PODCASTS

Fresh out of the eTown Archives this week is an excerpt from a special eTown show from all the way back in 1995 featuring master lyricist and satirical storyteller John Hiatt! John has released an astounding 23 albums throughout his career and we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming him to the eTown stage 3 times.

It’s Pt. 1 of a special encore broadcast this week as we revisit our show at the historic Paramount Theater in downtown Denver from last year featuring two female artists that embody what it means to be strong and independent – the legendary Mavis Staples and singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco. Along with lots of great music and conversation with the artists, we will check in with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, and present the Lifetime eChievement Award honor to Mavis Staples for her decades of inspiration and contributions to the Civil Rights movement. Don’t miss part one – this week!

This week we’re sending birthday love out to the legendary, actor, comedian, author, and musician Steve Martin. Steve has always included his banjo playing in his comedy routines throughout his career and has been focused more on playing music since the early 2000s. He often collaborates with fellow bluegrass group The Steep Canyon Rangers, who you’ll hear him with right here, in this excerpt from a special eTown Taping at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2012.

This week on the eTown airwaves we’re joined by Americana/folk band Hiss Golden Messenger, whose sound is deeply influenced by country, soul, blues, and rock. We’re very excited to have them on the show for the first time. Also with us are accomplished songwriters Chris Hillman (The Byrds) and Herb Pedersen. Rounding things out, we have a conversation with renowned paleontologist, explorer, and author Dr. Kenneth Lacovara.

This week, join us as we send some birthday love out to prolific Country singer and songwriter Rodney Crowell. We’ve had the pleasure of welcoming Rodney to the show 3 times, the first of which was this show from 2003!

This week, eTown welcomes the eclectic, LA-based psychedelic soul group, Chicano Batman, for some solar-powered musical goodness. Also joining us for her first visit is folk singer/songwriter, BettySoo. There will be plenty of great music, collaboration and conversation with our visiting artists this week, plus a great eChievement Award story about a Colorado-based organization that provides free housing, transportation and food for families affected by immigrant detention.

This week we would like to send some birthday love out to the legendary bluesman Buddy Guy. We have had the honor of welcoming Buddy to the eTown stage a couple of times and today we look back on his first visit from back August of 2001. Enjoy!

This week we revisit a fan-favorite episode from last year featuring singer/songwriter Drew Holcomb and his band – The Neighbors. We’ll check in to hear some of Drew’s latest musical creations, and get an update on his ever-evolving musical story. Americana singer/songwriter and eTown veteran Tift Merrittalso joined us on this show to share some tunes from her seventh studio release. To round things out Nick sits down for conversation with eChievement Award winner, Stephen Ritz of Green Bronx Machine to learn about how he is bringing the joys of gardening to schools in his area.

In celebration of Arlo Guthrie’s 70th birthday this past week we wanted to look back on a classic eTown episode from February 1995, the first time Arlo visited eTown. He was joined by his son Abe for part of his set and even shared some of his poetry about Moose in Massachusetts. Enjoy!

This week we’re sending out some birthday love to the legendary banjo master Béla Fleck. In celebration, join us in revisiting this special show from 1999 with Béla and his equally legendary band the Flecktones – Victor Wooten, Future Man, and Jeff Coffin.

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by singer/songwriter/producer John Paul White who originally joined us back in 2011 as part of the widely popular musical duo The Civil Wars. Our longtime friends in the genre-bending Americana group Marley’s Ghost also stop in for another visit to eTown Hall’s solar-powered stage. Lots of great music and conversation with our musical guests, plus we’ll check in with a great Colorado-based organization that’s providing organic and nutritious meals in the community, regardless of someone’s ability to pay.

In celebration of Peter Rowan’s birthday this week, we decided to unearth this gem from all the way back in 1993 where Peter was joined by bluegrass legend, the late Charles Sawtelle of Hot Rize.

Today we remember Henry Butler, who passed away this week at the age of 69. Butler was a cornerstone of the New Orleans sound and a prime force in the city’s piano tradition. Away from the piano, in spite of being blind, Butler was an enthusiastic photographer, which you can hear all about in Nick’s interview with him from his visit to eTown in 2003.

