WXPN Features Sharon Little as the XPN Artist To Watch for January

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Created on Monday, 05 January 2009 11:24

Philadelphia, PA – WXPN, the nationally-recognized leader in Triple A music and noncommercial radio service of the University of Pennsylvania, names Sharon Little as its January Artist To Watch. WXPN Music Director and Host Dan Reed will present the first of the month’s on-air segments on Monday, January 5 in the 4 p.m. hour.

Philadelphia native, Sharon Little began performing at a very early age and always knew that was what she wanted to do with her life. With early influences like Billie Holiday, Etta James and Nina Simone, she sang wherever she could, including coffee houses, open mic nights, weddings and small club gigs. A chance meeting with Philly local Scot Sax (formerly of the band Wanderlust) took her career to a new level. The two musicians clicked instantly and Sharon’s writing and performing grew a great deal while working with Scot. In 2007 Sharon Little was signed to CBS Records and in 2008, still collaborating with Scot Sax, she released the CD Perfect Time For a Breakdown. That same year, she was asked to join the Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and T-Bone Burnett on their North American Tour.

WXPN Midday Host and “XPN Local” Producer Helen Leicht saw something in Sharon Little early on playing her music regularly on her show. Little also performed at WXPN’s XPoNential Music Festival in 2007, contributed a track to this year’s XPN Local, Volume 2 CD release, and she will perform for the Free At Noon show on January 9, 2009.

“We're very proud of Sharon here at XPN,” said Reed. “It didn't take the rest of the music world too much time to understand what all the Philly fuss was about after they got a chance to listen to her extremely well-crafted songs. Her voice and her songwriting display a maturity well beyond her years, and we have a feeling that this is just the beginning for her.”

For more on the XPN Artists To Watch series and this month’s featured artist, visit xpn.org/music-artist/artist-to-watch/artist-to-watch-2009-01

The XPN Artists To Watch series reflects WXPN’s commitment to nurturing fresh, new talent and exposing listeners to the best new music. Each month, the XPN Artists To Watch series spotlights a different up-and-coming performer who has produced an album or body of work that demonstrates outstanding vision, creativity and songwriting ability. Month-long on-air promotion is combined with online features to help audiences discover each artist.

WXPN, the nationally recognized leader in Triple A radio and the premier guide for discovering new and significant artists in rock, blues, roots, and folk, is the non-commercial, member-supported radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. WXPN produces World Cafe®, public radio's most popular program of popular music hosted by David Dye and syndicated by NPR, and the Peabody Award winning Kids Corner hosted by Kathy O'Connell. WXPN also produces the alternative rock service, Y-Rock On XPN as its secondary radio channel in HD that is also available online. WXPN serves the greater Philadelphia area at 88.5 FM, the Lehigh Valley at 104.9, Worton/Baltimore at 90.5 FM, Lancaster/York at 88.7 FM, Harrisburg at 99.7 FM, and the world via online streaming at XPN.org.