Renowned Austin Singer-Songwriter Lisa Morales Returns to Society Hall!
4/16/26, 1:30 AM
Like her cousin Linda Ronstadt, Mexican-American vocalist and singer-songwriter Lisa Morales and her sister Roberta grew up in a musical family in Tucson, Arizona, learning to perform traditional Mexican music while developing broad-ranging musical taste prior to moving to Texas. Lisa's performances move back and forth effortlessly between Spanish and English lyrics and styles – she is truly a force in either world, and the larger bicultural Hispano-Americana realm that embraces them both.
Lisa Morales’ credentials on the songwriter scene were established long before the release of her debut solo album, My Beautiful Mistake, in 2011. In addition to performing and recording for nearly two decades part of the acclaimed San Antonio-based sibling duo Sisters Morales (with her beloved sister, Roberta, who passed away from cancer in August 2021), Lisa also produced Flowers & Liquor, the 2002 debut album by Americana music favorite Hayes Carll. But it was My Beautiful Mistake (hailed by Lone Star Music Magazine as “an absolutely flat-out devastating and stunning work of art”) and it’s equally luminous follow-up, 2018’s Luna Negra & the Daughter of the Sun, that marked the Tucson, Arizona-native’s true arrival as a creative force to be reckoned with and, according to Rolling Stone, “one of the most multifaceted artists to watch in 2018.”
On her third album, 2022’s She Ought to Be King, Morales once again affirmed her world-class stature with a distinctive perspective and a remarkable capacity for looking both inward and outward. “I’ve been looking at how strong we women are,” she says “We keep evolving and gaining more confidence with time. We don’t sink into our own shoes — we stand taller in them.” Morales recently released her new album Sonora and will be featuring some of the newer material in her Society Hall concert.
Sonora, in particular, serves as both a tribute and a reinvention—honoring the memories of her sister while stepping boldly into new creative terrain. The album features collaborations with a wide array of celebrated artists, including, JoJo Garza (Los Lonely Boys), Kesley Wilson (Sir Woman) and Tish Hinojosa, as well as a poignant posthumous co-write with Roberta. Morales also welcomed her son, Thomas Spencer, into the recording process—bringing a fresh generation of family harmonies into her work. Thomas will also be joining her onstage for the Society Hall show.
With her trademark blend of vulnerability and strength, Lisa Morales stands as a voice for multicultural expression, female empowerment, and the healing power of song. Her live performances, often met with standing ovations, are a testament to her authenticity, her heritage, and her enduring creative fire.
Society Hall Welcomes Back Alexa Wildish With Sadie Gustafson-Zook!
4/19/26, 1:30 AM
Alexa grew up in a musical family in the horse country of Southern California, where her father collected vintage guitars. She began studying classical voice when she was seven, and she attended the Orange County School of the Arts and Elon University, where she delved into musical theater.
At age 17, however, an entirely different musical spark was ignited when she saw The Wailin’ Jennys open for Nickel Creek, and she took the hard-left turn from musical theater to Americana. She had been on her way to Broadway, but the lure of performing original material was strong.
As she says about her change of focus: “Musical theater’s be-honest-and-tell-the-truth training taught me how to tell other people’s stories as if they were my own. But because they weren’t my own, there was no real passion.” Nowadays, Alexa’s live performances of her original songs signal the advent of a major new voice in folk, with passion to spare – with Taste of Country writing, “Alexa Wildish has been steadily building herself a reputation of being a soulful and deeply emotional artist.”
Before the pandemic changed everything, Alexa had auditioned in 2019 for The Voice, wanting to increase her visibility as a singer. As a songwriter, she was equally ambitious, submitting her work to Planet Bluegrass competitions that resulted in her taking home first place in 2019 at Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. With her unique command of vocals, guitar, and octave mandolin, Alexa traveled to Nashville just before COVID shut down the country to record her self-titled debut EP, released in 2020.
Alexa Wildish’s new EP, After Love, released on September 27, 2024, comes after her celebrated run as a contestant on NBC’s The Voice in 2023. Her appearance on The Voice was a life-changing event for Wildish, who released her self-titled debut EP of original music in early 2020. While her performances on the show were watched by millions of viewers, behind the scenes, Wildish was on a journey of profound self-discovery and vulnerability, one in which she honed her craft as a stellar vocalist and showcased her talent in the art of conveying what is at the heart of a song.
Sadie Gustafson-Zook’s songs have been endorsed by some of the most respected songwriting contests in the country, winning Kerrville Folk Festival’s 2022 New Folk Contest (as well as placing as a finalist in 2020), earning second place at the Rocky Mountain Folk Fest’s Songwriter Showcase, and winning first place at the NewSong + LEAF Songwriting Contest. Sadie has been featured on the Basic Folk podcast and on Folk Alley.
On Sadie’s May 2024 album “Where I Wanna Be,” she takes the listener along on an intimate journey as Sadie decides where to call home. Recorded on an 8-track reel to reel, this stripped-down album isn’t hiding behind anything. Over the course of 10 delightful tracks the listener gains insights into Sadie’s middle school crushes on gay boys, a desire to call the weatherman to ask for some guidance, and the nerve-wracking experience of meeting your idols and feeling small. Throughout the album Sadie’s agile vocals and intricate guitar playing shine while her thoughtful lyrics capture the immensity of potential and the complexity of history that emerge during times of life transition.
Following closely on the heels of “Where I Wanna Be” is Sadie’s fall 2024 EP entitled “What I Pushed Below,” released November 13th, 2024.
More Upcoming Shows & Events
April 25 – Jim Jones and Randy Palmer
April 30 - Crys Matthews
May 9 - Mariachi Corazon del Valle
May 23 – Redd and the Paper Flowers
May 28 – Stillhouse Junkies