In Performance

The success of Malaysian-born singer-songwriter Zee Avi is an increasingly familiar but noteworthy story: Avi was discovered after she posted a few songs on YouTube. Within two months, she was signed to release her self-titled debut. Here in this intimate Tiny Desk Concert, Avi sings three hushed lullabies, including what has become one of her signature songs: a cover of Morrissey's "First of the Gang."

Bowerbirds' handcrafted songs creak and swell like wooden floorboards in an old house. With acoustic guitar, accordion and violin, the band's pastoral folk music has a distinctively spare yet harmonious sound. Hear the group, fronted by Phil Moore and Beth Tacular, perform a captivating Tiny Desk Concert in the NPR Music offices.

Nascimento's miraculous voice is one gift. Brazilian music is another — passionate and in an innately beautiful language. It's his birthday on Oct. 26, so we celebrate with last year's celebration at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, with Newark's Portuguese-speaking community understanding every word, the world-renowned Nascimento celebrates bossa nova pioneer Antonio Carlos Jobim.

It's hard to overstate the impact that Dr. Ralph Stanley has had on bluegrass and old-time gospel music. Now 82, he sits atop a 60-year legacy of making music, both as the preeminent purveyor of clawhammer-style banjo picking and as a singer with one of the most widely imitated (but never duplicated) voices in country music. For this short Tiny Desk Concert, Stanley performs three classic songs, all a cappella: "Gloryland," "Turn Back, Turn Back" and "Amazing Grace."

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 B——, who accompanies Ferron here in live performance 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?