It’s an eclectic encore broadcast this week as we revisit our show featuring hip-hop artist and community activist Brother Ali, who shares his unique take on rap music, as well as stories on his background, what it was like growing up with albinism, and his musical quest to spread a positive message through music. Also with us is long-time friend of the show, Chuck Prophet, plus a check in with Laura Tenenbaum, a scientist from NASA, to hear about the challenges and triumphs the organization has experienced over the last few years.

If anyone was born with a rock and roll heart, it’s Chuck Prophet. A long-time friend of the show, Chuck has gained a cult following since he began recording and producing music in 1985. He’s been on the show 4 times and today we look back on one of our favorites from 2009. “Let Freedom Ring” – “Barely Exist” – “You and Me Baby (Holding On)”

Scottish-born, Australian singer/songwriter Colin Hay, of Men at Work fame, has always been a fan-favorite when he visits the eTown stage. He has accomplished quite a lot throughout his solo career, putting out 13 albums! Join us as we revisit his trip to eTown from back in 2013.

In this week’s ‘back by popular demand’ podcast/broadcast, eTown turns on the southern charm as the crew heads to Athens, Georgia for a very special installment of our ‘eTown on the road’ ongoing series. We’ll be coming to you from the legendary Georgia Theater, joined by both a local musical group Cicada Rhythm and our longtime eTown friend (and singer/songwriter extraordinaire) JJ Grey. We’ll have lots of great music  plus a conversation with a local woman whose Georgia-based nonprofit organization provides books to low-income children in the area.

Fresh off the success of her hit song “Big Black Horse and A Cherry Tree”, Scottish rocker KT Tunstall joined us at the Boulder Theatre back in 2007 for a memorable evening of music and conversation.

This week we’ve dug up a show from May of 2010 featuring Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. At the time Grace and her band were emerging as one of the nation’s foremost rock bands with a rabid fan following. Now, in 2018, Grace has solidified herself as one of the foremost female rockers in music today. Sit back, enjoy, and if you feel inclined, leave a comment.

It’s an hour packed full of great songwriting and storytelling on the airwaves this week with singer/songwriter/guitarist/poet Dave Alvin and singer/songwriter/actor Jimmie Dale Gilmore. We dig deep into the songbooks of each artist, and hear some great road stories and insights into the many influences that have shaped their musical styles. Jimmie and Dave will perform both solo and together, inviting their old friend and past musical collaborator Nick Forster to join in. Find out what happens when three life-long musical friends take the stage in this week’s special episode. Lots of great music and conversation with our guests this week, plus a wonderful eChievement Award story about a New Hampshire-based woman who’s working hard to empower women and girls in her area.

English singer/songwriter David Gray was catapulted into the spotlight with the release of his album ‘White Ladder’ in 1998. Since then, we’ve had the pleasure of having David on the show 3 times. One of those times was at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre here in home state of Colorado in 2006. Today we revisit that show, complete with Nick Forster’s backstage interview with David.

This week we are kicking off our weekly dig into the eTown Archives with a special snippet from a show back in 2008 at the Boulder Theatre with Ray LaMontagne.Be on the lookout as we will be releasing tons of content from the Archives weekly. Wherever you are this Saturday, sit back and enjoy!

We’re joined this week by the high energy band and old friends Leftover Salmon, known for their fast licks, clever lyrics and fun loving stage presence. Also with us, singer/songwriter Paul Thorn, who brings his muscular brand of roots rock – bluesy, at times rocking and always infectious. Plus Nick talks with scientist and professor Jen Kay about some alarming developments in global warming.

It’s a special encore broadcast this week, featuring two-time Grammy Award winner and legendary singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell to the solar-powered stage at eTown Hall. Rodney joins forces with eTown host Nick Forster and the eTown house band to share music from his recent collection of recordings entitled Close Ties. Also joining us is talented Texas singer/songwriter Robert Ellis. Plus there’s a great eChievement Award story about an Illinois woman who founded an organization that provides shoes and other vital necessities to people in need around the world.

