Episode 6

Mark Lagerwey is a singer-songwriter in the folk-rock tradition. Recently, his music focuses on our changing climate and the dire implications for humanity. A retired journalist and writer, Mark resides in West Michigan with his wife and also travels frequently to Alaska where he hikes, bikes and skis with his son and grandsons. In Last Winter, Mark expresses his longtime love of winter weather, and his sadness at its diminishment as global warming eats away at it all over the world. In floods, fires, and heatwaves, the warmth is overwhelming the cold – but we can solve the problem if we just muster up the willpower, and the good will, to honestly address it.

Mark Lagerwey: composer, guitar,vocals / Anne Carpenter: vocals

James Kahn is a longtime physician, novelist and screenwriter who has turned his focus to writing/performing Americana music over the last ten years. As a musical storyteller he hopes to touch people’s hearts, moving them to help save our collective ship from sinking. Workin’ That ER is a poignant, tender look at the life struggles of those around us, as seen through the lens of the emergency room. A reflection of the wounded and damaged souls wandering the world, it asks us to see the humanity in them – to help heal them, and ourselves, by coming together, supporting each other, and understanding the power of community to bind us in the mystery of life.

James Kahn – guitar, lead vocal / Shawn Thies – harmony vocals / David West – electric bass, harmony vocals / Jon Crosse – clarinets / George Friedenthal – piano / Tom Lackner – drums

Starting Now, written by Glen Phillips and performed by Toad the Wet Sprocket, is an introspective musing about what a person needs to do after being lost and directionless, looking at wasted years looking for life to change – and realizing change doesn’t just happen, we have to make it happen, we have to “dig a little deeper.” Maybe the “best time to change was years ago,” but the next best is here and now.

Glen Phillips – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, mandolin, keyboards / Todd Nichols – lead guitar, backing vocals, mandolin / Dean Dinning – bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar / Josh Daubin  – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Melanie DeMore eloquently describes herself as “a weapon of mass communication”. With a solid education in music composition, this accomplished songwriter, composer, choral conductor and former Sister of the Cloth, has a level of understanding as to the pure intention of Music that comes to only a very few in each generation. There is only one woman on this Planet whose voice is as deep, resonant, mesmerizing, comforting, and downright jaw-dropping in its power and sensuality as hers is. In Lead With Love/One Foot we see her passion and skill at work while she leads an enthusiastic, young  group of singers about overcoming life’s struggles by confronting them together, by sharing our feelings of fear and sometimes despair, and facing them in common. “Don’t give up hope/Keep movin’ on,” is a joyous battle cry of protest and empowerment. And it just makes you feel good.

Melanie DeMore – Lyrics and music