Featured Album

WXPN Radio

The premier guide for new and significant artists in rock, blues, and folk - including NPR-syndicated World Cafe ®

Listen Xpo

24/7 Musical discovery. A unique mix of emerging and heritage blues, rock, world, folk, and alt-country artists.

Singer Songwriter Radio

Featuring classics from heritage troubadours to new musicians and bands in the singer-songwriter tradition.

Folk Radio

Folk music radio streaming on the web; Americana, Roots Music, recordings, and stories from folk's best.
Listen Live

Gary Clark Jr. - Artist To Watch August 2011

Gary Clark, Jr., impressed a lot of our festival goers this summer. Considered a pioneering guitarist alongside greats such as Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Clark Jr. has raised many eyebrows with his ability to cut through styles of rock, blues, soul and R&B with seamless effort. He's released a number of EPs, and has his major label debut on Warner Brothers, August 9. Dubbed Bright Lights, Clark will have a full-length out in January of 2012.

Clark's story unfolds at the tender young age of 12, when the musical prodigy first began playing guitar. Hailing from Austin, he was quick to take his talent to various small clubs throughout the city before a chance meeting impressed Clifford Antone, the owner of the famous blues club Antone. Atone would partner with Clark, providing him with opportunities to work with musical greats such as Jimmie Vaughn. Since then, he went on to play a number of festivals including Austin City Limits and the 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival where he played alongside artists such as Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and B.B. King. With three self-produced albums, he won the Austin Music Award for Best Blues and Electric Guitarist three separate times. Clark's resume continued to grow and before long he was not only an esteemed peer among fellow Austin musicians, but also a beloved performer for a growing fanbase. And with a resume this strong, it's a wonder how Clark manages to fit in some acting and film scoring on the side.

Growing quite the fan base for his unfalteringly dymanic performances, this rocking rising star has a full-length due out on Warner Brothers in January. There are already quite a few fans of Gary Clark Jr. here at XPN, and when Clark plays with Questlove at The Blockley on August 3, opening for Questlove, he's sure to pack the house!

Hear Gary’s full, live set from the XPoNential Music Festival, and check out the photo gallery here.

Latest Release: Bright Lights EP
Release Date: August 9, 2011
Label: Warner Brothers
Origin: Austin
Website: garyclarkjr.com
Myspace: myspace.com/garyclarkjr
Twitter: @GaryClarkJr
Facebook: facebook.com/GaryClarkJrMusic?sk=app_178091127385

Help Support WXPN

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Arrah and the Ferns at PhilaMOCA, White Laces at Kung Fu Necktie, Dani Mari at Philadelphia Folk Festival...

Arrah and the Ferns play PhilaMOCA tonight.  The concert will act as both the band’s album release show for Make Your Mind as...Read More

Watch The Roots mural be unveiled next Friday in South Philly

The Legendary Roots Crew will be on hand in full force (and that’s a lot of people) next Friday the 31st of June when...Read More

Watch City Rain’s cinematic music video for “The Optimist” (playing North Star Bar on Monday)

With the release of City Rain’s new single “The Optimist” imminent, the duo today premiered a new music video for...Read More

Music Hack Day Philadelphia: The results are in

Photo via https://www.facebook.com/drexeluniv/posts/520555071314459 Did you ever date someone to find out they had...Read More

Watch Julia Holter’s new video for “World” (playing World Cafe Live on 7/13)

In advance of her forthcoming For Loud City Song LP, Julia Holter has shared a new video for lead single “World.”  The...Read More