For over two decades, Robby Hecht has been captivating audiences as a touring singer-songwriter, leaving an enduring impact on listeners around the world. With a remarkable blend of insightful lyricism, memorable melodies, and a voice that carries both strength and tenderness, Robby's music transcends time and resonates with audiences from all walks of life.

Robby's songwriting mirrors our collective experiences, capturing the essence of the human condition. He combines quietly impactful songwriting reminiscent of Tom Waits or Jim Croce with the soft yet powerful vocal resonance of James Taylor. His songs offer a poignant reflection on the present, a nod to the past, and a hopeful glimpse into the future, making even his early works as relevant today as ever.

Robby garnered recognition as a songwriter’s songwriter early in his career, winning a number of revered performing songwriter contests and touring across the US and Europe. Since then, his music has amassed over 20 million streams to date. With more than 60 songs recorded by other artists as well as numerous contributions as a backing vocalist, Robby has added his distinct touch to the work of fellow musicians, reaching audiences through the voices of others. This dedication to the craft and collaborative spirit have solidified his reputation as a versatile and respected artist within the industry

Robby Hecht's music is a testament to the power of storytelling and song. His profound insights and compelling melodies shape an unforgettable musical experience, guiding listeners through the landscapes of the heart and mind.

Not long after Kristina Murray moved to Nashville in summer of 2014, she accepted a friend’s offer to start singing at the American Legion Post 82. Tucked away on the fringes of East Nashville, the Legion had not yet become the city’s best destination for hearing traditional country music from a new generation of aspiring artists. From the stage, she watched as the crowds during Honky-Tonk Tuesdays grew over time, from about a dozen listeners to a full dance floor. All the while she nurtured her natural talent for songwriting and performing, collecting and crafting material that would form her second album, Southern Ambrosia.

Resplendent with pedal steel and electric guitar, the project draws on her love of classic country and Southern rock – and both influences get their rightful due on Southern Ambrosia (produced by Nashville musician and producer Michael Rinne). The album title comes from a lyric in “Strong Blood,” nestled between references to the famous peaches of her native Georgia as well as the Allman Brothers’ iconic album, Eat a Peach.

She explains, “In classic mythology, Ambrosia is the nectar from the gods – and to me, Southern Ambrosia is something that the South gives us that the rest of the world can't, which are these incredible, delicious peaches. And the Allman Brothers were very significant in my musical development—my folks always listened to their records and growing up in Georgia, that's such a huge influence all around. Duane Allman is still my favorite guitar player! So I wanted to honor those two truths.”

Murray was raised in a blue-collar neighborhood of Atlanta, where her mother and father spent long working days making a modest home for their daughters. Blessed with an authentic, expressive alto voice, Murray always aspired to be a singer and she sang whenever and wherever she could – at home with Joni Mitchell records, at summer camp, and in school and church. When she needed an internship credit to finish her degree, she happened to find one in Boulder, Colorado. “Some friends had been talking about the music scene out there and I was just getting into pickin’ bluegrass; honestly, I think that was the true impetus for my move to Colorado.”

To her surprise, she stayed out West for six years. Finding a new circle of friends and musicians, she started gigging around Colorado with a couple bands. Not only did she learn stage presence and the nuances of harmony singing, she also emerged as an confident acoustic guitarist and bandleader. And while she appreciated the storytelling in the bluegrass canon, her own songwriting lent itself more to Americana and traditional country music. She made the leap to singing mostly country in 2010 and released her debut album, Unravelin’, in 2013 to regional acclaim.

The move to Nashville the following year enabled her to truly find her voice -- in more ways than one. She has performed on the Grand Ole Opry with Nashville musician JP Harris, while her 2017 single “How Tall the Glass” led to an Ameripolitan Award nomination. However, Southern Ambrosia decidedly pulls Murray out of the honky-tonks and country dives and onto the main stage.

