Music Discovery: Talented Acts from SWRFA

Hello, my friends! Just got back from a trip to Austin, TX ,where my duo The Lovebirds played an “official showcase” at the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance. One of my absolute favorite things about hitting the road is discovering so many talented musicians and performers from all over the country. Here are just a few of the incredible acts I came across:

Jacob Johnson: Jacob Johnson is a young, energetic performer and South Carolina native who has shared stages with songwriting masters from Edwin McCain to David Wilcox. While it’s his flashy guitar pyrotechnics that might grab your attention, his songwriting, personality, and performance style are what set him apart from the rest of the pack of other young guitar-slingers. In short, to quote Tommy Emmanuel, “Jacob rocks!”

Matt Nakoa: Matt was a fellow Kerrville New Folk winner last summer, so I was thrilled to get to catch another performance from this East coast crooner. He is the real deal, not to mention simply one of the kindest souls I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore: I fell in love with Mollie and Rich’s sassy performance, and was particularly impressed by Rich’s guitar finesse and Mollie’s rich, commanding vocal stylings.


In addition to these three, there are so many other wonderful acts to check out. Please visit the SWRFA website to see a full list of performers. Hopefully all of them will place San Diego on their tour routes  – we’d love to see another live show! If you are a musician and have never been to SWRFA or Far West Folk Alliance, I encourage you to check out both membership and showcase opportunities – these events provide quite a platform for learning, listening, playing and networking.