Marshall Lewis is a young singer/songwriter who grew up in Bloomington. He played a WFHB “Fund Drive Live” Firehouse Session before his show at The Bishop. He was accompanied by Zach Stoltz on drums.

SONGS

Hosted by Jim Manion

Jon Langford of The Mekons talks with WFHB Music Director Jim Manion about director Joe Angio’s new documentary Revenge of The Mekons. The film is screening April 10-12 in Bloomington at The Ryder Film Series.

In the studio today for a new Firehouse Session all the way from Texas is Robert Earl Keen.  Robert Earl Keen and full band are in town for his show at The Bluebird whilst touring his new album “Happy Prisoner – The Bluegrass Sessions”. This album has reached no.1 on the Billboard Bluegrass. Robert Earl Chats to us about what inspired him to make his first bluegrass album and how the project/musicians came together.

The new album also features the talents of Lyle Lovett, Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks) and Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek).

We also chat about Murder Ballads and how the intro to Walls of Time came about from Peter Rowan whilst recording with Lloyd Maines.

SONGS

Hosted by Angela Backstrom

Originally aired on April 7th, 2015.

Evie Ladin and Keith Terry visited the WFHB studio as part of their spring tour of the MIdwest. They combine old-time roots, body music, and original songs. Evie is a former Bloomingtonian who was also a WFHB DJ. Now based in Oakland, CA, both Evie and Keith are involved in a variety of musical projects. For their Firehouse Session they played three brand new songs of Evie’s – Jump Up and Go, Under The Water Line, and As The Day Gets Long.

Hosted by Jim Manion

Originally aired on March 30, 2015.

Ugandan artist Kinobe’s March 24 Firehouse Session was his second visit to WFHB, having played a WFHB Lotus Live Session which led to his song “Abataka” being selected for WFHB’s Lotus Live Volume 1 CD. In the six years since Kinobe’s last visit he has traveled to many African countries and his music has evolved from Ugandan fusion to a more organic Pan-African acoustic sound. Kinobe was accompanied by guitarist Jaja Bashengezi, a Congolese refugee who Kinobe met in Uganda. Kinobe and his band were in town for for Lotus Blossoms, an educational outreach program of the Lotus Education & Arts Foundation.

SONGS

Hosted by Jim Manion

In the studio today for a new Firehouse Session is Nora Jane Struthers accompanied by Joe Overton.  Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line are here from Nashville, TN playing at local venue The Bishop whilst touring their new album “Wake”. We get the chance to chat with Struthers day 2 of her next hectic three month tour schedule across the USA.  Struthers chats to us about her new autobiographical writing style, inspired by love and what was involved with getting this album ready and out on the road.

SONGS

Hosted by Angela Backstrom

Originally aired on February 26th, 2015.

Irish singer-songwriter and bandleader Glen Hansard stopped by for a very special Firehouse Session before a sold-out show at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. He is best-known for his work with The Frames and the Swell Season, as well as his lead role in the musical film Once, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song. Next month, Hansard releases a tribute EP for late Bloomington musician Jason Molina, and he spoke emotionally about his friendship with Molina and performed the Songs:Ohia song “Hold On, Magnolia.”

SONGS

Hosted and Produced by Katie Moulton

Riley Baugus and Dirk Powell have been crossing musical paths since their teenage years. 30 years later they have officially teamed up as a duo, which brought them to Bloomington as part of the Lotus Blossoms series. They have just released their first duo album. “Tomorrow Morn”. On their visit to WFHB, they played old-time fiddle/banjo tunes, a Dock Boggs song, and a little Louisiana swamp blues.

SONGS

Hosted by Jim Manion

Originally aired on February 24, 2015.

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band had the whole WFHB building shaking with their foot stomping country blues rave up. Playing three songs off their brand new album “So Delicious” they took us from the happy (Pot Roast and Kisses) to the angry (Scream At the Night) to the boastful and blistering (Front Porch Trained). These Brown County ambassadors of hot licks and ear to ear smiles gave us the perfect primer not only for the new album, but also the six month long world tour they’re about to embark on.

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is Reverend Peyton, Breezy Peyton, Ben Bussell

SONGS

Hosted by: Mat Alano-Martin

In the studio today for a new Firehouse Session is Lyal Strickland. Lyal Strickland is here from Buffalo, MO whilst touring his new album “Balanced on Barb Wire”. Besides making music as a solo artist, Strickland is juggling the pursuits of farmer and touring songwriter. Lyal Strickland unexpectedly (and single-handedly) has taken over his family’s struggling cattle farm. He also discovered that there is no shortage of inspiration in the delicate balance of legacy, pride, and struggle that defines his hometown of Buffalo. The songs on Balanced on Barbed Wire were written over the course of 2012 and reflect the endless, unpredictable rigors that come with pulling a living from the land. “2012 was a particularly bad year on the farm,” Strickland recalls. “In the spring we had massive downpours. The fields were swamps. Then, summer came around and we had a horrendous drought that was just unbelievably difficult. You can work your way from spring to late summer on this album – from ‘Every Time It Starts To Rain’ in March to ‘Gettin’ By’ in the dog days of August – straight-up drought.”

SONGS

Hosted by Angela Backstrom

Originally aired on January 21, 2015