Michael Fracasso w/ Chris Buhalis

There are singer-songwriters, and then there's Michael Fracasso. Declared by Dirty Linen as "one of the greatest singer-songwriters from the United States ,” the Austin, TX-based artist has been described as "a one man catalogue of American music" by The Chicago Tribune. Now with the dual release of his new and best album to date, A Pocketful of Rain, and the two disc career overview, Retrospective, discerning listeners and music fans have the opportunity to discover and enjoy the full range of stunning creations from one of America's finest and most acclaimed musical artists.

As the Houston Post notes, "tagging him as a singer-songwriter seems limiting." After all, Fracasso excels as a vocalist, composer and performer "whose music crosses wide terrain from folk to R&B to rock," observed CMJ/New Music Report in its Triple AAA radio reviews section. It's a vision and gift that have attracted such other talents as Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, Charlie Sexton, Kelly Willis, Eliza Gilkyson and Ian McLagan to record, perform and share stages with him as well as sing his praises.

On A Pocketful of Rain, his fifth and finest album, Michael Fracasso offers a dozen samples of his greatness as a writer and singer. With what No Depression calls his "shrewd combination of powerful images and memorable melodies," he creates virtual worlds within every cut. On the one hand, there are songs like “Pocketful of Rain” and “K.C.” that brim with a seductive pop appeal. At the same time, he also dips into the heart of the Mississippi Delta on “Devil’s Deal” (which features Patty Griffin on vocals) and “Ragamuffin Blues.” Griffin also duets with Fracasso on the lovelorn lament “All or Nothing” that recalls the classic songs by the Everlys, while “Turned You Down” and “Mean Ol’ Place” feature sharp social commentary. His recent fatherhood has inspired Fracasso to pen two disparate numbers: “Silver Spoon” is a joyous expression of parental love; “Hungry” conversely offers a haunting look at child abuse.  All told, A Pocketful of Rain is American singer-songwriter music for the new century that, as the Oklahoma Gazette notes of Fracasso’s work, "[puts] all the great strains of American music into a cohesive package," as well as one of those rare albums that truly touches the deep places within a listener's heart and mind.

Chris Buhalis is one of South-East Michigan’s top songwriters, and a very accomplished live performer.  He’s appeared on radio's Acoustic Cafe and performed live at respected venues like the Ark in Ann Arbor, MI.  Chris also recorded with the legendary Townes Van Zandt who makes a vocal appearance on Chris' debut CD, “Kenai Dreams.”   Though he doesn’t consider himself a political songwriter, his song “Talkin’ Sounds Like Joe McCarthy Blues,” has drawn critical acclaim across the country.