singer-songwriter

Singer, songwriter, and performer Shaun Cassidy first captured national attention in the 1970s as a teenage pop sensation with chart topping hits like ‘Da Doo Ron Ron’ and ‘Hey Deanie’ as well as platinum albums like ‘Shaun Cassidy’ and ‘Born Late.’ For the past several years he has maintained a deep connection to his musical roots. Now on his ‘The Road to Us Tour’ he returns to the stage with a fresh perspective blending the songs that made him famous with reflections drawn from a life show business. He is bringing the tour to the Assembly in Kingston, NY on March 11th.

Grammy winning singer-songwriter, producer, and best-selling author Richard Marx has a brand-new album ‘After Hours’ out now. The album blends great American songbook standards with new originals written or co-written by Marx in the same era evoking spirit. Alongside an incredible lineup like Kenny G, Randy Waldman, Chris Botti, and more. It features a duet of ‘Young at Heart’ with Rod Stewart who Marx is also joining on tour this summer.

Nicole Zuraitis is a 2X GRAMMY® winning and 6X GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer-songwriter, pianist and arranger, New York-based bandleader and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal.On Valentines Day, this coming Saturday, she’ll perform at Hudson Hall in Hudson, New York.

Kingston-based singer-songwriter Al Olender is releasing her sophomore full-length album “The Worrier” on February 13. It follows 2022’s “Easy Crier.” Al will mark the release of “The Worrier” with her fourth annual “Alentine’s Day” event at The Old Dutch Church in Kingston, New York on February 13.

Named one of the Top 20 Guitarists of All Time by Rolling Stone, Richard Thompson is one of the world’s most critically acclaimed and prolific songwriters. In addition to his beloved catalog and in addition to many other honors - Thompson has received Lifetime Achievement Awards for Songwriting on both sides of the Atlantic.He’ll be in the WAMC region early next month, playing The Bardavon in Poughkeepsie, New York on November 7 and Stone Church in Brattleboro, Vermont on November 8.Will Hermes is a regular contributor to NPR, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork. He’s the author of “Love Goes to Buildings on Fire” and “Lou Reed: The King of New York.” His substack of music writing is at newmusicoldmusic.substack.com.Hermes spoke with Richard Thompson for WAMC.

Singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco is renowned for her outspoken politics, staunch feminism, and commitment to activism. Since 1989, she’s released more than 20 records, and championed the work of other artists on her Righteous Babe label. She’s on a summer tour with Hurray for the Riff Raff and she spoke with Will Hermes for WAMC.

Tomorrow night at Caffè Lena, Pioneer Valley based singer-songwriter and visual artist Heather Maloney will play a concert marking the release of her first full-length album in five years.“Exploding Star” - now out from Signature Sounds - is a reverie on loss and grief. A collection of songs written after her father died in 2021, “Exploding Star” is made up of sweet and sour memories, wistful, beautiful melodies, and heart.

Last year, thanks to her management and PR, singer-songwriter Al Olender came on our show to talk about her second annual Alentine’s Day show at The Old Dutch Church in Kingston, New York. She presented it as a love-fest to her found home and the people in and around it. I attended - with a number of friends - and it was a waking dream. The good kind.In the intervening 12 months, Al has toured in support of Shovels and Rope and Deer Tick, playing shows all over North America. She’s working on and tuning up the magic for her second record. She filled in for Neko Case on a batch of shows with The New Pornographers.She’s back today with a preview of the third annual Alentine’s Day show - coming up on February 7. The website - alentines.com - hails potential attendees with the question and the gentle command: “Heartbroken? Meet me at the rodeo.” It feels to us like everyone is a little heartbroken right now and we can’t think of anyone better than Al - or anything better than her music - to help us.

September 13-15, the Stone Ridge Orchard in Stone Ridge, New York will host the Meadowlark Festival. The festival’s proceeds support organizations that advocate for farmers in the Hudson Valley including Farm Aid, Rondout Valley Growers, and Hudson Valley Center for Food, Culture, and Agriculture. The line-up includes Fruit Bats; Deer Tick; Slaughter Beach, Dog; Blonde Redhead, and many others - including our guest, Laura Stevenson.

Early this summer, the Capital Region based Americana band Zan and the Winter Folk released their first full length album “New Morse Code.”Led by songwriter Zan Strumfeld on guitar and vocals, The Winter Folk are Michael Gregg (banjo), Will Brown (lead guitar), Sean Fortune (Upright Bass) and Brendan Tompkins (drums). In addition to the core group, “New Morse Code” features other artists from the greater-Troy music community - adding vocals and instrumentation for various of the personal, haunting, resilient songs.