Fran Snyder

See Full Listing

Acoustic Pop-Rock with a Groove!

Fran Snyder is a solid entertainer who can command a crowd with just a microphone and his acoustic guitar. Armed with great original songs, surprising cover tunes, and more than a handful of humor, Fran knows how to connect with even the most informal audience.

He's played colleges, clubs, and mainstages all over the US, touring extensively as a solo act, as well as part of the "acoustic hip-hop duo" Six Strings and Vinyl. On the mainstage, he has opened for many of his heroes, including Shawn Mullins, Shawn Colvin, Don Henley, Peter Stuart, Dan Fogelberg, Cowboy Junkies, and Boz Scaggs.

Awards

Fran was voted "Best Solo Act... More in the full listing.

James Casto

See Full Listing

It's easy to hear the influences in the music of James Casto. Traces of Billy Joel, Elton John, Kenny Loggins , Bruce Hornsby, and Michael McDonald all weave their way in his songs. Casto started his musical career as a drummer doing session work and live performances in Atlanta, GA. His deepest passion, however, was songwriting. But it was years later before he felt confident enough to pursue his dream to write songs.

Not seeing a future in music for himself, Casto earned an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and set out to make it in the business world by starting his own company. In 2000, he sold his enterprise to a multi-national company and went to work for them. Shortly... More in the full listing.

Jay Mankita

See Full Listing

Jay Mankita is a masterful guitarist and singer/songwriter - quirky, original, and rooted in the traditions of acoustic folk and Americana music. Of Jay, Pete Seeger says: …"Come see this guy... I think he's one of the half dozen best songwriters today!”

His songs guide us on a journey through the human condition, with honesty, compassion, and humorous insight. Jay’s concerts are moving and intimate; provocative, irreverently funny, and musically refreshing.

His songs have appeared in Sing Out! Magazine 3 times, been heard on NPR, been published in several books, and have been performed and recorded by national touring artists such as Kim and Reggie Harris, Pat Humphri... More in the full listing.

Bob Sima

Bob Sima is the lead singer from the successful Maryland-based band called Stereopool. Since 2002, the band has made a name for itself in the festival, club and cafe scene playing a tremendously creative blend of rock and folk with poignant songs and a percussive and evocative sound. Bob has gone solo to support a new release (Oct 2006) which was produced by David Weber (Carrie Newcomer, Krista Detor). Support on the record comes from Jason Wilbur (John Prine, Todd Snider, Iris Dement), Krista Detor, and a host of talent from Bloomington including the legendary Slats Klug on piano, wurlitzer, Hammond B3 and harmonica. Bob has played his share of house concerts and prefers them over cafe's. ...

J.P. Williams

JP Williams was born in the small town of Clarksville, Indiana, but soon moved to Dallas, TX where as a child he lived a life singing in the children’s choir at church and growing up with his two sisters. His childhood resembled that of most any other child in America, except that J.P. was born blind in his right eye, and then at the tender age of ten, glaucoma in his left eye took his sight completely.

After a few years of adjustment as well as out right frustration John began to look for something to hold on to and call his own. He turned to his love of music and began to teach himself to play guitar. JP had found an outlet of expression that changed his life forever.

After gra...

Sonia Lee

See Full Listing

Sonia Lee, a two time Kerrville New Folk Finalist, has soothing and authentic folk/americana style vocals that are finally in the limelight. He style is reminiscent of early Emmy Lou Harris or Allison Krauss.

Sonia's 3rd CD, “Chance To Start Over", paints a deeply personal and passionate portrait of her own journey through addiction and her path to healing. Her previous gem, “True”, is a collection of deeply personal and passionate songs produced by Dove Award-winning writer, Kim McLean.

Originally from Rochester, New York, Lee joined the Nashville songwriting community in 1998.

From the US to Ukraine, Sonia Lee has entertained audiences at intimate house concerts... More in the full listing.

Adrianne

See Full Listing

Jeff Buckley complimented the passion in her songs, and magazine Performing Songwriter chose her debut album as a top 12 “Do it Yourself” recording calling her, a “ball of emotion, intensity and ‘tude.”

Her fans call her music a blessing. With a voice and songs that fill your heart and break it at the same time, Singer/songwriter Adrianne has everyone talking. She’s the rare type of songwriter who is able to get to the emotional heart of dramatic situations with only a few deft lyrical strokes.

Adrianne relives and shares with audiences the life-changing moment when she discovered the simple, profound beauty of being a singer-songwriter, each time she plays.

