Americana Sundays: An Afternoon with J. Oscar Bittinger and Dan Bracken

Singer/songwriter song swap!

A singer/songwriter song swap between two mighty West Michigan talents! 

J Oscar Bittinger toured the Midwest as a singer-songwriter in the late 70s, then cofounded the ‘80s/’90s Musician Magazine recognized pop-rock band Pillar of Fire. As his need for fire and noise quelled in the beginning of the 21st Century, JOB began to delve back into traditional acoustic styles. First with The Folk Bros (founded with Bruce Zeeuw and Steve Aldrich) – purveyors of hard-edged folk with a sense of humor; followed by Oxter/Mahone, a rotating party of “Celtic Roots, American Rhythms”; and continuing in the singer-songwriter duo Dublin Station (with Lauran Hardin) – that combined traditional Irish tunes with original songs that “leaned Celtic” – and sometimes adding beats and grooves.

Songwriter and finger-style guitarist Daniel Bracken plays music informed by his rich history as a recordist and producer for Public Media, and as a performer in the US and Ireland. In recent years, Dan has delved deeper into personal songcraft, a wholehearted mix expressing the crossroads of spirituality, wistfulness, and humor. His songs embrace many of the storytelling qualities of traditional Irish and American roots music.