The Lil Smokies’ high-energy acoustic music has evolved into its own distinctive sound. Since their last album, Tornillo (2020), the band returns with two new members, bassist Jean Luc Davis and banjo player, Sam Armstrong-Zickefoose, adding to the core trio of dobro player Andy Dunnigan, lead guitarist the Reverend Matthew Rieger, and fiddler Jake Simpson. To showcase the new sound and augmented quintet lineup, the band has released a brand new album Break of the Tide, available now via Americana Vibes.

Elton John and Brandi Carlile release their acclaimed collaborative studio album, Who Believes In Angels?, out now via Interscope Records. Listen here. The highly anticipated album comes the week after Elton and Brandi debuted several tracks live during a magical evening of music and conversation at The London Palladium. The show, which received widespread 5-star reviews from critics, will air on CBS on Sunday, April 6 and ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player on Saturday, April 19.

In a mostly male genre still known as much for its reticence about contemporary subjects as for its powerful harmonies and virtuosic picking, bluegrass music’s Sister Sadie have stood out ever since the all-female group’s founding more than a dozen years ago.

ALO, once and sometimes still known as Animal Liberation Orchestra, released their latest album Frames (Brushfire Records) today, April 4. The 10-song collection is either the sixth or the ninth album by the NorCal quartet, depending on whether one counts three late-90s records that can’t be found anywhere on the internet.

The Marin Irish Festival returns to Lagoon Park at the Marin County Fairgrounds on May 3-4, 2025, bringing a lively celebration of Irish music, dance, and heritage. Hosted by Red Barn Productions, producers of The Great Dickens Christmas Fair and the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire, the festival (formerly Ceili On the Lake) promises a weekend of traditional entertainment, hands-on cultural experiences, and family-friendly fun.

Grammy Award-winning folk-rock duo Indigo Girls are one of the featured acts on the long-running PBS TV series Austin City Limits. The brightest stars in the show's history return to the ACL stage for a celebration a half-century in the making, including the Indigo Girls, Chris Stapleton, Gary Clark Jr., Lyle Lovett, Billy Strings, Rufus Wainwright, Indigo Girls, Brandy Clark, Cam and The Mavericks.