JPR Live Sessions

After an 18-month drought, we welcomed Joe Troop into our performance studio for an actual live in-person session. He was on his way to Mexico after doing some work with United Farm Workers in eastern Washington.

Troop's band Che' Apalache was put on lengthy hiatus as a result of the difficulty and delays processing artist visas, which gave Troop time to focus on a collection of tunes for a solo project. Borrowed Time is a sharply written album that touches on immigration, America's bail bond system, climate change, and other societal issues that Troop is passionate about.

Helping clean up in the aftermath of the tornado that hit her neighborhood, Maia Sharp says there were many group hugs and well-attended fundraisers that, in hindsight, unfortunately helped spread the deadly coronavirus through the community. Sharp was one of those infected. It hit her hard with an accompanying bout of pneumonia. Luckily, she discovered that despite being a recent transplant to Nashville, her support network was already well developed with friends willing to lend a hand at every turn.

Sharp's latest album Mercy Rising is her most personal to date. The songs reflect the ups and downs of life, and even though it was recorded before the pandemic, the lyrics resonate strongly for everyone could just use a little bit of cosmic mercy from the universe.

She joined us from her home in Nashville to share a few tunes from the new album.

Despite the comfortable fit, Ida Mae wasn't Turpin and Jean's first band together. Rather, the hard-rocking quartet Kill It Kit. But the desire to capture the classic sounds of their musical upbringing met with their contemporary style, resulting in the current project.

Their 2019 debut Chasing Lights was well-received by critics and fans alike, and it led to nearly two straight years of touring. With their new release Click, Click, Domino, Ida Mae is ready to take a big next step.

They joined us from their home in Nashville to discuss their early days together and how the sound (and name) of Ida Mae emerged from their collective talents.

After spending many years in the band Middle Coast, Duncan tried his hand as a solo artist and toured in the band of s a band member with The Bros. Landreth. But it was a chance meeting with a gospel musician (and serious smoker) that sparked the creative idea behind the character of Boy Golden - the self-proclaimed founder and minister of the Church Of Better Daze.

On his catchy debut album Church of Better Daze, Boy Golden has captured the sensibility of pseudo-virtual house of worship that celebrates community, positivity, stoner culture, and generally having a good time.

Boy Golden says that everyone who joins the congregation via the website www.churchofbetterdaze.com will be sent a special welcome package.

You can also text 450-800-2205 to join, though Duncan says he hasn't quite figured out how to do the welcome package via the texting option quite yet.