Missing music, they started the band We Dream Dawn, originally adding a drummer to their lineup about 10 years ago.

In 2025, with a full band, they released the debut full-length from We Dream Dawn - Love Undoubtedly Underlies Everything. They've been touring this spring as a duo, with their cat, and camping at hot springs.

Hear about the origins of We Dream Dawn, about their farm which is now a sustainable food forest, their future, that includes a little one, and some tunes from Love Undoubtedly Underlies Everything.

This JPR Live Session was engineered by Dave Young with help from Jon Griffin. JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from Talent Club - offering live music and cold beverages in a casual atmosphere in Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at their website.

The Wood Brothers sound incorporates elements of rock, folk, blues, gospel, and funk. They balance a gritty organic sound with tight harmonies, thoughtful lyrics, and stellar musicianship.

Hear two new tunes and one from their debut in this JPR Live Session.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin and made possible with support from Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in Talent. Find their live music schedule here

He blends classic rock and R&B sounds for introspective songs that showcase his dynamic voice.

Hear him talk about his past, getting into music, and some stripped-down live tunes accompanied by pianist Max Woobs in this JPR Live Session.

JPR live sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin and made possible with support from Talent Club - featuring live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule here

The trio has toured together extensively and have become a close-knit family.

For their SOU Music Recital Hall performance, they blended their Latin style with themes of nature and folk songs in English, French, Italian and German.

JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from The Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosophe in Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule here.

Jared's new collection Show Me The Answer, takes a folk country departure from his reggae and house dance background, and features lush 5 part harmonies from the entire band.

• Drums - Nick Kirby of Alice Di Micele and Force of Nature, and The Frankie Hernandez Band among others.
• Bass - Emily Turner of Free Creatures, and Verbs & Nouns.
• Keyboards - Noah Churchill or Homunculi.
• Lead guitar - Keith "Rabbit" Townsend of Indubious, and The Illies.

Hear some live tunes in this JPR Live Session, and Jared talks about the creative process behind Show Me The Answer.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Lunazen studios and made possible with underwriting support from The Talent Club with live music and cold beverages in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule here.

His new album JoyRide is a collection showcasing not just his humor, but also his compassion and positivity.

His live shows, and in-studio performances are, appropriately, a joy ride - featuring improv, comedy, great guitar playing, and a glimpse into the mind behind it all.

Hear his discussion with host Dave Jackson and three new tunes in this JPR Live Session.

This JPR Live Session is engineered by Jon Griffin with help from Bret Levick. JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from The Talent Club offering live music and cold beverages in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent. Find their live music schedule here.

The event doubles as a one year anniversary of the beginning of Aaron's recovery from a cancerous brain tumor. That winding journey, full of shifts and adaptations, reveals itself on the new album, telling an inspiring tale of positivity, hope and gratitude.

Hear some of their new songs, a conversation about making the new album, and the story of Aaron's recovery over the course of 2025.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Lunazen Studios and made possible with support from the Talent Club with live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent. Their live music schedule is available at https://talentclublive.com/

The Coffis Brothers joined us on a west coast tour opening for and backing up Portland folk musician John Craigie. Their latest release is The Coffis Brothers.

In this live session they discuss their background, their collaborations, the making of their latest album and perform live.

The Coffis Brothers are returning to the Talent Club in March as headliners. Find more information about them at https://www.coffisbrothers.com/

JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support of the Talent Club - offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere. Their live music schedule is available at https://talentclublive.com/

Reverse the Flow was produced by Bret Levick who has produced and played with many Southern Oregon bands including an in demand Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute act - Petty Thievery, with Alice Di Micele. He got his start in the Southern California indie rock scene with the band Gift Horse.

Hear them talk about their careers, working together, and making Reverse the Flow. They also perform two songs from Reverse the Flow, - one featuring JPR Open Air Host Danielle Kelly - a Bret Levick original, and a Tom Petty cover.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Lunazen Studios and made possible with support from Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Their live music schedule is available at https://talentclublive.com/

She just released a new album, her seventh, Animal Poem on the Oregon label Fluff & Gravy.

Animal Poem, like all of her music, makes the mundane beautiful if not sometimes heartbreaking with songs about what she observes in her daily life.

The new release was recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs and arranged, for the most part, on the fly, giving it a fresh sound as if you were in the room during a performance.

Hear some new tunes performed live and get her insights on music and songwriting in this JPR Live Session.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Lunazen studios and made possible with support from Talent Club with live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere. Their live music schedule can be found at https://talentclublive.com/

Pinto is Ford's seventh album. The queer, bi-racial singer-songwriter has made a name for herself taking on complicated social issues. In contrast to a lot of musicians writing about heavy subjects with passion, she presents them as upbeat, catchy rock songs. In response to what she sees as a growing sense of inequality she says "The rulebook has been thrown out...It's time to be louder, be bigger, be brasher."

When playing solo, Kristen uses live-looping to create a full sound. Hear her perform solo and talk with Danielle Kelly about her life and musical career.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with the support of Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in Talent, OR. Find their live music schedule at https://talentclublive.com/

Crowe Boys are Ocie Crowe - Mandolin and vocals, and Wes Crowe - Guitar and vocals. They are a duo out of New Orleans playing a unique blend of from-the-heart, relatable Americana. They just released their debut, Made to Wander, and this year have started amassing a fanbase. Their song Where Did I Go Wrong has gained millions of streams on Spotify. Recently they made their first appearance at the Grand Ol' Opry.

Growing up, they traveled a lot playing in their family's gospel music band. Their parents both spoke at events where they played. In their early teens, they lost their mother to breast cancer. Ocie and Wes buried themselves in music to help cope with the strains of their adolescence.

The original Crowe Boys line up included their other brother, now a firefighter, playing alternative rock. Eventually, they switched up and started to play acoustic and caught the attention of Andrew Campenelli of the Revivalists who helped them put together Made To Wander.

Hear them talk with Danielle Kelly about their history, and three tracks from Made to Wander in this JPR Live Session.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from Talent Club - with live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at https://talentclublive.com/

His new album (his 2nd full-length release) Memory Mountain was just released and he's been touring with Shannon McNally, one of the many musicians he has co-written with.

Hear stories about growing up and getting involved in music as well as live versions of two of his new songs and his biggest hit to date, Make It Me, in this JPR Live Session.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin and made possible with support from Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule here.

Get more information about Max Gomez at his website https://maxgomezmusic.com/

Known for his fast, complex playing style, he set out to take his instrument to new places. His use of effects and live looping allow him to explore a vast array of sounds, and his interest in music takes him across multiple genres.

