Daily Archives:

Plus, Merle Monroe with Grace Pettis Performing on August 23, and Jerry Lee Lewis’ daughter Linda Gail Lewis with Cedric Burnside on August 30

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Folk singer-songwriter Michael Johnathon kicks off his 2021 season of WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour with the reigning Queen of Bluegrass, IBMA & GRAMMY award winner, and Grand Ole’ Opry member, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, on August 16 at the Lyric Theater in Lexington, Kentucky. Vincent will perform new music from her album, Music Is What I See. Plus, special guest is the young Dillon Massengale and his family band as he and Rhonda are set to perform their Merle Haggard single and tell his musical story overcoming autism. Tickets for the live taping may be purchased at Tix.com. 

Upcoming Woodsongs Performances:
The August 23 show welcomes Merle Monroe, a band composed of Tim Raybon and Daniel Grindstaff, who will perform their hard-driving Bill Monroe all the way to the Merle Haggard sound. Songs of a Simple Life is the band’s highly-anticipated sophomore album, which they’ll play some cuts from. 

Plus, Grace Pettis, an award-winning songwriter from Austin via Alabama, will also perform on the August 23 show. Pettis is the winner of NPR’s 2009 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest. Her debut album Working Woman from MPress Records includes guest contributions from Indigo Girls, Ruthie Foster, Dar Williams, The Watson Twins, Gina Chavez, and Mary Bragg.

August 30 welcomes to the WoodSongs stage Linda Gail Lewis, the younger sister to living legend and musical genius, Jerry Lee Lewis. Linda was raised on the rock n’ roll piano, along with country, and grew up with a passion for music. A professional musician since the age of 15, Linda is well versed in rockabilly, rock n’ roll, and country music, she continues to share her high-octane live show with music fans around the world. 

Also appearing on August 30 is Cedric Burnside, a two-time GRAMMY nominee who has proudly carried the mantle of Mississippi Hill Country blues around the world. Burnside delivers a sound birthed in his soul, but developed and perfected on the road. His newest contribution to this tradition is I Be Trying, a 13-track album treatise on life’s challenges, pleasures, and beauty.

WoodSongs airs on more than 500 radio stations worldwide, is also broadcasted on RFD-TV, and streamed WoodSongs FaceBook (@WoodSongs), and on their YouTube Channel. For additional show information and a complete list of where to listen and watch, visit WoodSongs.com

About Michael Johnathon:
Among the throngs of artists in the music world, few have elevated “dreaming” to such a high art form as folk singer Michael Johnathon. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised upstate near Beacon, Michael relocated to outside of Lexington, Kentucky in 1995. He recently won the prestigious Milner Award of the Arts in 2020, presented by Governor Andy Beshear in Kentucky. He is also the screenwriter for the upcoming Caney Creek motion picture, a touring songwriter, author of five published books, playwright of the Walden Play performed in 42 countries, composer of the opera, Woody: For the People, organizer of the national association of front porch musicians called SongFarmers, the full symphony performances of SONGS OF RURAL AMERICA and as the creator and host of the live audience broadcast of the WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour with a radio audience of over two million listeners each week on 500 public radio stations, public television coast-to-coast, American Forces Radio Network in 173 nations and now on the RFD-TV Network nationwide.

About WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour:
Launched in 1998, WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour is an all volunteer, live audience celebration of grassroots music and the artists who make it. Produced 44 Mondays per year from the historic Lyric Theatre in Lexington, Kentucky, the show airs worldwide on 537 radio stations from Australia to Ireland, and across the United States. It is also aired on American Forces Radio Network twice each weekend in 177 nations, and on every military base and US Naval ship around the world. It is also broadcasted into millions of homes as a PBS-TV series on KET in Kentucky, and on Friday and Wednesday’s on RFD-TV, America’s Most Important Rural Network.

 # # #

Michael Johnathon & WoodSongs Contacts:
Media & PR: Jason W. Ashcraft | jwa@jwamedia.com |  (615) 991-1125

Photo Downloads:

[August 16 Poster | Download JPG]

[Aug 23 Poster | Download JPG]

[Aug 30 Poster | Download JPG]