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Saturday, July 12, 2025
Helene Cronin
Texas-bred artist Helene Cronin describes herself as a story-singer. She is driven by a desire to share her life through stories that resonate with genuine emotion, and more than a little imagination. She doesn't mind if, in their wake, her songs impart lessons that her listeners can absorb into their own lives. For Helene, cultivating connection with her listeners is of supreme importance especially in these divisive times. She recalls meeting a woman after a house concert, who told her through tears, "Listening to you and your songs makes me want to be a better person." Helene reflects, "I can't think of a better reason to keep doing what I do. And to keep believing there's a higher purpose for me writing one more song that only a few people may ever hear. Sometimes my songs remind me that I need to do better too." A 2018 New Folk Winner at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival, Helene's style is a merger between the raw roots of Americana and the polished song-craft of Nashville's Country. Never setting out to be a "star", songwriting brought her to the stage. Audiences are drawn to her vulnerability and presence. Like other more well-known troubadours, she possesses a voice as much a character as the ones that inhabit her songs. Helene is currently prepping a brand new full-length record called Maybe New Mexico, due in March 2025, which showcases her writing over the last few years. It promises to bring her the wider attention she so decidedly deserves. |
Saturday, August 9th, 2025
Luke Bulla
Luke Bulla has been singing and playing music most of his life. Beginning with his family band at age four, Luke now has the privilege of playing with some of the world's finest musicians. He currently performs with Lyle Lovett's Large Band, and is working on his next album. In the spring of 1999, Luke moved to Nashville to establish himself as a full time musician. He spent his early years in Tennessee playing fiddle in Ricky Skaggs' band, Kentucky Thunder, which earned him his first Grammy Award. Following the Skaggs stint, he became a member of the John Cowan Band. More recently Luke has performed and/or recorded with Brandi Carlile, Jim Lauderdale, Darrell Scott, Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, Bela Fleck, Bryan Sutton, Kevin Costner & Modern West, Russ Barenberg Trio, Shawn Colvin, Tony Rice, Chris Thile, Peter Rowan, Patty Griffin, Glen Phillips, Rodney Crowell, and Earl Scruggs, to name a few. Luke was also a perennial instructor at Mark O'Connor's fiddle camps in his early Nashville years. With his long-time friend Casey Driessen, Luke founded the band Wisechild, which toured briefly with John Mayer and Counting Crows. He also had a band collaboration, W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration), which included members Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek, Fiction Family), Glen Phillips (Toad The Wet Sprocket), Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek, I'm With Her), Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and the Imposters, The Attractions, Los Lobos), Greg Leisz (Joni Mitchell, Wilco, Sheryl Crow, Beck), and Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Cracker). |
Saturday, September 20th, 2025
George Ensle
During the 60's Houston Folk Music scene George was sharing stories, songs, and stages with Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Billy Joe Shaver. And after more than five decades he still maintains the essence of that folk tradition, the story song. George has released 15 albums in the US and Europe and was inducted into the Houston Folk Music Archives, the Corpus Christi Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the South Austin Pop Culture Museum. He's been awarded government grants to serve as Artist in the Schools in economically disadvantaged school districts and published two books of his students' work. His song, "Build A Bridge" was adopted by the Build a Bridge Foundation for Healing through the Arts, and included on the "Music to Life" CD. Five songs he wrote with children at the Hill Country Youth Ranch for abused and abandoned children were included on their "Brand New Start" CD. He created PortraitSongs, a custom songwriting service, and partnered with Swan Songs to write songs honouring the life stories of those on hospice. His songs have been featured in movies, and his own Movie-In-Song, Small Town Sundown, includes poetry and songs he's performed as a one man