KRFC Live@Lunch

Heart Medicine

Heart Medicine is a soulful reggae-pop woman-led band from Fort Collins, Colorado. The band focuses on making music about positivity, celebrating life even when life is hard, and smiling till your cheeks hurt. Don’t be surprised when Amy’s heartfelt lyrics and captivating vocals leave you wanting more. Heart Medicine was initially formed as Amy in the Peace Pipes in the winter of 2014 in Amy Russell’s effort to expand her solo piano/vocals into something that could encapsulate the energy and passion of her vulnerable lyrics. Music has been a powerful outlet for Amy that has given her a voice for the pain she has endured through abuse and betrayal, channeling it into a message of hope, triumph, and love. When reviewing the 2015 self-titled album, Scene Magazine wrote, “The lyrics are often personal and are seemingly always accompanied with a message of optimism.” Heart Medicine established itself throughout northern Colorado, playing over 100 shows across the front range. In addition to releasing several singles in 2023, including Watch Me, Special K, and Take Me Back, Heart Medicine also re-recorded several tracks from their Amy and the Peace Pipes, released in a compilation called Echoes of Peace. The band is preparing to return to the studio to finish a new album for a 2025 release. Heart Medicine continues to promote the realization of inner beauty and self-worth, conquering adversity, and embracing the optimism that lies in the unknown through its unique piano-rock/reggae/alternative sound.

Steep Canyon Rangers

Steep Canyon Rangers is made up of Graham Sharp on banjo and vocals, Mike Guggino on mandolin/mandola and vocals, Aaron Burdett on guitar and vocals, Nicky Sanders on fiddle and vocals, Mike Ashworth on drums and vocals, and Barrett Smith on bass, guitar, and vocals.
Over the band’s esteemed career, the three-time Grammy nominees have released 14 studio albums, three collaborative albums with actor and banjoist Steve Martin, been inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, and appeared on some of music’s biggest stages. In 2013, Nobody Knows You won the GRAMMY Award for Best Bluegrass Album, while 2012’s Rare Bird and 2020’s North Carolina Songbook garnered nominations in the same category.

John Craigie & Madeline Hawthorne

John Craigie
John Craigie rallies a closeness around music anchored by his expressive and stirring songcraft, emotionally charged vocals, lively soundscapes, and uncontainable spirit. The Portland, OR-based singer, songwriter, and producer invites everyone into this space on his 2024 full-length album, Pagan Church. Following tens of millions of streams, sold out shows everywhere, and praise from Rolling Stone and more, he continues to captivate.
 
Madeline Hawthorne
Obsessed with music since her childhood on the East Coast, Madeline planted roots in Bozeman, MT during college and never turned back. She honed her talents through countless backup and band gigs before going solo amid the Global Pandemic. Balancing Americana, roots, folk, and rock, she introduced herself on the 2021 LP, Boots, co-produced by Brad Parsons and Tyler Thompson in Pittsburgh. In between, she shared the stage with everyone from Jason Isbell, Lukas Nelson, Josh Turner, and Kip Moore to Sierra Hull, John Craigie, and Nathaniel Rateliff. Plus, she wowed audiences at festivals such as Treefort Music Festival (ID), Americanafest (TN), WinterWonderGrass (CO), Pak City Song Summit (UT), Roseberry Music Festival, (ID), and more. Earning acclaim for tracks like 2023’s “Neon Wasteland,” Relix applauded her “vibrant and buzzing.” Hawthorne has also caught the eye of CMT, who featured her “Neon Wasteland” video at CMT.com and she has received praise from tastemakers such as No Depression who says, “She’s been crushing rootsy tunes.”

The Deborah Solo Trio

The Deborah Solo Trio is a Denver-based indie band that features hooking melodies, guitar, cello, and a percussionist who plays drums, bass, and keys simultaneously. Their lyrics are raw and honest, and often explore belonging in all senses of the word. Since their start in 2014, the trio has performed at many highly regarded Colorado venues, including The Cherry Arts Festival, First Friday Art Walk, Evenings Al Fresco at the Denver Botanic Gardens, Stone Cottage Studios, and Swallow Hill.

Hollow Head

Founded by Jimmy Adame and Elliott Miller, Denver-based rock band HOLLOW HEAD first introduced themselves with alternative folk-rock album ‘A Spark of Madness’, drawing comparisons to Radiohead, Bon Iver, and Bear’s Den. The album’s lyrical intimacy and truly alternative musical stylings first made ripples in the Colorado music scene and first put eyes on this newly-formed band.
After performing the debut record as a duo for a couple years, the duo expanded their live performance by adding multi-instrumentalists Ian Gerrard and John Baldwin to the lineup. Hollow Head took inspiration from other influences, like Soundgarden and Foo Fighters, and completed their 2024 self-titled record.

Peter Knudsen Quartet

The Peter Knudson Quartet is a new project consisting of seasoned musicians who have played together in a number of different settings. Peter Knudson will be debuting his original music in a variety of genres. Peter has spent decades playing drums and percussion with many different groups along the Front Range since 1996 as well as touring in Europe. Peter Knudson on drums and vocals, Dawson O'Dowd on keys, Jo Asker on bass, Dave Lunn on saxophone.

The 14ers

The 14ers is an adventure-inspired music project led by outdoor travel guide and songwriter Ryan Kirkpatrick, based out of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Refining their own signature style of Mountaintop Folk-Pop, The 14ers are preparing to release a full-length album stocked with radiant passion, endearing melodies, and refreshingly authentic songs. Ryan draws songwriting inspiration from the places and the people surrounding him as he travels around the globe sharing his love for the outdoors leading skiing, photography, and hiking trips from Colorado to Mount Kilimanjaro. Over time, these special moments and experiences become the songs that document not only Ryan’s own journey in life and music, but of those around him.
Some of us live in big cities or spend our days among buildings, cars, and screens. Some of us get so busy and stressed that we forget to enjoy ourselves, each other, or to explore our own backyards. It’s easy to forget that we’re all in this world together and we don’t know how long we’ll even be here. With their new album, The 14ers have managed to punch your ticket for an auditory vacation meant only to make you smile and enjoy all of those very things.
Ryan is entirely grateful for the opportunity to make music with such extraordinarily talented, unique, and expressive players; they’ve become more than friends, they’re a growing family. They're kind-hearted musicians and like-minded, humble, down-to-earth people. The magic of the music grows with friends joining along for the journey in the studio and live in concert. (see figure to the right for Mountaintop Folk-Pop album credits/players).
For information and behind-the-scenes access to new music, please join the Stars Above The Peaks family at www.StarsAboveThePeaks.com

Aquiles

Aquiles is a 5 piece latin rock fusion band with metal influences. The lead vocalist Aquiles started the band over 10 years ago after growing up in the Ecuador music scene. Over the years the band has went through many iderations from salsa to rock and roll switching out band members along the way. In this weeks episode the band is performing songs from there upcoming Rock N’ Roll debut album that will be releasing sometime later in 2024.