspire healing.

Learn more about / Donate to Where Angels Play Foundation at whereangelsplayfoundation.org

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

In this week’s back-by-popular-demand re-airing, eTown welcomes the incredibly gifted singer/songwriter and piano virtuoso Beth Hart (@BethHart) to the solar-powered stage at eTown Hall. Plus our longtime friend John McEuen, iconic American musician and founding member of the beloved Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, returns to the show.

And we’ll hear a great eChievement Award story about Diane Cohen, founder of Finger Lakes ReUse, a woman in New York who’s headed up a highly successful ‘re-use and recycling’ program, repurposing everything from building materials to some of the most difficult of items that would normally end up in a landfill.

Learn more about / Donate to Finger Lakes ReUse at ithacareuse.org

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

It’s an eclectic hour of music and conversation this week as we’re joined by the acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Joachim Cooder (@JoachimCooder)(a talent in his own right who also happens to be the son of the iconic musician Ry Cooder). Also making her first solo appearance on the show is singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Bonnie Paine (a founding member of Elephant Revival).

Plus we’ll hear from eChievement Award winner Sarah Evans, founder of Austin-based nonprofit The Well Aware Project that funds and implements clean water systems for impoverished communities in Africa.

Learn more about / Donate to The Well Aware Project at wellawareworld.org

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

This week features an impressive line-up of bluegrass impresarios. The legendary band Hot Rize (@Hot_Rize) (whose members include Pete Wernick, Tim O’Brien, Bryan Sutton and eTown’s own Nick Forster) celebrates its 40th anniversary with special guests and bluegrass heavy hitters Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan and Jerry Douglas. Grounded in the bluegrass traditions of artists like Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and the Stanley Brothers, the members of Hot Rize have forged a path and a sound all their own since forming back in 1978.

This beloved and iconic band is now taking an extended, open-ended ‘hiatus,’ all the more reason to not miss this incredible musical gathering, which includes a special audience Q&A with Hot Rize (moderated by eTown’s own Helen Forster).

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

William Fitzismmons (@wfitzsimmons) returns to the show with his a gentle, insightful sound (some compare him to Gregory Alan Isakov, Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens). Also with us is a young newcomer, Raye Zaragoza (@rayezaragoza), an award-winning singer, songwriter, and performer known for her song “In The River” written in support of the protests at Standing Rock.

All of that, plus an eChievement Award story about Bryan Ware, founder of The Crayon Initiative, an organization that is reducing waste by recycling crayons and distributing them to art programs at children’s hospitals across the U.S., brightening the lives of young patients during their stay.

Learn more about / Donate to The Crayon Initiative at thecrayoninitiative.org

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

This week’s encore eTown program features a deep dive into folk music styles from around the world. The prolific Swedish folk band Väsen makes its first appearance on the show. Joining us for his second visit to eTown is American folk artist and multi-instrumentalist Sam Amidon (@samamidon), who shares his recent stripped down musical explorations.

Plus we’ll bring you a great eChievement Award story Robert Adamson, founder of One Bistro (@onebistro_xenia), a ‘pay what you can afford’ restaurant in his community built to serve those in need, bringing a wide variety of citizens, rich and poor, together in the process, to share a meal and find common ground.

Learn more about / Donate to One Bistro at onebistro.org.

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

We welcome back genre-bending singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist John Butler (@JohnButlerTrio) to the show this week. John is usually joined by his band as the John Butler Trio, but for this special episode, he joins us solo for an intimate, stripped down set. Also with us is long-time eTown friend and talented, thought-provoking folk singer/songwriter Eliza Gilkyson (@elizagilkyson).

Lastly, sandwiched between all that wonderful music is an inspiring story about Frank Anello, founder of Project Worthmore, an organization that provides much needed practical support for refugees from numerous countries, creating community, enabling self-sufficiency and instilling hope for the future in the process.

Learn more about / Donate to Project Worthmore at projectworthmore.org

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

This week we revisit a fan-favorite episode featuring Portland, Oregon-based bluegrass/Americana group Fruition (@fruitionpdx), who’ll share their unique take on acoustic-driven, high energy music. Also joining us this episode is Swedish alt-Americana group Baskery (@baskery), three multi-instrumentalist sisters who are each a musical force of their own.

Plus we check in with Sophia Watkins of Forest Fund, an innovative initiative that is combating deforestation in the Amazon. 

Learn more about / Donate to Forest Fund at forestfund.co

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

This week in eTown, the Providence, Rhode Island-based alternative group Deer Tick (@deertickmusic) share their one-of-a-kind sound. Also with us is the legendary, genre-bending American singer-songwriter Garland Jeffreys (@garlandjeffreys), who (by his own account) recorded his first real “Rock and Roll” record in 1977 with Wild In The Streets and has continued to break new ground musically ever since.

All of this, plus a great eChievement Award story about Kathleen Hower, founder of Global Links (@GlobalLinks3), an organization that saves new, unused medical supplies from ending up in the landfill and then sends them to those that need them in third world countries.

Learn more about / Donate to Global Links at www.globallinks.org

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

This week, we’re joined on the airwaves by one of our good friends (not to mention one of our favorite songwriters out there), Gregory Alan Isakov (@GregoryAIsakov). This is Gregory’s sixth time on the show (his first all the way back in 2008) and he shares tunes from his critically acclaimed new record ‘Evening Machines.’ Also with us: Alt-country/American singer/songwriter Rayland Baxter (@RaylandisHere), a truly one-of-a-kind performer and individual (don’t miss his interview w/Nick).

Plus we’ll hear from Dara Schoenwald, who along with her husband, founded Volunteer Cleanup, a website that connects potential volunteers with organized shoreline cleanups all over their state.

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org