The 2011-2012 Season

Probably best known for their mega hits "Heaven" and "More Than Love," Texas-born brothers Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza meld rock, blues, soul, country and Tejano with musical dynamics and vocal harmonies that only come with genetic bonds. They have sold millions of albums, and recorded with such legends as Willie Nelson and Carlos Santana. Los Lonely Boys have appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Lopez Tonight and continue to tear up concert stages around the world.

Featuring Mary Wilson of the Supremes Starring James Gavin, narrator and author of the book Stormy Weather, and Supremes icon Mary Wilson, this multimedia event is a living, breathing biography of the legendary life of the late, great Lena Horne. A combination of storytelling, live performances and rare audio and visual images from James Gavin’s wealth of material and interviews with Horne herself, makes for an unforgettable evening of theatre. Stormy Weather is a salute to Hollywood’s first African-American goddess, from her reign at MGM’s “dream factory” to a fabled night club seductress and civil rights icon.

Winners of seven IBMA awards, The Grascals’ innovative, trademark blend of cutting-edge bluegrass and classic country, delivered with vocal prowess and instrumental virtuosity, earned them Grammy nominations for their critically-acclaimed releases and a #1 spot on the Billboard charts. Timely and timeless, their music remains relevant, yet based in a deep-seated tradition of knowledge and admiration. They have shared the stage with Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams Jr. and Charlie Daniels. Says Dolly Parton, “I am so proud of The Grascals. They are one of the best bluegrass bands I have ever heard.”

Recently opening for Bon Jovi and Paul McCartney, this 21 year-old Canadian prairie girl is talented, gifted and up-and-coming. Breezing through pop, Celtic, world and original music with stunning ease on her first love, the fiddle, and with wonderfully pure and smoky vocals, Sierra Noble is a force to be reckoned with. She creates an atmosphere where stunning instrumentals and hook-laden melodies exist in perfect harmony. Her talent has taken her around the world, and she shone brightly for billions at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

When the "On Air" sign lights up, audiences are transported back to the Golden Age of Radio where this 1940s live broadcast of Frank Capra’s beloved holiday classic comes to life. Set in the fictional studios of WVL Radio Theatre on Christmas Eve 1945, only a handful of actors have braved the blizzard to perform that evening’s broadcast of It’s A Wonderful Life and keep the station afloat. This clever stage adaptation breathes new life into the poignant story of George Bailey and Bedford Falls in an uplifting tale of struggle, triumph and the power of community.

Drummer, composer, band leader and vocalist, T. S. Monk soars and sizzles with a cohesive and driving style. As the founder and CEO of the Thelonius Monk Institute, now celebrating its 25th anniversary, he continues the rich Monk legacy. Picking up drums at the age of 10, touring with the elder Thelonius, launching into R & B, and then returning to swing and big-band orchestrations, T. S. has had what Variety calls "more than a few streaks of brilliance." Awards include Downbeat’s Jazz Album of the Year, International Jazz Artist Lifetime Achievement Award and a spot atop the Reader's Poll for Jazz Artists.

The Steep Canyon Rangers' deep dedication to traditional bluegrass, as well as commitment to forging a fierce path for the next generation, is the hallmark of this engaging, young quintet. Soaring to new heights in 2011, the band released its first collaborative record with Steve Martin, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s bluegrass chart. While headlining festivals such as Bonnaroo and MerleFest alongside Martin for part of the year, the Rangers continue to perform alone as a quintet on stages such as Telluride, RockyGrass and A Prairie Home Companion. Recent television appearances include Late Night with David Letterman and Austin City Limits.

Called "a sensation" by Billboard Magazine, ground- breaking fiddler Eileen Ivers is a nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, original musical star of Riverdance, The Chieftans and founding member of Cherish the Ladies. She, along with her band Immigrant Soul, delivers a compelling mix of Irish and bluegrass/Americana spiced with world, African and jazz modernity. Ivers’s recording credits include over 80 contemporary and traditional albums, as well as numerous movie scores. Dirty Linen Magazine said of the artist, "If New York is a melting pot, this band is turning up the heat."

This original, one-man show, set in 1952 at Brooklyn State Psychiatric Hospital, explores the life and times of Woodrow Wilson Guthrie. Woody Guthrie experienced tragic and unimaginable hardships as a child that led him to become a drifter and develop a style of storytelling by singing and playing the guitar. Audiences will experience the marriage of his innate musical brilliance, and the crucible in which this brilliance and his experiences were forged together as he struggled to be a man, a husband and a father while staying committed to his art and battling a genetic disorder.

Two of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 60s through the 90s, Janis Ian and Karla Bonoff, come together for an unforgettable evening of collaboration and song. Both were songwriters by the tender age of 15. Janis Ian’s hits include "Society’s Child," "At Seventeen," "Jesse" and many more from her 29 albums and CDs. Karla Bonoff has written numerous million-selling songs including "All My Life," "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me," "Tell Me Why" and has seen her songs become hits for such stellar artists as Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd and Linda Ronstadt.