So many musicians toil for years in relative obscurity until their opportunities arrive – not many are truly overnight sensations. This week we begin a two-part feature focusing on some songwriters and instrumentalists that many people don’t know much about yet. A few have had some luck and are moving along in their careers. We’ll hear from Michael McDermott, Christopher Elliot, VickiChristinaBarcelona, and Vivian Leva among others. Not yet household names … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.

LISTEN:

Artist/”Song”/CD/Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian
              Folkways
Nate Lee / “Quick Select” / Wings of a Jetliner / Adverb
Michael McDermott / “Positively Central Park” / What in the World… / Pauper Sky
Martha Spencer / “Blue Ridge Mountain Lullaby” / Martha Spencer / Self-produced
Jeffrey Foucault / “Everybody’s Famous” / Horse Latitudes / Signature Sounds

Christopher Elliot / “Hercules and Einstein” / Sorry State / Self-produced
VickiKristinaBarcelona / “Jersey Girl” / Pawn Shop Radio / Storysound
Mike Farris / “Real Fine Day” / Shine For All The People / Compass
Nate Lee / “Wonderbat” / Wings of a Jetliner / Adverb

Matt Watroba / “The Jukebox Taught Me Everything I Know” / Jukebox Folk / Ledgewood
Matraca Berg / “Your Husband’s Cheating on Us” / The Dreaming Fields / Dualtone
Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer / “I’ve Won Every Battle But I’ve Lost Every War” /
              The Flower of Muscle Shoals / Free Dirt
Vivian Leva / “Why Don’t You Introduce Me as Your Darlin’” / Time is Everything / Free Dirt
The Mighty Pines / “Nantucket” / Late Last Night / United Interests
Shovels & Rope / “Mississippi Nuthin” / By Blood / Dualtone
Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian
              Folkways