His most recent album, Blues Experience, was a collection of blues and rock covers (and one original) he recorded with Mick Fleetwood, drummer and founder of Fleetwood Mac. Prior to Blues Experience, he released Jake & Friends, with a genre-bending cast of friends including Jack Johnson and Paula Fuga, Willie Nelson, Sonny Landreth, Lukas Nelson, Bette Midler, Billy Strings, and Ziggy Marley among others. Jon Anderson, the lead singer from Yes, joined him on a version of the Beatles tune A Day in the Life that showcases the creativity Jake brings to his sound.

Hear him talk about his technique and recording these albums plus live performances of Cause We've Ended as Lovers, Kula Blues, and The Legend of Joseph Kekuku - the latter being a tribute to the inventor of the steel guitar. Hearing his story inspired Shimabukuro to start playing ukulele with a slide.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin and made possible with support from The Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule here

Their debut release, Wake Up Call came out last spring. They bring depth to their instrumental and vocal arrangements, and a refreshing dose of feminine energy and fun to their songs, all while paying homage to traditions and stretching out into newer territory.

Hear them talk about their beginnings, their home/artistic life balance and some live cuts from Wake Up Call in this JPR Live Session. Learn more about The Rosa Lees here.

JPR Live sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin and made possible with support from The Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent. Find their live music schedule here.

For a time, he made his home in Southern Oregon's Applegate Valley where he formed the band Intuitive Compass. He has since moved on but continues to return to the area to work and perform. He is now touring with his band The Siskiyou Crest.

Hear him talk with Danielle Kelly about his music, including his latest release 8 Miles From Rusk and debut some new tunes in this JPR Live Session.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from The Talent Club with live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere. Find their live music schedule at talentclublive.com

The blues-award winning, Grammy nominated band just released their 4th full-length album, Family.

Hear some of their new tunes in a stripped-down performance and hear them talk with host Danielle Kelly in this JPR Live Session.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin and made possible with support of The Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in Talent. Find their live music schedule here.

He and his band, the Cavaliers played at the Craterian Theatre in Medford before embarking on a national tour. Hear some new tunes in this JPR Live Session and learn about his lengthy music career and some upcoming releases.

JPR Live Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from the Talent Club featuring live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at talentclublive.com

She grew up in New York to adoptive parents who were involved in the church. She listened to what was popular on the radio at the time, artists like Cindy Lauper and the Cure, but was always intrigued by country music.

Later in life she connected with her biological family who were from Appalachia and involved in playing the traditional music of the region.

She has several albums in her catalog and numerous collaborative efforts and co-writing credits. Her latest release is the 2024 album Quiet Town.

Hear her perform live from the JPR, Steve Nelson performance studio and talk about her life and career.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen studios and made possible with support from The Talent Club featuring cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at talentclublive.com

After spending about 10 years as part of the trio Stray Birds, Maya launched a solo career in 2019. She has 4 solo albums and an EP under her own name and has written with and for a wide variety of other Americana artists around Nashville including Phoebe Hunt, Oliver Wood and Caitlyn Canty.

She now also wears a producer hat and has worked recently on an upcoming release by Shelby Means (bassist for Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway) and the new release from her touring guitarist, Joel Timmons - Psychedelic Surf Country.

Joining her in this JPR Live Session is Joel Timmons on vocals and electric guitar, and bassist Ethan Jodziewicz.

Hear songs from her most recent album The Only Moment, and learn about her career and what motivates her to keep creating.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from The Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at talentclublive.com.

We caught up with them on a west coast tour with the Portland indie band Glitterfox.

Calling both Sandpoint, Idaho and Portland, Oregon home, Shook Twins have been staples of the Portland music scene since the early 2010s. Their unique approach to songcraft and gorgeous matching vocals and harmonies combine for something that defies easy categorization.

Hear their brand new single Hand Up, a couple of tunes from their last studio album Some Good Lives and their conversation with Dave Jackson about their work and history.

JPR wishes the Shook family and Katelyn the best for the new little Shook on his way soon.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin with help from Kenyon Mayers. JPR Live sessions are made possible with support from Talent Club featuring live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule here.

Drawing influence from a variety of greats like Little Richard, John Prine, and Greg Brown, his sound encompasses a wide variety of traditional American sounds from blues to country and rock and roll.

Joining him on tour and in the studio is Erik Koskinen. He has a new album as well - Down street/Love Avenue.

Hear their conversation with Danielle Kelly and new songs from each of them in this JPR Live Session.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from The Talent Club - offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at https://talentclublive.com/

They're touring on their second album That's What I Call Fantastic Cat, a follow-up to the "award eligible" (as they say) The Very Best of Fantastic Cat. The group got together in New York after crossing paths at various gigs and festivals. They say, tongue in cheek, that they felt they were making too much money in their other endeavors and wanted to see what it would be like to work for 1/4 of the pay. On a more serious note, their collaborative efforts seem to bring out the best in each other.

Featuring poignant lyrics and tight harmonies Fantastic Cat takes turns on different instruments including drums and trade off lead vocals. Their banter makes for an entertaining live show.

Hear them perform 3 songs from Now That's What I Call Fantastic Cat, and talk about getting together, where they got their name and their ideas for naming albums in this JPR Live Session hosted by Dave Jackson and engineered by Jon Griffin.

JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from The Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual environment in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at their website.

Alice Di Micele's songs combine powerful commentary on social and environmental issues as well as reflections on her personal journey. In the last few years she released Every Seed We Plant, an album of original tunes, the title of which refers to Grandma Aggie, a Native American leader from Southern Oregon who died a few years ago. She followed it up with an album over cover songs Interpretations Vol 1. - with songs originally written by Christine McVie, Abbey Lincoln, Grateful Dead, Neil Young and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Alice's appreciation of Tom Petty is also evident in one of her side projects, the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band, Petty Thievery.

Hear her play songs spanning her long career and a conversation with Danielle Kelly in this JPR Live Session. Find more about Alice Di Micele at her website.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from the Talent Club in Talent serving cold drinks in an even cooler atmosphere in downtown Talent, OR. Find their live music schedule here.

Eventually he fell in love with the Applegate Valley. There he continued to hone his skills and formed the band Intuitive Compass who joined us for a JPR Live Session in 2017. He's since moved to Arizona.

He just wrapped up several shows in our region including the Bend Folk Festival and dates on the Oregon Coast and Grants Pass.

Jason is working on a batch of new songs he's preparing to record in Nashville for a new album next month.

