J.S. Ondara Nominated For Best Emerging Act At 2019 Americana Music Awards
By: Tori Hartshorn May. 16, 2019
Breakout singer-songwriter J.S. Ondara has been nominated for "Best Emerging Act" at the2019 Americana Music Awards. Ondara's debut LP Tales of America was released in February via Verve Forecast to widespread critical acclaim. Most recently, Ondara was featured on PBS' "NewsHour" and also made appearances on NPR's "All Things Considered" and "World Cafe."
Tales of America is a completely acoustic album produced by Grammy-nominated Mike Viola(Jenny Lewis). The LP was recorded at Boulevard Recording and East West Studios in Los Angeles, with all lyrics written by Ondara. It features collaborations with Andrew Bird, Taylorand Griffin Goldsmith of Dawes and Joey Ryan of The Milk Carton Kids. Watch the previously released videos for "American Dream" HERE, "Saying Goodbye" HERE, "Torch Song" HERE and "Television Girl" HERE.
Ondara will also continue touring throughout the summer and fall in support of the album, including shows with Neil Young at the end of this month. The tour follow his completely sold out debut headline run, and will also include special appearances at Xponential Festival andNewport Folk Festival. Brooklyn Vegan praises his live performance as "one of the most commanding sets...with just his voice and acoustic guitar, he had the packed room mesmerized and so silenced that you could hear a pin drop." More details below.
Additionally, Ondara has recorded an Amazon Original cover of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold," which will be available only on Amazon Music May 24. Fans can also say, "Alexa, follow J.S. Ondara" on their Alexa-enabled devices to be notified when the song is available.
J.S. Ondara grew up in Nairobi, Kenya listening to American alt-rock and making up his own songs for as long as he can remember. At an early age he fell in love with the music of Bob Dylan and moved to Minneapolis in 2013 to pursue a career as a singer and songwriter. He began making his way in the local music scene, continually writing songs about what he saw, felt and experienced in a place far different from home. Since then, he has toured nationwide, opening for Anderson East, First Aid Kit, The Milk Carton Kids, Mt. Joy and The Head & The Heart.
J.S. ONDARA LIVE
May 18-Spokane, WA-Fox Theatre*
May 20-21-Seattle, WA-The Paramount*
May 23-Eugene, OR-Knight Center*
May 25-Richmond, VA-Richmond Music Hall
May 29-Columbus, OH-The Basement
May 30-Nashville, TN-The Basement
May 31-Charlotte, NC-The Evening Muse [SOLD OUT]
June 1-Canton, NC-Lake Logan Conference Center (Cold Mountain Music Festival)
June 4-Atlanta, GA-The Earl
June 5-Birmingham, AL-The Saturn
June 7-Austin, TX-Antone's Nightclub
June 8-Dallas, TX-Sons of Hermann Hall
June 10-St. Louis, MO-Old Rock House
June 11-Des Moines, IA-Vaudeville Mews
June 12-Madison, WI-High Noon Saloon
June 27-Montreal, QC-Festival International De Jazz De Montreal
July 24-Pittsburgh, PA-Club Café
July 26-Northampton, MA-Iron Horse
July 27-Philadelphia, PA-Xponential Festival
July 28-Newport, RI-Newport Folk Festival
July 30-Baltimore, MD-The 8x10
July 31-Cleveland, OH-House of Blues-Cambridge Room
August 10-11-Edmonton, AB-Edmonton Folk Festival
September 14-Burlington, VT-Grand Point North Festival
October 10-Portland, OR-Aladdin Theater
October 11-Vancouver, BC-Hollywood Theater
October 13-Seattle, WA-Neumos
October 17-San Francisco, CA-The Independent
October 18-Los Angeles, CA-Troubadour
October 19-Los Angeles, CA-Troubadour [SOLD OUT]
October 21-Denver, CO-Bluebird Theater
October 24-Chicago, IL-Lincoln Hall
October 26-Toronto, ON-Mod Club Theater
October 30-Washington, DC-6th & I
November 1-Boston, MA-Sinclair
November 2-Brooklyn, NY-Music Hall of Williamsburg
December 7-Minneapolis, MN-First Avenue
*supporting Neil Young
Photo credit: Josh Cheuse
Comments
Videos