Sisters In Song

AmericanaFest Showcase artist Cris Jacobs joins us on the show to talk about his recently released album, “One of These Days,” and how making it was like returning home. We chat about embracing the good and bad of the songwriting process and learning to be comfortable with imperfection. 

  Cris Jacobs lost his way. Most of us do. Part of the story is in those lost days. But more of the story is in what we find again.  

For Jacobs, the last several years have been hard—and transformative. With a vote of confidence from a legend, a no. 2 pencil and scratchpad, and his acoustic guitar, he went into his barn to write and emerged with his finest album to date. 

Produced by Jerry Douglas, “One of These Days” is a stunning collection of storytelling and song, rooted in bluegrass, folk and blues, but unencumbered by rules and expectations. The Infamous Stringdusters serve as the album’s rollicking house band, joined by friends including Billy Strings, Sam Bush, Lee Ann Womack, the McCrary Sisters, Lindsay Lou and more. The result is unfettered, joyful virtuosity, swirling around Jacobs’ powerful voice, gut-check meditations, and close-up character sketches.  

  See Cris at AmericanaFest:  

Wednesday, September 18th a the AmericanaFest DayStage presented by NPR Music, World Café and WMOT 

Friday, September 20th at his official showcaseat 11:00 PM 

  And check him out here: 

Website: Crisjacobs.com 

Instagram: Cris_jacobs 

Facebook: Cris Jacobs 

YouTube: @crisjacobs6183 

 The sisters chat with Kayleigh Mathews about her Josie award nominations, her newest single, and about just being yourself.  

Country Singer/Songwriter Kayleigh Mathews has gone from dreaming big in her Southwestern hometown to becoming part of the epicenter of America’s music industry. Moving to Nashvillein 2018, she hit the ground running by writing, recording, and releasing music. Kayleigh continues to showcase her talent as an independent, international touring artist drawing from her own experiences and releasing music that reflects the broad tapestry of America’s blue jeans & dirt. 

Traditional with a hint of dusty blues, her music is full of laconic guitar playing & a voice that canbe compared to some of the icons of the game. Starting in 2020 with her debut single “Crashing Down”, she has released two EP’s & a catalog of singles that have seen her perform all over the country from East to West & everywhere in between. She has also been featured on the airwaves both in the UK & USA and showcased in countless articles, magazines, and podcastsaround the country. 

It’s her authenticity and storytelling underpinned by her desire to hone her craft by cutting her teeth in Honky Tonks and Juke Joints around the country that truly set her apart.These bars are known for their lively atmosphere and a casual, down-to-earth ambiance that Kayleigh mirrors in her own work. Sometimes rough and sometimes rowdy but always honest, the music was first & foremost for the people & something she firmly believes in.  

Check her out here:  

Website: kayleighmathews.com 

FB: Kayleigh Mathews 

IG: KayleighMathewsmusic 

TikTok: Kayleighmathews.music 

Youtube: Kayleighmathewsmusic 

 The sisters talk with Eddie and Matt of the charismatic 502s from Florida! We discuss their GreatAmerican Road Trip Tour, playing and making songs you like, and doing homeworkas a band.

The 502s are an American indie folk band from Maitland, Florida formed by Eddie Isola. Their sound has been described as a "folk orchestra", and as a blend of roots, rock and bluegrass. Their live shows received praise for “rambunctious energy, stomping sounds... and charismatic personalities” by Cowboys & Indians. 

Initially consisting of Eddie Isola and his cousins with a rotating cast of musicians, the band's longest standing consistent lineup includes Matthew Tonner (keyboards, guitars), Joe Capati(saxophone), Sean Froehlich (drums & percussion) and Nicholas Melashenko(bass guitar) with their newest member Graci Phillips joining the band in 2023. 