Adrianne has ... More in the full listing.

james lee stanley

See Full Listing

Legendary writer/performer

Not only does James write beautiful, intelligent, well-crafted songs, but he sings and plays so well, he makes it look effortless!

He also punctuates his performance with downright hilarious repartee in between numbers. So as an entertainer, it's hard not to love the guy.

James had a Top-5 hit with Coming Out of Hiding. He also scored the Emmy award-winning Cathy specials for prime time CBS.

With more than 20 albums to his credit, he has garnered some incredible praise over the years. FI magazine hailed his solo album Freelance Human Being as a masterpiece and one of the top 200 CD's of all time, along with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, an... More in the full listing.

Del Rey

Audiences are dazzled by the Del Rey's virtuoso technique and sly humor. As reigning Queen of the Resonator Guitar (and Resonator Ukulele!), Del's playing combines country blues, stride piano, classic jazz, and hillbilly boogie through the sensibility of "an autodidact trailor-park esthete." Her unique guitar style results from the way she channels the sound of the left-hand of boogie-woogie and stride piano.

Del Rey started playing classical guitar when she was four. As a teenager, she met bluesman Sam Chatmon who inspired her to become a blues queen.Still in her teens, she developed a passion for Memphis Minnie, studying the flamboyant Delta blueswoman's formidable guitar technique....

Siobhan Quinn & Michael Bowers

Brimming with compelling songs and seamless harmonies, Siobhan Quinn and Michael Bowers paint dynamic and colorful stories with rich original, contemporary and traditional music. After releasing their first disc together they were awarded spots at the 2007 Kerrville New Folk Competition and 2007 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist Showcase, along with multiple regional, national and international main stage showcases.

“Dreamers, Lovers & Outlaws”), is filled with gracious and gritty stories and observations of the human experience. Co-producer Tom Prasada Rao lends his musical chops throughout. Listen, too, for Jerry Marotta, David LaMotte, Chris Rosser, Charlie Pilzer, Steve Symanski.

...

Greg Trooper

Shannon Wurst

Shannon Wurst is Americana. Her music a mouth-watering mix of traditional and original mountain tunes with a pinch of bluegrass and a dash of old time, leaving' ya with a hankerin' for a second helping. Dave Brewer from High Country News in Boone, North Carolina writes, "Ms. Wurst's unique voice is simultaneously sweet and sultry, a versatile instrument recalling a young Dolly Parton, while stirring echos of Australian country singer, Kassey Chambers." She hails from Alma, Arkansas, the self-proclaimed spinach capitol of the world, a small town in the Ozark mountain foothills. Though she has developed her own style of mountain music, her biggest influences have been women with the sam...

Rick James

See Full Listing

Rick’s Bio “Songwriting is turning the heart inside out and letting the world hear the words and meditations of your heart. If a song is truly authentic it is a Christ event, a giving of your life for the benefit of those who have ears to hear,” says Rick James, who began his musical journey at the age of 5 singing as the youngest member of his traveling family of evangelists. At age 15 Rick began learning to play the guitar and by the age 17 he was performing on the stage of the world famous Ryman Auditorium and working as an assistant guitar teacher in the Doc Stone school of music in Dickson Tennessee." Rick is an ordained minister, a tenured youth pastor, an experienced performer, a ... More in the full listing.

Wes Weddell

“Wes Weddell has a gift for storytelling, wisdom beyond his years, and a troubadour spirit that will serve him and his audience for a long time to come,” raves concertsinyourhome.com founder Fran Snyder. Hailed a “Modern-Day Woody Guthrie” by the Seattle Times, he built a Northwest following via local-minded material: in 2001, he received a grant to travel the region gathering history and writing songs, chronicled on “My NW Home.” “Songs to Get You From Here to There” (2006) received honors from Performing Songwriter Magazine, which describes Wes as “Folk meets rockabilly meets lonesome cowboy waltzes.” Wes has also founded a Seattle-area non-profit to offer community live-music events.

Joel Fafard

Award-winning roots guitarist Joël Fafard capped off a banner year earning nominations for “Instrumental Album of the Year” at the Junos, Canadian Folk Music Awards and the Western Canadian Music Awards for his sophomore instrumental CD, …and another thing… Winning the WCMA.

Joël Fafard is that rare breed of instrumentalist: the kind who’s appeal reaches far beyond the realm of serious guitar enthusiasts. The gifted slide fingerstyle player writes stirring, melodic compositions that paint pictures as vivid as any song with words. He introduces them on-stage with hilarious commentary delivered in a "hillbilly farm-boy" stage persona that quickly wins his audience over. And when he sink...