Mountain Blog

We’re excited to announce that we’ve just added Tristen to our June 5 live show at the Creative Arts Center in Morgantown. Fronted by singer/songwriter Tristen Gaspadarek, this 28-year-old Nashville-based Chicago native is quickly making a name for herself with her fresh, twangy take on the classic pop hook. Just last week she was featured in a live performance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic – watch the video to see what all the buzz is about. Her new album is called Charlatans At the Garden Gate.

We’ll also be joined by the legendary Blind Boys of Alabama, Bell X-1, Marti Jones & Don Dixon, and Amy LaVere.

Tickets for this show are on sale now, and can be purchased online by clicking here, or by calling 304-293-SHOW. We hope to see you there!

This week’s Mountain Stage broadcast is an encore edition of one of our favorite shows from 2010. Recorded during FestivALL Charleston, Marc Cohn visited Mountain Stage for a special hour-long performance. Joined by former Lone Justice guitarist Shane Fontayne, Cohn performs a career-spanning extended set including “Walking in Memphis” and Cat Stevens’ “Wild World.” Check out his version of "Long As I Can See The Light" as a preview on our Song of the Week page.

Also on the show is Platinum selling Australian artist Kate Miller-Heidke. She performs three songs from 2008’s Curiouser as well as her explicit, tongue-in-cheek ode to a past lover's reemergence on a social network, “Are you F*cking Kidding Me?”. (“If you wonder why we don’t do the show live anymore, perhaps you just found out,” host Larry Groce acknowledges.) 

Singer/songwriter Sahara Smith also appears, with songs from her album Myth of the Heart. World renowned producer T-Bone Burnett took notice of Smith and brought her into the studio to record Myth of the Heart, and his minimalist style pervades even this live performance.

Israeli born singer, songwriter and guitarist David Broza also appears. Educated in Israel, Spain and Britain, and known primarily in the USA as a balladeer, when legendary Texas songwriter Townes Van Zandt died, he left behind several poems meant for Broza. Two years ago, Broza released Night Dawn: the unpublished poetry of Townes Van Zandt.

Finally, a special performance by the Bob Thompson Unit. A staple of the West Virginia jazz scene for more than two decades, the Bob Thompson Unit still performs a weekly gig in Charleston and various venues throughout the state and the east coast. The group performs songs from the their latest album of modern jazz, Smile.

Click here to check out the performance playlist, and click here to find a station where you can listen in your area. Check in with us on Facebook to stay up to date on the latest Mountain Stage news. Thanks for listening!