eTown

Andrew Bird / Leif Vollebekk / Tom Chappell (Tom’s of Maine)

This week we revisit a fan-favorite episode featuring singer/songwriter and violin virtuoso Andrew Bird (@andrewbird). Andrew got his start in the popular bands Squirrel Nut Zippers and Bowl of Fire before embarking on what has become a very successful solo career.

Also joining us on this encore episode is Canadian indie-folk artist Leif Vollebekk (@leifvollebekk), who shares music from his latest collection of songs (his conversation with Nick is hilarious, worth tuning in for!).

Plus we’ll check in with Tom Chappell, co-founder of the Tom’s of Maine (@TomsofMaine), to hear about his latest endeavor, Rambler's Way: providing jobs and raising awareness about the importance (and profitability) of sustainable wool.

Learn more about Rambler's Way at www.ramblersway.com

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

Calexico / Eric Andersen / Monte Belmonte (Monte’s March)

Geography has a way of seeping into music, and this week on the airwaves, we experience that in full effect with the return of Calexico (@casadecalexico). Throughout the group’s 22-year existence, co-founders and multi-instrumentalist Joey Burns and John Convertino have drawn on the arid clime and vibrant culture of the American Southwest — and its sister territory across the border — to inform their sprawling, cross-cultural indie rock. Also with us this week is prolific singer/songwriter Eric Andersen whose career has spanned 45 years (he just released his 25th album of original songs). Plus we’ll have a conversation with Monte Belmonte, a radio host (with WRSI in Massachusetts) and the founder of Monte’s March, an annual march against hunger, which aims to raise awareness about food insecurity and to collect funds to support the food bank in his area.

Learn more about / Donate to Monte's March at www.foodbankwma.org/donate

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

eTown Archive - Lyle Lovett (1991)

This week we're digging deep as we throw it back to our first season in 1991 for an excerpt featuring our friend and prolific singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett (@LyleLovett). Lyle was one of the first artists to hop on board with eTown and over the years he has graced the eTown stage 4 times. It's always a good day when his music is in rotation. We hope you enjoy this one as much as we have been!

eTown in Boone, NC: Mandolin Orange / Josh Ritter / Ali Casparian (Bounty and Soul Food Rescue)

This week, it’s a special ‘eTown on the Road’ show! We’re joined by gifted singer/songwriter Josh Ritter (@joshritter) and Americana/bluegrass duo Mandolin Orange (@Mandolin_Orange). The show takes place at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts in Boone, North Carolina.

We partnered with Appalachian State University’s Energy Summit, An Appalachian Summer Festival (@AppalachianArts), and 88.7 WNCW (@WNCW) for this eclectic event of music and conversation.

Along with our musical guests, we were also joined by Ali Casparian of Bounty and Soul Food Rescue, an organization that is creating healthier communities by providing fresh healthy food, nutrition literacy, and health & wellness resources. Plus Lee Ball, Chief Sustainability Officer at Appalachian State, talks with Nick about the Energy Summit purpose and goals.

Learn more about / Donate to Bounty and Soul Food Rescue at www.bountyandsoul.org

Watch full videos from this show at www.eTown.org

Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives / Cassandra Jenkins / Michael Kodas (Author of “Megafire”)

eTown welcomes legendary Grammy Award-winning country singer/songwriter Marty Stuart (@martystuarthq), along with his virtuosic band – The Fabulous Superlatives – in this encore broadcast. Marty shares music from his group’s recent release, Way Out West, as well as insightful conversation about his storied career as a recording artist, television personality and one time son-in-law to Johnny Cash. Also with us this week is refreshingly vibrant singer/songwriter and eTown newcomer Cassandra Jenkins (@CassFreshUSA).

And we’ll check in with author/photographer Michael Kodas(@MichaelKodas), whose book "Megafire: The Race to Extinguish a Deadly Epidemic of Flame" addresses climate change and wildfires. All this, this week in eTown!

eTown Archive - Ben Harper (1994)

This week we're looking back on a special show from all the way back in 1994 featuring our longtime friend, prolific singer and songwriter Ben Harper (@BenHarper). It's really hard to put Ben's music down into one genre as he has covered so much ground throughout his career. We recently saw Ben perform on his tour with fellow blues legend Charlie Musselwhite (@musselwhiteharp ), and it was yet another example of Ben's curious and excellent musical creation.

This excerpt happens to be from our 100th taping! It's always fun to look back on shows like these from the archives. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

Hear more from the eTown archives HERE.

Basia Bulat / The Pines / Marc Gold (100 Friends)

We welcome two exciting musical newcomers to eTown. Canadian folk singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Basia Bulat (@BasiaBulat) shares her vibrant, compelling music; and the Iowa-based trio The Pines (@thepinesmusic) does the same. And we’ll hear from eChievement Award winner Marc Gold, whose 100 Friends organization is providing first hand, grassroots, personalized humanitarian assistance, one individual at a time, in Third World countries around the world. Don’t miss this ‘back by popular demand’ rebroadcast!

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org

Learn more about / Donate to 100 Friends at 100friends.org

eTown Archive - Gregory Alan Isakov (2013)

This week we'd like to send a birthday shout out to our longtime friend Gregory Alan Isakov (@GregoryAIsakov). Greg is a fellow resident in our hometown of Boulder, Colorado and has been joining us on the eTown stage since early on his career, with his first visit a decade ago back in 2008. Since then he has grown quite a bit to the say the least, having headlined the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre numerous times over the past few years, notably with the Colorado Symphony (@CO_Symphony).

For this excerpt, we send it back to 2013 when Greg joined us for an 'eTown on the Road' show up in Ft. Collins, Colorado with The Head and The Heart (@headandtheheart ‏). Enjoy!

The Wailin’ Jennys / Willie Watson / Dr. Patricia Limerick

This week we’ve got both ‘Wailin’ and Willy! Our musical guests, all making their first visit to eTown, are the incredible Canadian trio of singers known as The Wailin’ Jennys (@thewailinjennys)(their three-part harmonies will make you cry) as well as singer/songwriter Willie Watson (@WillieWatsongs), co-founder of the band @crowmedicine and talented traditional music enthusiast now enjoying a successful solo career.

All of that plus a conversation w/ Western historian Dr. Patricia Limerick (University of Colorado Boulder & Center of the American West) about the importance of the role of immigrants in the formation of our country

Watch videos from this show at www.eTown.org.

eTown Archive - John Prine (1996)

This week we're looking back on a special show from all the way back in 1996 featuring legendary singer/songwriter John Prine (@JohnPrineMusic). John turns 72 this week and is still at it on tour! His most recent release and his 20th album to date, 'The Tree of Forgiveness', has drawn rave reviews from across the musical world and is an example that Prine continues to find new places to take his songwriting. If you haven't already done so, do yourself a favor and give it a listen. In the meantime, wherever you are tuning in today, kick back and enjoy the timeless songwriting of John Prine.