Hear him sing some brand new, unreleased songs played on a 1930 National guitar accompanied by his Samsonite suitcase fashioned with a kick pedal to keep time and and upright bassist Amy Astelle. West and Astelle recenlty met at one of his shows and he asked her to join him. She'll be working with him on the new album.

It's Jason Dea West in a JPR Live Session engineered by Jon Griffin and made possible with support from the Talent Club offering cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at here

In this JPR Live Session, hear Molly perform live, talk about growing up in Palo Alto, her career, and her move to Nashville where she was a roommate of Billy Strings and the neighbor of Lindsay Lou just as they were all starting to break into the mainstream.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Joh Griffin and made possible with support from The Talent Club offering cold drinks and great music in a casual atmosphere in Talent. Find their live music schedule at talentclublive.com

Born in Nova Scotia and raised in Southern California, Steve Poltz has been a hard-touring musician since the 1980s, logging around 300 days on the road each year. During the pandemic pause, he took care of his parents and befriended the members of the Wood Brothers. In 2022, he released Stardust and Satellites with the help of Oliver Wood and Jano Rix of the Wood Brothers.

Poltz has a particular knack for writing amusing, poignant songs that tickle your funny bone but is equally adept at personal tunes that tug at your heart strings.

Hear about his career, his family, his numerous collaborations with folks like Jim Lauderdale, Imogen Clark, Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle, and an impromptu jingle* for our JPR Live Session sponsor, Talent Club - offering cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere. Find their live music schedule here.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios. Research provided by Danielle Kelly. Hosted by Dave Jackson.

* Some of the claims made in this jingle may not necessarily be true.

The new Oliver Wood solo album - Fat Cat Silhouette, features Oliver Woods signature vocal stylings and overdriven guitar sound. Jano Rix and Ted Pecchio provide great grooves as well as tasty keyboards and gorgeous harmonies providing a contrast to their gritty sound.

Hear the trio talk about making the album, their collaborations, the shuitar (a cheap guitar turned cajon that Jano uses for percussion) and three songs from Fat Cat Silhouette recorded live in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.

Hosted by: Dave Jackson
Engineered by: Jon Griffin
Thanks to: Alan Adleman for the use of his drum kit and Brian McKennon for the use of his keyboard.
This JPR Live Session was made possible with support from the Talent Club with live music and cold drinks in a casual setting in Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule at their website

He dropped by on his west coast tour before performing at the Trail's End Music Festival in Aetna, California.

Bart Budwig's songs are insightful with a subtle wit that turn simple everyday occurrences like a lost sock into a metaphor for relationships. With a religious background, Budwig had a period of introspection in his 20s where he examined his relationship with religion writing songs sometimes called secular gospel and perhaps sacrilegious gospel. Hear his song Jesus has Entered Your Neighborhood inspired by the notifications from a meal delivery app, and a couple of songs about the pitfalls of alcohol use, all with a kind of tongue and cheek humor as if he's letting you in on the joke.

JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from The Talent Club, with cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, OR.

This live session was produced by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen studios and hosted by Dave Jackson.

In this JPR Live Session hosted by Danielle Kelly hear Sean talk about his career and play some tunes solo/acoustic including an unreleased new song from an upcoming recording.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios and made possible with support from The Talent Club with cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere in Talent, OR. Find their live music schedule here

Will Sexton is the younger brother of Charlie Sexton. As a kid he cut his guitar chops playing among Texas greats like Stevie Ray Vaughan. His producing credits include work with Waylon Jennings, Steve Earle, Bettysoo, and Al Green.

Hear them play live and talk about their craft and tell a time travel joke that Dave Jackson had to travel back in time to understand.

This JPR Live Session was made possible with support from the Talent Club with live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Their live music schedule is available here

Find more information on Blue Water Highway at their website

Engineering: Dave Young
Host: Dave Jackson

The AIR (Australian Indepedent Record Label Associaton) nominated artist got her start in a musical family that allowed her to explore. She took opera and musical theater along the way. The early formal training is apparent in her dynamic voice.

Hear tunes from the live album in this JPR Live Session and hear her talk about her move, and recording The Art of Getting Through at famed studios around the world including Abbie Road.

JPR Live Sessions are made possible with support from Talent Club with live music and cold beverages in a casual environment. Fine their live music schedule at their website

Hosted by Dave Jackson
Engineered by Dave Young

Tucson, Arizona interdisciplinary artist Karima Walker walks a line between two worlds. Aside from her long resume of collaborative work with artists in the diverse fields of dance, sculpture, film, photography and creative non-fiction, Walker has long nurtured a duality within her work as a musician, developing her own sonic language as a sound designer in tandem with her craft as a singer/songwriter. The polarity within Walker’s music has never been so articulately explored, or graced with as much intention, as on her new album, Waking the Dreaming Body.

Hear them talk about their careers, the Omnichord - an electronic instrument similar to an autoharp - and perform live in this JPR Live Session.

This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from Talent Club offering live music and cold drinks in a casual atmsophere in downtown Talent Oregon. Their live music schedule is available at talentclublive.com

Hear conversations and live performances with:

The Balladir - https://balladir.bandcamp.com/

Sophia Phoenix - https://sophiaphoenix.com/

The Miller Twins - https://themillertwinsmusic.com/

Charlee Prayers - https://unitedmasters.com/a/charlee-prayers

Mountaintop Sound - https://www.mountaintopsoundband.com/

Hosts: Danielle Kelly and Dave Jackson
Engineers: Jon Griffin, Dave Young, Steven Swift

John Dough Boys have decorated the Southern Oregon musical landscape for the last few decades playing boot-stompin’, barn-shaking, PBR-slamming original music that occupies the sweet spot between bluegrass and punk rock. They feature a blistering lineup filled with gang vocals, upright bass, fiddle, acoustic and electric guitar and drums.

This JPR Live session is made possible with support from the Talent Club, serving cold drinks and live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent. Find their event schedule at their website.

Jenny was already playing classic country and western tunes reminiscent of of Patsy Cline and Nancy Sinatra. The couple decided to embrace that aspect of their music. Twelve years later, they've toured the globe, gone through band changes, recovered from vocal chord surgery and are about to release their 7th album, Broken Hearted Blue.

Joined by guitarist Christopher March and drummer Buddy Weeks, hear them talk about their career and play some songs from Broken Hearted Blue in this JPR Live Session.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen studios. This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club, with cold beverages and live music in casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon.

Find more information about Jenny Don't and the Spurs at their website.

