PERFORMERS (A - Z)
Everett Wren
Everett Wren does not make small music. His songs carry a sweeping, big-sky grandeur — even when inspired by the quietest of moments.
An Austin-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and state champion fiddler, Wren draws deeply from American musical traditions including Western swing, bluegrass, folk balladry, and Americana. A lifelong performer who began playing in his family’s band at age four, he later toured nationally, busked across Europe, and earned a master’s degree in acoustics from the University of Texas at Austin — all while refining a distinctive and expansive sound.
Whether accompanying himself on fiddle, mandolin, acoustic or slide guitar, or adding rhythmic drive with foot percussion, Wren delivers performances marked by precision, energy, and emotional depth. Praised by Americana Highways for his “voice with timbre, personality, and emotional heft,” Everett Wren creates music that feels both rooted and refreshingly original.
Expect a dynamic evening of thoughtful songwriting and masterful musicianship Under the Oaks.
Listen:
Grouchy Like Riley
Grouchy Like Riley brings together three veteran Austin musicians — Danny Britt, Chip Dolan, and Marvin Dykhuis — for an evening of finely crafted songs and masterful musicianship.
All full-time touring professionals, the trio has deep roots in the Texas songwriting tradition. Between them, they’ve performed and recorded with artists including Tish Hinojosa, Bruce and Charlie Robison, Kelly Willis, Radney Foster, Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, The Dixie Chicks, and many more. Their combined experience spans decades of touring, producing, and studio work across blues, bluegrass, country, and Americana.
As Grouchy Like Riley, they deliver thoughtful originals, rich harmonies, and seasoned storytelling with the easy confidence of musicians who have spent a lifetime on stage. Expect strong songs, tight playing, and the kind of chemistry that only comes from years of shared musical history.
Listen:
Giulia Millanta
Florence-born and Austin-based, singer-songwriter Giulia Millanta brings a worldly voice and fearless creativity to Under the Oaks.
A prolific artist with nine solo albums, Giulia is an accomplished guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who sings in four languages. Her music blends folk, Americana, blues, and artful pop with what critics have called “psychedelic grooveability” and a soul-baring lyrical depth. Whether on acoustic or electric guitar, ukulele, or with unexpected textures woven into her arrangements, Giulia creates music that feels both intimate and expansive.
Since moving to Austin in 2012, she has become a respected presence in the city’s songwriter community, collaborating with and recording alongside renowned musicians including Charlie Sexton, Marc Ribot, Gabriel Rhodes, and Glenn Fukunaga. She has performed in premier venues across the U.S. and Europe, from Club Passim in Cambridge to Rockwood Music Hall in New York and the Teatro Romano in Florence.
Thoughtful, poetic, and musically adventurous, Giulia Millanta delivers performances that are immersive, emotionally rich, and uniquely her own.
Listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73aYraPkHK4
Hot Pickin' 57s
Get ready for an evening of high-energy picking and pure musical joy with the Hot Pickin’ 57s — one of Austin’s favorite bluegrass and classic country bands.
With deep roots in the Austin music scene, the Hot Pickin’ 57s deliver a fun, energetic mix of bluegrass, classic country, and Americana. Their sets blend well-loved standards with strong original songs, drawing from legends like Bill Monroe, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Flatt & Scruggs, John Hartford, Doc Watson, Bob Wills, and more.
Praised for their professionalism and dynamic stage presence, the band brings both serious musicianship and easygoing charm to every performance. As one booking agent shared, “During the performance they crush it with fun originals, spot-on classics, incredible talent, energized presence, and some jokes between songs to catch your breath.”
Whether on festival stages or in intimate listening settings, the Hot Pickin’ 57s are known for connecting warmly with their audience and leaving everyone smiling.
Come ready to tap your foot — and maybe sing along.
Jake Manzi
Jake Manzi brings a thoughtful, road-worn softness to the stage — the kind of songwriter who invites you in and lets the songs breathe.
Raised in western Massachusetts and now based in Los Angeles, Manzi has built a reputation for his warm, piano-driven soft rock, earning sold-out hometown shows and opening slots for artists such as Dawes, Ron Sexsmith, M. Ward, and Lori McKenna. After a decade of writing and touring, his latest album, Getting Somewhere, captures a season of motion, reflection, and quiet transformation.
Recorded mostly live, the songs unfold with an easy confidence — shimmering keys, heart-tugging lap steel, and melodies that nod to Jackson Browne and Springsteen at their most intimate. Rooted in collaboration and shaped by years on the road, Manzi’s music balances nostalgia with forward movement, landing in a place that feels both vulnerable and assured.
Expect an evening of honest songwriting, rich textures, and songs that linger long after the last note fades beneath the oaks.
Listen:
https://youtu.be/QypVQe72N-g?si=Mh8VYO7ZmZ3EhhxI
Kathy & the Kilowatts
Kathy & the Kilowatts bring powerhouse Texas blues to Under the Oaks.
Fronted by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Kathy Murray, the band has been a driving force in the Austin music scene for decades. Murray came of age during Austin’s legendary blues era, sharing stages with icons such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, W.C. Clark, Albert King, Koko Taylor, and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Her songwriting and commanding vocals have earned national recognition, including a Grammy nomination and multiple international songwriting honors.
Rooted in blues but enriched by soul, swamp pop, rockabilly, and classic Texas roots music, Kathy’s sound is both timeless and forward-looking. Backed by the Kilowatts, she delivers big-voiced originals and deep-groove blues with unmistakable Texas grit, warmth, and swagger.
Expect an evening of soulful, low-down, smooth-and-sexy blues — straight from the heart of Austin.
Luke Bulla
Luke Bulla
Luke Bulla
Grammy Award-winning fiddler and singer-songwriter Luke Bulla brings world-class musicianship and heartfelt songwriting to Under the Oaks.
A musical prodigy who began touring with his family at age four, Luke took up the fiddle at seven and went on to win the National Fiddle Contest in Weiser, Idaho multiple times — becoming the youngest Grand Champion in the contest’s history at age sixteen. After moving to Nashville, he joined Ricky Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder, earning his first Grammy Award, and has since performed or recorded with artists including Lyle Lovett, Alison Krauss, Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Brandi Carlile, and Sam Bush.
After years as a sought-after sideman, Luke now tours nationally as a solo artist, blending masterful fiddle playing, expressive vocals, and finely crafted original songs. Rooted in bluegrass yet shaped by decades of collaboration across Americana’s finest circles, his performances are both virtuosic and deeply personal.
Expect an evening of extraordinary musicianship and authentic storytelling Under the Oaks.
Listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICPZ7j-Moh0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEeApFJVOUM
TImelss
Luke Bulla
Luke Bulla
Timeless is the husband and wife duo of Joey and Cyndi Alba. Cyndi and Joey first met in a songwriter competition and, from there, decided to share vocal and songwriting talents.
They also share a penchant for artists with great songwriting and harmonies, covering everything from jazz standards to modern pop. Cyndi leans towards 70's and 80's Pop and Country while Joey leans into 90s and Texas Country.
Listen: