This week on the air, we’re joined by up-and-coming bluegrass artist Billy Strings. Whether sharing stages with acoustic music royalty, crisscrossing the nation playing as a solo artist or performing high-energy, jaw-dropping sets at festivals, the reaction to Billy Strings tends to come in two varieties: “Who is this guy?” and “That kid can play!” Also with us is the progressive instrumental group, the Jon Stickley Trio. Plus we’ll have a conversation with our eChievement Award winner of the week, Arif Khan, founder of the nonprofit Depave, a group that’s transforming abandoned paved places into urban gardens, parks and more.

It’s a special encore broadcast/podcast as we revisit an eTown fan favorite. Multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, musical icon  and old friend David Bromberg, plus talented Americana folk/rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jonatha Brooke, provide great music this week. Plus we’ll feature yet another inspiring eChievement Award story, this time about Dr. Geoff Tabin, a man helping the blind see again in third world countries.

This week on the eTown airwaves we’re joined by award-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist and New Zealand native Marlon Williams! Known until recently for performing more in the country, bluegrass, and folk realm, Marlon‘s latest musical direction explores several different genres ranging anywhere from pop to 50s doo-wop to country/Americana crooning in a way that reveals his ever-reaching efforts to grow and evolve as a musician. Also with us is indie-folk singer/songwriter Esmé Patterson, who has been making some waves over the last couple years since going solo. All of that plus a conversation with Doug Vilsack, founder of Elephant Energy, a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing small-scale renewable energy to African countries and the Navajo Nation.

In honor of Earth Day (also eTown’s B’earth Day), we have dug into the eTown archives and unearthed Nick Forster’s interview from 1996 with former United States Senator, environmental advocate, and Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson. Nelson was a leading figure in the fight against environmental degradation and social injustice in the twentieth century, and as you’ll learn through this conversation and see throughout the world today, his legacy lives on.

eTown welcomes legendary soul singer/songwriter William Bell for his very first visit to eTown. Known throughout the world for penning such soul classics as “You Don’t Miss Your Water” and “Born Under A Bad Sign”, William takes the stage with eTown’s house band to share music from his latest release, as well as a few classics. Also with us is eTown newcomer Alejandro Escovedo who brings his stellar band to share his unique version of punk-influenced rock and roll. Lots of great music and conversation with our visiting artists this week, plus a great eChievement Award story about a man in Colorado who uses the power of community service to improve mental wellness.