​ John Gorka - Winner of the Kerrville Folk Festival’s prestigious ”New Folk” award in 1984, John Gorka remains one of the Northeast’s most acclaimed singer/songwriters. Gorka’s songs have been recorded by Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Mary Black, Maura O’Connell and Nanci Griffith. On 2001's “The Company You Keep,” he was joined by Carpenter, Ani DiFranco, Lucy Kaplansky and Patty Larkin, while “So Dark You See,” his 11th recording, was released in 2009. Gorka, whose writing has been described as “wide-eyed lyrical honesty,” has also released a collector’s edition box set featuring a hi-def DVD and companion CD titled “The Gypsy Life.” His song “Where No Monument Stands” was featured in the documentary “Every War Has Two Losers” about activist Oregon Poet Laureate William Stafford. Due in March 2014, “Bright Side of Down,” is his first CD in more than four years.

Justin Townes Earle - With echoes of Springsteen and Guthrie, Justin Townes Earle creates stark portraits with elements of acoustic blues and folk. After cutting his teeth in a bluegrass/ragtime combo The Swindlers and the louder, more rocking The Distributors, Earle forged his own brand of American roots music. In 2009, Earle won the “Best New and Emerging Artist” at the Americana Music Awards. His record “Midnight at the Movies” was named one of the best records of 2009 by Amazon, and received four stars in “Rolling Stone.” Earle appeared on HBO’s “Treme” with his father and was named by “GQ Magazine” as one of “The 25 best dressed men in the world” in 2010. His 2010 release, “Harlem River Blues,” garnered a “Song of the Year” award at the 2011 Americana Music Awards. Earle’s last release, 2012's “Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now,” was recorded live over four days at an old converted church recording studio in Asheville, NC.

Wesley Stace - With 17 releases under the name John Wesley Harding, British singer/songwriter and novelist Wesley Stace is veteran of the music industry and literary world. Influenced by songwriters like Dylan and John Prine, Stace’s 1989 stateside debut featured Elvis Costello’s backing band The Attractions. Since then he has recorded with the Decemberists, Peter Buck, Rosanne Cash, Laura Veirs and Scott McCaughey. In 2009 Stace launched his NPR variety radio show “Cabinet of Wonders” based at NYC’s City Winery, which has featured a “Who’s Who” of contemporary performers, writers, and comedians. Stace has appeared on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” He teaches a songwriting course at Princeton University with poet Paul Muldoon, and has also taught literature at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he curates the Words & Music Festival. His first novel, 2004's “Misfortune,” was nominated for the Guardian First Book Award, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, listed as one of the books of the year in “The Washington Post.” Stace’s fourth novel, “Wonderkid,” was published in February, 2014. His new, self-titled album, his first under his given name, was released in fall, 2013.

Nellie McKay - Born in London and raised in bohemian Harlem by her actress mother, vivacious and multi-talented Nellie McKay quickly set a new standard for diversity and creativity. Her resume would be impressive for someone twice her age. To date, McKay has done Brecht on Broadway, opened for Lou Reed at Carnegie Hall, sung Woody Allen movie songs at the Hollywood Bowl, performed on “A Prairie Home Companion,” sang with Eartha Kitt and Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, and played Hilary Swank’s sister in the 2007 film “P.S. I Love You.” “Normal As Blueberry Pie,” issued in 2009, paid tribute to her longtime inspiration Doris Day, fitting as McKay received the Humane Society’s “Doris Day Music Award” in recognition of her dedication to animal rights. In 2010, she released, “Home Sweet Mobile Home,” featuring production from her mother Robin Pappas and creative input from David Byrne. She recently performed in the season finale of Michael Feinstein’s “Swinging With the Big Bands” at Lincoln Center which explored the intersection of jazz and popular song.

Elizabeth & The Catapult - Showcasing the songs of Elizabeth Ziman, the music of Elizabeth & The Catapult has been described as “a mixture of organic jazz, rock and pop.” An active musician since childhood, Ziman studied classical piano until age 16 when she began concentrating on singing. In 2002, Ziman joined Patti Austin on tour, singing background vocals for the soul legend for the next 18 months. Two years later, Elizabeth & the Catapult released a self-titled EP which caught the ear of several major labels and in 2006 were named “one of the best discoveries of the year” by NPR. After signing with Verve Records, the group released “Taller Children” in 2009. Then, while working on the Lincoln Center song cycle (performed last spring for a commission from NPR’s John Schaefer), Ziman read Leonard Cohen’s “Book of Longing” collection which gave the group 2010 CD, “The Other Side of Zero,” its title and inspired a number of tracks. The group’s latest release is “Like it Never Happened.”