This week our feature is singer-songwriter Mathew Santos. A classically trained, musical chameleon, with a voice that will thrill the spots from your leopard skin boots. Mathew first appeared in Fairfield at the behest of American Idolist, Caleb Hawley. Since then he's come back for two smokin solo gigs with an amazing keyboard player, named Matt.  We'll feature a cross-section of his songs both young and old; rockers and ballads, in advance of his appearance this week at Cafe Paradiso. Plus new music by James Cotton ( the blues legend), Aoife O'Donovan, Arthur Lee Land (local fav), Dawes (folk rock), Trampled By Turtles (mountain music), Great Divide (Chicago soul) and the Vespers (folkabilly) not to mention the usual hidden gems by your Roots Rock Roadhouse favs.

This week: 

Anais Mitchell, her music and a tea time chat about her tour, her traveling 'band' of musicians, and her amazing, highly acclaimed 2012 album: Young Man in America and her 2013 collection of British folk songs called: Child Ballads. Plus an intimate Q&A on her unique vocal, guitar and performance styles.

Not to mention KRUU in-studio performances of her songs. All this in celebration of Anais' appearance at Cafe Paradiso on Monday May 20th.

Plus new music from Lucinda Williams and Holly Williams (Hanks Williams' grand daughter). Plus some hand picked gems from Amos Lee, Eric Clapton, Dan Fogelberg, Robert Cray, Jimmy LaFave and John Hiatt.

This week we'll feature Drew Nelson, a storytelling songwriter and multiinstrumentalist who mixes Americana and roots-rock with traditional folk styles. Drew has toured across North America and Europe, performing solo and opening for popular folk-rock artists like Melissa Etheridge and John Gorka.  He placed high in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival’s prestigious songwriting contest and appeared at the Kerrville Folk Festival later that year. In support of his new album, Tilt-A -Whirl, Drew was showcased at the 2012 International Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis and toured both North America and Europe. When Drew is not on the road, he enjoys  hot yoga and working as an amateur luthier, building guitars and octave mandolins. Drew will be appearing at Legion Arts in Cedar Rapids on May 9th.

This week we'll feature Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem; both their music and an interview. Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem are a 12-year old brew of band chemistry, life experience and musical evolution. Simultaneously loose and tight, their playing seems to tick by invisible radar; it’s exciting, cathartic, and fun. The band is: Rani Arbo (fiddle, guitar), Andrew Kinsey (bass, banjo, uke), Anand Nayak (electric and acoustic guitars) and Scott Kessel (percussion). Scott Kessel (Rani's husband) has a percussion rig that is 95% recycled and features a cardboard box, tin cans, caulk tubes, and a vinyl suitcase in lieu of a bass drum. All the band members sing, and their four-part harmonies soar, whether on a haunting Appalachian ballad, a Springsteen rocker, or a Bahamian a capella song.

In celebration of Willie Nelson's 80th birthday we will be highlighting his 50 yrs of music including songs from his just released, brand new album, called Let's Face The Music. The new CD features covers of country, pop and jazz standards backed by his longtime road band. We'll also feature some of Willie's classic songs, hits and duets.      

Aside from being a world famous country artist, Willie has crossed over, on many occasions into the world of pop music and jazz. He is also an animal rights activist, a published author, has appeared in over 30 films, founded a biodiesel company and campaigned for the legalization of marijuana. What a man, what a life. Come celebrate with us; 80 years of Willie Nelson.

This week we will feature the brand new John Denver Tribute Album called, The Music is You: A tribute To John Denver.  The album marks 15 years since the tragic death of John Denver and 40 years since the release of his hit song Rocky Mountain High. I'll play several tracks from the album including songs covered by Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Dave Mathews, Kathleen Edwards  and Brandi Carlile.  Featured tracks include Emmy Lou Harris and Brandi Carlile on a rootsy makeover of Take Me Home, Country Roads and Lucinda Williams in a  stark thank you tune called This Old Guitar, an ode to the instrument that gave both Denver and Williams their careers.

Legendary singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Stephen Stills has released more than 250 songs since 1966, some solo, others with iconic bands including Buffalo Springfield, Manassas and, most famously, with David Crosby, Graham Nash and Neil Young. On the new four-CD set, called Carry On, producers Graham Nash and Joel Bernstein—in collaboration with Stills—outline the remarkable 50-year scope of Stills' career with 82 tracks, 25 of them previously unreleased. We'll be featuring selected cuts like a jam with Jimi Hendrix recorded in 1970.  Other highlights include previously unreleased versions of songs like Southern Cross and My Angel. A surprisingly upbeat version of the CSNY song You Don't Have To Cry. Plus a live version of Dylan's song Girl From the North Country recorded with CSN in 2012.

This week we will feature the music from some of the musicians and singer-songwriters that will be appearing at the Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City April 2-7th. 

This will include an interview with Benson Ramsey (son of Bo Ramsey) of The Pines as well as music by Iris Dement, Joe Pug (who KRUU is sponsoring, along with comediennes Janeanne Garofalo & Tig Notaro), The Pines and more! Don't miss this show or it will miss you. Peace!

This weeks feature is Gavin Jones. A singer-songwriter whose sound has been described as a sweet, soft, and unique acoustic folk that shares a melodic lineage with Jeff Buckley, Bon Iver and James Vincent McMorrow. His gentle falsetto and soaring melodies lead listeners to a silent contentment and takes them on a journey through the human heart.  His album, called simply, The Fountain, features homespun tales of relationships, nature, God, honesty, frailty and strength.  A rare and perfect intersection of heart, mind, wood, string and a voice that explores the depths of our universal soul.

We will also feature our usual eclectic blend of roots rock songs and take a seat on a train ride of Americana music that leads us from the folk sensibility of Anais Mitchell to the bluesy southern rock of Derek Trucks and the Nashville twang of Lyle Lovett.

This weeks feature is the amazing Americana trio: The Stray Birds. These three fowl weather friends (pun intended) from rural Pennsylvania are accomplished musicians and a tight knit ensemble. Between the three of them they play bass, banjo, guitar, fiddle, dobro and mandolin and often switch guitar and fiddle back and forth between members during their live shows. Their tight musical arrangements and rich vocal harmonies make them a peice of Americana ear candy on par with greats like David Rawlings and Gillian Welch.  Band member Maya de Vitry has studied at the Berkley College of Music and placed in the top five at several national songwriting contests including the Telluride Troubadour, Rocky Mountain Folk Fest, Berkley College and the BMI/John Lennon Scholarship Award.