Leelah with L@L Host that day, Malini Bartels
Not pictured: Drew Jostad|Sound Engineer

Leelah (LILA, sanskrit for “The Play of Life”) is an all original world beat spiritual rock band with Gwyn Tash, Jake Van Vonderen, Bruce Bertea, Kenny Workman and Duffy Laudick. The essence of Leelah is to invoke a spiritual connection to Divine through devotional lyrics and self inquiry. An eclectic blend of musicians and musical backgrounds create a band whose music is an artful expression of healing, growth and the mystical.

Kate Graves

“Kate Graves writes little songs.. Sometimes they are sparse…sometimes filled with lots of little words.  Often they are written about things like tasting sweet orange  on your lips and wanting to kiss someone so that they might experience tasting sweet orange on their lips.

Kate Graves likes kissing. And singing.  She hopes you will listen in and sing along.”

Kate joins us in the studio with Colorado’s own Jami Lunde & Jamie Mitchell.

Elyse Miller

“Colorado songwriter Elyse Miller has performed at numerous music festivals alongside world class artists such as nine-time Grammy Award winner, Asleep at the Wheel. She has made multiple appearances on radio and television stations like KRFC, KCSU, Fox 31, and Channel 2 News. A seasoned entertainer, with over 15 years of stage experience, Elyse Miller has built a diverse performing career in theatre, music, and dance. Her unorthodox songwriting exhibits a hint of musical theatre and a variety of influences from Etta James to John Mayer. Her voice has been described as “soulful, rich, warm,” “beautifully haunting,” and “like butter.” With “whip-smart lyrics” and “a playful sense of humor,” Elyse Miller is powerfully provocative, mischievous, and irreverent, as she candidly questions society’s norms and challenges her audience to find their own answers. Unconstrained by traditional song-form, her striking melodies stay with you well past the last listen.”

“Described as High-Octane Rocky Mountain DanceGrass, Whitewater Ramble (WWR) uses a simple recipe to craft its sound: start with bluegrass instrumentation, add drums, and finish with a boundary-less approach to grassing-up everything from disco house grooves to roots to Americana.

The Colorado-bred quintet combines the elements of mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitar, upright bass, drums and vocals to explore the musical boundaries of multiple genres and to fuel their own mixture of original music and innovative cover song interpretations. Whether playing an intimate encore, acoustic and unplugged in the crowd, or surfing on top of the upright bass, Whitewater Ramble delivers a powerful and memorable live performance.Based in Fort Collins, CO, WWR has performed and headlined on every major stage across the Rocky Mountain Region. With over 900+ performances under their belt, the group has truly established themselves as one of the hardest working groups in the jam scene today. “

Michael’s main instruments of choice to accompany his rich bass voice include the acoustic guitar and mandolin–although he has been seen with electric guitars, lap steel guitar, the sitar, hammered dulcimer and electric mandolin. Aside from performing as a solo artist, you can catch Michael on stage with his Folkadelic Rock band The Holler!”

Robert Cline Jr. at KRFC Radio
Photo courtesy of Angel Mountain Media

This dynamic duo, based in Los Angeles, draws on the combination of Shorr’s captivating vocals and Burlingame’s lyrical guitar.  Their music has earned them recurring spots on the iTunes Singer Songwriter chart and the ears of music supervisors on some of today’s top tv shows.

“With undeniable chemistry both on stage and off, STR create alternative-folk-pop songs full of depth and yearning, delivered with an earnest desire to connect.” —Santa Barbara Independent

On September 4th, Sweet Talk Radio released their second album, “State of the Union”.

The eleven-song recording is a poignant rumination on love and relationships, mixed by Eric Robinson (Natasha Bedingfield, Colbie Caillat, Milk Carton Kids) and mastered by Evren Goknar (Greg Laswell, The Weepies) at Capitol Mastering.”

Photos by Angel Mountain Media

The Revival plays entirely original music with a few carefully chosen traditionals and  eclectic cover tunes but their precise genre is hard to pin down. As independent film director Mikey Eberle elaborates, “When I hear Elephant Revival I am struck by my inability to define it. I am forced to confront the music as it is, connecting to it with a virgin spirit of mind. Consequently it feels like I am experiencing music and all its joys for the very first time. “Each Elephant possesses remarkable vocal abilities which are highlighted during every performance. The individual members carry a vast amount of talent and are all multi-instrumentalists. Daniel Rodriguez plays a distinctive finger-style acoustic guitar and banjo. Bridget Law is a high elevation fiddle champion who regularly teaches and plays in Scotland. Dango Rose is solid as a rock on the upright bass and adds nice texture on the mandolin. Sage Cook is a shredding instrumentalist who plays the electric banjo, electric guitar, mandolin and upright bass. Bonnie Paine’s innovative washboard and percussion style has inspired a new generation of folk-percussionists. Her playing transcends the Cajun, Bluegrass and Latin conventions usually associated with the instrument. Occasionally she will bow an eerie yet angelic line out of the musical saw. Her voice has been compared to the likes of Natalie Merchant and Grace Slick, but the calm power which fuels her voice is beyond explanation. Her vocal prowess is hauntingly beautiful.

