Song of the Soul

Joy Zimmerman combines consummate instrumental skill, with moving lyrics, and with abundant Light & Love. Immersed in classical music & violin throughout her youth, it was later in life that she picked up a guitar and discovered her gift for songwriting. Joy shares deeply from her rich life and her passion for making a better world, and she does it with wonderful creativity, beauty, and her clear, ringing, passionate voice.

Kori Riesenweber sings sweetly, delightfully, and movingly. She used to perform with Beacon James, but currently performs most with Girl Band, but also solo, with Caleb Horne, as Thistledown, and in other configurations.

Whether it's supercharged indie rock, bittersweet pop, or something completely new, Brian Kelly/Oceanography will expose your heart. Brian can powerfully channel Roy Orbison and his song, Crying, and he can make you think you're with Neil Young, but mostly he's himself, and that's an excellent thing. Along the way he played and sang with the Butte County All Stars, Food, and with Silence The Bird. Brian is located in Oakland, CA, bringing music to the wider world.

Bonnie Koloc was a major presence in music, especially folk music, on the Chicago scene in the early 1970's, along with John Prine and Steve Goodman, one of the big 3 folk musicians there. She was a constant presence on the stage in those years, churning out 4 albums in 4 years, singing not only folk but jazz and blues. Eventually she wondered away from Chicago, including stints with other forms of art, like musical theater and visual art.

Jessica Smucker is today's SOS guest, and she believes the best way to change the world is to channel our pain into connection. Jessica is one very captivating person, both musically and otherwise. She worked on movies, is a published poet & a social justice warrior, came into music through a rock band called The Sleeping World, and she knows all the two-letter words in Scrabble, so don't even think of challenging her.

Kori Riesenweber has an angelic voice & a love for harmonies that has been lived out in many ways: in the bluegrass band of her extended families, in the intricate arrangements of her time as part of Beacon James (on Facebook and on Bandcamp), and currently with Girl Band. She also performs solo, and sings constantly with her newborn son.

Carrie Elkin brings to listeners a tear-jerking joy through her songs that seek to make the world better from the vulnerable places in each of our hearts. With a life, study, and career path including saxophone, Lutheran church music, pre-med studies, physiology, and environmental work using organic chemistry, it was a long road that led Carrie to her true home & profession as a singer/songwriter folk musician.

Alastair Moock has been playing music in the Philly area since 1995, with a specialty of family music added after the birth of his twins in 2006. He was first place in the 2020 Songs for Social Change, a project of RAWA, with his song Be A Pain.

John McCutcheon is classic & cutting-edge folk music. An amazing singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, he has now produced 40 albums, performed with all kinds of musical greats, like Pete Seeger, Tom Chapin, Tom Paxton, and Carrie Newcomer. He's witty, deep, creative, prolific, and he's in person for this interview on July 4th, 2019, at Grinnell College as part of the FGC Gathering.

Anita Aysola was a top finalist in the 2020 Songs for Social Change contest sponsored by Renaissance Artists and Writers Association (RAWA) with her beautiful & poignant song, Heartbeat.