Christine Stay & Aiden Quinn are the modern-folk duo known as Friction Farm. Starting, both, from science-geek jobs, they followed their hearts from work they were very competent at into work that they love and do exquisitely. Based from their sustainable home near Greenville, South Carolina, they make music with deep lyrics, beautiful vocals, and sumptuous instrumentals. And, in non-coronavirus times, you might find them cooking in your kitchen as part of one of their Farm to Table House Concerts. They also do wonderful humor, including political parody, like in this one called "Sweet Kamala".

Past/current religious/spiritual influences:

John Vento self-describes as making Americana Classic Rock with Indie Folk Pop surprises, which you can find when he performs solo, with Nied's Hotel Band, or, in the past, with Xposure and Bmen. He has sometimes been called the chameleon of Pittsburgh's music scene. You can find more of his influence through the kind of programs hosted by Steamworks Creative/Steamworks Spirit Station and the work of Band Together Pittsburgh - Music with People on the Autism Spectrum. Also find John on FB.

The women's rights effort in Egypt looks different from that of the USA, with some overlap, addressing things like FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and child marriage, but also economic, employment, & other civil rights. Reda Eldanbouki is the founder & executive director of the Women’s Center for Guidance and Legal Awareness (WCGLA), working to ensure that women enjoy all of their human rights. Reda has faced attacks & violence because of his support for women & women's rights. Ran Meir, formerly of the Clarion Project, both provides input & acts as translator for this interview.

Past/current religious/spiritual influences:
Muslim

Tom Kimmel spent more than 3 decades in Nashville sharing his songs with folks like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Linda Ronstadt, Nanci Griffith, Dolly Parton, Shawn Colvin, Art Garfunkel, and many, many other well-known performers, and performing them himself. Tom's songs expose his heart and move the hearts of others, both though the words & music, combining his gifts as a songwriter, poet, speaker, & teacher.

In an effort to support MVP (Movement Voter Project), Annie Patterson & Peter Blood of RiseUpAndSing.org organized 5 on-line benefit concerts to raise funds, consciousness, & energy to Sing Out The Vote. Focusing their concerts on particular "battleground" states & regions, they educated about the issues & organizations involved in the upcoming election, combining edification for the minds & electrifying for the spirits of their listeners.

So much to love about Ash Devine - her songs, her singing, her humanitarian clowning, her Magic Penny instrument gifting, her Earth connection, her social activism, & much more. Combining indie-folk and Appalachian music influences with her Theater & Community Arts for Social Change studies, Ash is a captivating performer, breathing spirit & joy through her vocals and a dance of the soul through her instruments.

Jan Frase & the Community Coalition for Nonviolence helped us celebrate the U.N. International Day of Peace by a gathering of artists & activists hosted virtually by the Pablo Center at the Confluence.

Religious norms & habits can't stand in the way of a community faithful to the call of Radical Love. Dave Greenlund, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church - Lauderdale shares the story of a (formerly) Missouri Synod Church whose members traveled a path to greater & greater inclusion & love, squarely facing sexism, racism, Earthcare, and gifting themselves & their neighbors with Christmas in August.

Past/current religious/spiritual influences:
Lutheran

Johnsmith includes exactly the right mix of heart, wonder, & whimsy in the songs he writes, combined with a flawless voice and impeccable guitar. He has produced 8 solo CDs, was a Kerrville New Folk winner, & has decades experience performing all across the USA. In addition to his songsmithing workshops at Esalen, Kerrvile, & many other locations, he has years of experience leading sightseeing/cultural/musical tours of Ireland, and you can even join Johnsmith & other musician-river guides on a week-long rafting journey on the Salmon River. He is a captivating minstrel & a minister of song.