Paul Thorn, Raul Midon, and more on Mountain Stage

GUEST ARTISTS: Paul Thorn, Raul Midon, Wood Box Heroes and more artists to be announced

Tickets: $27-$47

Available at tickets.therobinsongrand.com
Or by phone 855.773.6283

About Mountain Stage

Since 1983, Mountain Stage has been one of the most beloved programs in public radio history. Eclectic, authentic and unpredictable, the show’s varied guests have included iconic artists from John Prine and Townes Van Zandt to Wilco and Phish. Under the leadership of Grammy Award-winning country and bluegrass star Kathy Mattea since 2021, Mountain Stage continues to bring surefire energy and mountain music magic to parts known and unknown.

Produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and distributed by NPR Music, each two-hour episode is recorded in front of a live audience and can be heard every week on nearly 300 stations across America, and around the world via NPR Music and mountainstage.org.

Paul Thorn

In contrast with earlier work that riffed on short-term love affairs, as well as “kissing the right one good-bye,” the writing on Thorn’s latest release, “Never Too Late To Call” features music from a man who is with the “right one” and is happy to be there.

This offering, seven years in the making, features all original material, some songs written by Thorn, others co-written with his friend and longtime manager Billy Maddox. The CD was recorded at Sam Phillips Studio in Memphis and produced and engineered by Grammy winning wunderkind Matt Ross-Spang.

In the case of what is arguably the CD’s most tender composition, “Sapphire Dream,” Thorn teamed up with his daughter Kitty Jones, who co-wrote the song and accompanied her dad on vocals.

Much has been written about Thorn’s early years performing in his father’s Pentecostal church and later coming under the tutelage of his Uncle Merle, a pimp and small-time hustler. While those early relationships were formative and offered their attractions, the admonition of Jesus to love one another seems to hold powerful sway with Thorn.

Raul Midon

Blind Singer Songwriter Guitarist Raul Midón is nothing if not prolific. His 13th and latest album, Lost & Found is a blend of what he calls “smooth folk,” “alt-pop” and “jazz.” He’s a master at combining genres, “his music suggests a three way fusion of Stevie Wonder, Bobby McFerrin and José Feliciano according to the New York Times. Midón recently debuted the uplifting bluesy pop song “Keep On Keeping On” on the The Jennifer Hudson Show (December 2023). Joining Raul on this body of work are his friends, industry veterans, Andres Forero (Hamilton, Phish, U2) on Drums & Percussion, Richard Hammond (Hamilton) on bass, Federico Pena (Black Generations Project) on keyboards & piano. Next Time,” a “galloping rock waltz” is a co-write with New York fixture Mike Errico. “Lost & Found”, the album’s moniker which Midón calls “smooth folk” is a song he wrote early in his career. The lyrics were inspired by his listening to Bob Dylan reading of his poem, “Last Thoughts On Woody Guthrie.” “When We Remember” is a country-tinged song that includes a stint of Raul playing banjo. He might have reached out to Bela Fleck but he’s held his own here and he does it from the comfort of his basement studio. To do this Midón has had to learn the art of engineering. Unfortunately, the technology for the blind is not consistent and it’s a constant struggle, one he continues to confront. He’s been assisted here by New York recording engineer, Michael O’Reilly, whom he met while making his major label debut album “State of Mind” under the careful eye of legendary producer, Arif Mardin. Raul has worked with “Mike” extensively on many albums since those early days including the Grammy Nominated “Bad Ass and Blind.”Another highlight is the soulful collaboration with Ethiopian R&B songstress “Wayna” on their Sting-like co-write “A Condition of Love.” “The Ganga Song” is a bouncy ska-ish take on the latest cannabis craze. This will be Midón’s 2nd album released on his own imprint “ReKondite ReKords” (ReKo ReKo).