Shortly after the band's inception in 2016, The 502s won a contest to perform at Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival, alongside Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, and Kendrick Lamar, beating out over 800 contest entrants. (Credit to Wikipedia) 

Check them out here: 

Website: www.the502s.com 

Twitter: @the502s 

FB: The 502s 

IG: the502s 

Threads: the502s 

Youtube: @the502s 

Discord: the502s 

 The sisters talk with Dan Sharp about his latest release “Between the Brave, Bold and Given Up,” and being authentic to yourself through music. 

Brought up in grassroots Aotearoa, Dan is a man of substance, dedication and has aheart of integrity. His commitment to his craft as an artist, songwriter and aproducer of music runs deep. 

His music is courageous, thoughtful and disarmingly honest andcalls to mind the feeling of ‘They don't make them like this anymore’. Hisvoice ranges from gravely ruggedness to tender velvet, the full extent of suchis used to take listeners toward an emotional space of self acceptance. 

2019’s single release, ‘Kindle and Coal’ (500,000+ Spotifystreams) displayed Dan’s ability to deliver an impact and vulnerability alongthe lines of modern international’s Lewis Capaldi and Dermot Kennedy, whilemaintaining his Springsteen-esque timelessness. 

Opportunities were forthcoming with Dan opening shows for HollieSmith, Tiki Taane, touring with Graeme James, performing mainstage at Rhythmand Vines and completing a NZ tour with Ciaran McMeeken. 

2020 brought about a management and booking agency agreement thatsaw Dan tour NZ with Thomas Oliver, support Dave Dobbyn, receive NZonAirfunding, and sign with newly established Tenfold Records. Dan also was affordedthe opportunity to work with award-winning producers, Thomas Oliver and SiGooding at NZ’s famed Roundhead Studios.

The passion and dedication is obvious. Dan has spent the time crafting his sound and songs and his voice demands to be heard. 

Check Dan out here:  

Facebook: Dan Sharp 

IG: Dan Sharp 

Threads: dansharpmusic 

You Tube : dansharpmusic 

  And special thanks to Dan Time Podcast for the introduction https://rss.com/podcasts/dantime/  

Independent country recording artist Blane Howard is carving out his own path in the music industry. Though based in Nashville, his musical journey has taken him all over the country. A 3-time Arkansas CMA Male Vocalist of the Year winner, Howard embraces his unique style of country, modern traditional, mixing the authenticity of the 90s with the contemporary edge of today!  His relatable lyrics, powerful vocals, and entertaining shows are winning him fans around the world. 

Blane has opened for Blake Shelton, Justin Moore, Joe Nichols, Trace Adkins, Josh Turner, Granger Smith, Cody Johnson, Rodney Atkins, Charlie Daniels Band, Charlie Robinson, and others. 

Listen to his new single with Ashley Ewing, "Promises and Mistakes" THIS FRIDAY 8/16/2024 on all streaming platforms, and check Blane out here:

FB: Blane Howard

IG: blanehoward

X: blanehoward

You Tube: @blanehowardcountry

Blake Shelton, Justin Moore, Joe Nichols, Lauren Alaina, Trace Adkins, Josh Turner, Granger Smith, Cody Johnson, Rodney Atkins, Charlie Daniels Band, Charlie Robison, and others. 

 As fiddle player for the Avett Brothers, Grammy-winning founderof The Duhks, accompanist for Mary Gauthier and as a session player, TaniaElizabeth has spent two decades shaping the arc of modern-day roots music. Sherefocuses the spotlight on her own music with Storm Season, a solo album whosesonic textures are as dynamic and diverse as the songwriter who created them.

“I’ve always backed other people,” she says. “I’m really good at supportingother musicians and holding down the fort so they can shine, but I’ve rarelyhad anybody else hold that space for me. With Storm Season, I’m investing inmyself for the first time.” 

A longtime road warrior, Tania began recording Storm Season during the globalpandemic that brought her touring schedule to a standstill. It was a rare timeof rest for someone who’d been performing since the age of 9. Raised in asingle-parent household, Tania moved from Australia to Canada during her earlychildhood and began busking on the streets of Vancouver Island while still ingrade school. 

