Mountain Blog

This Sunday, Mountain Stage travels to Huntington for a special show at the Keith Albee Theater, as a part of the 75^th anniversary of the Marshall Artist Series.

We’ll be joined by folk icon Arlo Guthrie  & Boys Night Out, iconoclastic singer-songwriter Paul Thorn for a special solo set, Broadway star and Huntington native Michael Cerveris, and soulful pop newcomers Delta Rae.

Tickets for this show are on sale now at tickemaster.com, and by phone (304.696.6656). Marshall students can attend for free.

We'll have a special 1-hour performance by Arlo Guthrie who is carrying on the legacy of perhaps the most important songwriter in American history but has long been regarded as a folk icon in his own right.

This year, Arlo is celebrating what would have been his father's 100th birthday. Here's an exclusive interview with the Huntington Herald-Dispatch.

We’ll also be joined on the Group W bench by singer-songwriter Paul Thorn. The son of a Pentecostal preacher, the nephew of a pimp (so the story goes) former boxer turned musician Paul Thorn has earned a loyal following over the years through his signature blend of the sacred and profane. His most recent album, What the Hell is Going On? follows his highly regarded Pimps and Preachers and features Thorn's take on songs written by others like Lindsay Buckhingham, Ray Wylie Hubbard and more.

Huntington native Michael Cerveris is an established, Tony-award winning actor who has played John Wilkes Booth in Assassins, and originated the title role in the Broadway hit “Tommy.” As a rock musician, he fronted the British band Retriever and was guitarist/vocalist on Bob Mould's 1998 US/UK "Dog and Pony Show" tour.

Some of his earliest experiences of professional theater were thanks to the Marshall Artist Series (in particular first national tours of Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell), so his appearance onstage at the Keith Albee for Mountain Stage celebrating MAS has a special personal meaning for him.

Hailing from Durham, NC, Delta Rae fuses alt-pop band with rich Carolina soul. Recently signed to Sire/Warner, the group has four lead singers and incorporates all aspects of Americana into a joyful, passionate performance.  Delta Rae has been headlining shows on both coasts, with a new LP due for release June 19, 2012.

Connect with Mountain Stage on Facebook and Tumblr to stay in touch with the latest information, and follow us on Twitter for even more about upcoming shows. Thank you for supporting Mountain Stage. 

This week’s premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage features power pop masters Fountains of Wayne, along with Marc Broussard, Amanda Shires, Grace Weber, and Ben Lee.

Click here to find a station and time where you can listen in your area. If there’s a song you’re hoping to hear, check out the show’s playlist. And click here to see our entire schedule of upcoming broadcasts.

Anchored by the singer-songwriters Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood, Fountains of Wayne was founded in 1996 and released its self-titled debut on Atlantic Records the same year. They scored one of the most memorable hits of the early 2000’s, were nominated for Grammys, and have spent countless nights on the road cultivating their sound. The band’s latest release, Sky Full of Holes is their first since 2007.

Marc Broussard also stops by, with his acclaimed brand of bayou soul. His vocals call to mind performances by heavyweights like Otis Redding, Al Green, John Hiatt and Dr. John. Coupled with his powerful stage presence, he became a favorite of the nearly sold out Charleston audience.

You can catch a preview via our Mountain Stage Song of the Week, and you can also hear him talk to host Larry Groce about his roots and influences, and see some footage of his performance in our latest Backstage at Mountain Stage video.

We'll also be joined by young Texas singer-songwriter and fiddler Amanda Shires. If you've been listening to Jason Isbell's excellent new album Here We Rest, then you've already heard Amanda sing and play. Her CD Carrying Lighting has garnered rave reviews as well, and she most recently wrapped up recording sessions for the latest release from Justin Townes Earle.

You'll also hear a set from Brooklyn-by-way-of-Milwaukee singer-songwriter Grace Weber. She's already performed on "Showtime at the Apollo," played the Kennedy Center, and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Her jazz infused pop has also caught the eye of Billboard Magazine, which dubbed her an "artist to watch." Her latest album is Hope & Heart.

Finally, you hear a rare set from singer-songwriter Ben Lee. Lee first gained America's attention in the late 90's, at a time when loud alt-rock was dominant. Ben Lee does not make loud alt-rock. So if you happened to see one of his videos on TV at the time, chances are, you still remember it. His latest album Deeper to Dream, is his most personal yet.

Find a radio station in your area where you can listen by clicking here, and connect with us on Facebook and Tumblr to stay in touch with the latest information, and follow us on Twitter for even more.

Thanks for listening to Mountain Stage!

It is nearly impossible to quantify Levon Helm's contribution to the type of music Mountain Stage has sought to champion for the past 29 years. Levon's voice was a wide, greasy smear of folk, blues, country, soul, rock, acoustic, electric, rural, urban, sacred, profane, north, south, black and white. His music captured something essential about us – the embodiment of what writer Greil Marcus famously called “The Old, Weird America.” And it's the very foundation of the broad, encompassing amalgam of roots music we have come to call Americana.

