The End of America & Rorie Kelly: 2017

The three guys in the The End of America— James Downes, Trevor Leonard, and Brendan Thomas—were all in different different bands which would cross paths on the road. They found themselves adding harmonies on each other's songs so often they decided to form their own trio, rooted in the fertile Philadelphia music scene. Their name isn't a political statement (they take it from Jack Kerouac's travels in On The Road), but the frequent theme of struggle in their songs may resonate with a lot of folks.

Rorie Kelly, on the other hand, is sometimes unabashedly political in her passionate songwriting. Even when not being topical, this diminutive powerhouse from Eastern Long Island, is committed to empowering women and girls, both through her music and organizations like Go Girls Music and Start a Fire. I invited both Rorie and The End of America to WFUV for a studio session in advance of their appearances at On Your Radar on May 9 at Rockwood Music Hall. They're worth getting to know.