Her early vocal work has paid off in the gorgeous harmonies found on her latest record, Queen of Time. In college, she started attending open mics and teamed up with Joshua Rilko to form Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys. The pair eventually married. Their band played clubs and stages in Michigan crossing paths with other Midwest bluegrass pickers like Greensky Bluegrass and Billy Strings. Later she was part of the trio Sweet Water Warblers with May Erlewine and Rachael Davis.

Growing up, Lindsay was inspired by her grandmother who raised a large family and worked tirelessly to provide for the less fortunate. Before her grandmother passed away, Lou recorded several phone calls. You can hear some of their conversation on the track Love Calls on Queen of Time. The song Queen of Time itself is a reference to her grandmother.

In addition to her grandmother dying, Lou and Rilko divorced, all while dealing with the backdrop of the pandemic. These events lead her to do some soul searching where she discovered the concept of the divine feminine. This idea plays out on the new album in a co-written track with Billy Strings - Nothing's Working, a Maya DeVitry/Phoebe Hunt song - Nothing Else Matters, and By Your Side (Starman), that Nick Forster (E-Town host) asked her to play at a tribute to Jeff Austin of Yonder Mountain String Band.

Hear Lindsay Lou and her band perform songs from Queen of Time, give some insights into her writing, and talk about the events that lead up to Queen of Time.

Find more about Lindsay Lou at her website.

This JPR Live Session was engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen studios, and made possible with support from the Talent Club, with cold drinks and great music in a relaxed atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their live music schedule here.

Jolie Holland was born in Texas and moved west and north to San Francisco and eventually Vancouver pursuing music. She is an artist in the truest form, from visual arts to her unique approach to singing and songwriting.

In addition to the first Be Good Tanyas album, Jolie Holland has several solo records, a collaborative album with Samantha Parton (of Be Good Tanyas) and numerous other collaborations including working with Buck Meek of Big Thief. The pair worked on each others' albums last year both of which were titled Haunted Mountain. They were both released in October of last year at an unfortunate time, just as the world turned its focus toward the war between Israel and Gaza.

Hear her talk about her career, the new album, and play some tunes accompanied by singer/guitarist Max Knouse in this JPR Live Session hosted by Danielle Kelly.

This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club - presenting live music and cold drinks in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their event schedule at talentclublive.com

Plank plays guitar, piano and is well known as a lap steel player. He eventually helped design an electric lap steel guitar so he could hear himself on stage.

He now lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. His latest release is Alone at Sea, inspired by the transition from inland regions to the coast, and produced by fellow Canadian, Colin Linden.

Hear him talk about his career and play songs from Alone at Sea in this JPR Live session hosted by Dave Jackson and engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios.

When he's not touring, LeBlanc shares his time now between Alabama and Norway where he's started a family. He's now several albums into a career. His music has drawn comparisons to Neil Young among other respected singer/songwriters.

In this JPR Live Session he and the band play songs from the new record and Dylan talks about growing up, his approach to music and his appreciation for the free-spirited, wandering nature of the coyote, which became the theme for his latest record, appropriately titled, Coyote.

• Hosted by Danielle Kelly
• Engineered by Jon Griffin
• Photos by Rich Zellman
  

While touring and recording as Neil Young's back-up band, Lukas was approached by Bradley Cooper to help as a consultant and music/acting coach for the 2018 version of A Star is Born. He went on to write songs for the film with Lady Gaga.

In this JPR Live Session, Lukas Nelson talks about his career, his influences, his writing (including the inspiration for the intro to Shallow), as well as songs from his catalog, a Roger Miller classic, and a few other surprises.

• Hosted by Dave Jackson
• Engineered by Jon Griffin
• Photo by Noah Bran-Linsday

In his fourth JPR Live Session he plays songs on his banjo and 1938 Kalamazoo guitar, and talks with Danielle Kelly about making his new record, his tour, and growing up in New York.

• Hosted by Danielle Kelly
• Engineered by Jon Griffin
• Photos by Rich Zellman and Noah Bran-Linsday
  

She is a gifted pianist with a gorgeous voice who takes on big subjects with a sly wit. Her songs pull the listener in only to jolt them awake with big plot twists by the end.

In this JPR Live Session, Nellie McKay talks about her inspirations, her music and the causes she champions and sings a few songs accompanying herself on piano and ukulele.

• Engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios
• Photos by Noah Bran-Linsday

Joined by Brianna Murphy on fiddle and TJ Eilers on upright bass, they are getting ready to hit the studio for an album due out later this year.

Hear them play three brand new tunes and talk about music, family, running and, beer - they have collaborated with Weekend Beer Company in Grants Pass for a new Brothers Reed-inspired session IPA.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios.

The latest Amy Ray solo album (her 10th) If It All Goes South came out in 2022. It was produced by veteran sound engineer Brian Speiser (Indigo Girls, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Brandi Carlile, The Might Be Giants) with musical contributions from Alison Brown, Allison Russell, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Gabe Dixon, Phil Cook, and I'm With Her - Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O'Donovan and Sara Watkins.

Hear Amy Ray and her band play 3 songs from If It All Goes South and talk about her career in this JPR Live Session hosted by Dave Jackson.

Credits:

• Engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios
• Photos by Noah Bran Linsday and Jon Griffin
• Special thanks to Alan Adleman for loaning us his drum kit

Now in Portland he balances his life as a high school zoology teacher with a career in music.

He includes fellow Portland teacher/folk musican/JPR Live Session alumnus, Jeffrey Martin among his friends and mentors. His latest release is last year's There Is More Light.

His background includes working in abroad teaching English as a second language and managing a college radio station.

Arran Fagan is performing at Elder Apothecary in Ashland on December 9. For more information check out his website. Opening the show is singer/songwriter Claire Conway.

In this JPR Live Session hosted by Dave Jackson, hear him talk about his life and career and perform live in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.

The duo met at music camp in the Pacific Northwest.

NPR's Slingshot named the duo one of 2022's artists to watch.

Americana Highway said of their new release Imaginary People, "There’s a warm camaraderie between the two that shines through & is evident in their material."

The Bluegrass Situation said, "Their new album, is a masterful blend that weaves together their shared reverence for traditional Appalachian music alongside indie-folk, pop-leaning adornments."

In this live session they talk about their history, the making of Imaginary People and play three new songs from the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.

She's now putting her own spin on traditional tunes and writing and composing originals along with guitarist Shane Savala.

Hear her talk about her background and play some tunes with her band in this JPR Live Session.

Find more information about Maria Schafer here. Follow her on Instagram @mariaschafermusic

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios.

