This is likely to be one of those great nights- challenge yourself to go hear people you have not yet heard.

PETER MULVEY   is a walking secret handshake – the street-singing kid in Dublin, the funk-master guitar stylist fronting the storming power trio, the conspiratorial spoken-word craftsman, the Tin Pan Alley delver, and all through it he has remained the traveler out on the road, bringing his music to audiences from Alaska to Spain, from Ireland to Italy, in clubs and theaters, coffeeshops to the Kennedy Center, by car and -in what is now and annual tradition- by bicycle. Over 20 years, honing his musicianship, his phrasing, his ability to inhabit a song, he has come fully into his own, where he stands, full of grit and warmth, as an American master.

Boston Globe:

“Peter Mulvey is all substance, which is his style.”

Mojo (UK):
“Singularly gifted.”

Davis Enterprise:
“The cream of the crop… sings with a clarity reserved for the likes of legends.”

Portuguese-Canadian, multi-instrumentalist (accordion, banjo, guitar, ukulele, gutbucket bass, percussion and lead vocals), AWNA TEIXEIRA began her musical career in 2001 performing all over North America and writing songs with various bands before joining Po’Girl, one of Canada’s hardest working international touring acts, in 2005. Over the course of creating five albums and seven years of solid-touring in 15 different countries, on 4 different continents, and playing between 200 and 250 shows a year, Allison Russell and Awna Teixeira have become the core of the highly-esteemed and internationally-recognized band, Po’Girl. Awna, while still working with Po’Girl, is currently embarking on her first solo project “Where the Darkness Goes”.

“I’ll go as far as to say…….. WHERE THE DARKNESS GOES is the album that Nanci Griffith and Dolly Parton have both been trying to produce for several years and Awna Teixeira has taken the first steps on the ladder to emulate their success.” 5/5 No Depresson/Maverick Magazine UK 2012/13

“A bag of riches from Po’ Girl front-woman! “Teixeira’s voice is a delightfully gentle instrument; like the elfin sister of Emmylou Harris and Stevie Nicks.” 4/5 Americana UK 2012

“It is safe to say there is no one else quite like Awna, with her quirky take on roots music that combines highlonesome ‘hillbilly’ music with folk and probably more than a nod to her Portugese roots, the only addition that can really explain this unique rootsy amalgamate of beautiful sounds.” 5/5 American Roots UK 2012

JOHN STATZ

When singer/songwriter John Statz isn’t at home in Denver, Colorado, he’s out traveling the world, playing shows and writing and recording in places like Budapest, Slovenia, Quebec, and Anchorage. For his new album, Old Fashioned, he is bringing it back home. Whereas the previous album (Ghost Towns) was filled with worldly influences and subject matter, Old Fashioned brings us back to the heartland: Midwestern America.

Recorded in Iowa City with revered producer Bo Ramsey (Lucinda Williams, Greg Brown, Pieta Brown) this album is all about deep love, hard-working Midwestern folk, nostalgia for times past and of course, history.

BEN SCHMIDT

Twenty-nine year old singer/songwriter Ben Schmidt uses his warm reedy mid range voice and a powerful arsenal of fingerstyle and flatpicked guitar chops to texture his soulful compositions.

Raised in Chicago, Mr. Schmidt’s self-taught approach to music is rooted in vintage folk and blues, but whether by himself on a lap slide guitar, or in front of a band, he takes the listener on a unique journey in every song. Since he first picked up a guitar at age twelve, Schmidt has refined his playing and writing skills, drawing comparisons to Leo Kotke, Kelly Joe Phelps, Tom Waits, Greg Brown and John Gorka.

Before performing as a musican, Ben Schmidt was variously, an actor, teacher, theatre designer, bike mechanic, and carpenter. Schmidt has performed primarily in Eastern Iowa with sporadic appearances in Chicago. His music has been played on KUNI, WSUI, KRUI, and KCCK in Iowa, and on Chicago’s WFMT folk showcase “The Midnight Special.” Ben has appeared both as a musical guest and as a featured guest artist for NPR’s live radio forum “Iowa Talks” on WSUI. He also been the featured guest of college radio KRUI.

His Debut CD is “Write it Down”. He also appears on the “M.U.S.E.“(Musician’s united to save the Englert (theatre)) compilation with Greg Brown, Dave Moore, David Zollo, and other Iowa Artist. Ben Schmidt currently lives with his wife and children in Iowa City, Ia.