On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, our in-studio guest is Rhett Miller of Old 97s. Rhett’s music has been a part of Acoustic Cafe for over 30 years, from both the band and his solo work. His tenth solo record is “A Lifetime Of Riding By Night.”

We recorded our session with Rhett live at The Leon Loft in Ann Arbor.

Also this week, another SongWriter Podcast preview, and in-studio archives from Loudon Wainwright III, Tori Amos in 1996 and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for January 18, 2026

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “The Thread” – Whitney
• “Shadows” – Bahamas
• “Godspeed” – Mavis Staples
• “White Ferrari” – Frank Ocean
• “Now It’s Now Again” – The Flatlanders (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Pegasus (acoustic)” – Arlo Parks
• “Come As You Are” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)
• “All Over Again” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)
• “In Your Ocean” – Iron & Wine
• “Music Always” – AV & The Inner City
• “I Know (A Little)” – Jacob Collier
• “Abbey Road” – Tori Amos (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Mr. Ambivalent” – Loudon Wainwright III (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Ordinary As Air” – Jamila Woods (SongWriter Podcast)
• “Against The Dying Of The Light” – Jose Gonzalez
• “Anniversary” – Brandi Carlile
• “Heavy Foot” – Mon Rovia
• “In Tall Buildings” – Cole Quest
• “Self-Made Man” – Rachel Baiman (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Run It Back” – Madison McFerrin
• “Wild Rose” – Ocie Elliott
• “Barrier Reef” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)
• “Question” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)
• “Where The Road Goes” – Rhett Miller (in-studio guest)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, we’re joined by our first guests of the new year, Folk Bitch Trio. Grace Sinclair, Jeanie Pilkington, and Heide Peverelle met in high school (during the pandemic), instantly creating the 3-piece harmony on display throughout their debut album “Now Would Be A Good Time.”

Also this week, the return of the SongWriter Podcast, and in-studio archives from Cautious Clay, Lianne La Havas, the late Raul Malo and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for January 11, 2026

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Prizefighter” – Mumford & Sons
• “To Each Their Dot” – Haley Heynderickx & Max Garcia Conover
• “Touching God” – Daniel Caesar
• “Love You Right” – HAIM
• “Wildfire” – Cautious Clay (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “These Days – Muireann Bradley
• “God’s A Different Sword” – Folk Bitch Trio (in-studio guests)
• “Mary Plays The Harp” – Folk Bitch Trio (in-studio guests)
• “Wish You Were Here (Take 1)” – Pink Floyd
• “Running Boy” – Mon Rovia
• “Green Papaya” – Lianne La havas (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Keep It Moving” – Thao Nguyen (SongWriter Podcast)
• “Kindness Be Conceived” – Thao & The Get Down Stay Down (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “You Always Win” – Raul Malo (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Zombie (acoustic)” – YUNGBLUD
• “Plush (acoustic)” – Stone Temple Pilots
• “Skeletree” – Madison Cunningham
• “Long Distance Winner” – Cunningham Bird (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Satisfied Mind” – Mavis Staples
• “Sarah” – Folk Bitch Trio (in-studio guests)
• “Cathode Ray” – Folk Bitch Trio (in-studio guests)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, we look back on our favorite in-studio moments, plus a few artists captured live at The Leon Loft in Ann Arbor! Featured this week: Souther Avenue (pictured), Mike Reid & Joe Henry, Lady Blackbird, Chris Thile, The War & Treaty and many more…

