From 1997 through 1999, Lilith Fair was one of the highest grossing touring festivals in the world, with over 1.5 million fans in attendance and raising over $10 million dollars for national and local charities. Founded by Grammy-award winning artist Sarah McLachlan along with Dan Fraser, Marty Diamond and Terry McBride, Lilith Fair was the only tour of its kind—a celebration of women in music featuring artists like Sheryl Crow, Christina Aguilera, Erykah Badu, The Dixie Chicks, Missy Elliot, ... (more)The Pretenders, Nelly Furtado, Jewel, Queen Latifah, Indigo Girls, Tegan and Sara and of course, Sarah McLachlan. Nearly 6 months ago, Nettwerk CEO and Lilith Fair co-founder Terry McBride has announced that the all-female festival is making its return in Summer 2010.

On June 15, 2010, the Grammy Award–winning singer and songwriter Sarah McLachlan will release of Laws of Illusion. This is Sarah’s first studio album of new material in seven years, since the double–platinum Afterglow in 2003, and its twelve songs rank with the most compelling work ever created by this gifted artist. In the years between these two releases, Sarah has married, separated, and is raising two young daughters. These crucial life experiences have enriched her artistry and infuse... (more)d her new songs with the full range and complexity of adult emotions. In listening to Laws of Illusion, we can hear the strength of hard–earned independence; the trials of love won, lost, and found anew; and the infinite joys of living. In Laws of Illusion, Sarah looks at love “from both sides now.” The opening track, “Awakenings,” moves on a subdued electronic pulse underpinning ethereal guitar lines and – as the singer soars into her upper register – demonstrates her ability to craft an unforgettable “hook” without hitting the listener over the head with it. Coupled with the release of Laws of Illusion comes another landmark event in Sarah McLachlan’s career: her return to Lilith Fair, the all–female concert tour she founded in 1997 and where once again she’ll headline the main stage. “Being a part of Lilith Fair was inspiring on so many levels,” says Sarah. “Besides discovering new music everyday and sharing the stage with an incredible array of talented women, it was wonderful to see established and new artists alike have the opportunity to play in front of much larger or more diverse audiences than usual.” Between 1997 and 1999, Lilith Fair drew over two million fans and raised more than $7 million for charitable causes. Now, after an eleven–year hiatus, Lilith Fair Since her signing with Arista Records nearly two decades ago, every one of Sarah McLachlan’s studio and live albums has been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum by the RIAA. Touch (1988) and Solace (1991) were both gold sellers. Her 1994 breakthrough, the 3X-platinum Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, was followed by the digitally enhanced multimedia version of The Freedom Sessions (1995, gold). Sarah’s many cover songs and collaborations formed the repertoire for Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff Volume 2, released April 29, 2008. On October 7, 2008, the artist celebrated the 20th anniversary of her multi-platinum recording career with the release of Closer: The Best Of Sarah McLachlan.

Artists Amy Ray and Emily Sailers, the Indigo Girls have been working together for almost 30 years making socially and politically conscious folk rock music. Their career started out with several small releases before being noticed and signed by Epic Records. Their debut for Epic made the Top 30 and earned them the Best Folk Recording Grammy for “Closer to Fine.” After releasing 9 studio albums with Epic Records, one on Hollywood Records and 6 Grammy nominations the girls have taken fans ... (more)by storm. The duo has actively participated in their community by co-founded the organization Honor the Earth to raise awareness and financial support for indigenous environmental justice, supporting numerous women’s rights groups, fighting for civil rights for same-sex couples, as well as abolition of the death penalty. After years of building their talents and staking a claim in American Folk Rock history the duo has begun to produce their work independently. Their latest album, Poseidon And The Bitter Bug, reunites the Grammy-winning duo with veteran producer, arranger and keyboardist Mitchell Froom, who worked on the Indigo Girls’ acclaimed 2006 release, Despite Our Differences. Longtime bassist Clare Kenny, drummer Matt Chamberlin and engineer David Boucher make up the rest of the core band. The collaborative work takes the original and pure sound of the Indigo Girls, with uplifting harmonies and passionately involved lyrics while still exploring new sounds.