The (mostly) Ashland based group visited the JPR Steve Nelson performance studio ahead of a few regional performances to share stories of their background and the tale of how they met.

The trio explains their love of storytelling in many languages and through the lens of various cultures and traditions. They wax poetic on the power of sharing this special heritage with fellow musicians and audiences alike, and hear gorgeous adaptations of traditional songs from Hungary, Appalachia, and Ireland

She is flanked by guitarist Keith Murphy, who also just released a new album - Bright as Amber and cellist/fiddler Tristan Clarridge who just took first place at the 2023 Grand Master Fiddler Championship in Nashville and plays in the NoCal folk ensemble, Bee Eaters.

Hanneke Cassels latest release, Infinite Brightness was inspired by events both global and personal arising from and during the COVID crisis.

This session was hosted by Dave Jackson and engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen productions.

Glitterfox founding members - Solange Igoa and Andrea Walker met at a party at Andrea's house in Long Beach, California. Right away they knew they should make music together. They lived together in a van for a couple of years as "feral musicians" traveling, playing gigs and busking. Eleven years later, they're married, living in Portland, and playing with a full band - with the mustachioed Eric Stalker on bass and Blaine "Rocket Fuel" Heinonen on drums - managed and mentored by Chris Funk of the Decemberists.

They play indie-folk with rock and Americana sensibilities and sing songs about struggles with an eye towards finding the silver lining.

In 2022, Willamette Weekly named them one of Portland's best bands.

They spoke with Danielle Kelly and played 3 live songs including a brand new single - TV - due out on October 25th. They're performing October 13th at The Hivve in Grants Pass. Find tickets and more information here.

This JPR Live Session was engineered by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen productions.

They came by while traveling the west coast with performances at the Redding Roots Revival festival in California and The Sisters Folk Festival in Sisters, Oregon.

With a musically inclined upbringing, Seth Walker ditched the cello in college and got into guitar. With influences from some of the greats - T. Bone Walker, Lightnin' Hopkins and BB King, Walker has been honing his craft for decades and has 10+ albums under his belt. His sound, based in the blues with jazzy undertones, takes roots and soul to new territory. He frequently cowrites with the legendary Gary Nicholson and has worked in the studio with Jano Rix of the Wood Brothers on several albums.

Hear him talk about all of that and play a couple tunes from his 2022 album I Hope I Know and one from the 2016 record Gotta Get Back.

This JPR Live Session was produced by Jon Griffin of Luna Zen Studios. Thanks also to Alan Adleman for the use of his drum kit for this performance.

In this live session she gives us a quick preview of the accordion and toy piano and talks about her work as an audio engineer and composer of music for video games - and hear them perform live in this JPR Live Session.

He began playing guitar at an early age. He's been honored multiple times for his guitar playing chops by the Cascade Blues Association - their award for guitar excellence is now named after him.

He counted Henry Vestine of Canned Heat and John Fahey among his closest friends and collaborators.

His latest album is Confessin' My Dues. He recorded it live, in-studio with a trio consisting of standup bassist Dave Captein and drummer Gary Hobbs and the idea of creating a sound like the Jimi Hendrix album Band of Gypsies.

Hear him talk about his career and be blown away by his solo acoustic performance in this JPR Live Session.

Both the name, Susto - which is a cultural illness primarily in Latin American cultures, described as a condition of suffering stemming from emotional trauma from witnessing traumatic experiences lived by other - and the album title My Entire Life, showcase that struggle, but with an eye towards healing. Osborne uses his music to process his emotions.

Hear him talk about all that, the making of My Entire Life and some new songs performed live in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio in this JPR Live Session hosted by Danielle Kelly .

With 2 albums under his belt, he's touring in support of George Thorogood and the Destroyers, and joining them on stage for their encore.

Accompanied by bassist Lauren Stockner and percussionist Pete Marin, he dazzled us with some tasty guitar work on 3 new songs from an album due out early next year and talked about his career and influences in this JPR Live Session from the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.

After writing and recording her solo work in the early 2000's, Erika Wennerstrom was ready to play live and needed a band. That's when The Heartless Bastards were born.

Hear them perform live from the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio, talk about their beginnings and what life is like for a band now six albums and 20 years into their career, and learn a fun bit of trivia about how they arrived at their name.

This JPR Live Session was made possible with support by Dancin' Vineyards — Now offering brunch every Sunday from 10-2 featuring a rotating seasonal menu and brunch-inspired drinks. Also new, The Residence at Dancin - a fully private event space with valley views situated just above the tasting room. Brunch reservations and event space bookings can be made at dancin.com or by calling (541) 245 - 1133.

In this JPR Live Session, we chat with the three about the inspiration for their original compositions, becoming a bi-coastal band, and how their original song inspired by Michal's daughters watercolors "Galloping Stallions" has accidently become a gateway to Death Metal for many through streaming platform algorithms.

She and guitarist/husband Johnny Leal are both music teachers. Melissa is the Small Schools Advocacy Chair for the Oregon Music Education Association with the goal of enhancing music programs in rural schools.

Her new album, Bones is self-released and paints an honest picture of her experiences growing up in the rural Pacific Northwest.

Hear her talk about her history, her recording career, and her work in music education in this JPR Live Session.

His new album Wilderness Within You - his 7th - came out earlier this spring and includes a guest appearance by Her Folk Highness, Gillian Welch. On previous albums he's worked with other folk royalty familiar to our listeners - Aoife O'Donovan, Sarah Watkins and Sarah Jarosz. His music spans the realm of Americana with elements of folk, rock and blues.

In this JPR Live Session, hear him talk about his career in music, his home life, his environmental work and some songs from Wilderness Within You.

Hear him talk about his career and play some tunes in this JPR Live Session.

When he's not touring, he calls the hills surrounding Ashland home. He's been in our studios as part of the folk ensemble Patchy Sanders and is half of the duo Fellow Pynins who were here last June in support of their album Lady Mondegreen.

Ian now fronts a trio. His new album A Fair is due out next fall.

In this session you'll hear how we handle technical issues on real-time live radio, some new tunes and one older one, and stories about how he gets inspiration to write. One of those stories involves a pink tutu and an ax.

• JPR Live Session - Fellow Pynins
• JPR Live Session - Patchy Sanders

Rinehart also shares about his pandemic writing practice, and the fruits of prioritizing his family, wellbeing, and a healthy work-life balance.

This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of Dos Mariposas Vineyards and Lavender located between Medford and Jacksonville. At their family friendly (and four-legged friend-welcome) tasting room and grounds, they serve local wine varietals, Mexican beer, tamales and host art events, dance lessons and live music weekly. Find more information here.