song-play. His songwriting has won numerous competitions, including the American Songwriter Festival, the Kerrville Folk Festival, and the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association Songwriter U. He has been an official showcase Artist at Southwest Regional Folk Alliance conference, and served as Producer on Album projects for other Songwriters. He was nominated as Songwriter of the Year by the Texas Music Academy. A member of the Texas Arts Commission Touring Roster, George conducts songwriting workshops and performs for schools, libraries, and the special needs community, while maintaining a robust touring schedule filled with Festivals, Clubs, Coffeehouses, Churches, and House Concerts. He also serves as an ambassador for Soldier Songs and Voices, teaching songwriting to veterans and active duty personnel. His performances are filled with wit, wisdom, grit, and always hope, accompanying his edgy vocals with intricate fingerstyle guitar, resonator, and keyboard. |
Saturday, October 18th, 2025
Patty Clayton
Patty Clayton has been described as having a "voice as pure as the prairie wind" and is recognized for bringing her own brand of Western music to the forefront as a performing songwriter whose Buckaroo ballads and borrowed songs celebrate the present and the past of western America. A descendant of Oregon Trail pioneers who settled and ranched in the Pacific Northwest, she was raised in the West. Patty's pure vocals have delighted Western and Folk audiences in a career that has spanned multiple decades, both as a solo artist, and with her band Cimarron Wind. She has been eagerly sought to share her wonderful sense of harmony for groups such as Jill Jones and the Lone Star Chorale, duet Liz Masterson and Sean Blackburn, and solo performers Dave Stamey, Gary McMahan, Nancy Thorwardson and Juni Fisher. Throughout her musical career, Patty has also been the exclusive opening act for Baxter Black in Colorado, Ian Tyson in Colorado, and Don Edwards in Iowa. Both the International Western Music Association out of Albuquerque, NM and the Academy of Western Artists in Ft. Worth, TX have presented her with Female Performer of the Year, Western Swing CD of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year respectively. |
April 26, 2025![]() The Cowboy Way |
March 22, 2025![]() Jane Voss & Hoyle Osborne |
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January 18, 2025![]() Carol Markstrom |
December 7, 2024![]() Scott Sean White |
October 19th, 2024![]() Randy Palmer |
September 14, 2024![]() Daniel Boling |
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August 17, 2024 ![]() Joel White |
July 28th, 2024 ![]() Rod MacDonald |
May 25, 2024 ![]() Mike Agranoff |
May 4th, 2024 ![]() Luke Bulla |
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April 13, 2024 ![]() ![]() Jim Jones & Mariam Funke |
March 15, 2024 ![]() Buffalo Bill & Dr. Jo |
Feb. 10, 2024 ![]() Almeda Bradshaw | ||
Jan. 27, 2024 ![]() Kerry Grombacher |
Nov. 14, 2023 ![]() Grace Clark |
July 8th, 2023 ![]() Lori Beth Brooke |
June 24th, 2023 ![]() Jennings & Keller |
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May 6th, 2023 ![]() Ken Gaines |
April 21, 2023 ![]() Miss Devon & The Outlaw |
March 24, 2023 Carol Markstrom |
February 23, 2023 ![]() Poi Rogers |
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December 3, 2022 ![]() Two Crows for Comfort |
October 2, 2022 ![]() Claudia Nygaard |
September 17, 2022 ![]() Randy Lewis Brown |
July 30, 2022 Dan McCorison |
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June 3, 2022 ![]() Scott T |
May 14, 2022 ![]() ![]() Jim Jones & Mariam Funke |
April 28, 2022 ![]() Kray Van Kirk |
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March 19, 2022 ![]() Buffalo Bill & Dr. Jo |
February 12, 2022 ![]() Steve Cormier |
December 11, 2021 ![]() Steve Jones |
October 16, 2021 ![]() Dana Cooper |
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September 25, 2021 ![]() Carol Walker |
August 28, 2021 ![]() Rupert Wates |
July 17, 2021 ![]() Rebecca Folsom |
March 15, 2020 ![]() Mike Agranoff |
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February 23, 2020 ![]() The Rough & Tumble |
January 25, 2020 ![]() Buffalo Bill & Dr. Jo |
November 9, 2019 ![]() Kerry Grombacher & Aspen Black |
September 19, 2019 ![]() Carol Markstrom |
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September 11, 2019 ![]() The Freight Hoppers |
August 9, 2019 Bruce Mandel |
April 13, 2019 ![]() Nikki Talley & Jason Sharp |
March 19, 2019: ![]() Bill Staines |