Martin Anderson

At its core, The Moon and You is a charismatic husband-and-wife team. Melissa Hyman plays cello, Ryan Furstenberg plays guitar and banjo, and both sing in “voices that sound like they were made for one another” (Bill DeYoung, Connect Savannah). But whatever you might assume based on their gorgeous vocal blend and heartfelt lyrics, this ain’t your basic folk duo. With a rotating cast of talented friends to add unexpected instrumentation to their lineup, The Moon and You never plays the same show twice. This ever-evolving, expandable and collapsible model leaves the band constantly reinventing itself in ways both surprising and satisfying. Currently calling Asheville home, Furstenberg and Hyman mix up a fresh blend of influences from very different backgrounds. Melissa grew up in the NYC area studying classical cello. Her dad is a professional violinist and formal music instructor, her mom a fan of 60s folk who loves to host a good old fashioned sing-along. Ryan was born and raised among the Eastern NC tobacco fields, learning classic country and 70s rock on harmonica and then guitar. His rich country baritone and easy Southern style bring an undeniable Americana flavor to the table. Together, the two form a sound that is warm and inviting, atmospheric and playful. Their songs range in style from classic to quirky. They’re part of the Albino Skunk Music Festival lineup, May 7-10 outside Greer, SC.

Olivia Ellen Lloyd jokes that she will try anything once. From flight attendant school in Dallas to producing theater in New York and teaching in Guatemala, Lloyd sought adventure but struggled to find a greater sense of purpose – until she found her way back to music. Channeling that restless spirit, she writes songs that dig deep for hope in the face of hardship on her albums, including her latest Do It Myself. Lloyd is also known for touring and recording with the likes of Sarah Jarosz, Railroad Earth, Teddy Thompson, Iris Dement, Lindsay Lou, Bella White, Jobi Riccio, and Lizzie No. She is also a newly inaugurated member of the Resistance Revival Chorus. She gets around! And is in our area for a show Thursday in Elkin, for the Martha Bassett Show: we recently started airing that program Tuesday nights at 1am.

Her songs have been covered by Alison Krauss, Bon Iver, Wynonna, Randy Travis, and many others. She’s had over 20 songs in the hit TV series “Nashville”. She opened up for Bonnie Raitt in Asheville last week! And, she’s an NC native who calls Brevard home. Our friend Sarah Siskind has a new solo album appropriately called Simplify out on her Modern Appalachia record label. Upcoming performances include The Purple Onion in Saluda on Thursday the 1st, and her hometown official album release show on June 6th at 185 King Street.

The follow-up to her fourth full-length album from five years ago, 25 Trips, this new one from the mandolinist, singer and songwriter is more of an independent release, though it also includes integral collaborations with the likes of Béla Fleck, Tim O’Brien, Aoife O’Donovan, Lindsay Lou, Ronnie Bowman, and her husband Justin Moses. Sierra herself seems to admit this one marks a significant chapter of self-realization and expression for her. “[People say,] “She’s finally coming into her own” – it’s like that every chapter! But the truth is, that’s the human story at any level. You can be coming into your own your entire life. you know? It looks different at 16, and it looks different at 20, it looks different at 25, and it looks different now in my 30s.” Four of the songs here – “Red Bird,” “Haven Hill,” “Spitfire,” “Lord, That’s a Long Way” – nod to the matriarchs of her musical family.

Acclaimed jazz singer Deborah Silver breathes new life into classic rock hits, with her sultry, soulful voice, and with one of the most dynamic and longest lasting jazz ensembles in existence. Check out these different arrangements of songs from the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Police, and others, led by Silver. Under the direction of Scotty Barnhart, the Count Basie Orchestra has garnered 20 Grammy Awards, beginning in 1958 and most recently in 2024 for Basie Swings the Blues. The band itself dates back some 90 years, and has shown itself to represent and change with the evolving times, just as its founder was known for doing.

On this her 4th album, singer/songwriter Valerie June addresses the spirit animal that teaches her a lot about death, openness, and of course wisdom…. And the current omens she sees in politics, the climate, and other overwhelming crises: “I need to see a rainbow. Send me a four-leaf clover, some kind of omen,” she pleads. “That’s what songs do for me.” …And finally, the oracles serve as homage to lineage, legacy, connection, and change: particularly her own ancestry, and the oracles she can leave for future generations. Musically, this features Valerie’s vocal, guitar, and banjo work, along with Kaveh Rastegar on bass and Stephen Hodges on percussion, and horn and string sections.

Two of the three Carolina Chocolate Drops reunite on this exciting release with their fiddle and banjo in the spotlight. Many of these tunes were learned from their late mentor, the legendary North Carolina Piedmont musician Joe Thompson who was a key inspiration for the Chocolate Drops, and one of the last musicians of his era and his community to carry on the southern Black string band tradition. Robinson sings lead on the non-instrumentals here. This is but one of the highlights of Giddens’ particularly busy month: her Biscuits & Banjos Festival in Durham (the inaugural one kicked off this past weekend) highlights the deep roots and enduring legacy of Black music, art, and culture while fostering community and storytelling. Then there’s her Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue tour – featuring Robinson and four other string musicians, including multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell; on June 18 they will headline the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, joined by Our Native Daughters (of which she is one of the four members), Steve Martin, and others. And, there’s My Music with Rhiannon Giddens returning to PBS in May with six new episodes. Produced by the Will & Deni McIntyre Foundation, this third season was filmed at various iconic venues around Ireland and features outstanding guest artists who, like Giddens herself, have made Ireland their home.

It’s the Soul Queen of New Orleans herself! And one of the city’s coolest bands ever, with this new collaboration on Galactic’s own Tchuop-Zilla Records. The band’s core instrumentalists – Ben Ellman (saxophones, harmonica), Robert Mercurio (bass), Stanton Moore (drums), Jeff Raines (guitar) and Rich Vogel (keyboards) – usually feature a variety of guest vocalists, but this time it’s all Irma, 83 years young and leading them on all 8 new tunes written specifically for her, plus a new take on Nancy Wilson’s “How Glad I Am.”

Alabama singer/songwriter/troubadour Grayson Capps is coming back through Western North Carolina for a show at the Grey Eagle in Asheville Thursday, and we have a feeling he’s pretty excited about it.

Ten years (and 13 albums!) into his career, Charley Crockett has shared a lot about his life through his songs, not to mention his frank interviews. His life experiences are rather frank and direct in this straightforward release, too, and it’s bound to be another one of his to rank high in our Top 100 at year’s end.