Acclaimed singer/songwriter Josh Rouse will release The Happiness Waltz on March 19 through Yep Roc Records. Sonically, The Happiness Waltz takes a trip back into Rouse’s early-2000’s period, a time when so many of his longtime fans really came on board. A number of the new tracks could easily find a home on the AM radio of the late 1970’s, nestled between some of the biggest songs of the day.

Bay Area duo Melody Walker and Jacob Groopman are wrapping up their 35-date GOLD RUSH GODDESS tour Nov. 16 with a their first headlining show at renowned hometown haunt the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley.

At age 12, young Casey Lee Hurt was handed a pawnshop guitar by his father, a gospel preacher, and told to go make a joyful noise. You could find him on a street corner, coffee shop or local pub doing just that….a boy, a guitar, and a dream. Today, wherever an ear is listening or a spirit needs lifting, Casey is right there singing, all soul and bones, with a guitar, piano, or any other instrument he can get his hands on.

Melody Walker’s debut album, GOLD RUSH GODDESS, will be released nationally Aug. 28, but she and partner Jacob Groopman already have reason to celebrate: With their band Front Country, they won the band competition at RockyGrass, the July festival founded 40 years ago by bluegrass icon Bill Monroe.

Rachel Brown will be releasing her debut EP Building Castles on September 18th, 2012.The singer-songwriter, who was born and raised in New York City with Ethiopian, Bermudian and Southern roots, fuses pop, Caribbean, Hawaiian, country, hip-hop and world sounds into Building Castles' six self-penned songs.The EP's first single, "Bumblebee," will be accompanied by a music video directed by Rex Arrow Productions founder Ian Wolfson (Mac Miller, Nelly).With no formal musical training, Brown found her voice organically.