Joining us at eTown this week are Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent of the dynamic duo, Shovels & Rope. Rounding out the musical portion of the show is the Denver bluesman, Nic Clark. Also, eTown host Nick Forster sits down with Jim Pugh, keyboardist extraordinaire to discuss Little Village, a non-profit record company that Jim founded.

Shovels & Rope, the duo of Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, have built a sound rooted in grit, harmony and deep creative trust. Married partners and longtime collaborators, their music moves easily between folk, rock and country, carried by a raw live energy that’s defined them from the start.

Denver songwriter Nic Clark’s path into music began with a harmonica and a deep connection to the blues. His songs are grounded in honesty and resilience, drawing from personal experience with humor, vulnerability and an open-hearted spirit.

Host Nick Forster also talks with Jim Pugh about his decades in music and the mission behind Little Village, the nonprofit label he founded to support artists whose work might otherwise go unheard.