Salt Lick Sessions
The Umbrella Concert Series in partnership with Salt Lick Incubator
presents
Salt Lick Sessions
Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Olivia Barton writes songs that walk the line between unfiltered and refined. Musically proficient like Joni Mitchell and Pinegrove, Barton writes music that is often emotionally cutting like Sufjan Stevens and Fiona Apple. With reverence for the craft of songwriting, Barton writes and sings like she speaks: unapologetic, yet approachable. As a live performer, Barton is known for quieting a room with just her voice and guitar, turning crowds into confidants. Having shared stages with Lizzy McAlpine, Madi Diaz, Field Medic, Searows, Annika Bennett, and others, her songs carry what folk music has always carried: emotion, memory, simple truth.
Her 2022 album, This is a Good Sign, produced by Collin Pastore and Jake Finch (Lucy Dacus, Ashe), led to a co-write with Lizzy McAlpine on “Older” and an invitation to support McAlpine’s 2023 North American tour. That same year, Barton co-wrote “if i were a fish” with her partner corook and the song reached millions; The New York Times called it “a forgotten track off the Juno soundtrack.”
Barton’s upcoming album, For Myself and For You, was co-produced by Sam Skinner of Pinegrove in Brooklyn throughout 2024. Skinner calls Barton “a true visionary of a songwriter and a force of nature.” Built from full live takes, the studio album is as intimate and energetic as hearing Barton play in the room with you. The result is raw, precise and resonant.
“I make something permanent out of temporary feelings—public time capsules of my evolving inner life,” Barton says. “I think that’s brave, and I’m glad I’m stupid enough to do it.”
An indie/alternative artist blending folk, gospel, and soul-infused rock, Carter Benjamin’s music is rooted in storytelling, exploring themes of identity, resilience, and belonging. From his upbringing in Grand Cayman and DC to his bold, genre-defying album Black Boys on the Radio Part II, Benjamin reclaims space for voices too often left out of the conversation.
Kieran Rhodes is a piano-driven pop artist and songwriter whose music blends timeless melodies with sharp lyrical storytelling. A Berklee College of Music alum and America’s Got Talent standout, Rhodes gained viral attention with his original song “Disengage.” He later earned further recognition when his song “What Got Into You” was featured in the Netflix series Virgin River. He has opened for artists including JP Saxe, Ben Abraham, and Five for Fighting, and performed at major festivals like Boston Calling. Known for his emotionally rich vocals and distinctive songwriting, he continues to build momentum with a loyal and growing fanbase.
On November 7th, Kieran Rhodes returns with his sophomore EP, I’ve Got Superpowers — a witty and imaginative collection that begins to position him as Gen Z’s piano man. Each track creates its own universe: from the cosmic pull of “Sarah and the Satellite,” to the small-town myth of “The Band Teacher,” to the playful faith of “God Is a Yankee Fan.” The EP closes with “Everywhere and In Between,” a soaring anthem that hints at his stadium-sized potential. Written entirely by Rhodes and produced with close friends, it’s a body of work that finds meaning in fiction and heart in humor.
ABOUT SALT LICK INCUBATOR
Founded in 2022 by Roger Brown, the nonprofit Salt Lick Incubator is reshaping the landscape for artists by providing support, grants, essential career guidance, and exposure to new audiences through such vehicles as WERS Radio’s Salt Lick Sessions and the Salt Lick YouTube channel. Led by an illustrious artist advisory board including T Bone Burnett, Jon Batiste, Patrice Rushen and more, its unwavering commitment to fostering diverse, emerging musicians is a testament to its belief in the transformative power of music.
Previous concerts:
Salt Lick Incubator - March 2025 feat. Sofia Lafuente, and Farayi Malek, and Ellie Williams
Salt Lick Incubator - November 2024 feat. Tonina, Micah Edwards, and Chance Emerson