By 15 years old, Tania had launched her own record label andcompleted her first solo album: Something, a self-financed collection ofinstrumental songs funded by her busking profits. By 16, she had left school,completed a cross-country Canadian tour in partnership with Save The Children(a humanitarian organization dedicating to supporting victims of childtrafficking), and recorded her second album, This Side Up. By the time sheturned 18, she’d already performed her songs in venues across Australia and China. 

Looking for new horizons, Tania co-founded The Duhks, a genre-jumping rootsband whose debut album appeared in 2003. The Duhks quickly became one ofCanada’s most decorated folk acts, earning a Grammy nomination and a Juno Awardduring Tania’s tenure. She left the group’s lineup in 2010 and began performingwith the celebrated folksinger Mary Gauthier. By 2013, she’d earned a permanentspot in the Avett Brothers’ touring lineup, contributing heavily to Grammy-nominated releases like True Sadness along the way. 

On a record stacked with appearances by roots-music luminaries, it’s Tania Elizabeth’s star that shines the brightest. She writes honestly and poignantly about the bad weather in her life,ultimately finding comfort in her own resilience. Heartbreak, resolve,struggle, and vigilance are common themes, with tracks like “What You Need”unfolding like wake-up-calls for those who have yet to prepare for incomingstorms. Storm Season also soothes, though, balancing itsown urgency with the comforting salve of Tania’s voice and the rootsy sweep ofher multi-layered arrangements. This is music that targets the heart as well asthe head. It’s the latest chapter in a life story that’s still being written.It’s the sound of a lifelong musician who’s making a return to centerstage,armed with the most compelling music of her career. 

Find Tania here: 

Website: Taniaelizabeth.net 

IG: Telizabethfiddle 

FB: Taniaelizabethfiddle 

You Tube: Taniaelizabeth.com 

Patreon: taniaelizabeth  

The sisters visit with Austin Thompson of the Way Down Wanderers. Often referred to by fans as one of the hardest-working, hardest-touring bands on the circuit today, the 5-piece Illinois-based act not only proves that classification with their jam-packed tour schedule but also on stage every night, with youthful exuberance and a lively stage show, asreliable as it is infectious. High energy percussion, mandolin, guitar, bass, banjo, and fiddle weave seamlessly together to create an experience for fans that has sold out shows across the UK and the United States, filling the front rows with fans not just singing along to one tune, but singing along to all of them. “Everybody says it. We’d be nothing without our supporters. Yeah, they buy tickets and of course we love that, but when we’ve been on the road for 10hours and walk onto a stage road weary and we see familiar faces singing along, it’s hard to describe. It's everything, really. There’s a whole lot of love there.” 

Music enthusiasts are not the only ones taking note. Critics and tastemakers alikehave awarded the young artists an impressive number of accolades ranging fromofficial showcases at AmericanaFest (2018) and International Bluegrass MusicAssociation (2016) to Whitstable UK Session of the Year (2017), a BBC ScotlandSession (2017) as well as Finalist, International Song Writing Competition(2015 & 2016), Chicago’s Best Emerging Artist, Deli Magazine (2014) andSongpickr’s Best Songs Spotify Playlist (2016) among others. The young men areno strangers to the festival circuit either, having played major National andRegional Festivals such as Merlefest, Summer Camp, Red Wing Roots MusicFestival and Saskatchewan Jazz Fest all across the United States, Canada andthe UK. The band has also graced the stage of coveted venues such as BluegrassUnderground (TN), The Fox Theater (CO), Park West (IL), The Vogue (IN) TheStation Inn (TN) The Gramercy Theater (NYC), and countless others. 

