World Cafe

The celebrated alt-country group Centro-Matic hails from Denton, Texas. What began as a side project for singer-songwriter and guitarist Will Johnson in the 1990s soon grew into a full-fledged band. With 20 albums in just 14 years, Centro-Matic has built a solid reputation for playful yet masterful, country-infused rock. With Matt Pence, Scott Danborn and Mark Hedman supporting Johnson's quick wit and pop influences, Centro-Matic's catalog exudes both boundless energy and emotional restraint.

Chris Taylor may not be a household name, but you've probably encountered some of his work. Taylor was the bassist, producer and backing vocalist of Grizzly Bear on Yellow House and Veckatimest, in addition to running his own record label, Terrible Records.

R&B icon Betty Wright signed her first local label deal when she was only 11, and by the time she was 17, she'd released her first hit single, 1971's "Clean Up Woman," which also crossed over to the pop charts. With a four-octave vocal range, an impressive grasp of the connection between gospel and R&B, and a sensual style, Wright continues to weave an impressive legacy. Her songs have been sampled by many hip-hop, rock and R&B musicians, including Mary J.

Grammy-winning producer and record-label owner Aaron Levinson is in the studio to introduce us to a corner of Latin roots music called cumbia. Affiliated with a number of professional recording academies and societies, this internationally known musician also owns a recording studio in Ardmore, and has consistently received recognition for his work with Latin music. In the studio today, Levinson and host David Dye talk about the origin and evolution of cumbia, including its late resurgence in popularity in New York.

Alabama Shakes, a soulful rock 'n' roll quartet, is riding a well-deserved wave to fame. Since the release of its self-titled debut in 2011, the band has entranced listeners with its diverse and energetic songs. Alabama Shakes' style is marked by lead singer Brittany Howard's powerful voice and the group's irresistible energy. Together, they enthusiastically blend rock with soul, country, blues and roots.

Grace Woodroofe is only 21, but her warm and wise music marks her as an old soul. Born in Australia, the blues-folk singer was discovered by actor Heath Ledger when she was 16. The self-taught guitarist and singer subsequently relocated to California to record and develop her sound.

Czech musician Markéta Irglová has spent much of her life becoming a darling of the folk and indie-rock scenes. At 13, she began collaborating with Glen Hansard and his band The Frames.

When the genre-defying Melissa McClelland married Juno nominee Luke Doucet, it seemed inevitable that the Canadian power couple would collaborate soon. After all, they'd had overlapping but stylistically diverse careers. McClelland was featured in Degrassi and won Best Americana Song at the 6th Annual Independent Music Awards, and her collaboration with Jesse Cook for his track "It Ain't Me Babe" spent three weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's world-music charts.

Throughout the month of October, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of World Cafe by revisiting some of the best and most memorable interviews of the past 20 years.

On today's jam-packed session, host David Dye takes us on a journey through the singer-songwriter movement of the 1990s, with artists who were at the forefront of the World Cafe program in its infancy.

Blending melodic, powerful, guitar-driven indie rock with hook-filled pop and Coldplay-style balladry, Scottish band Snow Patrol has become an international sensation with heavy touring, chart-topping albums and beautiful singles. In 2003, Final Straw vaulted the group onto the international music scene.

The informal nature of The Little Willies speaks to its members' chemistry and love of country-music classics; after all, their moniker is a tribute to country-music legend Willie Nelson.

Eric Bachmann can't seem to stay away from music. The talented singer-songwriter first attracted mainstream and underground attention in the '90s with Archers of Loaf before introducing a new project called Crooked Fingers in 2000.

Novalima began in 2001 when four Peruvian friends, all living in different parts of the world, took to the Internet to exchange ideas. Pulling from rock, pop, salsa, reggae, dance and electronic music, they formed a collective that would soon become known worldwide for its inventive form of Afro-Peruvian roots music. Novalima released its self-titled debut in 2002, and its 2005 follow-up won the Independent Music Award for best album in world fusion.