“I always considered myself more of a words person,” she says. “I am really in love with words. I love reading. I love writing. And usually I'll think of lyrics first. But in the last couple years I've come to realize that I do have an ear for melody. I'll sit with my guitar and mess around, pull ideas from art that inspires me, until something new tumbles out, something that I can sing well.”

A couple years after settling in Nashville, a relationship of nearly a decade dissolved, leaving Murray to stand on her own feet and chart her own course. The uphill battles of starting over and staying afloat are dominant themes in Southern Ambrosia and the album’s lead track, “Made in America,” sets up this thread that weaves through the record. The lyrics convey the duality of being Southern and of heartbreak: the desperation and the hopefulness, the pride and the shame.

Elsewhere on Southern Ambrosia, she constructs a cinematic tale titled “The Ballad of Angel and Donnie,” which she wrote after reading about a meth bust in Statesboro, Georgia. The hard-charging narrative wouldn’t sound out of place on a Drive-By Truckers album. Meanwhile, “Tell Me” sounds like a long-lost gem from 1970s Nashville, perfectly suited to Honky-Tonk Tuesdays.

Murray’s childhood is set to music in “Pink Azaleas,” and is told from a nostalgic perspective. She notes, “That is the house that I grew up in, and that's the house that my momma still lives in. When we were real little, we didn't have air conditioning through the whole house so we would sleep on the floor in my parents' room because they had a window unit. Everything in that song is a hundred percent true. It’s a jarring memory I have when I was 8 or 9 of my mom getting so upset about money, or lack thereof. It’s a hard truth to swallow, especially when you're young. And, for better or worse, I think it created the worldview and the work ethic that I still have today.”

When Murray was in her mid-20s, her father died unexpectedly in his sleep after a full day of work. This tragedy and its effect on her is felt throughout Southern Ambrosia both sonically and lyrically; it was her father who gave her a guitar when she was 16 and passed along albums like Graceland and At Fillmore East.

While bluesy number “Lovers and Liars” and spacey “Potter’s Field” contrast musically, they each touch on the struggles to rise above tough times and the faith of hard work and self-reliance. The record concludes with the devastating heartache of “Joke’s on Me.” Murray doesn’t always have the fortitude to sing the song live, but when she does, the weeper draws in even the most hardened listeners.

“I have to remember that I am a songwriter and artist with something to say, but, ultimately, the muse just works through me and it isn’t necessarily about me anymore. And that's powerful and profound and important in this world that we live in,” she believes. “Not everybody can stand on the stage and play guitar and sing about their life and deliver that. If I can do that for others while singing my truth—and that moves and speaks to people—then that's what my life is supposed to be about.”

Unapologetically genuine, wry, and soft-hearted - Mariel Buckley has planted her flag firmly as a songwriter who’s in it for the long haul. She aims to find herself squarely on the fringes and exactly where she belongs: singing and writing songs for the underdog.

Her candor and magnetic live show have been charming listeners across North America since her debut LP, Driving In The Dark [2018]. Now with thousands of miles under her belt, Buckley looks to turn country/folk music on its head, with her follow-up album, Everywhere I Used To Be [2022]. Anchored by the haunting whine of the pedal steel, rounded out by heavy synth pads and produced by Marcus Paquin (The Weather Station, The Barr Brothers, Arcade Fire, The National), the resulting collection is a driving, swooning, toe-tapping catharsis; sealed and delivered by Buckley’s signature crooning brand of angst-ridden alt-folk.

Buckley and Paquin made an intentional move towards decidedly pop/contemporary production, and quickly found themselves in a daily rhythm of deconstructing and rebuilding each song to find its full potential. Backed by some of Canada’s finest session musicians, their collective efforts are showcased with abundant heart, and skillful flourishes while respecting the space necessary for the songs to speak.

Perhaps her mysterious ambiguity around genre, traditional storytelling, and identity is what gives these new songs such an honest shine. Buckley continues to be a trailblazer in her own right, with a firm grip on the steering wheel and a destination in mind - we’re just happy to be along for the ride.