When Kris Delmhorst sings, you catch yourself leaning forward, trying not to miss anything. Her voice is warm and relaxed, a little husky, and she sings with tenderness and complete commitment to the essence of each song. Her music is influenced by folk and country, gospel and rock and roll. She takes her inspiration from sources as diverse as Walt Whitman, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and The Cars—yes, one of her albums is a tribute one reviewer called “a mash note”—to the new wave band out of Boston that had big hits with “Best Friend’s Girl” and “Just What I Needed” in the late 1970s, when Kris was an impressionable kid. Her seventh and latest album, Blood Test, has won wide praise. The Los Angeles Times calls it “moody, euphoric, and transcendent,” and the Boston Globe calls it “bold and brilliant.”
 
Kris grew up in Brooklyn, studied cello, played with local jazz bands and folk singers, and, after spending a long winter in Maine and learning to play guitar and fiddle, moved to Boston and became part of the city’s thriving folk scene. She’s earned several nominations for Boston Music Awards and won first place in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s prestigious Troubadour Competition. Whether she’s singing a delicate ballad or a new wave romp, her music radiates wit, intelligence, and charm.

Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer have a new album, Maritime, that reached #1 on the EuroAmericana chart, just ahead of John Hiatt and Richard Thompson. This talented duo from the far reaches of Washington state plays American roots music in the folk vein, with lovely singing, deft guitar work, and strong songwriting. They’ve shared the stage with such artists as Glen Hansard, Del McCoury, Iron & Wine, and the Carolina Chocolate Drops. No Depression praises their “excellent songs, fine playing, and exquisite vocals.”

visit Kris Delmhorst's website

visit Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer's website