Jesse Ruben is a singer/songwriter based in Atlanta, GA after spending 15 years in NYC. Best known for his lyrical storytelling and engaging live shows, his songs have been heard on more than a dozen TV shows in the US and abroad including Teen Mom, Switched at Birth, The Bachelor (Germany), and the recent Disney+ series Diary of a Future President.

His most recent single 'This Is Why I Need You' reached the top 10 in 12 different countries, and has been streamed more than 60 million times across all platforms.

He has recorded live sessions for NPR and MTV Asia, and has been featured on PBS.

‘Signs of Life is an eye-opening record. If only because it’s so deeply human and vulnerable.’ 8/10 Americana UK

‘My Politic has a style of intimate songwriting that is often reminiscent of the late great John Prine.’ Nashville Scene

David Newbould is a lifer. Since kickstarting his career with 2007’s Big Red Sun, he’s made his mark as a heartland roots-rocker, Americana artist, and amplified folksinger, writing songs that chart the ups and downs of an adulthood often spent onstage and on the road. With 5 acclaimed albums and several EP’s to his credit, his songs have been featured on TV shows such as Dawson’s Creek and Criminal Minds.<br><br>In 2020, thee Americana rocker recorded the album, Power Up!, as part of a two man crew with producer Scot Sax. Fighting the limitations of the pandemic, the two played almost everything themselves. The experience inspired Newbould to build his own studio and begin working in such fashion. The natural evolution of this process is the new release, Average Fidelity Vol. 1, which released on streaming along with limited physical release on Aug 15, 2025.<br><br>Canadian born troubadour David Newbould has kept himself in motion throughout his adult life, from working with indie band The Mercenaries in New York City, joining forces with friends like Jon Dee Graham and Cindy Cashdollar in Austin TX, and writing songs with the likes of Dan Baird and Aaron Lee Tasjan in his adopted hometown of Nashville. All of these experiences feed the stories that find themselves on the track list for DN AF.<br><br>'Straight Shot To Bakersfield' is the bluegrassy result of a Californian tour with old timey singer, Rosy Nolan. “Into The Deep” is a murky tele propelled guitar workout, wriden with Aaron Lee Tasjan, and speaking to the need to take the plunge towards living one’s truest life. “Fractured Love”, wriden on a cocktail napkin on the plane ride home from a recent European tour, offers a sketch of a father’s guilt over being away from his son for long stretches of time. And the opening track, “Coin Flip”, tells an alternate version of a friend’s story who literally flipped a coin to decide whether to move to New York or LA.<br><br>All of these songs were filtered through the (mostly) one man band that was formed upon the completion of his home studio. 'I watched Scot knock out these beautiful bass, drum, and piano parts to my songs in his own garage and thought, ‘I think I can do this?’, says Newbould. 'I played drums as a kid, I can play bass, I was force-fed piano lessons at a young age... Let’s get it on!' The result is a vast set of songs that feel remarkably live. 'The guitars are raw, the drums are mostly simple and heartfelt...it’s like a live one man rock and roll band.'<br><br>In 2025 he performed at Mile of Music and Atwood Music Festival and wrapped up a tour in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, and Sweden. Average Fidelity Vol. 2 releases in 2026.

Rees Shad has been crafting musical narratives across decades In the rich tapestry of Americana music, few artists have woven stories as intricate and compelling as Rees Shad. Since his 1994 debut 'Anderson, Ohio', Shad has been on a relentless quest to push the boundaries of musical storytelling, earning him a reputation as not just a songwriter, but a true architect of narratives in the world of contemporary folk and Americana. The Evolution of a Storyteller With a catalog spanning an impressive 17 solo albums over three decades, Shad's journey is a testament to his unwavering commitment to artistic growth as he 'has been on a relentless quest to push the boundaries of musical storytelling' (Seth Rogovoy). Each release serves as a chapter in his ongoing exploration of sound, story, and the human experience. From the early days when critics dubbed him a 'wordsmith to watch,' to his current status as a celebrated songwriter and performer, Shad's evolution has been nothing short of remarkable.The Art of Musical World-Building What sets Shad apart is his unique approach to composition. 'I often work by assigning myself compositional parameters,' he explains. This method has led to a diverse body of work, each album a distinct world unto itself. Whether it's crafting story songs in the style of particular writers, responding to specific production styles, or creating interconnected overarching narratives, Shad's process is more akin to that of a novelist or filmmaker than a traditional songwriter

SINGER-SONGWRITER-GUITARIST Kate McDonnell has captivated audiences all over the world with her award-winning songwriting, her unusual deft guitar style, and her jaw-dropping voice. Her introduction to folk music was conventional, if precocious as a four-year-old, she heard a Joan Baez album in her mother’s collection. Her reaction was somewhat less conventional: she picked up her mom’s guitar, taller than she was, and started to teach herself how to play the instrument, strung for a right-handed player, left-handed 'upside down and backwards,' using her stronger right hand for chording and ignoring the customary positioning of the guitar strings. Eventually, Kate realized that the guitar could be more than background padding, she started to listen to Leo Kottke, Mason Williams, Steve Howe, and others. At 16, a Baltimore-area guitarist and luthier Ken Dubourg taught Kate to play Duane Allman's Little Martha, and her skies opened. Not a surprise, given that Kate comes from generations of musicians on both sides: her maternal grandfather (trumpet) and great grandfather (trombone and viola) performed with the National and Baltimore Symphonies. Kate's father sang in operettas in his younger years, and her mother continues to play anything she can hear on the piano in F#, just as her own mother did. All three of Kate's siblings have the musical gift, so at any given night around the dinner table, they were bound to break into song.