Happy 75th birthday to Garland Jeffreys – a true original, an absolute treasure of a songwriter, and an ASCAP member for 48 years. May you forever stay wild in the streets…
Younger generations of musicians have heard Jeffreys’ call. He’s been covered by everyone from LA punkers The Circle Jerks (who gave his song “Wild in the Streets” a hardcore makeover, turning it into an unofficial anthem of the skatepunk community) to neo-folk act Vetiver. And he continues to be a staple for TV and commercial placements. As but one example, a recent episode of 13 Reasons Why features both the Circle Jerks cover of “Wild in the Streets” and a raucous reinterpretation by the Peruvian-American psych-punk band Los Huaycos.
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Deanna Bogart
Deanna Bogart
When it comes to Deanna Bogart, everyone wants to claim her as their own — her hometown, her fans, her fellow musicians and even her instruments. She’s that good–and that good-natured.
Born in Detroit, Deanna spent her early years in Phoenix and New York City, climbing on any available piano bench to plunk and play with preternatural panache. Around the age of six, she was “gently removed” from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music for playing piano by ear instead of learning to read music. While in middle school, Deanna yearned to play the saxophone. Typical of those times though, she was told, “Girls play the clarinet, not the sax.” Thankfully for us all, that tide has changed.
Today, Deanna Bogart is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and multifaceted musician whose fans value the diversity of her genre-free zone. As a bandleader/singer/songwriter/producer/pianist/sax player, Deanna combines the best of boogie-woogie, contemporary blues, country and jazz into a splendid blend she calls “blusion.”
Deanna’s fusion of blusion — spontaneous, sophisticated, fearless and fun — has garnered her three consecutive Blues Music Awards’ Horn Instrumentalist of the Year for 2008, 2009 and 2010 and an endorsement contract with Rico Reeds. She has won, at last count, more than 20 Wammies, the music awards for the hotly contested Washington, D.C. region.
Recognized for her dazzling keyboards, soulful saxophone, smoky vocals and cut-above songwriting, Deanna easily wins the hearts of fans on land and at sea on chartered cruises. She is a featured player in the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Revue, jamming with Tommy Castro, Magic Dick (founding member of the J. Geils Band), as well as prominent guitar slingers. Deanna remembers well her early years as a budding musician and is an avid educator and mentor, sharing her insight and wisdom with students of all ages.
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Alison Krauss & Union Station
Alison Krauss is nearly too well known to be featured here but the bluegrass world is not necessarily familiar to music fans in general. She is a highly acclaimed American bluegrass-country singer, fiddler, and music producer. A child prodigy who began studying classical violin at age five, she shifted to bluegrass and was winning fiddle championships by her teens. Krauss signed with Rounder Records at age 14 and released her debut solo album, Too Late to Cry, in 1987. Soon after, she joined the band Union Station, beginning a collaboration that has spanned decades and numerous albums, including the recent 2025 release Arcadia.
Krauss’s delicate, crystalline soprano voice and virtuosic fiddle playing have made her one of the most celebrated artists in roots music. Her work was instrumental in revitalizing interest in American roots music, is particularly with her contributions to the hugely successful 2000 film soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou?. The album sold millions of copies and introduced bluegrass to a wide, mainstream audience.
Beyond her work with Union Station, Krauss is known for her successful collaborations. Her 2007 album Raising Sand with Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant was a critical and commercial smash, winning the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2009. The duo reunited for a follow-up album, Raise the Roof, in 2021.
A record-setting Grammy winner, Krauss has amassed an impressive 27 awards throughout her career, making her the second most-awarded female artist in history. In recognition of her immense contributions to American music, she was also awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2019 and was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2021. Her legacy is defined by her ability to effortlessly bridge the gap between traditional roots music and a broader contemporary sound.
Her featured guest musician on tour is another RTA favorite – see Jerry Douglas
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Danny O’Keefe
Danny O’Keefe
In the 1970’s, Danny O’Keefe put out a string of albums that cemented his reputation as being among the best songwriters of his generation. These days, casual fans know him best for his Top Ten hit “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues” or Jackson Browne’s version of “The Road” from the classic Running On Empty album. But the story didn’t end in the 70’s. He recorded “The Day To Day” in 1985 with the two Top Twenty Adult Contemporary songs “Along For The Ride” and “Someday”. Working with Bob Dylan’s company, Special Rider Music, he co-wrote “Well, Well, Well” with Bob and other songs successfully recorded by artists like Nickel Creek, Alison Krauss, and Alan Jackson.
