For this unique Live@Lunch radio show, we feature TWO very different Singer/Songwriters!

Steve Conn (Bio below) coming through Colorado on tour and Colorado’s own Jen Korte joined in song by the luminous Jessica DeNicola  (you may know her from John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light)!

Jen Korte hit the ground running since she first picked up a guitar 9 years ago. Raised in Texas, this 29 year old songstress, had a strong desire to tap into her eccentric Austin surroundings when she was 18. She began teaching herself to play and soon thereafter began playing small gigs in Austin and surrounding areas. Some of her earlier years landed her opening spots for national acts; Tegan and Sara, Melissa Ferrick, and Bitch (formerly of Bitch and Animal). In 2005, she packed whatever she could fit in her car and headed off to Denver, CO and has been there since. Since then, Korte has established her style, her name, and her band, The Loss. She has been nominated as the Denver Westwords Best singer/songwriter of 2008 and 2009 and has played several top venues in Denver including the Bluebird, The Gothic, and The Walnut Room opening for national acts: Chris Pureka, Cameron McGill and What Army, Michelle Malone, The Grand Archives, Red Wanting Blue, and Sarah Jaffe. She has been seen around Denver with local favorites: Gregory Alan Isaakov, Bela Karoli, and playing events for Flobots.org. She has also been seen accompanying Tiny Television as their female vocalist for Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco and Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, CA. Jen Korte continues to play venues from New York to California and can be seen kicking up dust a few times a year in Austin and the surrounding areas. Someone has said that if “ Nick Drake and Janis Joplin had a love child, Jen Korte would be it.
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“Steve Conn may be the best singer you’ve never heard… a stirring vocalist whose voice commands instant attention.” –Lee Zimmerman, No Depression

NASHVILLE—(July 6, 2012) Trade hot days for cool music from Boulder’s most soulful expat. In what’s become an annual celebration of Colorado’s past and present musical talent, singer-songwriter Steve Conn—he of the Louisiana roots, Nashville residence, and work on nine Grammy-nominated records—returns to the Front Range for two performances in August. Conn will play a solo evening of piano and vocals at Avogadro’s Number in Fort Collins on Thursday, August 9, and a concert with band members Chris Engleman on bass, Steve Ivey on drums, and Bob Rebholz on saxophone at Nissi’s in Lafayette on Saturday, August 11. Music Row magazine called Steve Conn “one of the best singers ever to amble into Music City,” and compared his songwriting to Allen Toussaint, Carole King, and Townes Van Zandt. Before Conn settled in Nashville, he made his home in Boulder and Denver, honing and delivering his unmistakable sound at his legendary weekly Sunday night solo spot at the Hotel Boulderado’s Mezzanine lounge, with the New Orleans funk of Gris Gris, and in a two-year stint as eTown’s first musical director.

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In support of the Larimer Humane Society, this one-of-a-kind gathering will feature the banjo belting sounds of the Emmitt-Nershi Band, Bluegrass Delta Force, Constitution, Liz Barnez & Cary Morin Duo, and Turn 4.

Stop by our tent and catch up with our crew of music-loving volunteers! We’d love to hook you up with KRFC gear, get your membership up to date, and talk about everything KRFC has going on this Fall.

Tasty treats and luscious libations will be available for both you and your pup; Odell’s Brewing Company will even be donating a portion of their profits to the Larimer Humane Society so be sure to drink up for the cause!

Don’t miss Umami Eats (ooh.mah.mi), Shields Family Cotton Candy, and others who will be featuring provisions for all taste buds.

For only $10 a ticket ($15 the day of the event, children under 10 and dogs are free), four-legged friends and their bipedal comrades can join in all the fun. Grab a leash and come out for a day of education, awareness, and entertainment for the whole community.

The Elders on KRFC 88.9FM Live@Lunch with Cindy Reich of KRFC’s Celtic show, The Long Acre

“Take a group of fine Kansas City musicians with a passion for Celtic music, an Irishman with a love of all things American, and you get a cross-pollination that is high octane and progressive yet rooted in tradition.

