Sam Shackleton

SAM SHACKLETON also known by his Gaelic moniker, Sorley the Bard, is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk artist. His music is greatly inspired by the rich inter-connected musical and oral traditions of Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. Strongly influenced by the 1960's folk revival, his unique sound is a mix of country, old-time, folk, and blues, with a Scottish spirit.

Nick Hans

NICK HANS writes songs drawing primarily from his own life - sometimes dark, sometimes beautiful. He left Tennessee in his late teens and began crisscrossing the country by freight train, working seasonal jobs, farming, and living in punk and radical communities. When he found a cassette tape with Leadbelly on one side and Woody Guthrie on the other, he was blown away by the beauty and power of those legendary musicians and their songs. He picked up a beat-up Stella guitar, and has been writing and playing his own songs ever since. HANS spent many years living in New Orleans, playing shows and busking with an ever-changing cast of musicians, including his previous bands the Sluetown Strutters and the Stay All Night Rounders. He currently lives in Taos, New Mexico, where he continues to farm, work, and write music.

Kendall Lujan

The striking talents of rising Portland talent KedallLujan will be impossible to miss in the coming year. Her indie-operatic voice stratifies songs through octave runs, making moody, melodic folk rock. To rise out of Portland's flush music scene is no easy feat, Lujan has been making herself heard by singing harmonies in AC Sapphire's backing band The Shoulderpads. Early next year we'll have her first EP.In her latest project Lujan steps out in front of the band. Many folks introduction to Lujan will be "Another", a song of lingering desire that floats Lujan's vocal range over a small symphony of archtop guitar and strings. Her strengthy voice -which ranges from mountain holler to bird-like warble, seems to hang in the air. She sings a song about retracing steps to the point where love was lost, and resolves to regain that trail in another life.Lujan opens the moody "Dot My I's" solo, fingerpicking guitar, giving us a chance to hear her commanding voice. Layered vocals and gentle driven drums join Lujan in a pocket groove. Enjoy her lyricism as she asks "how can these memories be so sweet, and other times only sting?"Lujan comes to Portland from the upper-left-most corner of rural Washington. She's had bands before but the time of the pandemic created an opportunity for Lujan to do things differently. She moved to Portland, and saw the isolation of relocation and lockdown as a chance to really dig into her own songs. The trained piano player picked up a guitar.Lujan's songs concentrate on growing up, and figuring it out, and sheturns experience into a story to make the point. The natural singer and songwriter put together a band with Micah Hummel (drums) Sam Arnold (bass) and recorded at the Map Room in Portland with Dominic Schmitt producing.Lujan is peaking on "Forget Me Knots", a crossover capable song incorporating elements of country, indie, folk, and pop. Crooning clearly over vibrato, reverb, pedal steel asking, romantically, "how long will it take for you to be sitting next to me?" with a release in February 2023.

Website:

https://www.kendalllujanmusic.com/