In this live session, they'll talk about their changes over the years, working with Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon and play some new and older tunes.

Find more information including details about their upcoming shows here.

This live session is made possible in part by South Stage Cellars in downtown Jacksonville, Oregon, longtime supporters of the arts in Sothern Oregon. More at www.southstagecellars.com.

Portland Based duo New Constellations stopped by the Steve Nelson Performance Studio to talk to us about their Southern Oregon origins, and how their childhood musical friendship developed into their grown up touring band. Their debut single sky rocketed with over 17million streams worldwide.

New Constellations blends powerful vocals with encouraging messaging, dancy beats, and catchy guitar hooks. They share their excitement for an exciting tour season ahead, in support of their debut EP.

Stream and add New Constellations to your playlists, follow them on Instagram as @newconstellationsmusic.

This live session mad e possible in part by South stage Cellars in downtown Jacksonville, Oregon, longtime supporters of the arts in Sothern Oregon. more at www.southstagecellars.com

They began performing when they were very young, playing music and acting on and off Broadway and on TV. They've performed for NPR Tiny Desk and on CBS Mornings and were joined by Todd Rundgren for a performance at Coachella.

In this JPR Live Session podcast, hear them talk about recording the new album, their career so far, and perform some songs from Everything Harmony live.

More Lemon Twigs:

• Lemon Twigs NPR Tiny Desk Concert
• Lemon Twigs on All Songs Considered

Hear them talk about their origin, the making of While We Can, the elements of their sound and some tracks for the new release in this JPR Live Session. Find music, tour info and bios at https://www.freecreaturesmusic.com/

This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of South Stage Cellars. Located on 3rd Street in historic Jacksonville, South Stage Cellars features 28 varieties of wine in the tasting room and wine garden and hosts live music every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. Find more information here.

Originally from Minnesota, Actual Wolf played drums in the band Retribution Gospel Choir and toured with the bands Sun Kil Moon and Low. Actual Wolf is the name of his solo project and his band.

In this JPR Live Session he performs songs from throughout his career, talks about his move from the Midwest to the West Coast, playing in Nashville, his many collaborations and fatherhood.

This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin.

Back Room is the new release from Southern Oregon singer/songwriter Adam Gabriel. It was produced locally by Mark Johnson, mastered by Aaron Reed and features area musicians Jerry Burke-Perez and Joey Natiello aka "Joey Mozarella." It's a mix of rock, folk, blues and soul.

Adam Gabriel's family moved from Georgia when he was young and eventually wound up in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Adam left home early and started working in construction. His passion for music lead him to pursue it seriously beginning in about 1999.

Hear him discuss the circumstances around his family's move to the west, recording Back Room, his collaborations with other area musicians and he performs songs some new song in this JPR Live session hosted by Danielle Kelly.

This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin.

Ian Jones says he grew up with a record player as a babysitter. He began writing songs in JR High School, and after a short stint in college studying physics and playing basketball, he decided to pursue music full-time. He played in bands dating back to the '90s and decided to start a solo career in 2010. A few years into it, he took time off to take care of his Dad and start his own family. A few years turned into nearly a decade. Now he's back with a new release, Results Not Typical - a collection of personal tunes, some of which were inspired by personal tragedy and loss.

In this extended live session he plays three songs from the new record and a classic rock cover. He talks about growing up, his work ethic and some of his musical collaborations.

This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin.

Bart Budwig gets inspiration from odd places, including the Uber Eats app on his phone and a pair of socks. He turns these strange muses into songs that make you think and laugh and occasionally tear up.

Growing up, he listened to Christian music before discovering outlaw country and '60s soul, all of which have influenced the music he now plays. Think Mavis Staples meets Merle Haggard.

In this JPR Live Session he talks about his early exposure to playing music, his collaborations with artists from the Pacific Northwest and his recording studio in a historic theater in Enterprise - a small town in Northeast Oregon. You'll also hear three brand new songs that will be part of an upcoming album.

This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.

JPR Live Sessions are engineered by Jon Griffin.

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and producer Jared Alexander Masters has played in numerous projects in Southern Oregon - The Illies, Verbs and Nouns (with bassist Emily Turner of Free Creatures) and now The Blur - and has written dozens of songs.

In this JPR Live Session, he talks about his approach to writing, playing and recording and passes along his insights on how to be creative in the music industry today.

This JPR Live Session was made possible with the support of The Falls Taphouse in Klamath Falls - offering an extensive tap selection, outdoor/rooftop seating, on-site food trucks, and live music. "Open For Beerness Daily." For more information, follow them on social media.

Raised in Los Angeles and now calling Portland home, John Craigie is a well-respected songwriter and master storyteller.

His 2022 release Mermaid Salt was created during the pandemic pause and produced by Bart Budwig, a musician and producer from Enterprise, Oregon.

In this live session he talks with host Danielle Kelly about his writing process and charitable work, and gives a little insight into the mysterious song Helena — a tragic crime-spree story that plays out a little like an episode of X-Files — and, he performs solo acoustic in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.

This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club - presenting live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their event schedule at talentclublive.com

Since we first began hearing Larkin Poe several years ago your Open Air hosts have been big fans. As they've honed their skills, each new release has been greeted with popular support and critical acclaim. In 2020 their album Venom and Faith was nominated for a Grammy for best contemporary blues album.

Their latest - Blood Harmony - came out last fall.

Hear about their early life in Georgia, their new hometown of Nashville, their social media presence during lockdown, their writing and creative process, and hear songs from Blood Harmony and Self-Made Man recorded live in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.

This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club - presenting live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their event schedule at talentclublive.com

Known for his intricate guitar work and his powerful voice, Matt Andersen's style incorporates rock and roll, blues, soul and gospel.

Hear him discuss his new album recorded with a full band, his time on the road, and hear songs from his new release The Big Bottle of Joy.

Matt joined us solo acoustic for this JPR Live Session and played songs from the new album as well as one from his 2022 release House to House.

This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club - presenting live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their event schedule at talentclublive.com

Melissa Carper and guitarist Doug Strahan joined us on the West Coast leg of her tour in support of her latest release, Ramblin' Soul.

“Not unlike Loretta Lynn, Melissa Carper is giving us scenes and stories and vignettes that kind of play out between home and the honky-tonk.” - NPR

“Melissa Carper is one of the greatest classic golden era country singers and composers of this generation. A new batch of songs from Melissa Carper is something to smile and rub your hands together about like waiting for permission to cut into an apple pie.” - Saving Country Music

Hear her play songs from the new album and talk about her life and career in a JPR Live Session.

