“With any genre of music, no matter what side of the microphone you’re on, it’s connecting people,” says Michael Gaither. In an...
Cherry Poppin’ Daddies battle identity crisis and pigeonholing and come out on top Steve Perry, the lead singer of Cherry Poppin’ Daddies,...
For Nate Lieby, the lead vocalist and ukulele player for Coffee Zombie Collective, being in a cover band is a nice change...
At 40, The Crepe Place is still cranking out delicious vittles …and rock stars The Crepe Place is the indie rock equivalent...
Matt Conable is a rare breed of musician. “I decided 20 years ago that I didn’t want to try and make a...
Scissors For Lefty looks forward to a pants-off dance-off at the SCMF Bryan Garza has some wonderful memories of South By Southwest...
It’s been a rapid rise to dubstep fame for 24-year-old bicycle mechanic Travis Egner-Williams, who only adopted his LabRat alias within the...
Indie rapper Sage Francis to headline Santa Cruz Music Festival When it comes to indie rappers, it’s not that uncommon to find...
When it comes to finding inspiration for their songs, Ashley Lloyd Thompson and Alex Thompson—who sing, write and play guitars in the...
Pianist Benny Green wants jazz’s past to continue to inform its future I can honestly say I’m still learning.” Hearing such an...
Jeff Wilson, who plays banjo for North Pacific String Band, loves being part of original music experiences. “What I like about the...
On the eve of Cyndi Lauper’s Mountain Winery gig, we dissect the woman, the icon, the creative beast. Plus: Her thoughts on...
Memphis singer-songwriter, Amy LaVere, finds joy and humor in painful situations Producer Craig Silvey likely saved singer-songwriter Amy LaVere’s life a few...
Mark Twang plays a little bit of everything—rock, roots, jazz and bluegrass for starters—but so far they haven’t played much in public...
Bluegrass band-turned-rockers embrace change, new challenges Kenny Feinstein, the multi-instrumentalist, singer and sole remaining founding member of Water Tower Bucket Boys, has...
Amanda West started singing sometime after she began walking, but before uttering her first words. Or that’s what she’s been told, at...
José González on the chilly atmosphere pervading Junip’s mesmerizing new record Ten years ago, I used to have music as my hobby....
Betsy Jane Kniffen may have performed the national anthem at the opening Santa Cruz Derby Girls bout in March, but the lead...
French-born jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimée lives for musical freedom and improvisation Cyrille Aimée is a musical gypsy. Her sound incorporates elements of...
Danny Moriarty’s musical influences have been known to impact his life beyond his local rock band, Transoceana. “I went through two periods,”...
Although Jesse Malley, lead singer of the outlaw country, blues and rock ’n’ roll band The Tilt, no longer lives in Santa...
Allen Stone wants to give R&B back some of its depth Whether fairly or unfairly, R&B and soul music often get typecast....
Megan Saunders and the rest of the members of The Driftless—Blair McLaughlin, Jeffrey Kissell and Rob Smith—love their band. “We have a...
Coming out of a cold winter with Cowboy Junkies’ Michael Timmins The title The Wilderness does a fine job of conveying the...
Bryn Loosley is methodical when it comes to his music. “If you locked me in a room for two hours and told...
“The heart of the ocean beats in mine,” The Gembrokers confess on the stripped-down track “Mountain Lion,” off their 2012 self-titled release....
Inspiration comes natural to folk-soul strummer Sean Hayes Looking back, Sean Hayes says he worked on the title track of his latest...
Stephanie Schneiderman’s music may be ever-changing, but her message remains constant Whether she is performing with the Portland, Ore.-based indie pop-rock band...
Thanks to Ona Stewart, guitarist and songwriter for Santa Cruz bluegrass/Americana band The Naked Bootleggers, you might have a secret life you...
The splendor of Spiritualized’s limitless space rock is in its relentless and familiar flow Wow! It’s like you’re next door now,” Jason...
