With a youthful and punk-fueled exuberance, picking and vocal capabilities that seem well beyond his years, and a heart steeped in traditional music, a live performance by William Apostol (aka Billy Strings) is truly an experience.  High energy meets raw talent in an electrifying, twangy and sometimes dizzying way.

Apostol has made quite a name for himself in the bluegrass scene as a gifted guitarist out of Traverse City. He’s spent the last couple of years touring heavily with mandolinist Don Julin and playing the music he was brought up on as a kid. In late 2015, however, Apostol announced he was parting ways with Julin and moving to Nashville to embark on his solo career.

Josh Epstein’s phone is blowin’ up thanks to his band’s summery slice of infectious indie-pop, “Gone.”

The Detroit duo JR JR’s (formerly known as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.) hit single has gone viral since its 2015 release, racking up over 15 million plays on Spotify and landing everywhere from alt-rock radio to the trailer for the upcoming comedy Sausage Party.

Andrew McMahon’s path to stardom hasn’t exactly been paint-by-numbers.

Fans of the singer/songwriter already know much of his story: He started out as the teenage frontman for the piano-pop/punk band Something Corporate in the early 2000s. Then there was his side-project Jack’s Mannequin, which chronicled his recovery from leukemia during his 20s. His latest solo project was inspired largely by his life as a new father.

Depending on who you talk to, the late Phife Dawg is either a complete unknown or a groundbreaking hip-hop icon. As a member of Tribe Called Quest, he and his mates helped pave the way for generations of forthcoming alternative hip-hop heads – from Kanye West and Common, to legions of underground rappers.