What The Elders have created is something unaffected by fads, trends and the giant maw of mind-numbing commercialism – Celtic rhythms and melodies augmented with amped-up roots rock, blazing instrumentals and powerful vocals. But what sets this band apart is their top-notch songwriting. Their original songs are authentic, catchy and durable, while transcending the stereotypical notion of Celtic music.

Brian Baker of PASTE Magazine says it best, “The key to the band’s success is in its flawless blending of the Celtic storytelling tradition with contemporary instrumentation and, perhaps more importantly, their ability to write original songs that sound as timeless and authentic as the ancient jigs and reels that have inspired them.”

In the tradition of folklore that is passed down through the generations, The Elders’ songs tell us stories of people, places and events – some recent, some distant, some real and some imagined. The songs are mystical, comical, political and cultural, while covering a wide variety of topics such as poverty, civil war, family bonds, spirituality, love and friendship.

Since forming in 1998, The Elders have brought their musical mix to pubs, theaters & festivals across the globe. Their fan base is ever-expanding, consisting of people from all walks of life and of all ages. Many of their fans follow the band from gig to gig, sometimes driving for hundreds of miles to see their energetic performances. The band is familiar to many television viewers, thanks to the more than 130 PBS stations across the country that have aired their “Live at the Gem Theater” Concert Special.”

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Drew Jostad (Sound) with Jim Abraham, Vi Wickam , Brent Hawley and Malini Bartels (Host)

The Vi Wickam Trio is Vi on Fiddle and Vocals, Brent Hawley on Guitar and Mandolin and Jim Abraham on Electric Bass.

Vi  writes,  “Music is in my blood. Every note I play is nourishment.

I came from a musical family; some of my ancestors even have a claim to fame. My Great Grandpa Joseph Wickam was a professional violinist, published composer and teacher. He used popular music of the day to keep the kids interested and inspired. My Great X 3 Uncle George R. Poulton wrote the music to Aura Lea. It’s the melody of Elvis’s Love Me Tender and of Army Blue, still sung at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

I’ve been performing and writing music since before I could read. I began studying composition and arranging in Junior High. Along with my brothers and my dad, The Wickam Family Band even performed regularly on Blinky’s Fun Club, a nationally syndicated TV program shown in 23 states.

My fiddle playing can be heard on a half dozen CD recordings, including two of my own. I’ve played with many different bands throughout the United States, and even briefly in England. I’ve won the Colorado State Championship twice, and been a finalist four times at the Grand Masters’ Fiddler Championship. I’ve also directed the Indiana State Fiddle Contest for the past three years.

My musical tastes span bluegrass to classical to jazz, rock and old-time fiddle. I play guitar, mandolin, bass, and viola, but my main instrument is the fiddle. Regardless of the style of music I am playing, or the instrument, the music is in me, and I am thoroughly in the music.”

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“Hickman is best known for co-founding the band Cracker. His fiery lead guitar sound and spirited co-writing gave flavor to that band’s alternative radio hits, including Teen Angst, Low, Get Off This, and Eurotrash Girl. Cracker, founded in 1991 with childhood friend David Lowery, has eight full-length releases to date. Kerosene Hat (1994) remains an alternative music collection staple. Lowery and Hickman together are seen as godfathers of the alternative music scene, who turned gently away from plaid-clad grunge in the 1990s with more countrified and bluesy stylings. Their collaboration with the jam-band Leftover Salmon in 2003 further proved that no one genre could contain them. Prior to his tenure in Cracker, Hickman toured as a solo/folk acoustic performer, had a brief stint in the Unforgiven (a tongue-in-cheek-Western guitar rock band), and co-founded the Inland Empire (California) cult band the Dangers. Influenced by punk rock, surf guitar, and true Bakersfield country, Hickman’s sound is often imitated but never perfected by anyone but he and his signature 1978 Les Paul. Occasionally, Hickman ventures away from solo work and Cracker to spearhead side projects, such as All Thumbs Trio (with moe. guitarist Chuck Garvey, and East Coast guitarist Gibb Droll), and Crazysloth, an Arizona-based band. Film and TV work to date include one full film score for the independent River Red, as well as the placement of Lowery/Hickman songs in several popular films.” ~excerpt from Johnny’s “official” bio for the Palmhenge release, courtesy ReviewNetMedia.

