In a conversation with WAMC's Joe Donahue presented by the NYS Writers Institute, Natalie Merchant, one of the defining singer-songwriters of her generation, will discuss her new album and multimedia collaboration, "Cabinet of Wonder," an ambitious educational project based on traditional Mother Goose nursery rhymes and original songs.

The project grows out of Merchant’s experience as a teaching artist at a Head Start preschool in Troy as its artist-in-residence for three years.

Merchant was lead singer and primary songwriter for 10,000 Maniacs before pursuring her solo career. Five of the band’s songs became top ten hits on Billboard’s Modern Rock Track music chart, including the #1 hit, “These Are Days.” Her nine acclaimed solo albums include "Tigerlily," "Ophelia," "Motherland," "Natalie Merchant" and "Paradise Is There."