“For an artist to get in the studio and record an entire set in just a few days on a single acoustic guitar, one might assume the music is calling with some urgency. But for Jason Isbell’s latest solo outing Foxes in the Snow, there’s a slow and steady focus across its spare 11 tracks. It’s no salacious breakup album (though some might have been anticipating it following his 2024 divorce from longtime partner Amanda Shires), but it’s got heartbreak seeping from every pore. Still, somehow, it listens like a respite, a return to something starkly simple, reminiscent of Isbell’s foundational, 2013 breakthrough Southeastern. For Isbell, it’s always been about the songs, but without his backing band the 400 Unit, the emphasis here is very much on pristine songcraft and excellent picking.” (Maeri Ferguson, No Depression) Isbell performs at the Peace Center in Greenville, SC on Sunday, April 13th.

He struggled through a couple of health scares last year, but on his 29th(!) album, the Flatlander himself sounds as strong as ever, with covers from Guy Clark, Woody Guthrie, and Townes Van Zandt blended well with originals that pay tribute to the Texas Troubadours and other features of his home state. He lives in Taos, NM these days, but this was recorded at his home studio outside Austin. The musicians you’ll hear are Joe Ely (vocals/guitars/synth/electric drums/harmonica/percussion), Joel Guzman (accordion), Ryan Bingham (vocals/guitar), Lloyd Maines (low acoustic/bass/acoustic guitar/acoustic steel & slide/percussion) & David Grissom (guitar).

An exciting and promising new name on the Americana and alt-country music scene, Shepherdstown, West Virginia’s Olivia Ellen Lloyd has this strong follow-up to her debut album Loose Cannon. As The Alternate Root writes, “Olivia Ellen Lloyd’s music encapsulates what it means to be human, and how to rise out of the ashes of hardship.” After being a finalist in Asheville’s national NewSong Music Competition in 2021, she became a Kerrville Newfolk Winner in 2023. She is also a newly inaugurated member of the Resistance Revival Chorus, a collective of more than 60 women, and non-binary singers. Do It Myself will officially be released March 21st. She tells us she’ll be touring back through our area in May.

The grit of folk, the soul of blues, and the rebellious spirit of punk collide with this trio. Formed in 2002 in Santa Cruz, California by Pete Bernhard and Cooper McBean, the trio, now featuring longtime collaborator MorganEve Swain (taking over on upright bass and vocals for Lucia Turino), has continued to evolve musically while staying rooted in their core sound. The Devil Makes Three has always woven together tales of the downtrodden and the resilient, and this latest album is no different. With influences ranging from Tom Waits to Riley Pucket, Willie Nelson, and Robert Johnson, the band continues to be a torchbearer of the Great American Tradition of Storytelling. “That’s what we set out to do. We wanted to use these musical forms to discuss current issues,” explained Bernhard. “Folk music should be about what’s happening, just as it was when Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan did it.”

We're in New Orleans for Mardi Gras! Louis Armstrong's second wife, an accomplished pianist and composer in her own right, has been considered a deeply underappreciated contributor to Oliver's Creole Jazz Band and Armstrong's Hot Five. Enter pianist Caili O'Doherty, who has reinterpreted and modernized her nine compositions, written and/or recorded between the 1920s and '60s. Michael Mayo and Tahira Clayton are the vocalists, with Nicole Glover on sax and Cory Cox on drums.

The former boxer-turned-singer/songwriter has his 14th album out now, and it’s about growing older: turning 60, to be specific. “Every song on this album, there’s a message in it of some sort about how to live life,” he says. His messages include enjoying life’s pleasures, slowing down, keeping a sense of humor, and other tricks to stay happy. As he sings in his song “Chicken Wing,” “I’m in the winter of my life / I love my dog, I like my wife / I wash the dishes, I sweep the floor / I keep a 12-gauge behind the door.” Paul’s live shows are known for their passion, storytelling, and wit, and he’ll be at the Reeves Theater in Elkin, NC on March 28th and The Don Gibson Theatre in Shelby on the 29th.

Some say the late patriarch of “Newgrass” music has had a bit of a revival in the past few years. To which we say, terrific! John Hartford has been one of WNCW’s most defining icons since our station’s format was first conjured up. With the help of his daughter, Katie Harford Hogue, the paddlewheel keeps churning with the upcoming release of this 2nd volume. Again co-produced by Hogue, along with Sharon Gilchrist and Megan Lynch Chowning, Volume 2 celebrates some of the most beloved female artists in the Hartford-inspired bluegrass scene: Rachel Baiman, Phoebe Hunt, Ginger Boatwright, Brittany Haas, Deanie Richardson, Allison de Groot, Della Mae, The Price Sisters, Uncle Earl, and many more. Volume 2 contains thirteen new Hartford instrumental fiddle tunes and five “legacy” covers of beloved John Hartford songs, all of which take on new life thanks to these fellow fans of his.

Jesse Welles grew up in rural Arkansas, and picked up the guitar and songwriting at age 12. You can hear how his first loves were folk artists like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, as well as the folk revival artists of the ‘60s, like Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and of course Bob Dylan. Fearless, he reports from the frontlines of a divided country on the brink, addressing inequalities and injustices around us. As Rolling Stone says, “There’s nothing “middle” about Welles: he’s unflinchingly addressed hot-button topics like the war in Gaza, capitalism, and the U.S. healthcare system.” He’s been an internet sensation this past year with his solo videos on Instagram and TikTok, and we’re excited he’s now got this official, well-produced album. We also appreciate Jesse’s general desire to inspire: “If my music helps you believe you can make art, and that you should make art, there would be nothing better…Get those paints out…[and] fill up that journal."

Punk and folk and Nashville country converge on this strong, seventh album from guitarist and singer/songwriter Sunny War. She’s known for defying any one genre, or mood – she can cover dark topics while somehow also delivering them in a warm, optimistic way. But also don’t overlook her guitar work: “…Her right thumb plunks the bass part while her forefinger upstrokes notes and chords, leaving the other three fingers unused. A banjo technique, it’s also used by acoustic blues guitarists. Her fingers are long and strong – Robert Johnson hands – in jarring contrast to the waif they’re attached to. The walking bass line sounds like a hammer striking piano keys in perfect meter, while the fills are dynamic flurries – like cluster bombs. I haven’t heard a young guitarist this dexterous and ass-kicking in eons.” (Michael Simmons, L.A Weekly.) Producer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Hurray For the Riff Raff) helped capture her powers throughout this album. She’s joined in singing these songs by Steve Ignorant, Valerie June, Tré Burt, and John Doe. Sunny’s one upcoming regional appearance (so far) is Knoxville’s Big Ears Festival on March 27th.

Patterson Hood is an acclaimed singer-songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of the Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers. Born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Hood grew up immersed in the region's rich musical heritage, with his father, David Hood, being a renowned session bassist for the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Drawing inspiration from timeless storytelling traditions, Hood's music often explores themes of Southern identity, social justice, and personal introspection, whether that’s in the Truckers, or with solo projects like this fourth one of his, and first one in 12 years. Chris Funk, guitarist for The Decemberists, produced it. Other guests include Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), Daniel Hunt (Neko Case, M Ward), Waxahatchee, Lydia Loveless, Kyleen King (Brandi Carlile’s string section leader), Brad Margan and Jay Gonzalez of the Truckers, and Asheville band Wednesday.