Individually and collectively the band members have performed with some of the most prolific performers of our time including Bela Fleck, John Paul Jones, Michael Franti, Little Feat, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon and Railroad Earth amongst countless other great and talented contemporaries. In 2008 Elephant Revival played a handful of great festivals including Joshua Tree Roots Festival, Yellowstone Music Festival, Yarmony Grass, Mulberry Mountan Harvest Fesival, Mackinac Island Festival, Oyster Ridge Bluegrass Festival, Sawtooth Music Festival, Desert Rocks, Nederland Music and Arts Festival, et al… In July 08′ the band released their debut album produced by long-time collaborator and friend David Tiller (ThaMuseMeant, Taarka). The album has received high praise on an international level. Its new-age sound has garnered Elephant Revival the reputation as a “Transcendental Folk” outfit.”

Happy Holidays from Fierce Bad Rabbit
Photos courtesy of Darren Mahuron

“Fresh, energetic and intelligent, Fierce Bad Rabbit takes you on a journey so interesting that you don’t want it to ever end. From the opening notes of “Everything Is Alright”, the first track on their eponymous debut EP, through the infectious melody and lyrics of “YOU!” off of their 2012 EP, “Live and Learn,” you know you’re in for something new and captivating. Tightly woven tapestries of notes and well-crafted lyrics delivered with disciplined passion by frontman Chris Anderson, who also plays guitar and keyboards, combined with the powerful yet perfectly nuanced viola and supporting vocals of Alana Rolfe, the rock-solid rhythmic backbone of Dayton Hicks on bass and Max Barcelow on drums create a constantly changing yet consistently fulfilling musical experience for the listener.

Photos courtesy of Darren Mahuron

The vocals themselves may occasionally make you think that you could be listening to a new project from Brandon Flowers of The Killers or Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem. The band clearly shares the influences of such indie favorites as Arcade Fire and The Shins, and there is a certain kinship with other leading-edge artists like The National, Iron & Wine and Band of Horses. But the music this Ft. Collins, Colorado-based quartet makes is all their own, and the more you hear it the more it comes across as a brilliant amalgamation of many musical styles and structures. Alternately joyful and somber, forceful and laid back, playful and contemplative, their songs challenge you to decide whether you should stand and listen intently or grab the person next to you and dance the night away.

Formed in 2009, the band released two solid recordings in scarcely more than a year: the self-titled debut EP and a full-length, 15-song sophomore effort, “Spools of Thread”. After making an immediate impact on the increasingly sophisticated and crowded Colorado music scene, playing to packed houses at local hot spots in Ft. Collins, Denver and elsewhere and drawing large crowds at busy festivals like the Westword Music Showcase and UMS, the band is now touring extensively, including appearances at America’s preeminent independent music gathering, South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, the storied Viper Room in Los Angeles, California, and many, many more.

Listen once and you’ll be impressed. Listen again — and see them perform live — and you will be a fan. From that point on you’ll want to see them again and again, and you’ll join the growing ranks of people eager to see what happens next for this talented group called Fierce Bad Rabbit.”

Find FBR at www.facebook.com/fiercebadrabbitmusic  or www.reverbnation.com/fiercebadrabbit

Photos courtesy of Darren Mahuron

While in Colorado, Judith Avers has consistently rocked the stage or appeared on albums with other great talents including The Fray, Born in The Flood, Yonder Mountain String Band, Hazel Miller, Gregory Alan Isakov, Holly Near, Glen Phillips, John Sebastian, Devotchka, John Magnie (Subdudes), Liz Barnez, Nina Storey, and songwriting legends Gary Harrison, Tia Sillers, Mark Selby, Randy Sharp, Mark D. Sanders, and Gary Chamberlain among others.

Now based in West Virginia, Judith continues to amaze everyone touring nationally with, not only her brilliant songwriting and angelic delivery, but her beauty and grace embodied by the incredible artist she has become. We are thrilled to have her back in the KRFC studio! www.JudithAvers.com