This JPR Live Session is made possible with support from The Talent Club - presenting live music in a casual atmosphere in downtown Talent, Oregon. Find their event schedule at talentclublive.com

Will Hoge's two previous albums, Tiny Little Movies released in 2020 and My American Dream released in 2018, are laden with biting political commentary. His new record, Wings On My Shoes released in August, takes a turn toward the personal and introspective.

In this podcast, he spoke about his relationship with southern culture, the recording of Wings on My Shoes and about writing from a more vulnerable point of view.

Emerging Americana artist Emily Nenni wrote the songs from her new album On The Ranch while staying at a ranch in Colorado surrounded by female wranglers. Her song-writing is pure honky-tonk but with an empowered woman's point of view. Her new song In The Mornin' is a feminists answer to the Faces classic Stay With Me — just as suggestive, but from the standpoint of a woman who calls her own shots.

Growing up in the Bay Area in California, she attended her first concert in utero — Bruce Springsteen, and attended numerous concerts with her family. Her father worked in radio while she was growing up and exposed her to a wide variety of music.

Joining her on tour and in this live session is guitarist Sean Thompson. They stopped by on the west coast leg of her tour supporting Kelsey Waldon and just wrapped up a series of dates supporting recent JPR Live Session guest Charley Crockett.

Martin Sexton is a perennial favorite on Open Air. After getting his start busking in Boston, he released his first album on cassette in the late 1980s. It sold 15,000 copies before being re-released. He wrote and recorded his latest release, an EP called 2020 Vision, while staying in his cabin in the Adirondacks with his family during the pandemic. It's a collection of songs about getting through the hard times and connecting with family.

Hear about his early career, his family, and his craft, as well as some tunes recorded in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio.

The kora, or African harp, is a 21-string instrument with a round hollow body that resembles a sitar. Youssoupha explains its origins and the interconnectedness of African music and spirituality.

Hear a few of his songs recorded in the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio and his conversation with Danielle Kelly in this JPR Live Session.

Andrea von Kampen grew up in a musical family. She says "music is just what we did." The singer/songwriter who grew up in both Ann Arbor, Michigan and Seward, Nebraska released her debut EP in 2015. She submitted the single Let Me Down Easy, as an entry to the NPR Tiny Desk Contest in 2016 that wound up being shared on All Songs Considered.

Growing up, she says, she absorbed the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James and more contemporary pop performers like Paul Simon and James Taylor. You can hear those influences in her thought provoking lyrics, expressive guitar playing and vocal stylings.

After a string of EPs, her first full length release was 2019's Old Country, after which she began work on That Spell, recorded during the pandemic and released in 2021.

Recently she has toured with Avi Kaplan and joined us during her west coast run in support of Darlingside, and she's starring in the indie film A Chance Encounter.

Find more information about Andrea von Kampen at her website https://andreavonkampen.com/

Listen to her discuss her work and play some songs in a JPR Live Session.

Supporting him on tour is Jarrod Dickenson a singer/songwriter from Nashville and his wife Claire. He has a new album expected out in February of next year.

Hear Grant-Lee Phillips perform a few songs solo, talk about his career, his new album, and painting cows. Jarrod and Claire perform a Jarrod Dickenson original and join Grant for one of his songs in a JPR Live Session from the JPR Steve Nelson Performance Studio on the campus of Southern Oregon University.

They just released their second full length album Narrow Line, a follow up to the 2017 release Count the Wicked. The duo perform folk music but draw influence from their pasts playing bluegrass, doom metal and punk. Their multi-cultural approach to folk music has been described as "from everywhere and nowhere" and "music without borders."

Mama's Broke talked with us and performed in the Steve Nelson performance studio on the campus of Southern Oregon University.

More information about Mama's Broke is available at their website.

Authenticity is an important element in Americana. From hitchhiking and hopping trains to get around the country – busking in New York, New Orleans and Austin – to battling personal demons, health concerns and trouble with the law -- Charley Crockett has earned that distinction.

Charley stopped by before his show at the Historic Ashland Armory in Ashland. Hear his conversation with Danielle Kelly and a few of his tunes in a solo acoustic performance.

Singer/songwriter Max Gomez is from Taos, New Mexico. He received critical acclaim upon the release of his debut album Rule The World (2013, New West Records), and his subsequent EP, Me and Joe (2017, Brigadoon Records), contained a freshly minted classic, “Make It Me,” which gained over two million listeners on Spotify alone.

And as a budding performer, Max apprenticed in the rarefied musical micro-climate of northern New Mexico, where troubadours like Michael Martin Murphey and Ray Wylie Hubbard helped foster a Western folk sound both cosmic and cowboy. Gomez has assumed stewardship of that lineage by producing the Red River Folk Festival, a boutique event held annually in late September in the musical mountain village of Red River, New Mexico.

Garrett Dutton, better known as G Love, has been blending hill country blues with hip hop, a sound he helped pioneer, since the beginning of his career in the '90s. He is currently touring in support of his new album Philadelphia Mississippi, featuring a who's who of emerging artists and veterans of both genres.

He took time off his tour to sit down and share some tunes with us. Hear him talk about putting together the new album, working on his last release - the Grammy nominated The Juice - produced by Keb Mo', food, NFTs and his goal of helping the next generation keep old school music alive.

Southern Oregon's The Brothers Reed just released their 5th studio album, The Wheres and the Whatnots. They've been touring intensively over the last few years including a busy schedule this Summer with shows all over the region.

Hear their conversation with JPR's Danielle Kelly and what they call "familial folk" on some live tracks recorded at JPR's Steve Nelson Performance Studio on the campus of Southern Oregon University.

They are performing with a full band this Friday, July 15 at Fry Family Farm in Medford at 7PM. Tickets and information are available at ashlandfolkcollective.com.

Fellow Pynins are Dani Aubert and Ian George, a folk duo from Ashland, Oregon. They have been traveling, building tiny houses and exploring historic folk music together for several years. They just released Lady Mondegreen, an album of old folk songs passed down for generations. The title, based on a creative mishearing of songs, plays a role in how they came to learn them. Hear how they got into folk music and the stories behind these songs in our JPR Live Session. Thanks to Danielle Kelly and Jon Griffin for production and engineering.

Alice DiMicele has been making music in the State of Jefferson for several decades. She has just released her 16th full length album, Every Seed We Plant. The new collection was conceived and created by Alice and other musicians from Southern Oregon and deals with subjects near and dear to the hearts of the residents of the region.

