Isa Burke (pronounced like Lisa without the L) is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Boston, MA. She spends most of her time as one-third of the powerhouse indie-roots trio Lula Wiles, but she has also made a name for herself as a side musician, educator, writer, and occasional solo performer.
Her musical life has been a continuous process of finding new modes of expression, from studying Appalachian fiddle with Bruce Molsky to learning all of Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar parts for a Rumours tribute show to starting a group dedicated to writing a song every day for a month. In recent years her songwriting has moved to the forefront of her musical identity, and her songs contain a subtle power, blending the minimalism and grit of traditional folk and country with a modern indie sensibility and an eye for emotive detail. As an instrumentalist, she weaves textural, evocative lines and rhythms that support her assertive, soulful vocals. She is a collaborator at heart, drawing inspiration from the interlocking grooves of the fiddle and banjo or the alchemic harmony of a country duet.
In addition to her recording and touring with Lula Wiles, she has performed and recorded on fiddle, vocals, and acoustic and electric guitars with artists including Session Americana, Corporate Punk, Caitlin Canty, Stash Wyslouch, and many others. Driven by a love of good songs above all else, Isa is “as versatile a musician as they come, and a true showwoman who commands the stage and the audience’s attention” (Red Line Roots).
Mile Twelve is a modern string band from Boston, Massachusetts. Winners of the 2020 IBMA New Artist of the Year award, they have been making waves in the acoustic music community with their seamless blend of expertly-crafted songs, creative arrangements, and virtuosic execution. The band takes their name from the mile marker that sits at Boston’s southern border on Route 93, a road sign they’ve passed countless times while heading out on tour. They’ve found receptive audiences across the globe, touring throughout North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Their latest full-length album City on a Hill, produced by guitar legend Bryan Sutton and nominated for 2019 IBMA Album of the Year, is centered on the theme of people facing and overcoming challenge. Many of its songs are set in urban landscapes, a significant departure from the often-rural lens of acoustic music. Sutton observes, “I’m a fan of bands who strive for a balance of being musically unique and individualized, while at the same time working to include time-honored traditions found in this music. This blend is not an easy thing to accomplish. Mile Twelve does this with well-honed and refreshingly honest songwriting, along with powerful playing, singing, and performing. Not only did I have the privilege of producing this album, but I also got a chance to know the band better. I’m impressed with how much they bring out the best in each other.”
More recently, the band has released an EP of covers titled Roll the Tapes All Night Long. They draw from a wide array of influences — from Ralph Stanley to Los Lobos, from Darell Scott to Tattletale Saints — demonstrating the surprisingly flexible nature of their instrumentation at every turn. The project features a who’s-who list of special guests: Billy Strings, Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers), Brittany Haas (Hawktail) and Bruce Molsky. Folk Alley says “Roll the Tapes All Night Long showcases Mile Twelve’s restless creativity, their ability to inhabit a song and turn it inside out to make it their own, even as they preserve the spirit of the original.”
After a busy summer of touring including stops at RockyGrass, IBMA Bluegrass Live! and Milwaukee Irish Fest, the band is gearing up to record its next full-length project in early 2022.
A 1970s-inspired folk-pop songwriter, Suzie Brown has chased her unique muse for a decade, making modern-day roots music that nods to the soul singers, heartland rockers, and blues artists who came before her. Gluing the sound together is the unforced voice and honest, autobiographical songwriting of a Renaissance woman who’s not only an acclaimed musician, but also an Advanced Heart Failure cardiologist and mother of two.
Her songs have earned recognition from songwriting competitions, Forbes and People Magazine. “I love everything about you, Suzie — you’re wearing a lot of hats, and wearing them all well,”said broadcast journalist Gayle King during an episode of CBS This Morning that showcased Brown’s unique balancing act between music, medicine, and motherhood. Brown turns that balancing act into music, rolling with the punches, adjusting to the changing times, and writing the ever-evolving soundtrack to her journey.
Scot Sax knows his way around a song. He has been writing them for years, whether it was with his own bands Wanderlust (RCA) and Feel (Curb), or as a purveyor of hits for singers like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. It was Sax, in fact, who co-wrote the country duo’s Grammy-winning smash “Like We Never Loved At All.” His catchy “I Am the Summertime,” penned while with the band Bachelor Number One, was featured in the blockbuster “American Pie.” And he’s netted countless TV credits, with song placements in shows like “Ghost Whisperer,” “NCIS,” “CSI: NY” and “Keeping up with the Kardashians.”
