The third annual American River Music Festival
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The Skinny Singers featuring Jackie Greene and Tim Bluhm (of The Mother Hips) 
The Skinny Singers are comprised of two of California's most celebrated singer-songwriters. The New York Times has called Jackie Greene the “Prince of Americana”, and the San Francisco Chronicle said, “The boy wonder songwriter definitely has the rocking pneumonia and the boogie-woogie flu.” Tim Bluhm is a member of the highly influential rock band "The Mother Hips". Together, they represent a musical force that is awe-inspiring. They are also very skinny.
www.myspace.com/skinnysingers
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Jimmy LaFave 
Jimmy has devoted most of his life to making music, beginning as a young boy in Texas, first learning to play the drums and then moving to the guitar. Jimmy's family moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma when he was in high school, and he began his career as a singer-songwriter and never looked back. There he crafted his sound, a combination of his experiences among authentic songwriters from the tradition of Woody Guthrie. |
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Eliza Gilkyson and Nina Gerber 
Eliza Gilkyson is a politically minded, poetically gifted singer-songwriter, who has become one of the most respected musicians in roots, folk and Americana circles. In 2006, she was recognized with 3 Austin Music Awards and 4 Folk Alliance Music Awards, one of which was for “Song of the Year” for her tune “Man of God.” FolkWax says of Gilkyson’s lastest record Beautiful World, “Gilkyson has raised the composing bar to a whole new level.” Nina Gerber has a unique ability to completely free herself within an eclectic range of styles. Presented with folk, country, bluegrass, rock, or blues, she is able to fall into leads, which have rare reverence for the true feeling of a song, always emphasizing taste over technical display. She seeks to express through her hands, rather than gain attention, and it is this integrity, which makes her expressions worth intent listening. |
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City Folk 
City Folk is a Northern California favorite “mostly acoustic” trio featuring Keith Greeninger, Kimball Hurd, and Roger Feuer. The words “my favorite band” are often heard when the name City Folk comes up. They came together in the late 1980s and quickly became known for their song writing, seamless three-part vocal harmonies, and musical arrangements. |
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Handful of Luvin 
Voted in the Top 5 Best Local Bands by King 5 Evening Magazine Best of Western Washington 2008. These four young men will move you…literally. "…we walked outside to the Pierce Transit Park right as Handful of Luvin’ began playing. Um, wow. Just wow. Good gravy in all that’s made from butter, I am in love. I was so drawn in. The voice, the violin, the rhythm, I couldn’t help but want to dance. I was drawn to the stage, and immediately began taping. The crowd was nuts, the dancing, the energy, and vibes of happiness. These people loved this band, and I craved more when they were done."– Steph DeRosa, Weekly Volcano |
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Blame Sally 
BLAME SALLY is: Pam Delgado, Renee Harcourt, Jeri Jones and Monica Pasqual. These four accomplished instrumentalist/singers combine their strikingly different approaches to create a distinct and beautiful sound that's been described as emotionally charged, highly melodic, and compelling. The San Francisco Chronicle called Blame Sally's self-produced/self released second album "intelligently emotional, intricately harmonized folk-pop" with "imaginatively arranged, expansive narrative songs." |
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Danny Schmidt 
Winner of the prestigious Kerrville New Folk award in 2007, Austin, TX-based singer/songwriter Danny Schmidt writes with a lyrical complexity and a style drawing comparisons to Townes Van Zandt and Leonard Cohen. “He is perhaps the best new songwriter I’ve heard in the last 15 years” Rich Warren, Sing Out! Magazine. “Danny Schmidt is a young man with blazing lyrical skills and a deserved cult following” – Andrew Hawkey, Cambria Arts UK |
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Twilight Hotel 
Alt-folkies Twilight Hotel boast gorgeously matched voices, smartly crafted songs and a hell of a record (Highway Prayer). Twilight Hotel is the musical partnership of Brandy Zdan & Dave Quanbury. Hailing from the fertile music community of Winnipeg, MB, Zdan & Quanbury met in 2002 at a folk festival and realized the power of combining their talents. Twilight Hotel was recently named one of ’9 to watch in 09’ by USA Publication Performing Songwriter Magazine, and have landed a Juno nomination for roots and traditional album of the year (2009) for Highway Prayer. Highway Prayer also wins outstanding roots album (duo/group) 2008 Western Canadian Music Awards. |
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Jonny Mojo with MindX 
Jonny Mojo reunites with MindX to bring a melting pot of folky rock, tribal grooves and tasty blues. Jonny hails from Placerville and is well known around the Coloma-Lotus Valley, while MindX does most of their music in Sacramento and is considered one of Northern California’s premiere groove-funk-bluegrass-jazz-psychedelic-rock bands. |
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Fret Not 
Fret Not plays boot-stomping old-time roots gospel. Lead by Lori Arthur's fiery singing, with songs from the traditions of America's black and white rural churches, it's as if the Whitstein Brothers and Sister Rosetta Tharpe held a barn dance together. There is something in the old songs, borne out of the suffering of slavery and company towns, failing farms and untimely death that prepares the heart to hear in the Word the only Uplifting Gospel there is. |
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The Sherry Austin Band 
A passion for making music can thrive so secretly inside us that we don’t even realize it. The kind of passion one doesn’t have to practice yet the music grows on its own, finally insisting to find its outlet. That is just what happened for Sherry Austin. The stories and songs long tucked away have emerged fully composed in her first two CDs. She’s a natural born songwriter and singer with a recently bloomed music career. Like a rare blossom, admirers find the beautiful experience of her music well worth the wait. |
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Songwriters Circle w/ Michael McNevin, Cindy Kalmenson and Michael Gaither
Michael McNevin has a seasoned voice, accomplished steel string guitar work, and some wonderful tour adventures. Michael is known for a distinct and vivid brand of storytelling in his lyrics. He is a past winner of the Kerrville New-folk award in Texas, a 5-time winner of the West Coast Songwriters Association "Song Of The Year", was chosen by Performing Songwriter Magazine as a Top 12 “DIY Artist Of The Year", and was nominated for "Artist Of The Year" by the National Academy Of Songwriters. |
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Cindy Kalmenson 
Cindy Kalmenson is an original voice in Nashville weaving deep sentiments with honesty and humor. Inspired and influenced by her favorite artists: Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Neil Young, Joan Baez and Emmylou Harris, to name a few, Cindy has developed a unique and heart felt sound very much her own. To see her live, you witness the charm of a true artist born to be on stage. |
Like his song "Jack of All Trades" says, singer/songwriter Michael Gaither has done a bit of everything: journalist, corporate trainer, even joke writer for Jay Leno. All roads danced around - and eventually led back to - writing. And music. He favors songs with stories and tales of day-to-day life: Big cars. Bad drivers. A baby’s first steps. And, well, even mules. Michael is an Americana mix of folk, bluegrass, and a little gospel. |
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Loose Acoustic Trio 
The Loose Acoustic Trio is an American original. Since the turn of the 21st century, they have deftly blended Folk, Cajun, Old-Time Country, Blues, Jug Band, and Ragtime music to create an appealing sound they call “Good Time Music.” |
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