9 a.m. - Ken Pomeroy, John Moreland - Coyote
Ken Pomeroy may only be 22 years old, but she’s making inroads in TV, film and music, with an appearance in “Twisters,” a song placed in the series “Reservation Dogs,’ and a whole lot of road time opening for Lukas Nelson, American Aquarium, and others. On this hour’s fresh track, “Coyote,” she’s joined by journeyman singer-songwriter John Moreland.
10 a.m. - Caleb Caudle - The Garage
This hour’s Fresh Track, “The Garage,” by Caleb Caudle, is a reminiscence about the club in his North Carolina hometown where he got his start in the early 2000’s. The song comes from his seventh studio album Sweet Critters, released earlier this year, and celebrates the thrill of seeing “my poster at the side of my hero’s poster on the wall.” Years later, Caudle is still making the rounds.
11 a.m. - FaithNYC - Can I Make it Up To You
Felice Rosser, the driving force behind this hour’s Fresh Track, “Can I Make It Up To You” by FaithNYC, hails from Detroit, where she experienced Motown, the 1967 riots, Funkadelic, The MC5, The Stooges and The New York Dolls before moving to New York City for college. Joining forces with drummer Fin Hunt, guitarist Al Maddy and Kenny Margolis on keys, Rosser paints from a vibey palette on this groovin’ song. Enjoy.
1 p.m. - MJ Lenderman - Rudolph
MJ Lenderman is tearing it up lately. The 20-something singer from Ashville, NC, is selling out shows all over the country, including his upcoming February appearance at Soundwell in Salt Lake City. His clean-and-straightforward style melds indie folk, roots rock, and skronky guitars with tunes that deal with random details of everyday lives, both past and present. If you can’t see him live, radio’s the next best thing. Just in time for the holidays, here’s “Rudolph,” this hour’s Fresh Track.
2 p.m. - Lainey Wilson - Whirlwind
“I was a lone wolf / Had my own back,” says Lainey Wilson as she kicks off this hour’s Fresh Track, “Whirlwind.” Wilson, the reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year, hails from Baskin, Louisiana, where she began writing songs at a young age before relocating to Nashville after high school and rocketing to mainstream success and arena tours a decade later.
3 p.m. - Paul Thorn - Tough Times Don't Last
Paul Thorn, from Tupelo, Mississippi, was a prizefighter, a professional skydiver and a factory worker before taking up the songwriter’s pen nearly 30 years ago. Since releasing 1997's Hammer & Nail for A&M, Thorn has balanced blues, rock, gospel, country, and soul in a singular strain of Americana. Enjoy this hour’s Fresh Track, “Tough Times Don't Last,” recently released as a single.
4 p.m. - Kaitlin Butts - Other Girls
Oklahoma native Kaitlin Butts was nominated for Best Emerging Artist at this year’s Americana Music Awards in Nashille and wowed the crowd with her featured performance at the event. Her third album Roadrunner! is an homage to the classic 1943 musical Oklahoma! – her favorite – with reinterpretations of songs on the soundtrack and loads of original new thematically related songs in an updated musical vernacular. This hour’s Fresh Track, “Other Girls (Ain’t Havin’ Any Fun),” re-spins the song “I Cain’t Say No.”
5 p.m. - Jontavious Willis - Keep Your Worries On The Dancefloor
Grammy-nominated Jontavious Willis styles himself as a blues revivalist, performing original, toe-tapping tunes flavored by Delta, Piedmont and Texas Blues. His current album, West Georgia Blues, includes this hour’s Fresh Track, “Keep Your Worries On The Dance Floor,” and channels the lively rent parties and juke joints of yesterday, reminding us that the Blues can bring us together in tricky times, to paraphrase the artist.
6 p.m. - Peter Cat Recording Company - Foolmuse
Need some chill bgm for the early part of your holiday party, before things go big? You might could ask your favorite streaming service to create a mix of artists based on Peter Cat Recording Co. The band, based in Delhi, India, launched roughly 15 years ago and has released eight studio albums. Last August they opened for Khruangbin at Granary Live, gaining exposure to 6,000 delighted Salt Lake Citians. For your listening enjoyment, here comes “Foolmuse,” from their current album BETA.
7 p.m. - Waxahatchee - 3 Sisters
Since 2012, Katie Crutchfield has released eight albums under the name Waxahatchee, named for a lake – or possibly a creek (sources disagree) – near her hometown in Alabama. A fixture on the Americana scene, she fills venues in every state, like last May’s show at The Depot in Salt Lake City. Please enjoy this hour’s Fresh Track, “3 Sisters,” Critchfield’s recently released single.
8 p.m. - Chuck Prophet - First Came The Thunder
This hour we feature another indie artist who’s been going after it for decades: the always competent and engaging Chuck Prophet, with his current song, “First Came The Thunder,” from his 2024 album Wake The Dead. Most songs on the record feature the LA-based Cumbia band Qiensave (Key-en-sahv-eh). It’s a great direction for Prophet, and a multicultural treat for your ears. We hope you agree!
9 p.m. - Peach Pit - Magpie
This hour’s Fresh Track, “Magpie,” by Peach Pit, comes down from Vancouver, British Columbia , with a 25% tariff attached – for being ultra cool. Since their 2016 debut album Sweet FA, the band has toured extensively, gracing stages at Lalapalooza, Bonaroo and this year’s Kilby Court Block Party in Salt Lake City, where lead singer Neil Smith exclaimed, “This is the best view from a stage we’ve ever seen!” He was referring to the snow-capped Wasatch Range, of course.
