Audra McDonald, whose new album, Go Back Home, is out tomorrow, was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday. She spoke with NPR's Jeff Lunden about her personal connection to the songs on the album, which is noted as well in an Associated Press feature. Both the new album and this Friday's broadcast of her concert on PBS's Live From Lincoln Center "pull back the curtain on one of the most decorated women on Broadway," says the AP. "The CD's title taken from the stunning Kander and Ebb song from The Scottsboro Boys musical is a hint that this is McDonald's most personal album to date." New York recommends both, exclaiming: "It's entirely possible that Audra McDonald is the greatest singer alive."

Dr. John and Allen Toussaint, two favorite sons of New Orleans, received honorary degrees from Tulane University in New Orleans at its 2013 Commencement held at the Superdome on Saturday. Both Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees received honorary doctor of fine arts degrees and performed together in a short set. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who delivered the keynote address at the event, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Natasha Trethewey, the US poet laureate and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, was awarded a doctor of humane letters.

Sam Amidon celebrated the release of his new album, Bright Sunny South, with a performance at (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City last night. This morning, he was featured on NPR's Morning Edition, discussing what host Steve Inskeep calls "a new spin on very traditional American folk music," including the album track "Weeping Mary," which his parents had recorded with the Word of Mouth Chorus for Nonesuch in 1977. Amidon also spoke with NBC 4 New York about two sides of folk music that can be heard in his music. Listen to the Morning Edition segment and watch the NBC piece here.

Congratulations to Randy Newman, winner of the PRS for Music Special International Award at the 58th Ivor Novello Awards in London last night. The awards, which honor excellence in music writing, are presented by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and judged by the writing community. Peter Gabriel presented Newman with his award at the ceremony. The 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, at which Newman was inducted into the Hall of Fame last month, will be presented on HBO this Saturday night.

Sam Amidon has unveiled the official video for "As I Roved Out," off his just-released Nonesuch debut album, Bright Sunny South. The video, directed by John Hardwick, premiered on NPR Music. MusicOMH says it "is arguably the most striking track on the album." Sam Amidon will perform at (Le) Poisson Rouge in NYC tonight; the show will streaming live via Livestream. He performed and discussed the new album on WNYC's Soundcheck; listen to the episode here.

Bombino, who closes out the current leg of his European tour in Portugal this weekend before heading to the States on tour, is the subject of a piece on BBC Africa. "What I like about rock and blues music is that I can transmit emotions through this type of music to my fans, and that's really important to me," he tells the BBC. "Rock music is similar to the traditional Tende music; it is very popular in Niger. Nomads enjoy rock because they love dancing like crazy to it." 

Sam Amidon makes his Nonesuch Records debut with today's release of his new album, Bright Sunny South. The album receives four stars from the Guardian, Mojo, Q, Blurt, and musicOMH, which notes "his wonderfully rich, expressive voice." Drowned in Sound calls it his "most emotionally and tonally complex LP to date ... Amidon has taken a huge step forward as a folk artist, creating arrangements which preserve his musicianship, while deepening the maturity of his interpretive skills." Scripps Howard Newsire says the "transcendent" opening track "sets the tone."

On June 25, Nonesuch Records releases Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle, which features highlights from three concerts in honor of the late singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle, held in London, Toronto, and New York following Kate's death. The double-disc set was produced by Joe Boyd, who curated the concerts, and features performances by Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Anna McGarrigle, Emmylou Harris, Antony, Norah Jones, Teddy Thompson, and others. Net proceeds go to the Kate McGarrigle Foundation for sarcoma research. Nonesuch Store pre-orders include instant downloads of the album tracks “Kiss and Say Goodbye” and “I Am a Diamond.”

Iron and Wine, which is currently touring the US East Coast in support of the new album Ghost on Ghost, has announced a number of new tour dates for the US and Canada this September. The 11-city tour includes stops in Minneapolis, Chicago, Madison, Winnipeg, Calgary, Toronto, and more. Fan pre-sale begins on Wednesday via Artist Arena; general on-sale begins on Friday. Iron and Wine will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live on June 24.

Emmylou Harris has been nominated for three awards at the 2013 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards show including Artist of the Year. She is also nominated with Rodney Crowell for Album of the Year and Duo/Group of the Year for their acclaimed 2013 collaboration, Old Yellow Moon. The duo, currently touring Europe in support of the album, will resume its US tour in June including two shows with special guest She & Him. The Americana Honors & Awards returns to the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on September 18, 2013, as part of the Americana Music Festival.

Audra McDonald, whose first solo album in seven years, Go Back Home, is due May 21, performed songs from the album and more at Lincoln Center's spring gala last week. The concert will be telecast on PBS presented by Live From Lincoln Center on May 24. "Absolutely thrilling," raves the New York Times' Stephen Holden. "The very sound of the word 'thrilling,' with its suggestion of an embedded trill, evokes qualities inherent in Ms. McDonald’s soprano, which seemed to unfurl in ever-richer textures as she imbued songs with a sense of bursting possibility ... A defining voice of our time."

California-based singer/songwriter Nataly Dawn launches a tour of Europe for the first time, in support of her critically acclaimed new album, How I Knew Her, including two UK headline shows in London (Slaughtered Lamb, May 15) and Nottingham (Rescue Rooms, May 16), and seven shows in the UK supporting Lord Huron, starting at Junction 2 in Cambridge tonight. The European tour also includes dates in France, Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.