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World Cafe WXPN in Philadelphia and host Raina Douris present interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists.

World Cafe

Essential and Emerging Artists
Aubrie Sellers Brings Garage Country To AmericanaFest

Aubrie Sellers performs live at the 2019 AmericanaFest Day Stage in Nashville. Dylan Estes/WMOT hide caption

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Dylan Estes/WMOT

Nashville Sessions

Aubrie Sellers Brings Garage Country To AmericanaFest

XPN

The daughter of country stars Lee Ann Womack and Jason Sellers shows off her own sound on the 2019 AmericanaFest Day Stage in Nashville.

Aubrie Sellers On World Cafe

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On 'Bird Songs Of A Killjoy,' Bedouine Only Feels LA's Sunshine Sometimes

After a semi-nomadic life growing up, Bedouine has called LA's Echo Park home for a decade. Her beautiful folk tunes fit squarely in that neighborhood's musical tradition. Moises Galvan/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Moises Galvan/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

On 'Bird Songs Of A Killjoy,' Bedouine Only Feels LA's Sunshine Sometimes

XPN

Azniv Korkejian knows she writes songs infused with melancholy. On her sophomore album, she owns the title of "killjoy" across 12 pensive tracks.

Bedouine On World Cafe

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Mercy Bell And Joy Oladokun On Finding Their Voices, And Common Ground, Through Folk

Mercy Bell (left) and Joy Oladokun (right) Caitlin Brady / Shannon Beveridge/Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Caitlin Brady / Shannon Beveridge/Courtesy of the artists

Nashville Sessions

Mercy Bell And Joy Oladokun On Finding Their Voices, And Common Ground, Through Folk

XPN

"I want them to be like ... this is the music she makes. And she just happens to be gay and happens to love soul music and happens to love folk, and it kind of all works.' "

Rob Ickes And Trey Hensley Expand Upon Their Roots With A Heavy Dose Of The Blues

Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley perform live on the AmericanaFest Day Stage. Val Hoeppner/WMOT hide caption

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Val Hoeppner/WMOT

Nashville Sessions

Rob Ickes And Trey Hensley Expand Upon Their Roots With A Heavy Dose Of The Blues

XPN

Ickes left his band of 20 years to focus on playing with Hensley, and their chemistry is undeniable.

Rob Ickes And Trey Hensley On World Cafe

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When 2 People Sound Like Many: Illiterate Light Reinvents The Classic Power Duo

Illiterate Light performs live in the World Cafe Performance Studio. Jamie Stow/WXPN hide caption

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Jamie Stow/WXPN

Studio Sessions

When 2 People Sound Like Many: Illiterate Light Reinvents The Classic Power Duo

XPN

There are a lot of great guitar and drum duos - The Black Keys, The White Stripes - but none of them can say their drummer plays standing up, or that their guitarist plays the bass line with his feet.

Illiterate Light On World Cafe

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Liam Gallagher Has A Lot To Be Happy About

"I always want to keep it classic-sounding," Liam says. "I'm not like my brother, who's trying to reinvent the wheel and failing miserably." Tom Beard/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Tom Beard/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Liam Gallagher Has A Lot To Be Happy About

XPN

The Britpop icon talks about his second solo album, Oasis' break-up that's chronicled in a new documentary and how his cat left poo in his tub while on tour.

Liam Gallagher On World Cafe BAD

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Robbie Robertson On His Creative And Symbiotic Relationship With Martin Scorsese

"Joni Mitchell is still the Queen Mother of singer-songwriters," Robbie Robertson says. Mitchell appeared in The Last Waltz, the first of his collaborations with Martin Scorsese. Don Dixon/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Don Dixon/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Robbie Robertson On His Creative And Symbiotic Relationship With Martin Scorsese

XPN

The Band's songwriter and Scorsese have been friends and collaborators since they first worked together on The Last Waltz in 1976. This year, Robertson scored The Irishman.

