Craigie to perform in Sandpoint Friday

For over a decade, John Craigie has made music that welcomes people with songs that feel like conversations among friends, said Mattox Farm Production's Robb Talbott.

The singer-songwriter will be performing at the Panida Theater on Friday, July 17. Accompanying Craigie will be Bart Budwig.

Craigie's new album "I Swam Here", which debuted on Feb. 6 on Zabriskie Point Records, was written and produced by Craigie and recorded between New Orleans and Astoria.

The album’s singles trace the path of its making. “Fire Season,” engineered by Bart Budwig, was one of the first songs written and features Cooper Trail, Nevada Sowle, Luke Ydstie, and Jamie Greenan. “Dry Land” was reworked in Astoria after early New Orleans sessions didn’t feel right. “Edna Strange,” inspired by Marty Robbins, is the only track where Craigie plays steel string acoustic, with Max Bien Khan on nylon string leads and a trio vocal arrangement in place of Moss’s harmonies.

Talbott said Craigie remains a tireless live performer, touring throughout the U.S., Europe, and Australia, appearing at festivals like Newport Folk, Pickathon, Edmonton Folk Festival, and High Sierra, and sharing the stage with artists such as Langhorne Slim, Sierra Hull, Gregory Alan Isakov, Brett Dennen, and Jack Johnson. His annual #KeepItWarm Tour donates $1 from every ticket sold to regional nonprofits, and his John Craigie On The River trips on the Tuolumne and Rogue rivers have become cherished gatherings for fans.

Opening the night is a local favorite, Bart Budwig, Talbott said.

"He is a son of Idaho, a cosmic country crooner, a rousing trumpet player, and cryin’-style soul singer," he added.

Info.: mattoxfarm.com