Terri Hendrix is a pioneering independent Texas songwriter with an engaging melodic flair that has endeared her to three generations of loyal fans around the globe. She was recently recognized by “Acoustic Guitar” Magazine as one of Texas’ 20 essential contemporary singer-songwriters. Along the way, she’s also co-written a Grammy-winning instrumental (the Dixie Chicks’ “Lil’ Jack Slade”), and garnered such honors as a star on the South Texas Music Walk of Fame, the Art of Peace Award by Saint Mary’s University in San Antonio, the Distinguished Alumni Award at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, and a 2015 induction into the Women’s Hall of Fame in San Marcos, Texas. Hendrix is also hard at work building a nonprofit creative center for the arts serving the greater San Marcos area and beyond. It’s called the OYOU, an acronym for “Own Your Own Universe” — words that this free-spirited, self-made woman has lived and thrived by her entire adult life. Few people are as important to the development of Texas music over the last 30 years as Lloyd Maines. As a Grammy award-winning producer and musician, the Lubbock-born Maines has played an instrumental role in the creation of some of the Lone Star State's most famous and beloved albums. Maines began his recording and producing career in 1974. Over the past 40 years, Maines has worked on approximately four-thousand albums alongside some of the most significant figures in country, rock, and Texas music. In addition to his producing credits, Maines is an A-list steel guitar player and multi-instrumentalist. His work has been heard on countless recordings. Maines has been inducted into the Buddy Holly Walk of Fame in Lubbock, Texas, individually and as a member of the Maines Brother's Band. He was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame June 2014. He has made more appearances on the PBS show than anyone else in the history of the program.

Chicago songwriter Heather Styka is not afraid to go where others fear to tread. Beneath “sweet, soulful vocals” (Portland Press Herald) and “nimble fingerpicked guitar” (Dispatch Magazine) lie narratives of vulnerability, strength, and wanderlust. A Kerrville New Folk Finalist and award-winning writer with a #3 album on the FOLK-DJ charts, this young troubadour has performed for over a decade, released four full-length albums, and toured from coast to coast.

Ronny Cox is a superbly talented singer-songwriter, musician and actor who has been consistently active in the music world and Hollywood for over 40 years. He was the third of five children, born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico in 1938, and grew up in Portales, New Mexico. Ronny met his wife, Mary, when in high school, and they married in 1960. He graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in 1963 with a double major in Theater and Speech Correction. Mary passed away in 2006, 50 years to the day of their first date. Ronny often talks about her during his music performances. A father to two sons of his own, he brings his extraordinary view of life into a magnetic, likable, onstage persona. Ronny’s music is eclectic, a woven tapestry of songs and stories with an over-all arc that eventually comes together and tells something about “the human condition”. Scores of fans and promoters will attest that attending one of his performances is one of the greatest evenings to experience. With the gift of a consummate storyteller, he shares funny, sad and tender moments. His loyal band of listeners are blessed, if only for a while, to spend time with a truly remarkable man. Enhancing these great stories is the music provided by Ronny and his band of world-class, virtuoso musicians. A look of familiarity has helped make Cox one of Hollywood’s most versatile character actors. His first time in front of a camera featured him playing the guitar in the Dueling Banjos scene in Deliverance, creating one of the most iconic moments in the history of moviemaking. He has also appeared in films like Beverly Hills Cop, Total Recall, Taps, Bound For Glory, The Onion Field, all told over 125 movies and television appearances. Despite his great success in movies and TV, what he says he loves most is singing and playing the guitar. According to him, nothing cuts through to the heart like music. The acting experience simply enhances his musical and song-writing skills. In 2012, Ronny became an author with the release of his book Dueling Banjos: The Deliverance of Drew. The book coincided with the 40th anniversary of the release of the film, and is a collection of stories about the making of the movie and a look behind the scenes of his springboard into Hollywood. Warner Brothers also released a deluxe version of the film that year, and the book is also now available in audio format. He’s an artist who wears a variety of hats………but his first love is music. He’s released eight CDs, including the audio version of his book. According to Cox “The truly great thing about music is that it’s like a double-edged sword. Songs can be frivolous or sad, but they can trigger an almost overwhelming emotion……immediately. What I have found is that if I open up to my audience, they not only accept that, they also help me get through it. It is that sharing…..of silliness, or sadness, or mutual understanding that I find to be very compelling.”

Well-traveled Virginia troubadour and sea captain, Mike Aiken, may have been born in the wrong century. An inner sense of chivalry oozes from every story he tells and every song he sings. Aiken has drawn tales - and hope - from trail riders, aging rodeo champs, sea captains, Rastafarians and outlaws on the lamb to draw the threads of these independent spirits together. Mike will appear with his wife and musical partner, Sweet Amy D. You can expect to hear upbeat, rootsy grooves, from slide guitar to honky-tonk hooks, percussion and harmony vocals that take you to the heart of a summer jump-up. Aiken’s love for singing, songwriting and sailing has taken him all over the world. As a sailor he has logged over 30,000 bluewater miles. As a songwriter he puts pen to paper and shares his colored and colorful life. Captains & Cowboys, Aiken’s sixth studio album, earned him critical acclaim, including a Grammy nomination. His seventh studio album will be released early in 2018.