This week we’re joined on the air by the  Nashville, TN-based bluegrass band The Travelin’ McCourys. As the sons of the legendary Del McCoury, Ronnie and Rob McCoury continue their father’s legacy of stellar bluegrass music (along with fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Alan Bartram). We’re also visited by Gospel, soul, and R&B vocalist Liz Vice who’s been making quite a name for herself around the country. We’ll round  things out with an eChievement Award story about a woman bringing sustainable support to those suffering from the war in Syria.

This week, hosts Nick and Helen Forster welcome the eclectic, Latin/country/jazz/rock  influenced sound of Arizona-based music veterans Calexico to the eTown airwaves. And Texas music legend Ray Wylie Hubbard shares some great music and hilarious stories. Our eChievement Award story this week focuses on a young Detroit woman who’s found a brilliant way to provide warmth for the homeless during the bitter winters in her town. It’s a great hour of music and conversation – this week in eTown!

In this week’s ‘back by popular demand’  broadcast/podcast, Punch Brothers’ band member and banjo impresario Noam Pikelny shares some of his original songs from his latest  CD as a solo artist. Also with us is the Miami-based “sacred steel” band The Lee Boys, who bring their powerhouse, gospel-influenced sound to eTown’s solar-powered stage. And Nick has a conversation with New York-based entrepreneur, environmentalist and author Jonathan Rose about his latest book, The Well-Tempered City, which covers the benefits of repurposing old buildings into sustainable structures.

This week on the air, we’re joined by up-and-coming bluegrass artist Billy Strings. Whether sharing stages with acoustic music royalty, crisscrossing the nation playing as a solo artist or performing high-energy, jaw-dropping sets at festivals, the reaction to Billy Strings tends to come in two varieties: “Who is this guy?” and “That kid can play!” Also with us is the progressive instrumental group, the Jon Stickley Trio. Plus we’ll have a conversation with our eChievement Award winner of the week, Arif Khan, founder of the nonprofit Depave, a group that’s transforming abandoned paved places into urban gardens, parks and more.

It’s a special encore broadcast/podcast as we revisit an eTown fan favorite. Multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, musical icon  and old friend David Bromberg, plus talented Americana folk/rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jonatha Brooke, provide great music this week. Plus we’ll feature yet another inspiring eChievement Award story, this time about Dr. Geoff Tabin, a man helping the blind see again in third world countries.

This week on the eTown airwaves we’re joined by award-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist and New Zealand native Marlon Williams! Known until recently for performing more in the country, bluegrass, and folk realm, Marlon‘s latest musical direction explores several different genres ranging anywhere from pop to 50s doo-wop to country/Americana crooning in a way that reveals his ever-reaching efforts to grow and evolve as a musician. Also with us is indie-folk singer/songwriter Esmé Patterson, who has been making some waves over the last couple years since going solo. All of that plus a conversation with Doug Vilsack, founder of Elephant Energy, a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing small-scale renewable energy to African countries and the Navajo Nation.

In honor of Earth Day (also eTown’s B’earth Day), we have dug into the eTown archives and unearthed Nick Forster’s interview from 1996 with former United States Senator, environmental advocate, and Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson. Nelson was a leading figure in the fight against environmental degradation and social injustice in the twentieth century, and as you’ll learn through this conversation and see throughout the world today, his legacy lives on.

eTown welcomes legendary soul singer/songwriter William Bell for his very first visit to eTown. Known throughout the world for penning such soul classics as “You Don’t Miss Your Water” and “Born Under A Bad Sign”, William takes the stage with eTown’s house band to share music from his latest release, as well as a few classics. Also with us is eTown newcomer Alejandro Escovedo who brings his stellar band to share his unique version of punk-influenced rock and roll. Lots of great music and conversation with our visiting artists this week, plus a great eChievement Award story about a man in Colorado who uses the power of community service to improve mental wellness.

