Today we have a wide-ranging re-visit with musician-farmer, Andy Juhl. Though much of his music tilts Americana/Folk, he's also passionately into progressive rock music, and plays with a band of that character also. Raised on the farm, he's also been navigating that work in the direction of organic farming, working side-by-side with his father on 800 acres in NW Iowa. Time in the self-driving combine leaves him with more time than you might expect to write music, and he's expanding his range regularly.

Time today for some seasonal music, but, of course, with a twist. Sofia Talvik has joined us twice before, and with the release of her 2^nd compilation of her annual Christmas songs, songs which Sofia has written to explore the wider experience of Christmas, including the distressing and challenging sides of the holiday, we again reached out across the sea to her, to Berlin, Germany, where this Swedish-born folk artist sometimes lives when she's not touring the USA or living in her other home in Spain.

We don't usually have a lot of cowboy content on Song of the Soul, but this week we'll at least get a piece of that with the music of Dusty James & Abalone Pearl, with Pearl as our guest. Dusty and Pearl have just released their first album, after about 9 years of performing together, and it's a mix of their original songs with traditional and public domain covers.

Giulia Millanta is the best Americana singer from Italy you could ever hope to encounter. She's been in the USA, in Austin, TX, for the past 10 years or so, and she seems to be producing endless riches of music, 8 albums to-date. While her talent & craft are impeccable, it is her heart-and-soul touching lyrics and voice that make her a memorable treat for all who are blessed to hear her perform.

Randie O'Neil's music is magnetic, especially in the deeply honest feelings and aspirations of her songs. Randie has self-described as a Americana/Folk-Pop artist, but she is also standing on the shoulders of a number of heavy-rocking, strong-and-assertive-and-determined women who blazed a way in a mostly male-dominated rock world. Though her songs are largely solo artistry now, back in the day Randie was part of AMA (Against Medical Advice), though she is truly FMA (For Mental-health Advancement).

John Janzen is on his way to “living the dream”, largely because he successfully planted the seeds of the dream of life as a musical artist in his young sons' hearts, and they've taken over making the dream a reality. The result is some really go-getter music makers known as The Janzen Boys.

Dan Wolff, along with Sarah Vos, have been the stable nucleus of Dead Horses since the band's inception. I interviewed Sarah back in 2016, fell in love with their music, so I'm so excited to have Dan here to share more of the riches they've created in the ensuing 7 years. Every song they share is an opportunity to feel deeply the heart of the world, and to be part of its healing as well.

Ruth Wyand, of Kill Devil Hills, NC, is a wonderful songwriter and performer, with magic in her tunes and lyrics, though it was really her guitar work that first riveted our attention, complete with soul-captivating finger-picking and bottleneck slide flourishes. Though of a genre all her own, she channels elements of blues, jazz, & Americana - and much more. In addition to her own musical creations, she breathes new life and identity into the tunes of other musicians, making them all her own.

Sofia Talvik self-describes as “Americana/Folk with Swedish Roots”, and it's so much better and wonderful than that can conjure. With the voice of an angel, she can play the strings of our hearts. Sofia has toured extensively in the US, though she lives mostly in Germany these days, where she makes music as part of the German/Swedish folk duo Hansan, combining Sofia and David Floer.

Heather Pierson fell in love with music & the piano at a tender age, growing into singing in choirs & playing the guitar along the way. Music of all sorts of genres are her spirit & lifeblood. She was a part of Garajh Mahal, doing progressive rock, then with the country-leaning North Atlantic Band.