Mountain Stage

Before he went solo, Justin Currie was a singer and lyricist for the popular Scottish pop group Del Amitri, whose hits included "Roll to Me" and "Always the Last to Know." He makes his second appearance on Mountain Stage and is followed with a set by Ingrid Michaelson. The New York-based singer-songwriter gained national recognition last year when her song "The Way I Am" made it onto an Old Navy holiday commercial.

In a Mountain Stage set originally recorded in December 2007, Vega and her band perform selections from her latest CD, Beauty & Crime. She also performs a couple of the songs that brought her to the forefront of pop music in the late 1980s: the unlikely hits "Luka" and "Tom's Diner."

Canadian-born folk singer Ferron issued her 14th release in 2008, titled Boulder. A collection of revisited songs, the album was recorded and produced by indie-rock violinist Bitch, who accompanies Ferron here in live performance on Mountain Stage.

Making his third appearance on Mountain Stage, Billy Bragg is best known in America for teaming up with Wilco to set some newly unearthed Woody Guthrie lyrics to music on 2000's Mermaid Avenue. But in his native England, Billy Bragg is highly regarded as an egalitarian songsmith who sings for the working class.

Making his 12th appearance on Mountain Stage, songwriter, composer and guitarist Bruce Cockburn takes listeners on a brief career overview in a live performance recorded at New York's legendary Town Hall. Already a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Cockburn is one of the most heralded and awarded musicians in his native Canada, having won numerous Juno awards and reached gold and platinum sales on multiple releases.

Houston-born songwriter Rodney Crowell took his talents to Nashville in the 1970s and has been evolving ever since. His 1988 album Diamonds and Dirt garnered five No. 1 country singles, including one with his then-wife Rosanne Cash (with whom he still works today). In this Mountain Stage appearance, he performs music from some of his most recent albums, including this year's Sex & Gasoline.

Recorded at New York City's historic Town Hall, and just down the road from her home, singer and songwriter Rosanne Cash performs an acoustic set for her third appearance on Mountain Stage. Included is music from her critically acclaimed album Black Cadillac, as well as a cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Two Girls."

Singer-songwriter Karla Adolphe and percussionist Caleb Friesen make up the Manitoba-based duo Jacob & Lily. On their recent Mountain Stage appearance, the two show off Adolphe's powerful, passionate voice and steady guitar strumming, along with Friesen's meticulous and driving rhythmic work.

Based out of his tiny, rustic hometown of Slaughters, Ky., songwriter and guitarist Chris Knight writes backwoods poetry with introspection he's clearly gained by living the words he writes. On this Mountain Stage appearance, Knight performs songs from his latest album, Heart of Stone, as well as the title cut from his previous record, Enough Rope.

In their fourth appearance on Mountain Stage, the modern-day Irish traditionalists in Solas perform songs from their latest release, Love and Laughter. The set opens with a series of jigs and a traditional Irish love song, and later ends with a rendition of Bob Dylan's "Seven Curses."

One of the most distinctive voices in modern bluegrass, Dan Tyminski visits Mountain Stage for the first time with his own band to perform songs from his second solo release, Wheels. The set closes with "Man of Constant Sorrow," the bluegrass standard prominently featured in the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Loveless has built a 20-year career by choosing great songs to complement her charming twang. On her fourth visit to Mountain Stage, she performs music from her latest release, for which she dipped into the classic country songbook and recorded some of the genre's most enduring and endearing songs.

Joe Pug's captivating voice and thoughtful storytelling immediately and understandably draw comparisons to a young Bob Dylan. On his first appearance at Mountain Stage, Pug performs selections from his debut EP, Nation of Heat.

Ten years since his last visit, singer Matthew Ryan makes his long-awaited return to Mountain Stage. Accompanied by Molly Thomas on piano and vocals, Ryan performs a humorous, if sometimes bumpy, set that features music from his latest album, Matthew Ryan vs. The Silver State.