Greetings, friends and neighbors! As many of you are now aware, we're in the process of launching a new educational non-profit, the Wilderness Institute for Leadership Development (WILD), with two exciting pilot trips on the Colorado River this summer. We're thrilled to announce that some of the finest indie singer/songwriters in the West are converging in Murphys for a two-night acoustic fundraiser for WILD at the Black Bart Theater. All are committed activists in their own spheres, and we're delighted that they feel strongly enough about the importance of WILD to lend their talents to this event. The Bay Area's Megan Slankard is not only playing a set each night, she's hosting the event and participating in one of the trips. Other artists include Texas Music Hall of Famer Patrice Pike (with stellar guitarist Matthew Johnson) from Austin, Jim Brunberg (formerly of the hugely popular Bay Area band Box Set) from Portland, Garett Brennan, also from Portland, and D.W. Brandt from Los Angeles. Patrice, Megan, and Jim have all played numerous shows in Calaveras County over the years, and all played the High Sierra Music Festival last summer. Garett Brennan, whose style is reminiscent of a granola tinged Tom Waits, will be making his first appearance in the Sierra foothills. He was the first artist on Clif Bar's Green Notes roster of conscious artists, which now includes such notables as Brett Dennen, Guster, Martin Sexton, and the John Butler Trio. D.W. Brandt is preparing to launch his first solo project after several years of fronting the Southern California band Bixby. For more on the artists and further event details, plus the link to online ticketing, go to brushwoodlounge.

For those of you who have never been to the Black Bart Playhouse, it's an intimate venue with great sound and every seat is tremendous. This promises to be a wonderful two nights of inspired acoustic music. (Keep this under your hat, but Patrice's amazing band will play an unannounced set to close the show on Wednesday night only! If you live outside of the foothills area, make plans to attend both shows and enjoy everything Murphys and the surrounding area has to offer.

Here are the nuts and bolts!

If you are, have, or know a high school or college student who may be interested in a life changing educational experience, please forward this link to information on the Wilderness Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) and its offerings: www.wild-outdoors.org.

Many thanks for listening!