This week on the eTown airwaves we’re joined by talented singer-songwriter Jessica Lea Mayfield. She shares a bunch of new music from her latest album, Sorry Is Gone, which explores love and loss from the bitter to the sweet. Also with us is Birds of Chicago, an eTown favorite! This uber-gifted husband & wife musical combo (JT Nero and Allison Russell) are definitely worth checking out. Great singing, coupled with thoughtful songwriting, truly the whole package. Rounding out this show is eChievement Award winner Twesigye Jackson Kaguri, founder of Nyaka Aids Orphans Project, an organization that provides free education to children who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. We’re so honored to feature him as this week’s eChievement Award.

This week, we welcome back long-time friend and musical virtuoso Sarah Jarosz to the eTown airwaves to share from her latest collection of songs. Sarah continues to skyrocket in her career, all while doing things her own way. We’ll learn more about what’s happening in her world these days, during her conversation with eTown host Nick Forster. Also, eTown newcomers Hymn For Her bring their unique brand of Americana music to eTown’s solar-powered stage. All of this, plus a one-of-a-kind musical finale collaboration, and an inspiring eChievement Award story – this week in eTown.

This week, we welcome genre bending multi-instrumentalist and vocalist extraordinaire Tyminski (you may remember him as a member of Union Station; he’s also familiar to many as the singing voice for George Clooney’s on-screen character in ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ and, more recently, as lead vocalist on Avicii’s international pop hit “Hey Brother”). We’re also joined by up-and-coming, indie-folk singer/songwriter, Angel Snow. Rounding things out, our eChievement Award story this week features Native American Henry Red Cloud, who sits down with Nick to discuss his efforts to bring solar power, green technology and employment to reservations throughout the country.

We’re joined this week by rock/R&B/soul guitarist, singer/songwriter (and half of legendary duo Hall & Oates) John Oates! His new solo project Arkansas is inspired by the music and legacy of the legendary Mississippi John Hurt and encompasses other artists and styles that represent the dawn of American popular music. Also with us is Tennessee-based singer/songwriter Lilly Hiatt (daughter of John Hiatt), who has become a fixture of the indie scene in Nashville. And Nick sits down for a conversation with renowned author Helen Thorpe, whose latest work, ‘The Newcomers,’ is a powerful and moving account of how refugee teenagers, many of whom have left extremely dangerous situations in their homelands, come to America to learn a new language and a new culture, in the hopes of finding a new beginning.

In this week’s encore broadcast, Grammy Award-winning bluegrass outfit Steep Canyon Rangers bring their energetic sound back to eTown to share music from their recent collection of songs, fittingly titled Radio. Also with us this week is Austin-based singer/songwriter Matt The Electrician who brings his unique and witty music to the eTown stage, where he joins forces with Nick, Helen and the eTones for a few numbers. All of this, plus a great eChievement Award story about a woman who found a way to provide shoes to underprivileged children in Nicaragua.

This week features an impressive line-up of bluegrass impresarios. The legendary band Hot Rize (whose members include Pete Wernick, Tim O’Brien, Bryan Sutton and eTown’s own Nick Forster) celebrates its 40^th anniversary with special guests and bluegrass heavy hitters Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan and Jerry Douglas. Grounded in the bluegrass traditions of artists like Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and the Stanley Brothers, the members of Hot Rize have forged a path and a sound all their own since forming back in 1978. This beloved and iconic band continues to create new and inspired music as showcased in their most recent album ‘When I’m Free’. Don’t miss this hour of classic bluegrass and a special audience Q&A with Hot Rize (led by eTown’s Helen Forster)!

In this week’s back-by-popular demand re-airing, eTown welcomes the incredibly gifted singer/songwriter and piano virtuoso Beth Hart to the solar-powered stage at eTown Hall. Plus our longtime friend John McEuen, iconic American musician and founding member of the beloved Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, returns to the show. And we’ll hear a great eChievement Award story about a woman in New York who’s headed up a highly successful ‘re-use and recyling’ program, repurposing everything from building materials to some of the most difficult of items that would normally end up in a landfill. Hope you’ll join us . . . in eTown!