Check them out here: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waydownwanderers/?fref=tsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewaydownwanderers/?hl=enYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB5hamUhp1Ia0lOOQhACDgTwitter: https://twitter.com/WayDownWandererSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/62N2F1MeS38SosZvvqBWlR?si=vDBMz2YJRReR7Z2OWoMljg 

For nearly five decades, Laurie Lewis has gathered fans and honors for her powerful and emotive voice and her versatile, dynamic songwriting. She is a sought-after recording producer and an equally skilled teacher and mentor.

And she is an inspiration and a ground-breaker – across genres, across geography and across gender barriers.

Laurie has shown us how a woman can blend into any part of the classic bluegrass singing trio, and she showed us how a great voice could move fluidly between bluegrass and other types of music.  She showed us how a female fiddler could emulate the strength and grit of the early bluegrass musicians. She has shown how a Californian can appeal to traditional bluegrass audiences, as well as winning acclaim in the worlds of Americana and folk music.

She has shown us how to lead bands of talented musicians – learning from them while helping them make their best music.  And she has shown us how to thrive in a constantly changing musical environment – without ever sacrificing her art. 

Check her out here: 

Website: Laurielewis.com

FB: Laurielewismusic

YouTube: @lewieloris

IG: @Laurielewismusic

Bandcamp: @laurielewis  

Jasmine Pritchard is a West Virginia born, Philippine raised, San Francisco based singer/songwriter, and vocal coach. She is a fierce supporter of indie/local musicians, and enjoys writing songs that celebrate the joy of living, being connected, and the importance of self-love. Making music with her friends is her happy place and dream job. 

Photo Credit - @IranRamirezPhotography 

Check Jasmine out here: 

Instagram - @jasmooti 

YouTube - @jasmootisingsBandcamp - JasminePritchard.Bandcamp.com 

And check out Songrise studios here: https://www.songrisestudios.com/

Instagram - @songrisestudios

YouTube - @songrisestudios

Yelp - https://www.yelp.com/biz/songrise-studios-san-francisco-3

And learn more about Downsyndrome Connection of the Bay Area here: https://www.dscba.org/

Check Alan out here: www.alanwalkermusic.net Born and raised in New York City, Alan Walker has been playing in clubs there since the mid-80s, with his first show at CBGBs and his first band Club Iguana. He is the former lead singer and piano & organ player of rootsy/melodic pop band, The Brilliant Mistakes, who were aptly named after a song by one of their songwriting mentors, Elvis Costello. The Brilliant Mistakes had a great run starting in 1993, releasing three albums (two with Schleifer producing) before stopping in 2012. The band frequented the downtown NYC club scene and, at one time, was a WFUV favorite, appearing live there as well as with Jerry Treacy on his 'Crash on The Levee' radio show. They were played by David Dye on WXPN's World Cafe as well as on Vin Scelsa's Idiot's Delight and performed at SXSW for a few years. Alongside his musical career, Walker works full time in book publishing (VP of Higher Education at Penguin Random House). He spoke more about it all in a 2019 podcast interview with Center Stage with Pamela Kuhn, who says he, "has put the polish on life as a popular musician while having an extended and successful livelihood in publishing... Every great composer has their own love of the marriage of music and word. And I can't help but feel that Alan Walker has kept his creativity fresh with his day 'gig' at Penguin Publishing that keeps honing his skills."Although the city definitely had an effect on who Alan Walker is, the songs he writes, and certainly the musicians he has become most closely involved with, he says, "I get just as much inspiration from being in the country, outdoors hiking with my dogs or on a road bike. I'm half city, half country boy, having grown up in NYC and the hills of Western MA. I'd like to think there is both humor and a subtle edge to my lyrics, which may be the city side of me, and also melancholy in my melodies, which is the country part, but then again, maybe it's not so simple, and it's all mixed up in the soup that my songs come out of." A Little Too Late is a follow-up to Walker's 2019 debut Something Up My Sleeve and will be released on June 28 on Aunt Mimi's Records.