We’re looking forward to the full-length albums coming this summer from these three greats. We’ll hear a song of gratitude from Ruthie Foster’s Just Say Yes album coming out August 28th on Sun Records; the title track from Nashville-by-way-of-Pennsylvania singer/songwriter and former Stray Bird Maya de Vitry; and the first single from Boone native Maura Shawn Scanlin, who has a wonderful Celtic-based fiddle album coming July 22nd that also features John Doyle and Duncan Wickel.

If you know Sturgill Simpson, then you know Johnny Blue Skies. He got the name from a bartender when he was just getting started singing open mics (can you imagine seeing him back then?!) As Pitchfork describes this, “The album threads disco stabs through country rock and political lyrics, a soundtrack for the best party at the end of the world.”

The old-time, bluegrass, & folk band from Boone and now the world over is back. Their latest has a theme that’s right on time for our 250th anniversary of the USA, with songs like “Howdy Do America”, “Last American Waltz”, “Rainbow Stew”, and “Revolution Now”. Guests include Del McCoury, Jesse Welles, and Molly Tuttle.

This band formed 15 years ago, forging a mix that often sparks our interest here at WNCW: cosmic Americana and psychedelic country-rock. Their new album lives up to its name.

Our introduction to country singer Joshua Ray Walker was his wonderful trilogy of albums Wish You Were Here (2019), Glad You Made It (2020), and See You Next Time (2021). After his serious cancer diagnosis and intense treatment in 2023, he began releasing a second trio, beginning with the rather light-hearted, surprisingly whimsical Jimmy Buffett-inspired Tropicana, followed by Stuff, which envisioned the world from the perspective of the inanimate objects we leave behind us. Now he completes trio #2 with a return to his honky-tonk roots with Aint Dead Yet, which he describes as “my most autobiographical record yet.”

We’ve enjoyed playing the music of Grey DeLisle here the past few years, and she has another career as a Comic Con icon. Les Greene is the voice of Little Richard in the recent “Elvis” movie and Grammy-nominated soundtrack. The two met in 2024, and as DeLisle says, "As soon as I heard Les Greene sing for the first time, I went home that very night and wrote us a duet!” Grey & Greene was produced by rockabilly veteran and multi-instrumentalist James Intveld, who co-wrote three of the songs with DeLisle. They describe their latest project as “this warm and vibrant slice of real, flesh and blood rock n’ soul (that) is a balm to our battered ears (and psyches).”

We are excited to welcome Andrew Sa to Studio B in the 2:00 hour

3-time GRAMMY nominee & groundbreaking Afro-Cuban funk innovator Cimafunk joins with his powerhouse band La Tribu (The Tribe), to release this new album, which translates as It’s Your Turn. Joining Cimafunk here are Dr. Zapa (musical director / drums), Hilaria Cacao (trombone/vocals), Katy Cacao (saxophone / vocals), Machete (percussion/vocals), Big Happy (minor percussion/vocals), Wao (piano), El Ra (bass), and El Friki (guitar). "Cimafunk redefines funk… with a sonic mosaic that fuses Afro-Cuban rhythms with the contagious groove of R&B and the harmonic sensuality of soul, evoking giants like Earth, Wind & Fire.. pure energy, originality, and charisma - creating an exciting, danceable bridge between African American and Latin music… solidifying a place as one of the most innovative and captivating artists in contemporary music." (Billboard)

Traditional folk tunes, original compositions by member Nicholas Edward Williams, who recently moved to Asheville, banjo and clarinet together… this album is right up WNCW’s alley. Cody Ray (Guitar, Lap Steel, Bass, Vocals), Emma Dubose (Fiddle, Vocals), Nicholas Edward Williams (Guitar, Banjo, Vocals), Jade Watts (Upright Bass, Guitar, Vocals) & Gordon Inman (Clarinet, Vocals). Upcoming shows of theirs in our area include the Martha Bassett Show in Elkin on Thursday June 4th, and Leveller Brewing in Weaverville on Friday June 5th. (By the way, we air The Martha Bassett show on Saturdays at 6am and Wednesdays at 1am.)

Avery Hellman (AKA ISMAY) has been a rancher, an alt-country musician, and, always, a dreamer. But they recently found themself once more while looking for Lucinda Williams. In 2023, Hellman was hard at work on an album, podcast, and documentary delving into the psyche of the country singer-songwriter when they discovered how much poetry played into Williams’ general talents.