eTown

Hot Rize & Friends: Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan & Sam Bush

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 40^th 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 Fitzsimmons / Raye Zaragoza / Bryan Ware (The Crayon Initiative)

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

Väsen / Sam Amidon / Robert Adamson (One Bistro)

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

John Butler / Eliza Gilkyson / Frank Anello (Project Worthmore)

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

Fruition / Baskery / Sophia Watkins (Forest Fund)

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

Deer Tick / Garland Jeffreys / Kathleen Hower (Global Links)

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

Gregory Alan Isakov / Rayland Baxter / Dara Schoenwald (Volunteer Cleanup)

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

The Band of Heathens / Stephen Kellogg / Jamie Van Leeuwen (Global Livingston Institute)

Austin, TX-based artists, The Band of Heathens (@BandofHeathens), join us this week to share some tunes, including a few from their album ‘A Message From the People Revisited’, in which they reimagine Ray Charles’ 1972 classic of the same name . In addition, we’re joined by popular Americana/folk singer-songwriter Stephen Kellogg (@Stephen_Kellogg).

And we’ll talk with Jamie Van Leeuwen (@jvanlee6), this week’s eChievement Award winner, who is the founder of the Global Livingston Institute, an organization using music to connect a diverse group of people in Africa, in order to provide health education and care.

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

Laura Veirs / Aaron Lee Tasjan / Peter Mui (Fixit Clinic)

We welcome folk-pop singer/songwriter Laura Veirs (@lauraveirs) for her first eTown appearance. A prolific songwriter for nearly 20 years, Veirs has garnered praise throughout the years with her exquisite folk-pop sound. Also joining us for his first eTown visit is a truly gifted, one-of-a-kind singer/songwriter, Aaron Lee Tasjan (@aaronleetasjan1).

And we’ll have a conversation with this week’s eChievement Award winner, Peter Mui of California, founder of the Fixit Clinic network.

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

eTown on the Road: Lafayette, LA (Pt. 2) w/ Sonny Landreth & More

This week, eTown returns to the Acadiana Center for the Arts (@AcadianaArts) in Lafayette, Louisiana for part two of our two-part exploratory adventure into the origins and vast musical styles native to the Louisiana area. The fabulous musical offerings continue where we left off last week, this time with music from Ann Savoy, Sonny Landreth (@sonnylandreth), Michael Doucet, The Broussard Sisters and much more.

Plus we’ll visit with local eChievement Award winner Marylee Orr (@laenviro), who advocates for local Louisianans affected by industrial pollutants effecting their air, water, land, and health.

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org