Lil’ Malcolm & The House Rockers personify family ties and Zydeco tradition, featuring guitarist Percy Walker and his two sons, drummer Percy Walker, Jr. and accordionist Lil’ Malcolm Walker. Honoring the musical stylings made famous by legendary Zydeco figures, their commitment to tradition sets them apart from the newest wave of “pop” Zydeco bands.

Fronted by Brazilian star Liliana Araujo, Nation Beat is a group of rhythm gatherers, harvesting the fruit of 500 years of cultural crossbreeding between the sounds of northeast Brazil and the southern United States. NPR's “All Things Considered” music writer Banning Eyre calls them "the most original and alluring fusion group I have heard in years."

Carolyn Wonderland is a triple threat with her diverse songwriting, soulful vocals, and guitar goddess status, which has been featured on over  20 recordings. This Austin renegade incorporates elements of blues, country, swing, zydeco, surf, gospel and soul in each performance. 

Reed Thomas Lawrence writes and plays original music that infuses thoughtfulness and intelligence into the world of music without losing a drop of pop friendliness in the process. Following the recent release of his self-titled record, Lawrence has been opening shows for Sheryl Crow and Johnny Lang.

From gritty funk and juke-joint romps to contemplative country soul and blistering rockers, Grey’s music is in a class by itself, at once contemporary and classic. Grey brings his singular musical vision and hip-shaking, soulful live show to his ever-growing fan base, showing how his songs speak to people all over the world and how far his Southern roots can spread.

Having had a Top 10 hit in the 80’s with “Keep Your Hands To Yourself,” ex-Georgia Satellite singer/guitarist Dan Baird has a little “change in his pocket going jing-aling-aling” with his new band Homemade Sin. After a pair of critically-acclaimed solo albums and a new one with this lineup (featuring guitarist Warner Hodges of Jason & The Scorchers), Baird is sure to deliver a Southern-fried rock show full of clever tales from the heart.

Ben Sollee’s cello playing and soulful voice have been marinating for years in his work with avant-garde bluesman Otis Taylor and The Sparrow Quartet (featuring banjo-master Béla Fleck). Named one of NPR’s “Top Ten Unknown Artists of the Year” in 2007, Ben Sollee will bring along his band to Nightfall to demonstrate a distinctive acoustic folk style, with just a touch of jazz.

Hailing from Los Angeles, this singer-songwriter brings her richly imaginative lyrics and soft, breathy vocals to the stage. Mandell, who cites Tom Waits as her biggest influence, has been praised by critics for her talent and diverse recording styles, including folk, jazz, alternative and country.

John Nemeth grew up in Boise, where his first exposure to music was singing in the Catholic church before turning into a bluesman at age 17. Now an artist on Blind Pig Records, John’s stellar harp playing and blend of retro-modern blues and soul music delights purists and hipsters alike.

From all three coasts (New England, California and Texas), Shotgun Party puts on a truly American music show with all the rhythms, modes and melodies this continent has to offer. This trio swing early jazz right on into dance hall country, with melodies and lyrics that are both lively and lonesome on upright bass, fiddle and guitar.

Enter the Haggis, a multi-influenced Celtic rock band from Toronto, has found itself at the center of a grassroots success story landing high on Billboard and iTunes World Music charts.  It’s the kind of overall sound and devotion package that has created not only die-hard fans, but “Haggis Heads” that follow the band from show to show.

Daughter of June Carter Cash, Carlene Carter has always straddled the line between country and rock. Beginning her career as a rock singer in the mid-'70s, she became immersed in the new wave of the late '70s, before emerging as a country singer in the late '80s. Throughout it all, her style has always infused roots music - whether country or rock ‘n roll - with a nervy, edgy energy.

Philadelphia indie pop act Dr. Dog is part of a long tradition of D.I.Y. pop oddballs who blend unapologetic '60s pop worship with lo-fi recording techniques and a complete disregard of current trends.  R. Stevie Moore's quirky eclecticism is one obvious touchstone, as is their love of both straightforward pop hooks and willfully fractured song structures.

With harmonies reminiscent of the Everly Brothers, this band captures a lot of the true feelings of country's roots in their upstate New York version of bluegrass. What truly stands out about their music is that they're also songwriters working with a contemporary lexicon of language and issues.