Icon Fetch

Singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Doug Kistner has played with Trans Siberian Orchestra, John Waite, and even Blood, Sweat and Tears. But, his new project assembles an impressive list of ace musicians into Studio D’Lux and their first album is titled, appropriately, The Allstar Project.These all stars include Liberty Devitto, Billy Joel’s original drummer; several members of Chicago, including horn player Lee Loughnane and guitarist Keith Howland; plus legendary bassist Leland Sklar, and Eliott Randall and Jon Herrington, who’ve both played with Steely Dan. The result is an album that harkens back to the late Seventies / early Eighties, yet still sounds fresh.

Ted Neeley played the lead role in both the stage performance and the film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar. His piercing, multi-octave range and golden locks made for something we hadn’t seen before: a hunky rock n’ roll Messiah. Also starring the smoldering Yvonne Elliman, as Mary Magdalene, and the soulful, gut wrenching performance of Carl Anderson as Judas. Neeley was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for his spellbinding portrayal. Now, you get to see that iconic film on the big screen once again as the Little Art Theater in Yellow Springs will do a run of Jesus Christ Superstar on the big screen, March 27th, 28th and 29th. And, flying in for the festivities is Ted Neeley himself. To talk about it, we welcome Ted, alongside tour manager, Frank Munoz.Ted talks screening the film over 400 times. Unfortunately, the ending never changes. This upcoming run at the Little Art Theater will be the final appearance in southern Ohio. You can purchase tickets and VIP passes at tedneeley.com

New England singer/songwriter Dar Williams has been putting out music for 35 years. She’s also written several books, including What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician's Guide to Rebuilding America's Communities – One Coffee Shop, Dog Run, & Open-Mic Night at a Time. Her latest album, Hummingbird Highway, is a true, tour de force, covering everything from jangly folk, to breezy jazz, and bluegrass, and it’s out now on Righteous Babe Records.She talks about the wild diversity of inspiration that influenced the songs on the new record, including everything from olive trees of democracy to, of all things, drunken Santas!

California native and Nashville transplant Maia Sharp has written songs for Cher and Tricia Yearwood and produced Art Garfunkel. She’s held songwriting workshops as well.She’s also released a string of fantastic solo albums, and she seems to get better with every release. Her 10th album, Tomboy, might be her most relaxed record to date.

North Carolina native Chris Stamey has spent his life in music, which includes playing in the seminal band the Sneakers with famed producer, Mitch Easter, before forming the critically-acclaimed power pop quartet, the dB’s. He’s issued several solo albums and duo projects with bandmate Peter Holsapple. Starting in 2010, he was the musical director for a series of concerts honoring the music of Big Star’s Third, More recently, he’s teamed up with the Fellow Travelers to focus on mid-century music and the alternative supergroup, the Salt Collective. Chris Stamey’s latest album, Anything is Possible is an homage to the music of his childhood, out now from Label 51 Recordings. The album contains ten originals, and one timely cover, Brian Wilson’s “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder). the album is full of guests, including members of the Lemon Twigs, Marshall Crenshaw and the aforementioned Mitch Easter.

Firefall formed in 1974 in Boulder, Colorado - scoring hit songs with “You Are the Woman,” “Just Remember I Love You,” and “Strange Way.” The band paid tribute to some of their favorite artists with the release of Friends & Family in 2023. Now, Firefall is back with Friends & Family 2, using the same blueprint - grabbing songs that some of the Firefall members played on, including the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and Dan Fogelberg. In addition, they pick songs from bands that they toured with back in the day, including Fleetwood Mac, Pure Prairie League, America, Eddie Money, and others. The group is joined by some very special guests, including Wynonna Judd and Richie Furay of Poco and Buffalo Springfield. What we get is a dozen classic tunes done with a Firefall twist - with great guitar solos and harmonies. We welcome back founding member, Jock Bartley.

Why the Worry, the 12th album from Seth Walker, arrives at a time rife with political and economic uncertainty - it seems like daily all we do IS worry. Add to it the fact that Walker’s hometown of Asheville, North Carolina was recently devastated by Hurricane Helene. What gave him hope was a quote from Willie Nelson - “I’ve never seen worry accomplish anything… so I decided not to do it.” Hanging on to that, Walker has crafted an album that’s a mix of originals and reinterpreted covers, all wrapped in that signature, Seth Walker groove. He’s heading on the road to support the new record as well.We chat the stories behind his originals, and the reason he chose songs by Bill Withers, JJ Cale, and Al Green.