Stepping to center stage the sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robinson have distinguished themselves apart from the Dixie Chicks and formed the Court Yard Hounds. This country duo has not been around for long but is surely to gain an audience fast with their uplifting sound and lyrics stemming from their own lives. As the mainstays of the Dixie Chicks since they formed the group in 1989, the sisters have been familiar faces to many millions of fans, yet just a little mysterious in that familia... (more)rity but the harmonies the women produced couldn’t go unrecognized. When the Dixie Chicks took time off from their music, the two sisters decided to get back into the game but under another name and the Court Yard Hounds were born. Court Yard Hounds, featuring Robison for the first time as lead vocalist released a debut album for Columbia Records, the same label for which the Dixie Chicks has recorded, in May 2010. Now with a profoundly assured debut album that has the siblings sounding like they’ve been fearless all their lives, this group may turn a side project into something permanent.

Cat Power is the stage name of singer/songwriter Chan Marshall. Known for her minimalist style, sparse guitar and piano playing, and breathy vocals she has been places in the genres of Folk rock, indie rock, indie pop, and sadcore. After dropping out of high school, she started performing under the name Cat Power while in Atlanta, backed by musicians Glen Thrasher, Marc Moore, and others. While in Atlanta, Marshall played her first live shows as support to her friends' bands. Her performances ... (more)are unique and said to stop time. Chan Marshall draws all the attention in the room as she sits at a piano or lays her guitar across her lap, and makes the world stop spinning. As Cat Power, Marshall’s music envelops the room listeners sense the strength of her performance. For 'The Greatest', the brand-new studio album Marshall returned to Memphis, pursuing slinky Hi Records sound of the 70s, famed for its sensuous feel and beguiling rhythms. She got Al Green’s guitarist and songwriting partner Mabon "Teenie" Hodges to play guitar on the whole album. Many songs on this album hearken back to earlier in Cat Power’s career by keeping her simplistic sound while creating a new feel.

Sara Bareilles has been writing songs for as long as she can remember. She writes mostly on her piano and being a girl a lot of people compare her to Norah Jones or Fiona Apple. Sara thinks the comparison is fine but also wants people to know she has an affinity for the playful and intelligent-pop of people like Elton John and Ben Folds. LITTLE VOICE was her first major label album. She signed with Epic Records on tax day 2005, and spent the better part of the next year writing and... (more) developing the material for the album that is set to release July 3rd. Songwriting is the most sacred thing in her life. For now, it's usually just "me and my piano, my lousy grammar, and some emotion that makes me feel like I'm bursting at the seams." Her new album is described as “a collection of songs that pretty much mean the world to me. They chronicle my life, my relationships, my basket-case-ness, and my utter devotion to trying to write honest stuff down and share it.”

Passionate and sincere, Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins is a welcome relief in a music landscape littered with disposable pop. The 24-year-old Melbourne native has enjoyed phenomenal success in her homeland, and a growing fanbase in the U.S., in spite of — or perhaps because she shuns the usual synthetic packaging and tabloid tackiness. Instead she's adopted a more timeless approach, relying on her undeniable songs and unforgettable live performances to forge a genuine connection wit... (more)h her audience. Higgins' new album, On A Clear Night, retains the irresistible melodies and piercing lyrics of her critically lauded debut The Sound of White, which was Australia's best-selling album of 2005. On A Clear Night (certified triple platinum in Australia) was awarded the Highest Selling Australian album of 2007 and saw Missy crowned with yet another ARIA Award (Australia's Grammy) as the country's "Best Female Artist" for the second time. This time around, the album benefits from the empathetic production of Mitchell Froom, who is known for his work with Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and Crowded House. The quiet strength of the new songs reflects Higgins' newfound confidence and changing worldview. A major star in Australia, she has grown up in public and On A Clear Night is the diary she's kept along the way.