Isaac was a finalist at the 2017 New Folk competition in Kerrville, and a winner of one of our new showcase shows a few months ago. His songs are finely crafted vignettes that will make you think and smile. He is based in Denton where he is trying to "save Texas Music" from itself... great writer!

Jim Malcolm is the ultimate Scots troubadour. Travelling the world with his guitar, harmonicas, and engaging wit, he sings the traditional songs of Scotland and his own masterfully crafted songs in a style which is modern and accessible, yet utterly authentic. He is highly regarded as an interpreter of the songs of Robert Burns, and has been described as “one of the finest singers in Scotland in any style”. Though he now works solo, Jim was lead singer with the world-renowned and multi-award-winning Old Blind Dogs for eight years, a fantastic experience with some of Scotland’s finest musicians, taking him to the most prestigious festivals in North America and around Europe. With family roots in Perthshire and Strathclyde, Jim has been a professional musician since graduating from Edinburgh University. Working solo or in various bands and combos in far flung pubs, hotels and clubs toughened him up or a future life on the road. Solo tours in England, Ireland, Denmark and Germany followed, including musical adventures in some off-the-charts places like Uganda. The opportunity to join the already established Celtic folk/rock band Old Blind Dogs saw Jim further explore countries on the European continent and North America, travelling as far as Alaska and Hawaii. Jim’s 2011 release Sparkling Flash sees a band reunion ‘across the ether’, as several Dogs members make a guest appearance. His concerts are always highly entertaining, peppered with funny stories and observations, in the great tradition of Scottish artists through the ages. Jim has featured many times on radio and television on both sides of the Atlantic, unfazed by cameras and completely at home behind a microphone. The release of 2011’s CD ‘Sparkling Flash’ marks a milestone for Jim. He has now recorded fifty songs which are either entirely original or were built by him around some ancient fragment of text, a poem or melody. His career highlight of 2011 was to perform his own songs Lochanside and Battle of Waterloo with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at a sold-out concert in Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall. In 2004 he was voted songwriter of the year at the annual Trad Awards and to date he is the most nominated Scots singer for the Scots Singer of the Year Award. Alongside his original work, Jim has recorded a great many Scottish songs, from early ballads through Burns and Tannahill to William Soutar and his great hero Jim Reid. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Robert burns Jim released his highly entertaining DVD Bard Hair Day, in front of fans, family and friends in Perth. At home Jim spends a lot of time with his lovely wife and kids and fly fishing on the wonderful rivers and lochs of Perthshire.

of THE SELKIE GIRLS!! Jaycie Skidmore grew up part of a musical family many generations in the making. Jaycie began studying flute at the age of 12. Jaycie won numerous awards throughout high school and earned a music scholarship to Baylor University. Jaycie maintained a private studio of 60+ middle and high school flute students. Celtic music always spoke to Jaycie's Irish ancestry and in 2013, she became the harmony singer and Irish flute/tin whistle player for The Selkie Girls. She currently teaches early childhood music through East Dallas Children's music. Alli Johnson was singing harmonies with her mother and siblings for as long as she can remember. By the age of 16, Alli began singing and playing guitar professionally. Alli's vocals have been featured on several instructional publications for Hal Leonard Corporation. Alli became the lead singer and rhythm guitar player for The Selkie Girls in 2013. She recently accepted a position with the North Texas School of Irish Music as the new director for their Gaelic Youth and Festival Choruses.

After a lifetime of crafting finely-wrought, heart-touching songs, singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis feels that he’s finally found his comfort zone. “The biggest change,” he says of this point in his career “has been getting over myself and realizing this is a job and a craft. And the purpose is not fame and fortune (whatever that is) but simply doing good work.” Pettis hit the road and became a member of the “Fast Folk” movement in New York in the mid-1980’s. He released one independent solo album, "Moments" (1984) before signing with High Street Records, a division of Windham Hill. There, he released three albums: "While the Serpent Lies Sleeping" (1989), "Tinseltown" (1991), and "Chase the Buffalo" (1993). His relationship with Tinseltown producer Mark Heard transcended the album. After Heard’s untimely death in 1992, Pettis committed to including a song of Heard’s on every one of his own albums, a practice that continues to this day. Pettis was a staff songwriter for PolyGram from 1993-2000 and when his High Street contract ended, Pettis signed to Compass Records where he has released Making Light of It (1996), Everything Matters (1998), State of Grace (2001), and Great Big World (2004). Pierce Pettis’ songs have been recorded by artists including Susan Ashton, Dar Williams, Garth Brooks and Art Garfunkel.

Heather Little was born in north-central Texas, and grew up around Austin and Dallas and all the music that thrives there. She is the co-writer of “Gunpowder and Lead” and “Me and Charlie Talkin'”, both recorded by Miranda Lambert; Sunny Sweeney’s “Helluva Heart”; and “Minefield,” on Travis Meadows’s album Killin’ Uncle Buzzy.