Robbie Robertson On World Cafe

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Jade Jackson Brings A Rock And Roll Sensibility To Her Americana Music

Jade Jackson performs live from the 2019 AmericanaFest Day Stage. Cal Hoeppner/WXPN hide caption

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Cal Hoeppner/WXPN

Nashville Sessions

Jade Jackson Brings A Rock And Roll Sensibility To Her Americana Music

XPN

The influence of her punk rock producer colors the classic Americana roots of Jackson's music in this live performance.

Jade Jackson On World Cafe

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Bluegrass Band Della Mae Previews New Songs In A Virtuosic Live Performance

Della Mae performs on the AmericanaFest Day Stage presented by NPR Music, WMOT and World Cafe. Val Hoeppner/WMOT hide caption

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Val Hoeppner/WMOT

Nashville Sessions

Bluegrass Band Della Mae Previews New Songs In A Virtuosic Live Performance

XPN

The unmistakably modern and inventive bluegrass string band perform live at the 2019 Americana Music Festival.

Della Mae On World Cafe

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Kelsey Waldon Represents The Neo-Traditional Scene Burgeoning In Nashville

Kris Kristofferson's publicist, Tamara Saviano, offered Kelsey Waldon an internship after listening to her cover Townes Van Zandt. Laura E. Partain/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Laura E. Partain/Courtesy of the artist

Nashville Sessions

Kelsey Waldon Represents The Neo-Traditional Scene Burgeoning In Nashville

XPN

Waldon's new album, White Noise / White Lines, was released on John Prine's Oh Boy Records. She is the first signee to the label in 15 years.

Kelsey Waldon on World Cafe

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Sonny Landreth Announces A New Album And Shares Stories About Peter Frampton

Listen in for a snippet of Sonny Landreth's live cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from his recent tour with Peter Frampton. Lucius Fontenot/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Lucius Fontenot/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Sonny Landreth Announces A New Album And Shares Stories About Peter Frampton

XPN

The slide guitar maestro announces a new album in his World Cafe session. It's tentatively scheduled for release in February 2020 and includes a song called "Mule."

Sonny Landreth On World Cafe

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An Audience Q&A Leads To Surprising Answers From The Head and the Heart

The Head and the Heart performed live for World Cafe. Jamie Stow/WXPN hide caption

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Jamie Stow/WXPN

Studio Sessions

An Audience Q&A Leads To Surprising Answers From The Head and the Heart

XPN

You don't want to ask silly questions, but sometimes a silly or lighthearted question is a great way to learn something about a band. Our audience takes over in this interview.

The Head and the Heart On World Cafe

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Pete Townshend On Creativity, 'The Age Of Anxiety' And The Who's New Record

Pete Townshend originally wrote the songs on The Who's new album for Roger Daltrey as a solo artist. "I wrote them for Roger because I knew that Roger would sing them best," he says. William Snyder/Courtesy of the aritst hide caption

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William Snyder/Courtesy of the aritst

Studio Sessions

Pete Townshend On Creativity, 'The Age Of Anxiety' And The Who's New Record

XPN

Townshend talks about his debut novel, how it relates to The Who's rock opera, Tommy, and what he'd say now to his younger self – the one who wrote the lyric "I hope I die before I get old."

Pete Townshend On World Cafe

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Presenting The Groundbreaking Country-Rockabilly-Tex-Mex Mix Of The Mavericks

The Mavericks performed live at the 20th Annual AmericanaFest in Nashville. Val Hoeppner/WMOT hide caption

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Val Hoeppner/WMOT

Nashville Sessions

Presenting The Groundbreaking Country-Rockabilly-Tex-Mex Mix Of The Mavericks

XPN

Hear the band's AmericanaFest performance, drawing from its 2013 comeback album, In Time, as well as an interpretation of the John Anderson tune "Swingin'."