Singer/songwriter Beth Orton combined the passionate beauty of the acoustic folk tradition with the electronic beats of trip-hop to create a fresh, distinct fusion of roots and rhythm. Born in Norwich, England in December 1970, Orton debuted as one half of the duo Spill, a one-off project with William Orbit which released a cover of John Martyn's "Don't Wanna Know About Evil." She continued working with Orbit on his 1993 LP "Strange Cargo 3", co-writing and singing the track "Water From a Vin... (more)e Leaf" before appearing with the group Red Snapper on their first singles "Snapper" and "In Deep" . In 1995 Orton teamed with the Chemical Brothers for "Alive: Alone," the ultimate track on their "Exit Planet Dust" LP. After assembling a backing band comprised of double bassist Ali Friend, guitarist Ted Barnes, keyboardist Lee Spencer and drummer Wildcat Will, she finally issued her 1996 debut EP "She Cries Your Name"; her stunning full-length bow "Trailer Park", produced in part by Andrew Weatherall, followed later in the year. In 1997, Orton released the superb "Best Bit EP", a move towards a more organic, soulful sound highlighted by a pair of duets with folk-jazz legend Terry Callier; the full-length "Central Reservation" followed in 1999. "Stolen Car" was a moderate hit among college radio and tours across the U.S. were also successful. Three years later, Orton emerged refreshed with her third album "Daybreaker". This time around, she collaborated with ex-Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams and the Chemical Brothers. In early 2006, Orton released her fourth album, "Comfort of Strangers". - Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Born in Nigeria and based in Germany, Nneka is a stylistically diverse, politically inclined English-language neo-soul singer reminiscent of Erykah Badu. Born Nneka Egbuna in Warri, Nigeria, in 1981, she immigrated at age 19 to Hamburg, Germany, with plans to study anthropology. Influenced by the towering legacies of Fela Kuti and Bob Marley as well as by contemporary urban American artists such as Mos Def and Lauryn Hill, she also pursued a career in music upon arriving in Germany. In time she ... (more)met and began working closely with DJ Farhot and made her recording debut in 2005 with The Uncomfortable Truth, an introductory five-song EP followed later in the year by the full-length album Victim of Truth. The album spawned a series of singles ("The Uncomfortable Truth," "Beautiful," "God of Mercy," "Africans") and set the stage for her follow-up album, No Longer at Ease (2008), and its lead single, "Heartbeat," which became her first single to break into the German Top 50.

Songwriter Lissie Maurus was raised in the riverside town of Rock Island, IL, and she drew upon those blue-collar, Midwestern origins to create her own form of indie folk music. After dropping out of high school during her senior year, Lissie headed west and eventually settled in Los Angeles, where she became a fixture on the coffeehouse circuit and landed a national tour opening for Lenny Kravitz. A self-titled EP appeared in 2007, but things truly began picking up speed in 2009, when Lissie re... (more)leased the well-received Why You Runnin' and toured alongside Ray LaMontagne.

While the servicemen we send to the front lines are the ones who make the clips on CNN, in truth there are many ways for people in the armed forces to serve their country. Having served with the 1st Calvary Division and currently with the AMC Army Band, Corrin Campbell has been using her talents as a bassist and vocalist to lift the morale of troops around the world. Now, the powerhouse vocalist and her band The Election—guitarist Jim Boyer and drummer Tony Corbett, a three time combat veteran... (more)—are inspiring the civilian population as well with the explosive and heartfelt original material on their debut album Game Night. Since forming in 2008, Corrin and The Election have taken the Baltimore pop music scene by storm, earning quick comparisons to Evanescence, Paramore and the singer’s idols, Heart. Beyond regular “home base” gigs and two Baltimore Music Conferences in 2008 and 2009, the band has played at Launch Music Conference in Lancaster, PA, the RedGorilla Fest in Austin, and other festivals. While this itinerary is obviously not as exotic or international as Corrin has had as a U.S. army bassist performing for troops in Baghdad (opening for Ted Nugent and Toby Keith) or as part of the Army Soldier Show in Korea and Cuba, she loves the fact that she’s finally able to perform her own songs. “As a musician in the army, you’re playing a lot of covers because that’s what soldiers know; it gives them a taste of home.” says the singer, who was previously stationed at Ft. Hood Texas. “But I have always loved writing and there are certain creative limitations when I’m playing Top 40 songs with army ensembles. It is a joy to put a smile on the face of a soldier who probably hasn’t smiled in months. I love serving my country in this way.” Tony, a drummer for the Army band, is also stationed in the Baltimore area. The two decided to record her original material after they created a demo from the first few songs they recorded and ultimately sold 7,000 copies of their EP at their shows. He recorded, mixed, mastered and played drums and guitars on Game Night. The colorful cover art of happily bouncing dice is representative of Corrin’s desire with her compelling songs to turn angst into art.