People stick all kinds of broad labels on Lisa Mills’ style— blues, gospel, R&B, soul-jazz— but one that we thinks taps the heart of it is “roots torch”— her fully-committed treatment of her own songs, and those of so many others that she sets aglow with a personal stamp of ownership, marks her as one of the singular voices of her time. Fearless, savvy, inventive, reflective, adventurous, seductive— Mills matches her vocal chops with a knowing and steady guitar undercarriage, making her solo performance a lavish display of authentic southern expression— she’s a true regional treasure.

Josh Harty opens: Stepping in to offer us a more Northern sample of Americana roots is Wisconsin native Josh Harty— hailed high and low by those triple-A industry pundits that we don’t hear much from down here in steamy Dixie. A song-caster in the vein of James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot, Josh writes with a sure feel for the characters and the tale, sings pure and hard to your best ear, and beats the varnish off his old Gibson with ten tough but nimble fingers.