Eclectic Adventurist was his first, released in November 2022. During the lockdown Raul fulfilled a long-time dream of recording a guitar duets album with some of his favorite guitarists including Mike Stern, Dean Parks, Lionel Loueke, Julia Bailen, Stephane Wrembel, Alex Cuba and more. From popular Letterman bass guitarist Will Lee, “Eclectic Adventurist is a great surprise at every turn- a beautifully performed, meticulously-recorded collection of gorgeous interplayfulness. “Eclectic Adventurist” is now available on vinyl in limited quantities.

Raul has worked with countless legends in the industry including Bill Withers, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Terence Blanchard, & Dianne Reeves to name several. In 2022 he was honored to pay tribute to one of his idols “Joni Mitchell” with the National Symphony Orchestra arranged and conducted by Vince Mendoza at The Kennedy Center alongside Lalah Hathaway, Jimmie Herrod & Renee Fleming (PBS Next at the Kennedy Center). He received two Grammy nominations back-to-back in 2017 and 2018 for his albums “Bad Ass and Blind” and “If You Really Want” in the Best Jazz Vocal Category. In 2019 he was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, University of Miami. In 2021 he was given the Disability Rights Ambassador of the Year award, presented to him by his colleague Jason Mraz

Wood Box Heroes

Deeply rooted in tradition while melding together an eclectic-array of sounds from the country, bluegrass, blues, jazz, rock, and classical varieties, paired with crafty and authentic songwriting, the band delivers a piercing listening experience that plunges deep into the caverns of the soul.

Bringing together some of the world’s most highly lauded musicians in Matt Menefee (banjo-Mumford & Sons, Cadillac Sky, Warren Haynes), Barry Bales (bass-Alison Krauss & Union Station) backing up the vocal magic of Jenee Fleenor (fiddle-George Strait, Blake Shelton, Larry Cordle) and Josh Martin (singer/songwriter/guitarist), this unit has over a century of musical seasoning between them.

The dynamic collection of songs within this 12 track album, includes standout songs such as, “Cross the Line,” the group’s first number one on Bluegrass Today chart, marking a significant milestone in their career. “Man oh man, what a ride ‘Cross the Line’ has given us thus far,” said Josh Martin of Wood Box Heroes. “It really hit the ground running as our first single of 2024, and now, being the band’s first song to chart at #1 is really fitting. It’s a recklessly wild and energetic tune about the need to break away from the real world every now and then, especially after you’ve spent a night or two in the proverbial Heartbreak City, to the point of feeling the need to ‘cross the line’. And the gang absolutely put the hammer down on this record!”

The group also previously released “Cannonball” on March 15th across all DSP’s. “Cannonball is a song I wrote a while back with Chris Stapleton", stated Barry Bales of Wood Box Heroes. "I was trying to figure out a new way to talk about the ‘love and war/love as war/love is war’ theme and of course, Chris helped to bring that to life so well. I never made a demo, just the voice memo. Hearing Chris’s amazing singing on it could be a daunting thing for lots of artists to get past, but I knew Josh Martin could handle it, so I pitched it to the Heroes for this project. It took a while to sink in with them, but I’m beyond thrilled with the treatment they gave it!”

The album also showcases the group's talent with driving rhythm, resonant harmonies and lyrics that are rich with imagery and emotion that propels listeners on a sonic adventure with songs such as, “This Train,” written by Jim “Moose” Brown, Jenee Fleenor and Josh Martin. In addition, “Remember This Part,” is a beautifully crafted vocal blend by Josh Martin and Jenee Fleenor, whose harmonies weave seamlessly through the melody. The track’s gentle acoustic guitar and subtle instrumentation create a warm backdrop that envelops listeners in a soothing ambiance, enhancing the emotional impact of the song.

The ”supergroup” of revered musicians, songwriters and mentors to many is filling up a tour schedule that traverses the US. Yes, you will catch them entertaining with many others along the way, as well as seeing their talents grace numerous awards shows, stadium stages and more. The group will headline the Station Inn in Nashville during CMA Music Fest on June 8th.