As a Folksinger, author, screenwriter and host of the “Wood Songs Old-Time Radio Hour”; one would wonder where Michael Jonathan finds the time to actually make and record music.  But on March 24, Jonathan is releasing his 20th album – “Garden of Silence”.

Not only did Jonathan write 10 of the eleven songs on the album; he also, arranged all of the music, produced the album, and played several different instruments.

The banjo playing Folkie calls a log cabin outside  Lexington, Kentucky home; but was raised in Beacon, New York where among his neighbours was Folk legend Pete Seeger!

Noting that the front porch is needed more than any other time in history, Jonathan said, “we are living among the first generation in human history that gets its music and art as a flatscreen, cell phone, digital tsunami of ones and zeros.  The real, front porch, organic world of music and art is fading away.”  He views his “Wood Songs” radio broadcast as an “on-air multimedia front porch”.

His weekly radio show is heard by over two million listeners across 500 public radio stations across America, Armed Forces radio, and over 170 radio stations around the world.

A music and conversation show; this season “Wood Songs” features appearances that include George Winston, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, Freedy Johnston, Andrew Farris, The Kurger Brothers, Tom Wopat, Paul Overstreet, Hubby Jenkins, and the Savoy Family Band.

And as if he weren’t busy enough, Jonathan has created a new “Wood Songs” series aimed at the younger generation titled “Wood Songs Kids TV & Radio Series” that is being billed “Mr. Rogers” meets the Grand Ole Opry.  Set to begin this May, the show will feature musicians from six to 16.  Jonathan noted, “we have featured young kids on every WoodSongs broadcast for years, making it a highlight of the show every week. WoodSongs Kids will be devoted exclusively to the kids of America’s front porch.”

Also in May is the seventh annual National Gathering of SongFarmers – an international network of “front porch” minded musicians, songwriters and fans who simply love simple, rural music. This community is about everybody who loves to pick, play and sing.

Speaking on SongFarmers, Jonathan said, “I started the SongFarmer movement to help musicians find a new, defined direction for their music, to gather the global community of front porch minded folks and help them do good work and enhance communities by redirecting the tremendous energies of local musicians.”

The tracklisting for “Garden of Silence:
“Garden of Silence”
“Hurricane”
“September Eve”
“Prodigal Son”
“Front Porch Symphony”
“Winter Song”
“Petrichor”
“Narcissistic Blues”
“The Farewell”
“Seeer Mashup”
“FolkSinger”



Feature photo credit: courtesy of Larry Neuzel