Gonna throw my anchor down
Gonna hold my head up high
Gonna claim this brave new world
In the name of you and I
Anchor ~ Heather Miller

Oh hey! It's yours truly, DJ Hum with my own CD now! Officially releasing to the world on Friday!

In May 2011, Fairfield singer-songwriter Heather Miller followed her musical calling all the way to Austin, Texas to study with mentor and producer Daniel Barrett at Rubicon Recording Studios. Daniel’s Rubicon Year program, which offers intensive study and goal-oriented mentoring in writing, musicianship, performing, and recording, allowed Heather to dive deep into the creative process and examine her relationship to it from every angle.

One year, 157 open mic performances, and a successful Kickstarter campaign later, Heather is back home in Fairfield and excited to celebrate the completion of her project with a five-song debut EP. Called Anchor, the album is an inspiring collection of catchy, rootsy, melodic songs, drawing their stories from love and life, doubts and dreams.

Today we'll be featuring the singer-songwriters and bands that will be appearing at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Colorado next month.  (for more info: www.bluegrass.com) That means we'll hear songs from Lyle Lovett, Amos Lee, Kasey Chambers, Caleb Hawley,  The Milk Carton Kids, Dawes, Iron & Wine, Gretchen Peters, Darrell Scott,  Kathleen Edwards and more. So tune in and get your Rocky Mountain high, right here in Iowa!

Same old situation
No new insight or surprise
Same old complications,
Once again, here's pretty lies
~ Seasoned Heart, Jeanne Marie Boes

Like an actress changing costumes between scenes, New York singer-songwriter Jeanne Marie Boes slips comfortably between vocal stylings, one moment she's a lounge singer beyond her years and the next she's a smoky pop diva.  But whether she's backed by a baby grand or a synthsizer, the passionate emotion behind her songs of love and heartbreak shines through.

Tune in Tuesday, April 24th at 9am central for a feature set of music by Jeanne Marie, followed by plenty more great music by women! Check lyricalvenus.com for a written interview with Jeanne Marie.

Famous artists doing their own interpretation of famous songs written by others. You'll hear James Taylor doing Joni Mitchell, Michael McDonald doing Van Morrison, Susan Tedeschi doing Bob Dylan, Dwight Yoakum doing Elvis, Alison Krauss doing Michael McDonald, Jeff Buckley doing Leonard Cohen, Ricki Lee Jones doing The Drifters and much more!

Plus one of a kind rarities like Bonnie Rait singing the 60's classic, Since I Fell for You, at a live show in the 1970's. Not to mention, creative and entertaining covers like Nickel Creek doing the Brittany Spears song: Toxic.

So tune in, tune out and pick up what I'm laying down as we mix it all up for a unique and entertaining afternoon of the best songs rooted in folk, rock, country and blues.

Our feature of the week is R.X. Bertoldi (left), a folkie, bluesy, singer-songwriter from Washington state, whose songs have received recognition in national songwriting contests. He's plays all the instruments on his homegrown roots rock album,  Stronger Not Bitter.

We'll also be giving away copies of his CDs (while they last) to anyone who calls in during the show and makes a financial pledge to support our beloved community radio station. (Call the station for details: 641-209-1082/3/4.) http://www.rxbertoldi.com

Plus more of last week's feature, alternative country band, The Great Unknowns. And, old favorites by Bob Dylan, Jimmy Lafave, Allison Krause, Amos Lee, James Taylor, John Hiatt, Anais Mitchell, Eric Lindell and Derek Trucks. Plus up and comers like Caleb Hawley, Eleanor Murray, Mike Mangione, Donal Hinley and Sara Jarosz.

This week we will have, live in our studio, singer song-writer Eleanor Murray. She'll be talking about the art of songwriting and her adventures on the road plus live performances of songs she's written while here in Fairfield. 

My second feature will be the music of an amazing new folk country band called The Great Unkowns.

And finally, I'll be spinning lots of great, upbeat springtime music from bands like Donna the Buffalo, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Gaddabouts and Dire Straits, plus solo artists like Bob Dylan, Anais Mitchell, Amos Lee, Todd Snyder, David Gray and Pieta Brown.

And.... if there is time, we'll hear recent material from up and comers like Darrell Scott, Donal Hinely, Jason Spooner, Sahara Smith and UK movie star, Robert Pattinson.

Interview with Grammy nominated, singer-songwriter, Matthew Santos!  I will feature Matthew’s live music and speak with him, in the studio, at 3PM. (Mathew will perform  at Cafe Paradiso on Thursday.)

I'll also be playing great new songs from up and coming artists like the sultry bassist Amy LaVere, Canadian session guitarist Kevin Breit, folk rocker Sarah Siskind, multi-talent Darell Scott,  and songstress Lori McKenna.  We’ll also hear  Michael McDonald, actress Scarlett Johansson and Eric Clapton doing cover songs by Van Morrison, Jeff Buckley and George Gershwin (respectively).

Plus the usual ear candy from  Lyle Lovett, Pieta Brown, Foster and Lloyd, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Norah Jones, Chris Isaak, Bob Dylan and more!

This week I've got a full hour of music for you to enjoy!

Artists include past guests like Boca Chica, Annie Dressner, ellen cherry, Anna Coogan and Brooke Brown Saracino.  There are also plenty of longtime Lyrical Venus favorites, like Melissa Ferrick, Kris Delmhorst, Meg Hutchinson, Dar Williams, Catie Curtis, Lori McKenna, Patty Griffin, Kina Grannis and Girlyman.

Tune in Tuesday (today!) from 9-10am Central for your weekly concentrated dose of music by female singer-songwriters!

Come ashore, love, come ashore
Do not chase the bitter sea
I will be waiting at our doorstep
Come ashore, love, come ashore
~ Come Ashore, Love by Anna Coogan

Anna Coogan's new album, The Wasted Ocean, is a fresh collection of olde time flavored sea songs, but more the type to row a small wooden boat, wearing a hand-knit woolen sweater misted with salt spray, than the type that stomp around in an eye-patch on a peg leg, sloshing mugs of beer.  The songs are deeply atmospheric, layered, and evocative, all while allowing Anna's rich, sweet and honest voice to hold center stage.

She will be performing at Cafe Paradiso on Thursday, Jan 19th with Lauryn Shapter & Dennis James of Truckstop Souvenir, who will be debuting their new side project - The Nameless Sorrows.

As I wrote last week, the Lyrical Venus Radio Hour is 4 years old! Four years of great music by and fun interviews with women musicians of many genres.  Thanks to the internet, the connections have been worldwide, whether it's me sending in the show from the multiple states and countries I've visited, or the artists calling in from around the world, or the wonderful listeners tuning in to kruufm.com from a distant corner of the planet!

As has been my annual tradition, I've collected a playlist of songs by the women I've interviewed in the past year, this is part two, since there were 32 artists! Click here for last week's playlist. Tune in Tuesday from 9-10am Central to hear part 2.