Drawing inspiration from their hometowns in central and northern Alberta, Canada, The Rural Alberta Advantage reflect their upbringing not only in their name and album title but in their music as well. The three-piece layer vocal haromies over intricate drumming and driving guitar to reflect the landscape and culture of Alberta and growing up in it.

Johannesburg, South Africa's BLK JKS (pronounced Black Jacks) began five years ago as a group of friends jamming. Influenced by jazz and rock, they also pull from Zulu, Xhosa, and other traditional South African cultures.

Brandi Carlile made her stage debut at the age of performing Rosanne Cash's "Tennessee Flat-Top Box" at the Northwest's version of the Grand Ole Opry.

Sondre Lerche recorded his debut album "Faces Down" in 2000, which received praise in both Europe and America.

For the past five years James Buckley has been at the forefront of the Twin Cities music community, from his early days playing bass with the experimental Poor Line Condition to his recent work with The Pines, some say Buckley is prolific.

Minneapolis' Dan Wilson is experimenting with touring "staycation" style. He's playing a string of dates in the Twin Cities under the philosophy of "low milage, small rooms, one guy."

After 50 years in music, Byrd's founder and guitarist Roger McGuinn continues to tour, perform and record a folk song every week to pay homage to his roots.

Red Pens are Howard W. Hamilton III and Laura F. Bennet. The duo met when a friend introduced them to work on an art project. Their unique sound and ambitious schedule of weekly shows has made them one of the most talked about bands in the Twin Cities.

Taking his moniker from his birth place, Langhorne, PA, folk singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim (nee Sean Scolnick) now calls many places home including Portland, OR, California, and Brooklyn, NY.

Megafaun, the Durham, North Carolina - by way of Eau Claire, Wisconsin - trio of brothers Brad and Phil Cook and friend Joe Westerlund have been making music since Jazz Camp in 1997.