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for January 4, 2026

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Show You Love” – The Altons (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Wait” – Paul Thorn (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Empire Of Love” – Amythyst Kiah (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Half As High” – The Devil Makes Three (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “The Bridge” – Mike Reid+Joe Henry (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Like A Woman” – Lady Blackbird (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Novelty” – Jensen McRae (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Muddy Shores” – Moonrisers (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Forever Never Lasts” – Rachael & Vilray (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Sweet Abbey Girl” – Katie Gavin (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Home” – The War & Treaty (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Wild And Clear And Blue” – I’m With Her (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “One Man Holds The World Hostage” – John Moreland (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Talkin’ Doc Blues” – Ketch Secor (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Old me, New Wig” – Molly Tuttle (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Rain Or Shine” – Drew & Ellie Holcomb (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Fatal Optimist” – Madi Diaz (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Upside” – Southern Avenue (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Gavotte en rondeau” – Chris Thile (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Rust” – Mon Rovia (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “People Of Substance” – Craig Finn (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Lesson” – Joy Clark (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Jeopardy” – Penny & Sparrow (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Crushed Ice & Gasoline” – Jeffrey Foucault (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Boom” – Sierra Hull (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Sleeves Up” – Crys Matthews (Acoustic Cafe performance)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, Josh Ritter rounds our 2025 as our last guest of the year. Recorded at The Leon Loft in November, Josh plays songs from his new album “I Believe In You My Honeydew“.

Also, in-studio archives from Amos Lee, Shawn Colvin, Mike Doughty and more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for December 21, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “This Christmas I’m Coming Home” – Leon Bridges & Norah Jones
• “Buffalo, 1981” – Haley Heynderickx & Max Garcia Conover
• “Clay Pigeons” – Muireann Bradley
• “All For You” – Rhett Miller
• “How To Love” – Buffalo Nichols (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “River” – The Accidentals
• “You Won’t Dig My Grave” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)
• “Truth Is A Dimension…” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)
• “Hard Times” – Mavis Staples
• “The Way It Will Be” – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
• “Small Talk” – Whitney
• “Looks” – Mike Doughty (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Appalachian Adam’s Apple Smile” – Palmyra
• “Store Bought Christmas” – Old Crow Medicine Show
• “Rebel Soul” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “I’m Gone” – Shawn Colvin(Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” – Freedy Johnson
• “Who Knows” – Daniel Caesar
• “Hanukkah Gelt” – The Klezmatics
• “Bottom Of The Barrel” – Amos Lee (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Thunderbird” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)
• “Only A River” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)
• “Wild Ways” – Josh Ritter (in-studio guest performance)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, remembering the sweet voice of Raul Malo in 2 studio sessions from 2009 and 2010. He died this week at age 60.

Also, new music from the duo TOMORA, Daniel Caesar, and Mavis Staples. Then we take it back to December 1965 (which is still with us every day), a Parliament classic from December 1975 and more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for December 13, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Ring The Alarm” – TOMORA
• “Conqueror” – Aurora
• “Florescence” – Big Gigantic & Lady Blackbird
• “If I Told You” – Lady Blackbird
• “The Gingerbread Monster” – Emma Guzman
  
• “Think For Yourself” – The Beatles (“Rubber Soul,” Dec. 1965)
• “Get Off Of Me Cloud” – The Rolling Stones (“December’s Children,” Dec. 1965)
• “My Generation” – The Who (“My Generation,” Dec. 1965)
• “Linus & Lucy” – Vince Guaraldi Trio (“A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Dec. 1965)
• “Call On Me” – Daniel Caesar
• “Satisfied Mind” – Mavis Staples
  
• “Poison In My Well” – Maggie Rose & Grace Potter
• “You Always Win” – Raul Malo (Acoustic Cafe performance, 2009)
  

• “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Ella Fitzgerald
  
• “Wonderful Christmastime” – The Accidentals
• “Who’s That” – Brother Wallace
• “What Good?” – Arkells
  
• “Giving Up” – Michigander
• “Give Up The Funk” – Parliament (“Mothership Connection,” Dec. 1975)
  
• “Screwdriver” – Prince (“Hit N Run Phase 2,” Dec. 2015)
• “Looking Out For #1” – B.T.O. (“Head On,” Dec. 1975)
• “Beck N Call” – waterbaby
• “In The Saddle” – Whitney
• “Ignorance Is Bliss” – Alice Merton
• “Living For Today” – Raul Malo (Acoustic Cafe performance, 2010)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org