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Andrew Schneider (host), Johnny Hickman & Drew Jostad (sound) at KRFC after the radio show

“Hickman is best known for co-founding the band Cracker. His fiery lead guitar sound and spirited co-writing gave flavor to that band’s alternative radio hits, including Teen Angst, Low, Get Off This, and Eurotrash Girl. Cracker, founded in 1991 with childhood friend David Lowery, has eight full-length releases to date. Kerosene Hat (1994) remains an alternative music collection staple. Lowery and Hickman together are seen as godfathers of the alternative music scene, who turned gently away from plaid-clad grunge in the 1990s with more countrified and bluesy stylings. Their collaboration with the jam-band Leftover Salmon in 2003 further proved that no one genre could contain them.

Prior to his tenure in Cracker, Hickman toured as a solo/folk acoustic performer, had a brief stint in the Unforgiven (a tongue-in-cheek-Western guitar rock band), and co-founded the Inland Empire (California) cult band the Dangers. Influenced by punk rock, surf guitar, and true Bakersfield country, Hickman’s sound is often imitated but never perfected by anyone but he and his signature 1978 Les Paul.

Occasionally, Hickman ventures away from solo work and Cracker to spearhead side projects, such as All Thumbs Trio (with moe. guitarist Chuck Garvey, and East Coast guitarist Gibb Droll), and Crazysloth, an Arizona-based band. Film and TV work to date include one full film score for the independent River Red, as well as the placement of Lowery/Hickman songs in several popular films.”

~courtesy  © ReviewNetMedia.

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“Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, The Holler! presents a bluegrassy sound, rock n’ roll personality and passionate vocals delivered with mountaintop exclamation.  This quartet of prolific songwriters uses mandolin, guitar, bass, drums, and four bombastic baritone voices to create their Folkedelic sound.  In the canyons of influence, with child-like eyes and wonder, these tone chasers relentlessly explore their roots in acoustic music and dramatic lyricism.  This band’s bottomless cup of original repertoire is led by mandolin obsessed songsmith Michael Kirkpatrick, whose voice resonates with evangelical theatrics and gratitude.  Hot-shot guitar slinger Brian Adams picks some of the tastiest licks this side of Garciaville.  With Brad Poto on bass guitar and Kris Smith on drums, The Holler!’s energetic live show is fortified with a groove that induces movement of body and mind.   9 years of sonic wanderlust has seen the band through many forms, employing sitar, keyboards, tuba, lap steel, accordion and world percussion into their evolving acoustic folk-rock format.  Their repertoire artistically celebrates reverence for nature, the exploration of human consciousness, and their passion for festive community gatherings while echoing the Colorado landscape The Holler! calls home.

In addition to original music, The Holler! has fun twisting up songs by influences such as: Led Zeppelin, Bjork, The Grateful Dead, Ween, Roger McGuinn, Taj Mahal, The Highwaymen, and Darrell Scott.  They have a charismatic ability to connect with a diverse demographic of music lovers, shaking up dance floors, elevating love frequencies, and having lots of fun along the way!

“The group’s songwriting is second-to-none, creating a diverse album that holds quick to its mountain roots.  There is some subtle magic going on here as The Holler! swiftly and thoroughly draws you in with their one-of-a-kind lyricism and finger-pickin’ goodness.” -review of Gratitude by Dusty Ray, Scene Magazine July 2011

-awarded “Best Bluegrass Band 2011″ by the Fort Collins Musicians Association

-placed 3rd Place in Northern Colorado’s Scene Magazine Battle of the Bands 2010

History

Holler!WildPicked who?  Michael Kirkpatrick’s progressive acoustic vision goes back to 2002 with a project called Wildwood Holler! consisting of upright bass, banjo, and mandolin. This Colorado string trio made an underground name for themselves, from the Rockies to the Ozarks to the Cascades, in a big green school bus between 2004-2008. Eventually percussion and a tasty guitar player were added and banjo was traded for the tuba! This rock-tuba-grass quartet recorded and performed under the name Handpicked Holler! from 2008-2010. In early 2010, bass guitar was re-introduced to the band and the name was simplified to The Holler!.  Michael continue’s to walk this path of folk-rock and bluegrass with willing cohorts and enjoys the experience of working with great musicians.”