Mountain Stage was fortunate enough to host Levon Helm and The Band on two different occasion, in 1994 and 1996. Larry and the guys have been working overtime the past couple days, pulling the audio from the original DAT tapes. We'll be posting the performances at NPR Music soon.

This week’s premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage features the New Orleans jazz ensemble The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, along with roots music luminary Darrell Scott, Irish-American supergroup Solas, singer-songwriter Jimmy LaFave, and newcomer Rosi Golan.

Click here to find a station and time where you can listen in your area. If there’s a song you’re hoping to hear, check out theshow’s playlist. And click here to see our entire schedule of upcoming broadcasts.

Highly regarded as a performer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter, Darrell Scott has seen his songs covered by more than 70 artists, including the Dixie Chicks, Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Guy Clark, Sam Bush, Tim McGraw, Kathy Mattea and Garth Brooks. A Kentucky native, Scott excels on dobro, mandolin and guitar, and earned a degree in poetry from Tufts University. He has played on hundreds of sessions, and in 2001 was named “Songwriter of the Year” by the Nashville Songwriters Association.

In 2010, Scott joined Robert Plant’s Band of Joy, along with Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin and Byron House. His new album Long Ride Home features contributions from some of country music’s most experienced session players, including West Virginia Music Hall of Fame member Charlie McCoy. Hear him discuss this and more in our latest "Backstage at Mountain Stage" video.

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is perhaps the only group that can claim to have shared stages with the Grateful Dead, Elvis Costello, Miles Davis, Al Jarreau, 2 Live Crew, and the Black Crowes. They're credited with revitalizing the brass band tradition in New Orleans, spreading it around the world, to more than 30 countries on five continents.

They’ve been featured guests on albums by David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Dr. John and the Modest Mouse; and the city of New Orleans now has an official Dirty Dozen Brass Band Day.

The group is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now, and preparing for the release their new album Twenty Dozen on May 1. You can hear a preview of their performance via our Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

Celtic supergroup Solas has been called “the first truly great Irish band to arise from America.” Leader Seamus Egan was a teen prodigy who recorded his first album at age 16 and toured with Ralph Stanley and Peter, Paul and Mary. He formed Solas in 1994, and their current lineup includes co-founder Winifred Horan, guitarist Eamon McElholm, Mick McAuley, Eamon McElholm, and Niamh Varian-Barry.

Solas fans include Bela Fleck, Emmylou Harris and rap producer Timbaland, who sampled a Solas track on his radio hit “All Ya’ll.” Their latest is Turning the Tide.

For eight years, the Texas singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimmy LaFave honed his skills by hosting open mike nights in Austin. With a grassroots approach that blends country, blues, folk and rock 'n' roll, LaFave was named Best Singer-Songwriter at the Austin Music Awards, and veteran rock critic Dave Marsh called him “One of America's greatest voices."

LaFave was a participant in the "Ribbon of Highway - Endless Skyway” tour which paid tribute to the spirit of Woody Guthrie, and featured on the resulting live double album. In 2007, LaFave’s showed off his country side on Cimarron Manifesto. His latest release is Favorites 1992–2001. Every the charmer, LaFave, who is a Texan by way of Oklahoma, begins his set by welcoming the West Virginia audience to the Big 12.

Israeli born singer-songwriter Rosi Golan didn’t pick up a guitar until she was 19, when she heard a radio commercial advertising a sale at her local Guitar Center. Since then, she’s amassed quite an audience, thanks to songs from her debut The Drifter & The Gypsy being featured on One Tree Hill and Private Practice, and in the film Dear John. Recently, Golan sang “Set The Fire To The Third Bar” with Snow Patrol on the band’s recent appearance on David Letterman. Her current release is Lead Balloon.

Find a radio station in your area where you can listen by clicking here, and connect with us on Facebook to stay in touch with the latest information, and follow us on Twitter for even more.

Thanks for listening to Mountain Stage!

This Sunday Mountain Stage is back in Morgantown for the first time since January. Guests include Joan Osborne, who will soon be wrapping up her tour in support of her first album of Blues Standards, Bring It On Home.

You’ll also hear from cutting-edge bluegrass and new acoustic musicians The Punch Brothers .

Morgantown (not to mention summer festival) favorites Leftover Salmon will be there. Salmon vocalist Vince Herman was last on the show with Great American Taxi, which was well received by the audience, to put it mildly. (We look forward to seeing the wear and tear his stage guitar has accumulated since his last year.) Leftover Salmon is doing a limited number of dates this year, and we’re thrilled to be included in their schedule.

Folk singer Sylvie Lewis will also appear, along with country-rock inspired singer-songwriter Lera Lynn, who will be making her first appearance on Mountain Stage.

Tickets for this show are going fast. If you want yours, act soon. They’re available at 304.293.SHOW, online at Ticketmaster.com, and in person the CAC Box Office. We look forward to seeing you there.

Mountain Stage is back this week with another exciting premiere broadcast. Recorded live on the campus of West Virginia University, you’ll hear from legendary Texas blues-rock guitarist Johnny Winter, along with Ruthie Foster, Magic Slim & The Teardrops, Patrick Sweany, and Bhi Bhiman.

