Mountain Blog

Mountain Stage returns with yet another premier episode this weekend, featuring Canadian institution Bruce Cockburn in his 13^th appearance on the show, along with Iris DeMent, Carrie Rodriguez, Trixie Whitley, and Brooke Waggoner. Click here for a complete list of stations that carry Mountain Stage, along with times when you can tune in. And Preview this week's show via our Song of the Week – this time, it’s Iris DeMent with a song from her first collection of original material in 16 years, “Go On Ahead and Go Home.”

One of Canada’s best loved - and most awarded - artists, Bruce Cockburn has 20 gold and platinum releases and has won 13 Juno Awards in Canada. In addition to being an excellent guitarist and a distinctive singer, Cockburn is one of contemporary music’s more consistent and prolific songwriters. His latest, “Small Source of Comfort” included the track “Call Me Rose,” written from the point of view of former President Nixon who receives a chance at redemption after being reincarnated as a single mother living in a housing project with two children.

Born in Arkansas and raised in Southern California, Iris DeMent grew up immersed in gospel music and traditional country. Her 1992 debut, “Infamous Angel,” quickly established her as an artist to watch. Her 1994 follow-up, “My Life,” earned a Grammy nomination in the “Contemporary Folk” category. DeMent sang four duets with John Prine on “In Spite of Ourselves” and, and in 2004, she recorded an album of gospel songs, “Lifeline,” which included her rendition of “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” In 2010, the Coen Brothers chose that song for the closing credits in their remake of “True Grit.” Her latest is “Sing The Delta.”

After studying classical piano for nearly 20 years, Brooke Waggoner earned a degree in music composition and orchestration, hoping to score films and orchestrate her own projects. With a sweet voice and piano playing that’s a cross between Little Richard and Rachmaninov, the Louisiana native’s songs tell of a "lone 22-year-old girl, sagas of daily life and bits of poetry." In 2009, after moving to Nashville, Waggoner received the “Emerging Artist” award at the Nashville Music Awards. Her latest release, “Go Easy Little Doves,” gathers melodies and compositions that she’s collected over the past decade.

After collaborating with veteran songwriter Chip “Wild Thing” Taylor on four albums of duets, singer/violinist Carrie Rodriguez struck out on her own. Attending both Oberlin College and Berklee School of Music, Rodriguez immersed herself in Boston’s bluegrass-jazz scene. In 2001, she was “discovered” by Taylor while playing at an Austin record shop. In addition to her work with Taylor, Rodriguez has toured with Lucinda Williams and Alejandro Escovedo, and released eight records in as many years. Her latest is “Give Me All You Got.”

Born Belgium into a family immersed in art and music, Trixie Whitley’s early years were split between Belgium and New York City. At age 11, she was touring Europe with several theater companies and, at age 14, with the renowned dance company, “Les Ballets C de la B,” as an actor, singer, dancer, and musician. Returning to New York, she recorded her first EP, “Strong Blood,” produced with Me’shell Ndegeocello and Dougie Bowne, in the spring of 2008. That summer, she performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. In 2010 and 2011, Whitley toured with Daniel Lanois’ group Black Dub. Her second solo EP is “The Engine.”

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