Band Members

Michael Kirkpatrick- Vocals, Mandolin, Guitar, Lap Steel

Brian Adams- Guitar, Vocals

Brad Poto- Bass, Vocals

Kris Smith- Drums

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“It’s fashionable these days for bands to call themselves “eclectic,” or “genre-bending,” but for Denver, Colorado’s Oakhurst, those terms aren’t the result of some marketing strategy, or even of well-meant wishful thinking—they’re the simple, unvarnished truth.  For proof, just look to the fact that Oakhurst has been nominated for their hometown’s independent weekly’s music awards in five different categories—or, even better, just listen to their brand new album, Barrel.  Because when you get right down to it, it’s all about the music, and while the music Oakhurst makes on Barrel isn’t the kind that defies description, it’s definitely the kind that defies any one description. The result is a perfect snapshot of an upward-bound quintet that’s as broad-ranging as any you’re likely to hear all year.

Produced by Joe Pisapia (Guster, K. D. Lang) and recorded at Nashville’s Middle Tree Studios, Barrel takes a noticeable turn from the bluegrass leanings that characterized the band’s previous effort, Jump in the Get Down. On Barrel, largely due to the mid-production departure of the group’s banjo player and the arrival of guitarist Daniel Lawrence Walker – whose slide work gives the project a bluesier edge – the band finds it self with a whole new sound. That’s not to say that there isn’t continuity in the prominence of acoustic guitar, mandolin and even some banjo throughout. In fact, there’s even a taste of just-about-straightforward ‘grass in the tribute to one of the group’s heroes, John Hartford.

“It’s much more roots-rock Americana,” bassist Johnny Qualley told the Aspen Times while the group was still hard at work on the album, and that’s right as far as it goes, but in the end, Barrel really does elude easy description; just when you think that you’ve got it pegged with the good-time, good-natured feel of the title track, your expectations are confounded by the electrified sonorities and heartfelt yearning of “Satellites,” and then by the country flavor of “Out West,” written with the help of the Infamous Stringdusters’ Jeremy Garrett.  There’s the easy R & B sway of “I’ll Be All Right,” the lilt of “Promises,” the moody cosmic American music atmospherics of “Surrender” and “Please,” which seamlessly blend a dozen different influences. Then there is the heartfelt appeal of “Time To Change” and even a raucous hoedown on “Mission,” which brings the banjo back for one more turn.

What’s more, there are also new accents, new rhythms, like in the loose, easy-going lope of songs like “Hallelu.” There are also new textures, and a new gravity, too, in the lyrics; these are boys who know how to settle back and have a good time, but they’re also men who know there’s more to life than that. Just within the three songs on the Barrel EP, there is prevailing optimism in the face of adversity, the importance of a father’s touch and awe for life itself.  Through these tunes the writers seem to be acutely aware that there are lessons and opportunity all around them and these songs inspire us to remember the simple things and not get  wrapped up in or trapped by the times, locations or circumstances we live in. They unpretentiously encourage us to simply enjoy life and all it brings.

Yet there’s a logic—even a kind of inevitability—to Barrel’s quicksilver shifts, reflecting the twists and turns of a collective career that’s now entering its second decade.  Qualley and lead singer/guitarist A. P. Hill are the lone holdovers from the founding lineup, with drummer Chris Budin, mandolin/guitar man Max Paley joining more recently and Walker the freshest recruit—but whether old or new, each member is an essential contributor.  The result is an ensemble that’s earned enough acclaim—and enough fans—to keep them on the road year-round.  Indeed, whether tearing it up around Denver, traveling across the country or crossing the oceans, Oakhurst have been tapped to appear with a dizzying variety of fellow artists, ranging from jam-grass favorites like Yonder Mountain String Band and Leftover Salmon to Americana staples like the Avett Brothers and John Hiatt to country icons such as Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett to flat-out rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd. Heck, Zac Brown and a couple band mates sat in and played funk songs with Oakhurst one year at Telluride Bluegrass. How many genres does that cover? Wherever they have done their thing, they have always gotten audiences up on their feet with their infectious energy.