This week’s eTown program features a deep dive into folk music styles from around the world. First up, the prolific Swedish folk band Väsen makes its first appearance on the show. Their musical collaboration has spanned decades; theirs is a rich, unique, beautiful sound, and their performance on eTown features rare, one-of-a-kind instruments. Joining us for his second visit to eTown is American folk artist and multi-instrumentalist Sam Amidon, who shares his recent stripped down musical explorations. Plus we’ll bring you a great eChievement Award story about an Ohio man who created a ‘pay what you can afford’ restaurant in his community to serve those in need, while bringing a wide variety of citizens, rich and poor, together to share a meal and connect each day.

In this popular re-airing, eTown welcomes back one of the most recognizable musical voices of our generation, Colin Hay (of Men at Work fame), who brings music from his latest collection of recordings. And Austin guitar virtuoso Doyle Bramhall II makes his eTown debut this week to share new songs plus discuss his illustrious musical path that includes working with Steve Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Roger Waters and many others. Plus Nick talks with a representative of a young farmer’s group about the challenges of starting out in agriculture today. That’s this week, in eTown!

eTown welcomes two newcomers to the fold this week for lots of great music and conversation. Indie-folk outfit Blind Pilot makes the trek to eTown’s solar-powered stage from Portland, Oregon to share music from their latest effort, entitled And Then Like Lions. Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Mirah also makes her first stop in eTown. You’ll learn more about her DIY approach to writing and recording music, plus her interesting life growing up in a family of traveling activists, during her interview with eTown host Nick Forster. All of this plus an excellent eChievement Award story about a group that is combating the negative health and environmental effects of primitive cooking methods in the Himalayas.

eTown hosts Nick and Helen Forster welcome up-and-coming, Portland, Oregon-based group Fruition for their first eTown appearance. Fresh off the festival circuit, Fruition is quickly building fans around the country with their unique take on acoustic-driven, high energy music. Also joining us for a first visit is the Swedish alt-Americana group Baskery, three multi-instrumentalist sisters who are each a musical force of their own. We’ve got lots of great music and conversation with our musical guests, plus we’ll check in with a young American woman currently living in Brazil who’s launched an innovative initiative there to combat deforestation in the Amazon. Don’t miss it!

eTown welcomes back long-time friend, singer/songwriter Dar Williams to the stage at eTown Hall to hear her latest musical creations, plus some great conversation with eTown host Nick Forster. English singer/songwriter and painter Piers Faccini also makes a return visit to eTown this week, plus a great eChievement Award story about a Colorado woman who developed a great program to help combat child hunger in her area.

In this week’s encore broadcast, eTown hosts Nick and Helen Forster welcome two new and upcoming acts to the solar-powered stage at eTown Hall. First up, New York City-based rock duo The London Souls whose musical influences include Buddy Miles and Jimi Hendrix, while infusing their own special sound. This young duo has been playing music together since their childhood years and it shows. Austin-based bluegrass ensemble Wood & Wire also makes their first visit to share a fresh take on the classic sounds of the genre. All of this, plus a great eChievement Award story about an Oregon man who has developed a program that supplies musical instruments to at-risk kids, teaching them responsibility, cooperation and more.

This week in eTown, the Providence, Rhode Island-based alternative group Deer Tick makes a visit to eTown to share their one-of-a-kind sound that has been bending the ears of rabid fans for more than a decade. Also with us is the legendary, genre-bending American singer-songwriter Garland Jeffreys, who (by his own account) recorded his first real “Rock and Roll” record in 1977 with Wild In The Streets and has continued to break new ground musically ever since. All of this, plus a great eChievement Award story about a Pennsylvania woman who is preventing new, unused medical supplies from ending up in the landfill and sending them to those that need them in third world countries.