Click here to find a station and time where you can listen in your area. If there’s a song you’re hoping to hear, check out the show’s playlist. And click here to see our entire schedule of upcoming broadcasts.

Arguably the first artist to drag electric blues kicking and screaming into the land of hard rock, Johnny Winter remains one of the most respected guitarists alive. The clear link between the British blues-rock explosion and American Southern rock, Winter joined his own powerhouse band on Mountain Stage for one of his first and only nationally-broadcast performances in years.

You’ll also hear from Ruthie Foster. Foster has won seemingly contradictory Blues Music Awards for both Best Traditional and Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist in back-to-back years, and her album The Truth According to Ruthie Foster was nominated for a Grammy. Backed by her own band, Foster all but stole the show with her signature blend of blues, folk, and gospel. You can sample her performance here, via our Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

Guitar in hand, Patrick Sweany kicks off the show solo. He’s released five albums, including 2007’s Every Hour is a Dollar Gone, produced by fellow Ohio-native Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The follow up, 2011’s The Old Southern Drag was recorded in his new home of Nashville, where he can be found regularly performing at The Basement and Family Wash, also moonlighting in a vintage soul outfit The Tiger Beats. He’s shared the stage with The Black Keys, The Gourds, Paul Thorn and Sonny Landreth, among others.

Magic Slim & the Teardrops kick off the second hour of the show. Born Morris Holt in Torrence, Mississippi in 1937, Slim has been called “a national treasure” by Living Blues magazine. Slim and The Teardrops performances are known for their undeniable intensity, earning a diehard following the world over. His latest release on Blind Pig records is Raising the Bar.

Finally, you’ll hear from Bhi Bhiman Mountain Stage. A first generation Sri Lankan-American, Bhiman's soulful, instantly striking voice has been compared to Bill Withers, Richie Havens and Jim James, while the Willamette Week described him as "a traveling Dust Bowl folkie crossed with Nina Simone." Check out our Backstage at Mountain Stage video, where Bhiman chats with host Larry Groce about his influences as a singer, songwriter and guitarist.

Find a radio station in your area where you can listen by clicking here, and connect with us on Facebook to stay in touch with the latest information, and follow us on Twitter for even more.

Thanks for listening to Mountain Stage!

This week’s premier broadcast of Mountain Stage features country music legend Billy Joe Shaver, banjo man Noam Pikelny, Nashville singer-songwriter Matraca Berg, the Caleb Klauder Country Band, and Canadian fiddler April Verch. Click here to find a station and time where you can listen in your area. If there’s a song you’re hoping to hear, check out the show’s playlist. And click here to see our entire schedule of upcoming broadcasts.

Billy Joe Shaver is the original Honky Tonk Hero. Revered by everyone who’s anyone as one of the greatest songwriters of the 20^th century and beyond, Shaver first came to the attention of music lovers when Waylon Jennings filled nearly an entire album with Shaver’s songs.

In his 6^th appearance on the show, Shaver plays a few old favorites, but also shares a few new tunes: The autobiographical “Wacko From Waco,” which chronicles a much-publicized shooting that Shaver was involved in, and the tell-it-like-is anthem “The Get Go.” As always, you can catch a preview of his performance via our Mountain Stage song of the week, the bittersweet “Live Forever,” which Shaver wrote with his late son, guitarist Eddy Shaver.

You’ll also hear from Noam Pikelny & Friends. A charter member of theThe Punch Brothers in 2010, Steve Martin awarded Pikelny the first ever “Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass,” describing Pikelny as “a player of unlimited range and astonishing precision.” Pikelny brings songs from Beat The Devil and Carry A Rail, along with his friends, fellow Punch Brothers Gabe Witcher, Chris Eldridge, bass player Mark Schatz.

You’ll also hear from country singer-songwriter Matraca Berg. One of Nashville’s most revered and sought-after songwriters, Matraca Berg’s tunes have been recorded by Linda Ronstadt, Reba McEntire, Dusty Springfield, Patty Loveless, Trisha Yearwood, Suzy Bogguss, Pam Tillis, and Martina McBride. You’ll hear her play her song “Strawberry Wine,” which was a career-defining hit for Deana Carter in the 90’s, and “You and Tequila,” which was recently taken to the top of the country charts by Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter. Berg is backed on guitar by her husband Jeff Hanna, who also happens to be a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

The April Verch Band and the Caleb Klauder Country Band round out the show. Building on Klauder’s intense love of honky-tonk, rockabilly, outlaw and early country, and infusing the songs with Caleb's dry, dusty voice and mature songwriting, the Caleb Klauder Country Band is a rising star in today's Americana pantheon. You can read more about Klauder here.

April Verch is a young, yet internationally renowned Canadian fiddler, singer, songwriter and stepdancer who roots music luminary Dirk Powell called “… a rare mix of all the technique and super-flashy things, along with the deep soul and tradition that comes from having grown up with the music.” Her 8^th album, That’s How We Run, braces southern mountain and old time music with her plucky Canadian roots.

Find a radio station in your area where you can listen by clicking here, and connect with us on Facebook to stay in touch with the latest information, and follow us on Twitter for even more.

Thanks for listening to Mountain Stage!