So when you hear Oakhurst—and their latest album—described as “eclectic,” resist the temptation to doubt.  Some artists talk the talk, but when it comes to music that knows no boundaries and no limits and yet remains deeply rooted in the American vernacular, Oakhurst is one tight group that knows how to walk the walk.”

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Andrew Schneider, Marty Rein, Brian Hull & Drew Jostad at KRFC with Spenser the dog after the radio show -Photo courtesy of Angel Mountain Media

Brian Hull has been performing music professionally for the past few decades. You may have enjoyed his vocal stylings with Mark Sloniker at Jay’s Bistro or with one of his bands at other venues around town. In the early 90′s he moved from Texas to Fort Collins with his band Ezra’s Poundcake. In ’97 he founded the popular funk/soul/and jazz band Meadowlark Jivin’. Currently working on mixing their third CD,  Meadowlark Jvin’ has two CDs out , “Have you ever seen Meadowlark Jivin?” and “It’s the Groove”. Both CDs are in the KRFC library and receive regular spins on various DJ shows. In recent years, Brian has done a lot of solo gigs and he enjoys the variety of playing in a solo or duet format in addition to with the full band. “Playing solo has challenged me to really get my act together and know my songs like the back of my hand.”, Brian explains.   With Marty Rein (bassist-Liz Barnez, 3 Twins, Escape Goats)  accompanying him, Brian performs original music you won’t hear with the band, an a capella song based on a Rumi poem and a few other popular tunes that Brian puts his own spin on.

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Find us on Facebook for Birthday Bash giveaways and deals.

Hot off the presses, here’s a look at what you listened to the most in the final month of KRFC’s 9th year on the air. Looking ahead, we’ve got our 9th Annual Birthday Bash at the Lincoln Center, Saturday, March 10th (more). Tuesday, March 6th, join us for a Mayoral proclamation in celebration of our anniversary, acknowledging the work of all our volunteers coming together to create the soundtrack for Northern Colorado (more).

Heading in to year 10, there’s never been a better time to join the big family of Ft. Collins radio volunteers. Be a DJ for a day. Share your top spins with us. Dedicate a day of programming to someone. Become an on-air programmer.

Colorado Spins for February

1) Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams
2) Otis Taylor
3) Fierce Bad Rabbit
4) David Richey
5) John Common
6) Katya Chorover
7) Lionel Young Band
8) Turn 4
9) Jaden Carlson
10) Katie Glassman
11) Cary Morin
12) FaceMan
13) Great American Taxi
14) Hickman Dalton Gang
15) John Statz

Song Spins for February

1) Delta Spirit, “California”
2) Gotye, “Somebody I Used To Know”
3) Ben Kweller, “Full Circle”
4) Black Keys, “Gold On the Ceiling”
5) Galactic, “Out In the Street”
6) Tapes n Tapes, “Freak Out”
7) Black Keys, “Little Black Submarines”
8) Chieftains w/Decemberists, “When the Ship Comes In”
9) Civil Wars, “20 Years”
10) Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer, “Way Over Yonder In the Minor Key”

Album Spins for February

1) Black Keys, El Camino
2) Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams, Live @ Hodi’s (C)
3) Otis Taylor, Otis Taylor’s Contraband (C)
4) Ben Kweller, Go Fly a Kite
5) Fierce Bad Rabbit, Live and Learn (C)
6) Sarah Jarosz, Follow Me Down
7) Darrell Scott, Long Ride Home
8) Various Artists, This One’s For Him
9) Ruthie Foster, Let It Burn
10) Wilco, Whole Love
11) Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer, Little Blue Egg
12) David Richey, No Peace Of Mind (C)
13) Galactic, Carnivale Electricos
14) Jessica Lea Mayfield, Tell Me
15) John Common, Beautiful Empty (C)
16) Katya Chorover, Big Big Love (C)
17) Lionel Young Band, On Our Way To Memphis (C)
18) Gotye, Making Mirrors
19) Little Willies, For the Good Times