In this week’s back-by-popular-demand airing, eTown welcomes the young (and already widely popular) Greensky Bluegrass to eTown’s solar-powered stage. Since winning the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band in 2006, the band’s career has been on an upward trajectory that is showing no sign of slowing down soon, with headlining slots at some of the country’s most prestigious festivals and venues now a regular occurrence on the band’s yearly touring schedule. Talented country music singer/songwriter Elizabeth Cook also makes her first appearance on the show this week, plus we’ll check in with Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh, a teenage climate activist who is speaking out in major venues around the world about the importance of environmental stewardship, from the perspective of his generation.

This week, eTown hosts Nick and Helen Forster welcome back folk singer, humorist and actor Loudon Wainwright III to hear some of his latest musical creations, as well as excepts from his recent book – Liner Notes. Also joining us for a return visit to eTown’s solar-powered stage is singer/songwriter Heather Maloney. Lots of great music and conversation with our musical guests this week, plus we’ll hear a great eChievement Award story about a Florida man who is cleaning up rivers and urban coastlines in Northern Florida.

Back by popular demand – This week we delve deep into the eTown archives to pull out some of the best holiday music we’ve heard on the show every year. There’s a little something for everyone under eTown’s musical tree this week to get you into the holiday spirit, whether you’re listening in the car, podcasting, or gathering around the radio at home.

This week, eTown returns to the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette, Louisiana for part two of our two-part exploratory adventure into the origins and vast musical styles native to the Louisiana area. We will take a deep dive into the producers and artists that were recently a part of the Grammy-nominated recording project produced by Joel Savoy and Josh Caffery, entitled I Wanna Sing Right: Rediscovering Lomax in the Evangeline Country. We’ll pick up where we left off last week with music from Ann Savoy, Sonny Landreth, Michael Doucet, The Broussard Sisters and much more. All of this, plus we’ll check in with Marylee Orr, a woman who advocates for local Louisianans affected by industrial pollutants that impact their air, water, land, and life-spans.

It’s a not-to-be-missed ‘On the Road’ broadcast this week as eTown heads down to the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette, Louisiana for a very special two-part broadcast that delves into the origins and vast musical styles native to the Louisiana area. We will take a deep dive into the producers and artists that were recently a part of the Grammy-nominated recording project produced by Joel Savoy and Josh Caffery, entitled I Wanna Sing Right: Rediscovering Lomax in the Evangeline Country. Tune in for part one this week, as we’ll lots of great music from Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and banjo player Rhiannon Giddens, Dirk Powell, The Band Courtbouillon, and a host of other artists.

This week it’s another special ‘eTown On The Road’ episode as we return to our favorite home away from home, the beautiful and iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, for an hour of live music with rising stars Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, plus singer/songwriter/violinist Amanda Shires. We’ll hear lots of great music from each artist straight from the Red Rocks stage, plus we’ll check in with them for some backstage interviews to catch up on their latest musical trajectories. It’s an hour of great music and conversation from one of the most beautiful natural music venues on the planet – this week in eTown.

It’s a special encore broadcast this week as we welcome back legendary singer/songwriter and two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Graham Nash for an intimate performance and conversation from eTown’s solar-powered stage. Best known for his world-renowned music with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Graham has enjoyed a prolific career as a solo artist as well, and joins us this week to share music from his latest collection of songs, entitled This Path Tonight. In addition to his status as one of the most influential musicians in the last 40 years, Graham has also spent a lifetime as an activist and pioneer of many important social causes, which makes him a perfect fit for eTown. Plus, Austin, Texas based singer/songwriter Eliza Gilkyson returns to eTown to round out this eclectic hour of radio filled with surprises!

This week in eTown, Grammy Award-winning blues multi-instrumentalist Delbert McClinton returns to the show for the first time in almost 15 years (his last visit was in 2003) to share tunes from his latest release ‘Prick of the Litter’. Also joining us is blues and soul singer/songwriter and guitarist Robert Finley. Hailing from Louisiana, Finley mixes a Memphis-to-Texas electric southern grit with Nashville-clever songs. He’s gangly and graceful with an indomitable smile that radiates beneath his black ridge-top hat. “I don’t believe in doing a lot of holding back,” Finley says, “I’m going to give you everything I’ve got.” All of this, plus Nick Forster sits down with Chris Pallister of Gulf of Alaska Keeper to learn how his organization is protecting the waters and habitat of the Northern Gulf of Alaska by cleaning up marine debris in Prince William So

