Photo by Nicole Wickens / Green Door Photography
The Black Lillies
Known for their captivating blend of rock & roll and country, The Black Lillies have become one of Americana music’s biggest success stories: an internationally-renowned band of roots-rockers, armed with songs that blur the boundaries between genres. They are a mainstay on radio and album sales charts, with a sound that is as powerful in the quieter moments as it is explosive during the jubilant ones. Their new album Stranger to Me, was an immediate critical and fan success, debuting at #5 on the Billboard Folk/Americana chart, #9 on the Billboard Current Country chart, and #61 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart – no small feat for a band that eschews record labels in order to remain independent and in control of their sound. And what a sound it is: built on the foundation of the familiar roots rock of some of the greatest bands of the past, but altogether fresh, modern, sharp; swirling with psychedelic overtones, torch ballad longing, and an indie rock edge.
catch the black lillies on tour
Photo by Neilson Hubbard
Nora Jane Struthers
Nora Jane Struthers has written "some of the most quietly powerful narratives within the new wave of Americana artists," says Ann Powers of NPR Music. The songs that last decades and weave themselves into the fabric of listeners' lives are usually the ones in which an artist lays her soul bare for the world to hear. Struthers has built her career on these kinds of songs. It’s easy to see why she’s been heralded as one of the greatest songwriters of contemporary roots music - there’s an honesty and energy to Nora Jane’s stage presence; a vulnerability that is part and parcel of great artistry. In one moment, she joyfully leads the audience in a dance party … in the next, she lays her soul bare for the world to hear. A performance by Nora Jane and her band is full to the brim with stellar musicianship, unexpected arrangements that blur the lines between folk, roots, and rock, and an audible sense that everyone in the room is having a damn good time.
catch nora jane struthers on tour
Photo by Blue Gabor
Max Gomez
Max Gomez grew up in Taos, New Mexico, the son of a Portuguese-Spanish father and an Irish-Scottish mother. As a budding performer, he apprenticed in the rarefied musical climate of northern New Mexico, where troubadours like Michael Martin Murphey and Ray Wylie Hubbard helped foster a folk and Western sound both cosmic and cowboy. Gomez grew up in a rich musical environment, but represents more than the sum of his influences—he’s got that ineffable and instantly recognizable x-factor called talent. Melodies that flow naturally. Trenchant lyrics that express wise-beyond-his-years observations on the ways of the heart. Laconic phrasing in a cafe mocha timbre, and guitar skills that can stand alone. In short: the whole package. Judging by the company he keeps, Gomez is positioned to emerge as a prominent voice of Americana’s next generation. Since the release of his debut album, Rule the World, in 2013, he’s shared billing on hundreds of stages with stalwarts of the genre like Shawn Mullins, James McMurtry, Buddy Miller, Jim Lauderdale, Patty Griffin, and John Hiatt.