Deidre McCalla

McCalla, an urban singer-songwriter, emerged in New York City amid the McDougal Street pop/folk peak, when performers channeled the country’s turmoil and discontent into song, merging Nina Simone’s vocal delivery with Phil Ochs’s sharp social observation and lyrical depth. Now rooted in northern California, she keeps crisscrossing the nation on tour, her journeys shaping her into a clear-voiced, present-day troubadour. She states outright the common knowledge among rock musicians that an acoustic guitar forms the true beginning of everything. Her opening two albums, “Don’t Doubt It” and “With A Little Luck,” earned repeated New York Music Award nominations. The later release “Everyday Heroes & Heroines,” helmed by Teresa Trull, drew contributions from Mike Marshall, Linda Tillery, Bonnie Hayes, and additional players.