It’s a special encore broadcast this week as we revisit our special ‘eTown on the Road’ show at Denver’s Fiddlers Green Amphitheater with legendary outlaw country artist Willie Nelson. We’ll hear lots of great music from Willie, plus a candid conversation with eTown host Nick Forster direct from Willie’s tour bus. Also on the show is up-and-coming country artist and eTown newcomer Kacey Musgraves, who became a household name after landing a slot as a competitor of the hit TV program Nashville Star early on in her career. It’s a one-of-a-kind hour of great music and conversation this week.

eTown welcomes back singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sara Watkins. Sara joined us several years ago as part of the widely popular progressive bluegrass group, Nickel Creek, but this week marks her fist performance on the show as a solo artist. Also with us is the Alabama-based musical duo Penny & Sparrow who make their first appearance on the show to share music from their latest release, entitled Let a Lover Drown You, as well as some insightful (and frequently hilarious) conversation with eTown’s host, Nick Forster. All of this, plus an interview with a man who has come up with a groundbreaking farming technique that allows for more sustainable commercial fishing practices.

eTown hosts Nick and Helen Forster welcome singer/songwriter and violin virtuoso Andrew Bird to eTown Hall’s solar-powered stage. Andrew got his start in the popular bands Squirrel Nut Zippers and Bowl of Fire before embarking on what has become a very successful solo career. We’ll hear lots of great music from Andrew and his band, plus we’ll learn more about his time living on secluded family land, and what effects that experience had on his musical development and creative process. Also joining us is Canadian indie folk artist Leif Vollebekk, who joins forces with the eTown house band – the eTones – to perform music from his latest collection of songs, entitled Twin Solitude. Lots of great music this week from our visiting artists, plus we’ll check in with Tom Chappell, co-founder of the Tom’s of Maine brand, to hear about his decades-long approach to responsible and sustainable business practices.

This week in eTown, California-based alternative folk duo honeyhoney makes a stop at eTown Hall to share their lush and beautiful sound on eTown’s solar-powered stage. New York City-based singer/songwriter Margaret Glaspy also brings in her unique take on guitar-driven rock songs, born from a lifetime of soaking up musical influences and knowledge from anywhere and everywhere her journey has taken her thus far. All of this, plus a great conversation about new alternative energy sources with former Governor of Colorado, Bill Ritter.

This week, eTown continues its long trend of featuring great musical artists with Oklahoma roots by welcoming Americana artist John Moreland for his first visit to eTown’s solar-powered stage. With his earliest influences and musical expressions coming from the worlds of punk rock and hardcore, John credits his switch to folk music after being influenced by the music of Steve Earle – a legendary artist and frequent eTown guest that carries an approach and attitude toward music and songwriting that could easily straddle both worlds in his own right. Also joining us is singer/songwriter and instrumentalist Phoebe Hunt. Plus, we’ll hear a great eChievement Award story about a California woman’s program to help women transition from prison to a productive life.

Be sure to tune in to eTown this week for part two of our special two-part pod/broadcast featuring the legendary singer/songwriter and Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir, plus Americana artist John Fullbright. We’ll pick up where we left off last week, by delving deeper into conversation with Bob, and further exploring the vast realms of his musical catalog. We’ll also hear more great music from our friend John Fullbright, plus a one-of-a-kind finale with both artists.

Be sure to tune in to eTown this week for part one of a special two-part broadcast featuring the legendary singer/songwriter and Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir, plus Americana artist John Fullbright. While we’ve been lucky to have both artists with us in previous years, this marks the first time we’ve been able to host Weir at eTown Hall’s intimate 200-seat, solar-powered performance space. Join us in eTown these next two weeks for a pair of episodes filled with mind-expanding musical exploration, candid conversations, and plenty of familiar songs to fill the air.

