A long time ago I took some guitar lessons, so I know which end to hold, how to strum a chord and how to pluck a string, but the truth is I can't play a single note like John Scott Evans can.

His talent has been recognized by singers, songwriters, artists of various kinds, and most of all by other guitarists -- including the legendary Chet Atkins and the amazing Doyle Dykes.

Check out the Do Good Music blog entry on John and you'll see a partial list of the outstanding artists he has worked with. One thing that impresses me about that list is its variety, since it includes country music, classical music, comedy, fine art, and of course pop/rock/jazz.

In other words, John is comfortable in almost any genre, and that comfort, coupled with years of hard work and outstanding talent, makes John's playing a marvelous musical experience for your ears and heart.

Enjoy!

The first time I heard Blue by Lijie, I knew she was someone to be reckoned with and, more importantly, someone to listen to.

What compelled me to play her songs multiple times wasn't easy for me to define. Her voice had something to do with it, since I'm a sucker for an alto with a decent range, but it was more than that.

Ultimately I decided what set her apart was just the pure honesty of her delivery. Sometimes we'll say of a singer that she "owns" the song, but I think these songs own Lijie. You can't listen to them without knowing her struggles, her hopes, her desires, and even the humor that all fit together in one marvelous person.

After you listen you'll certainly want to learn more about Lijie, and you can do that both on her web site and on her MySpace site.

I'm guessing Lijie could have done just about anything she wanted to in life, and I for one am very glad she wanted to be an artist.

Hey Kids! The technical difficulties (nap time, lunch time, studio time) have been overcome and we now have Part 2 of our interview with Vickie Natale on line!!!

This was recorded before her album "Never Gonna Stop" was released, but that makes it even more special.

Vickie is an incredible young woman, an amazing artist, and someone you should listen to -- not just for her incredible voice, but for her experiences and how she has accomplished all she has.

If you aren't already a Vickie Natale fan, you will be after you get to know her on this podcast.

To find out more about her, check out her web site at VickieNatale.net, or find her on MySpace.

Our thanks to Vickie for this great interview

The e-mail looked pretty normal, but it turned out to be different in a very nice way. It came from a fellow named Duff, a singer/songwriter in the L.A. area who also plays gigs in San Francisco, San Diego and Phoenix.

Since I'm in the San Francisco area and work with an organization that puts on house concerts, Duff was writing to see if we were looking for someone to perform at one of our events. We didn't have any immediate openings but we're always on the lookout for talent, so I thought I'd take a listen to his work. Besides, he knew what a house concert was. I liked his style.

And as soon as I started listening to it, I also liked his music. The boy can write and he can sing. In fact, he does both of those things very well.

Turns out he can also talk, and he has a lot of good things to say. So listen in, get to know Duff, get to know his music, and remember, you heard him on Catch A Rising Star!

Listen to the first part of this interview with Vickie Natale, get a taste of her music, learn a little bit about her heart and her passion for music, and then start telling everyone you know that they'd best pay attention. This young lady, a former Star Search Grand Champion, is one fine singer!