The Mavericks On World Cafe

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Molly Tuttle's Voice Shines In Her Live Rendition Of 'Rain And Snow'

Molly Tuttle performs live from the AmericanaFest Day Stage in Nashville. Dylan Estes/WMOT hide caption

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Dylan Estes/WMOT

Nashville Sessions

Molly Tuttle's Voice Shines In Her Live Rendition Of 'Rain And Snow'

XPN

The bluegrass guitarist, vocalist and songwriter treated the AmericanaFest Day Stage to songs from her debut full length album, plus an extra folk standard to boot.

Molly Tuttle On World Cafe

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The Relentless Energy Of The Record Company

The Record Company performs live on the AmericanaFest Day Stage presented by NPR Music, WMOT and World Cafe. Val Hoeppner/WMOT hide caption

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Val Hoeppner/WMOT

Nashville Sessions

The Relentless Energy Of The Record Company

XPN

Hear a live performance of hard rocking favorites from the 20th Annual Americana Music Festival in Nashville.

The Record Company On World Cafe

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Hear Tanya Tucker Perform Selections From Her First Original Album In 17 Years

Tanya Tucker performing live at the AmericanaFest Day Stage presented by NPR Music, WMOT and World Cafe. Val Hoeppner/WMOT hide caption

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Val Hoeppner/WMOT

Nashville Sessions

Hear Tanya Tucker Perform Selections From Her First Original Album In 17 Years

XPN

Co-produced by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings, the country legend brings While I'm Livin' to the 20th annual Americana Music Festival.

Tanya Tucker On World Cafe

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Robert Randolph And The Family Band: Raucous Rock Meets The Gospel Tradition

Robert Randolph performing live at the AmericanaFest Day Stage presented by NPR Music, WMOT and World Cafe. Val Hoeppner/WMOT hide caption

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Val Hoeppner/WMOT

Nashville Sessions

Robert Randolph And The Family Band: Raucous Rock Meets The Gospel Tradition

XPN

Hear a joyous and uplifting set, recorded live at the 20th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference in Nashville.

Robert Randolph and the Family Band On World Cafe

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How Psychedelics Influenced Noah Gundersen's Latest Album, 'Lover'

Noah Gundersen inside the World Cafe Performance Studio Jamie Stow/WXPN hide caption

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Jamie Stow/WXPN

Studio Sessions

How Psychedelics Influenced Noah Gundersen's Latest Album, 'Lover'

XPN

Psychedelic drugs are just the jumping-off point for our conversation about the songs on Gundersen's rich, exquisitely crafted album.

Noah Gundersen On World Cafe

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Jessy Wilson Finds A Rock Vibe With Patrick Carney

Jessy Wilson performing live inside the World Cafe Performance Studio. Jamie Stow/WXPN hide caption

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Jamie Stow/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Jessy Wilson Finds A Rock Vibe With Patrick Carney

XPN

Wilson talks about working with The Black Keys' drummer, her extensive musical background and why she wouldn't want to make music anywhere but Nashville.

Jessy Wilson On World Cafe

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Of Monsters And Men Adds Synth Flourishes On 'Fever Dream'

Of Monsters And Men performs stripped-down versions of songs from the band's lastest record, Fever Dream, inside the World Cafe Performances studio. Jamie Stow/WXPN hide caption

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Jamie Stow/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Of Monsters And Men Adds Synth Flourishes On 'Fever Dream'

XPN

The Icelandic band's latest album includes more synthesizers and electronic instruments, including a tiny little keyboard called an OP-1.

Of Monsters And Men On World Cafe

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The Infectious Joy Of Mwenso & The Shakes

Mwenso & the Shakes perform live at WXPN's Free At Noon Concert - recorded live for this World Cafe Session. Rich McKie/WXPN hide caption

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Rich McKie/WXPN

Studio Sessions

The Infectious Joy Of Mwenso & The Shakes

XPN

Emergence [The Process of Coming Into Being] blends jazz, R&B and spoken word in a live album that feels like a Broadway show.

Mwenso & the Shakes On World Cafe

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