Resilient is the best word that describes the Cowsills. The six sibling band hit in 1967 with "The Rain, the Park and Other Things," then with "Hair" in 1969. But, their career quickly derailed (chronciled in the excellent documentary Family Band). The group triumphantly returned with the excellent Rhythm of the World album in 2022. But, there's more to the story. The group recorded an album in 1992 that never saw a proper release. Part of the reason....involves the FBI!Now, over 30 years later, Omnivore Recordings has issued the album, Global, and it's fantastic. A power pop masterpiece. If you're a fan of artists like Matthew Sweet or the Gin Blossoms, you will definitely dig it.We chat once again with Susan Cowsill, who talks about the crazy circumstances surrounding Global. Plus, she reveals plans for new Cowsill projects, and the annual Happy Together tour, coming to a city near you in the summer of 2025.

The dB’s, originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, issued a pair of albums in the early Eighties that were at times both jangly and melodic, and quirky and inventive. Unfortunately, neither album saw a release in America at the time - instead getting issued by the UK label Albion. Now, over 40 years later, they’re issuing the dB’s debut record, Stands for Decibels, on Propeller Sound Recordings, streaming, CD, and for the first time ever in the US, vinyl. From the band, we chat with singer/guitarist Peter Holsapple, who talks about what went into reissuing this lost classic, recorded on a shoe-string budget over 4 decades ago, and the clever packaging of the CD. He also reveals plans for their second album, Repercussion, to get reissued as well.Holsapple toured with R.E.M. as a multi instrumentalist in the 1990's. He talks about watching the band's interview on CBS Sunday Morning, commemorating their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Tommy James has sold over 100 million records, and his impressive string of hits continue to live on in movies, TV shows and commercials - "Hanky Panky," "Mony, Mony," "I Think We're Alone Now," "Crimson & Clover," "Crystal Blue Persuasion," and many more. His excellent autobiography, "Me, the Mob and the Music" is one of the greatest music books ever written, and is in preproduction to be turned into a major Hollywood movie and Broadway musical.James was our very first guest on Icon Fetch back in April of 2010. In our new conversation, he gives us updates on the movie, book and musical. Plus, he talks about unearthing his very first recording, "Long Pony Tail," that even predates "Hanky Panky" by two years. He also discusses recently recording songs by the Beatles and Supremes.He also discusses his weekly radio show, "Gettin' Together with Tommy James" on Sirius/XM.Tommy James is currently on the road - tour dates and more information can be found at tommyjames.com

Tom Rush pretty much pioneered the folk movement of the early Sixties, issuing his debut album in 1962. He’s also credited with putting compositions by Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor on album for the first time, with his LP The Circle Game in 1968. We talked with Tom back in 2018 when he issued his album Voices. Well, he’s back with his first new record in five years out called Gardens Old, Flowers New. He talks about how he unearthed one of the songs on the new album from a live recording from 50 years ago. Also, how he wrote a song for his daughter when she was young (now she's grown up), and how he never intended that one to be on an album. He also talks about Rockport Sundays, a program he started during Covid, where he invites many of his musical friends to play and tell stories.

The Cowsills are the original family band - formed in 1965, they hit pay dirt with their smash, “The Rain, the Park and Other Things” in 1967. Other hits followed, including “Indian Lake,” “We Can Fly” and “Hair.” They even were the basis for the hit TV show The Partridge Family. After some time apart, the group reformed in the early 90’s and has been playing and recording ever since. They’ve been a fixture on the Happy Together tour for almost a decade, and they just released a brand new album called Rhythm of the World last year. Now, comes A Christmas Offering from the Cowsills. Two of the songs date back to 1992, “Christmastime (Song For Marissa)” and “Some Good Years.” These two songs are joined with a brand-new, acapella version of “Winter Wonderland” - and the EP is now available digitally from Omnivore Recordings. We chat with Susan Cowsill about how Christmas is the favorite holiday of the Cowsill family, the origins of these "lost" holiday tunes, and the prospects of new Cowsill material in 2024.