This week’s back-by-popular-demand broadcast/podcast features two long-time friends of the show for a musical check in at eTown Hall. Langhorne Slim first joined us in 2009, and is back in stripped-down fashion to share some of his latest musical explorations, as well as a few collaborations with eTown hosts Nick and Helen Forster and the eTones. Also with us is English-born, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock who shares music spanning his long career, plus engages with Nick Forster in one the most humorous interview segments in quite some time. All of this, plus a great eChievement Award story about a group of women who have embarked on a simple plan to help protect people’s hearing at concerts and festivals.

In this week’s installment of eTown, singer/songwriter and avid surfer Jack Johnson makes a triumphant return to eTown to share some of his latest music in front of the intimate audience at eTown’s solar-powered performance space – eTown Hall. Also joining us for the first time is Canadian folk artist Tamara Lindeman who regularly performs under the name The Weather Station. Sticking with oceanic weather-related themes, we’ll also check in with enviro-filmmaker Jeff Orlowski to talk about his latest film, Chasing Coral, which documents the disappearance of the world’s coral reefs.

This week, eTown welcomes legendary Grammy Award-winning country singer/songwriter Marty Stuart, along with his virtuosic band – The Fabulous Superlatives. Marty shares lots of music from his group’s latest release, Way Out West, as well as insightful conversation about his storied career as a recording artist, television personality and one time son-in-law to Johnny Cash. Also with us this week is singer/songwriter and eTown newcomer Cassandra Jenkins, plus we’ll check in with an author/photographer who is combining his skills to tell the story of climate change and wildfires.

This week’s solar-powered musical meeting features an up-and-coming band that is already making waves, alongside a well-established musician who makes his first appearance on the show. Australian folk pop band Oh Pep! takes the stage to share music from the band’s debut release, plus Indiana-born / Nashville-based singer and piano virtuoso Jon McLaughlin shares some of his solo material, as well as a few songs with eTown’s house band – the eTones. Lots of great music and conversation with our musical guests, plus an enlightening interview with a young man who came up with a Smart Gun invention that could help make us all safer.

Popularly known as singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth, Thurston Moore was listed as one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” Moore joins us with his blend of alternative, experimental rock and post-punk. Texas R&B and soul duo Greyhounds is also with us, and our eChievement Award winner shares her story of “rescuing” food that would otherwise go to waste to feed the hungry in her community.

This week, eTown welcomes the eclectic, LA-based psychedelic soul group, Chicano Batman, for some solar-powered musical goodness. Also joining us for her first visit is folk singer/songwriter, BettySoo. There will be plenty of great music, collaboration and conversation with our visiting artists this week, plus a great eChievement Award story about a Colorado-based organization that provides free housing, transportation and food for families affected by immigrant detention.

In this back-by-popular-demand airing, eTown hosts Nick and Helen Forster welcome Swedish indie folk artist José González and his band for a first visit to eTown. Also with us is North Carolina-based musical duo Mandolin Orange. It’s a musical combination like no other this week, plus a great eChievement Award story about a woman who is keeping office supplies out of landfills and getting them into the hands of teachers.

In this week’s encore broadcast/podcast, eclectic Americana multi-instrumentalists Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys make their first visit to eTown’s solar-powered stage to share their forward-looking take on American roots music. Also joining us for the first time is Swedish/Icelandic female folk duo My Bubba who share their sparse and beautiful music, as well as stories about their experiences in circus school and side jobs as locomotive engineers. Lots of great music and conversation with our musical guests, plus we’ll check in with a Colorado-based advocate for bees to hear about their importance to our natural ecosystem.

eTown hosts Nick and Helen Forster welcome back singer/songwriter Drew Holcomb and his band – The Neighbors – to eTown’s solar-powered musical clubhouse this week. We’ll check in to hear some of Drew’s latest musical creations, and get an update on his musical story. Americana singer/songwriter and eTown veteran Tift Merritt also makes a return visit this week, plus we’ll hear from eChievement Award winner Stephen Ritz of Green Bronx Machine to learn about how he is bringing the joys of gardening to schools in his area.