Andrew takes us in a bit of a different direction on this one, as he pays tribute to a lifelong love for mid-century, small group jazz he used to hear on the radio. Together with Ted Poor on drums, and Alan Hampton on bass – plus additional guitar from Jeff Parker and piano by Larry Goldings – Sunday Morning Put-On finds Andrew Bird paying direct homage to Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, and others. Andrew Bird plays Rabbit Rabbit in Asheville on July 18th, along with Nickel Creek and Mike Viola.Listen on Apple Music

The acclaimed trio of Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman has just released their new double album Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free via Jagjaguwar Records. They describe their latest as an ode to the blessed mess of our humanity. Confident and generous, it is an unvarnished offering that puts every feeling and supposed flaw out in the open.Listen on Apple Music

We first met her thanks to her work in the trio the Stray Birds, but lately she’s been channeling her muse(s) in different directions, with various solo projects. “I’m not just making different music now. It feels like I'm breathing in a different atmosphere.” Get to know her latest, which will be released on July 12th.

He’s a favorite of ours: for his songwriting, his spirit, and his multi-talented music prowess. Will is known as a great producer (including for Shemekia Copeland’s last three albums), a guitarist (including for Emmylou Harris for her recent tours), and as a member of Daddy and Willie Sugarcapps among other projects. Now we have his 11th full-length solo album, and it’s got at least a couple tunes that address some rather uniquely American themes for this Independence Day evening.

It can be a workout trying to keep up with Americana’s most prolific songwriter! But for those who’ve lost count this is his 37th, and it’s filled with 11 wonderful new originals, performed by the band he’s been out on tour with lately. That tour recently included MerleFest (his “Favorite Place”?) and SkunkFest in our area. It will be officially released on June 21st on Sky Crunch Records.Listen on Apple Music

Here’s another favorite band of ours since they formed in Miami back in 1989, the same year WNCW was born. We love their Americana/roots fusion of alternative and outlaw country, rock, blues, R&B and Tejano/Tex-Mex influences, and Raul Malo and the rest of the band are back with their 13th album. They’ve already got quite a full sound on their own, but they’re also joined by featured guests Sierra Ferrell, Maggie Rose, Nicole Atkins, and Max Abrams. It was recorded in Louisiana, Santa Fe, and their hometown of Nashville.Listen on Apple Music

The trio of Joe Bellanti, Corey Kertzie and Dave Ruch met in 1983 as members of a Buffalo, New York Grateful Dead cover band called Wild Knights. Then in 2020 they pivoted to this funky organ-based trio Organ Fairchild. Their latest album is an eclectic reworking of classics by Bob Marley, Leonard Cohen, the Beatles, and (of course) the Grateful Dead, among others.

RT is back with a new one! From his co-founding of Fairport Convention in the 60s, through his work with Linda Thompson in the 70s and string of spectacular solo releases since then, he’s remained a favorite of ours here at WNCW. This 12-song set was produced by Thompson and recorded in Woodstock, NY.

In the height of lockdown in 2020, banjo extraordinaire Tony Trischka received a mysterious package in his mailbox that would significantly change his next few years. Its contents: an USB drive full of rare recordings of Earl Scruggs jamming with John Hartford, mostly taken from private gatherings at Earl’s house during the 80s and 90s. Naturally, Trischka began pouring over the more than 200 songs, transcribing the all-new solos, tones, and tricks from the man he’d been studying for over half a century. Now we have this new album, filled with wonderful collaborations from other artists including Del McCoury, Billy Strings, Sierra Ferrell, Molly Tuttle, and the Gibson Brothers.

In addition to his work with brother Chris and “brother” Jano Rix in the Wood Brothers, and his previous time fronting King Johnson, Oliver Wood has done some solo work, and this is his newest one since his 2021 debut. He recruited some familiar names to help, like Seth Walker, Ric Robertson, Katie Pruitt, Tania Elizabeth, and Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin. Jano co-produced this one with him, with a good bit of spontaneity. “I wanted to get outside my box and embrace the uncertainty of what’s out there. I wanted weird guitar tones. I wanted more percussion and less drums. Once we began experimenting and doing whatever inspired us, the pressure melted away and I felt liberated.”