She sat down with Open Air host Danielle Kelly for a discussion and played some tunes off her Every Seed We Plant.

Check out her website https://www.alicedimicele.com/ to purchase the new release and find information on her upcoming live performances.

It's unusual for a band's debut album to find the kind of success that alt-J experienced with An Awesome Wave in 2012. They won the UK's famed Mercury Prize on their first attempt. Since then, the band has released three additional albums over the decade that has helmed cement the trio as a leader and innovator in the indie rock space.

They spoke about the process of growing older and managing the relationships without and outside of the band, the excitement of getting back out on the road, and what it's like to be hugely popular and critically acclaimed, despite Unger-Hamilton telling Rolling Stone that "99 people out of 100 don't know who we are."

Under Hamilton (keys, bass, vocals) and Joe Newman (guitars, vocals) joined us for some special pared-down arrangements of tunes from their newest release called The Dream, as well as a tune found on that memorable debut - "Tesselate."

And then the pandemic happened.

Now, more than two years later, Houndmouth is back on the road. Their new album Good For You harkens back to the sound that Matt Myers, Shane Cody, and Zak Appleby (with former member Katie Toupin) started crafting a decade ago.

Myers joined us for a solo session live in the JPR studio, and spoke about how most of the tunes for this new record came together and were recorded in a location that has become the official Houndmouth "clubhouse" outside of Louisville.

When Ben Abraham last visited us, he was in a serious relationship with a woman who could have easily been the future Mrs. But an unexpected encounter led to a lengthy re-visitation of his sexuality, and of the spirituality that had been a major component of Abraham's life. The ensuing developments (a veritable bomb went off his his personal life) led to a clearer realization of who he is.

Much of that turmoil and reinvention finds its way into Abraham's brilliant new album called Friendly Fire (Atlantic Records). Throughout the songs, Abraham pairs his incredibly nuanced voice with poignant songs that touch on interpersonal connections, self reflection, and how we as individuals navigate life as singular entities among a larger collective.

Abraham gave us a very special preview of songs from his album in our stellar session.

Despite an early dash of pop success with a number of songs including the international hit "I Wonder Why" in 1991, for the last twenty years, most of Curtis Stigers' output has been more in the vein of jazz music and great American standards.

Considering his background, that affinity doesn't come as a surprise. As a kid, Stigers played clarinet and saxophone, and whenlegendary jazz pianist Gene Harris retired to Boise, Idaho and started hosting a weekly jam session, Stigers sat in and started absorbing everything he could.

It was actually Harris who encouraged Stigers to sing, and to make a go of it as a singer and songwriter. Soon after, Stigers moved to New York to follow his dream. His Arista Records debut, which featured his rich voice and soulful combination rock and pop, reached multi-platinum sales.

But Stigers wasn't interested in creating that type of music. So after a follow-up in 1995, Stigers ended up signing with Concord Records, and began a now twenty-year chapter of making jazz-leaning albums.

On This Life, Stigers takes a look back at home favorite songs from years gone by - some his own, some covers.

After nearly a decade in the string band The Stray Birds, Maya De Vitry took a step back from music for a time, getting a job outside of the music world and processing all of the emotions and stresses from that chapter of life.

On her new album Violet Light, De Vitry has focused on being the songwriter who creates the environment where other musicians can bring their skills and creative personalities to the table. By the time the album was done, more than a dozen different configurations of musicians had been assembles for the various tracks.

De Vitry has also grown into the freedom afforded a solo performer, with each performance allowed to interpret songs in a slightly different way.

After eight albums as Whetherman and countless miles on the road, the lifestyle of itinerant musician started to catch up with Nicholas Edward Williams. At a show in Cleveland he hit the wall, walked off stage, and spent the next year taking stock of his life, his interests, and his talents.

A chance opportunity to work in gave him the break he needed, and a chance opportunity to work in Costa Rica provided an environment that allowed Williams to figure out a different and more sustainable way of pursuing music.

What sprung to life with cultivation of a seed that had been planted years earlier - old time folk and other music that Williams felt needed to be more widely known as enjoyed. Leaving the Whetherman moniker behind, Williams started out on a new journey as singer, songwriter, and music preservationist. His performances combined songs and the stories of the songs, equal parts entertainment and education.

The success of the new venture (both internal and external) has led to a couple of traditional records released under his own name including his latest Folk Songs For Old Times' Sake, and a podcast called American Songcatcher.

He joined us from home to share a few songs and stories.

Tony Furtado made his first instrument - a banjo - as a 6th grade school project. That pie tin, rubber band and stick led to a lifelong love of the instrument. As he played more, he got better. Much, much better. Being better led to even more enjoyment of the banjo.

Now, more than 30 years into a lauded award-winning career, the slide guitar and banjo virtuoso has returned to his first love with the new album called Decembering. Less a 'folk' album and more of a deep exploration of all of the styles of music banjo can occupy, Decembering was made in isolation with a remote team of stellar partners: Luke Price, Tristan Clarridge, Toddd Sickafoose, Rob Berger, Mike Marshall, Matt Flinner, Scott Amendola and more.

During our session, we talked about the history of the instrument, Furtado's successful sculpture series, and how he's forging ahead as a musician staring down yet another rash of concert cancellations due to the pandemic.

After nearly 60 years in the music business (artist, songwriter, publisher, label owner, foundation creator), Janis Ian says she's ready for a week off.

The multiple Grammy award-winner feels like her new album is her best. The collection of songs allowed her to say some things that she hadn't been able to full express before, and showcases many of her old friends like Vince Gill and Diane Schuur.

She spoke at length with JPR's Eric Teel about how life changed after her early radio hit "At Seventeen," and how her perspective on success has changed over the ensuing decades.

She also treated us to a few tunes from her goodbye album.

Over the last decade, Schneiderman has been busy creating music and releasing records with Dirty Martini (which morphed and became Swan Sovereign), and working on a musical based on a story she discovered about human trafficking. She's also been busy raising her son.

With the musical (and shows, and tours) on hold for the time being, Schneiderman found time to re-focus on her solo career. She'd been sitting on a handful of songs, had some new ideas she wanted to explore, and entered the studio for the first time as both artist and producer of her own album. Her intent was a more acoustic-leaning folk album. Crossfire is not that at all, Rather, it showcases the many facets of Schneiderman's musical history throughout the tracks.

She joined us from her home in Portland with the help of her husband Tony Furtado to share a few tunes from the new album.

This was his first time visiting our new studio, and he took the opportunity to play us a few tunes from the new record.