City Winery at Napa Valley Opera House Announces Initial Lineup

City Winery Napa at the Historic Napa Valley Opera House hased announce the much-anticipated artist lineup from the soft launch in April through June 2014. Over the next few weeks ten new concert dates a week will be released until the complete schedule of approximately twenty shows per month is announced. All shows begin at 8pm unless otherwise noted. Tickets available at citywinery.com.

· Bruce Cockburn : Thursday, April 10 ($35-45)

Bruce Cockburn has always been a restless spirit. Over the course of four decades, the celebrated Canadian artist has traveled to the corners of the earth out of humanitarian concerns-often to trouble spots experiencing events that have led to some of his most memorable songs. Going up against chaos, even if it involves grave risks, can be necessary to get closer to the truth. Small Source of Comfort, Cockburn's 31st album, is his latest adventurous collection of songs of romance, protest and spiritual discovery. The album, primarily acoustic yet rhythmically savvy, is rich in Cockburn's characteristic blend of folk, blues, jazz and rock.

· Jay Farrar of Son Volt: Wednesday, April 16 ($26-30)

As a founder of alternative country pioneers Uncle Tupelo, a solo artist, and as the leader of Son Volt, Jay Fararr's work often seeks out the ghosts of America's discordant or forgotten past, converses at length with them, and writes songs that stake a claim to a better future. Most recently, Farrar has added the Son Volt album Honky Tonk and New Multitudes, a Woody Guthrie inspired collaboration with Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Will Johnson (Centro-matic) and Anders Parker (Varnaline) to his long list of critically acclaimed albums..

· Paris Combo: Thursday, April 17 ($25-35)

Four albums and a decade spent touring the globe playing to enthusiastic audiences from Sydney to San Francisco and Berlin to Beyrouth have enabled Paris Combo to create its own unique world, establishing itself as one of the most piquant, intriguing groups on the international music scene. Fronted by the mischievous vocals of chanteuse Belle du Berry, the combo has struck a positive chord with critics and audiences for their fun-loving mix of jazz, French pop, cabaret, gypsy, Latino and Middle Eastern rhythms.

· Asleep At The Wheel: Wednesday, May 7 ($30-40)

Can a wheel reinvent itself while it's still rolling? Sounds like an impossible task - but you never want to say "impossible" to Asleep at the Wheel, the famed western-swingy, boogie, and roots-music outfit that's, amazingly, still on the upswing. That's saying something too, considering the group's been around for nearly 40 years, turning out an incredible 25+ albums while playing an unrelenting schedule of one-nighters that would make a vaudevillian dizzy,

* Lydia Pense & Cold Blood: Thursday, May 8 ($20-25)

Lydia Pense & Cold Blood debuted when the Fillmore was at its peak as one of the nation's musical Meccas. Owner Bill Graham was so impressed with Lydia's voice and the sound of the band that he immediately signed Cold Blood to his new record label. During the span of six original late-60's, early-70's albums, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood helped, along with Tower of Power, forge their own specific brand of funk/soul and R&B which came to be known as Easy Bay Grease. That music still holds up today, proving that great music is timeless and will continue to inspire generations to come.

· Karla Bonoff: Friday, May 9 ($20-30)

Karla Bonoff has been described as one of the finest singer-songwriters of her generation. And in her case, that description is not hyperbole. With a career spanning four decades, Bonoff has enjoyed critical acclaim, commercial success, enduring popularity and the unwavering respect of her peers. In addition to achieving chart success with her own recordings, Karla has seen her songs become hits for such stellar artists as Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd and Linda Ronstadt. Many of Bonoff's ballads are now pop classics. All the while, she has continued to tour extensively, playing sold-out shows around the world. Karla's moving vocals on her rich, expressive songs is like standing beneath a sparkling waterfall--refreshing, exhilarating, restorative. And hearing them live can be transformative.

· Allen Toussaint: Friday, May 16 ($25-30)

Since '96, Allen Toussaint has recorded seven albums and collaborated with the likes of Elvis Costello and Eric Clapton. He's been sampled by such hip-hop heavyweights as O.D.B., Biz Markie, KRS One and Outkast, and appeared nationally on TV and radio - often on the urging of such longtime fans as Paul Shaffer and Harry Shearer, and on the HBO series Treme. He's been Grammy nominated and inducted into a number of Halls of Fame. Most recently, President Obama himself awarded him the National Medal of Arts in a special White House ceremony. He remains one of the most influencial figures in New Orleans R&B.

* John Mayall: Friday, May 23 ($40-50)

John Mayall was born on the 29th of November 1933 and grew up in a village not far from Manchester, England. It was here as a teenager that he first became attracted to the jazz and blues 78s in his father's record collection. Initially it was all about guitarists such as Eddie Lang, Lonnie Johnson, Brownie McGhee, Josh White and Leadbelly. However, once he heard the sounds of the boogie woogie giants his desire to play was all he could think of. Mayall is now considered a blues master with a continuing importance in contemporary musis.

· Leo Kottke: Saturday, May 24 ($30-40

No one plays guitar quite like Leo Kottke. Acoustic guitarist extraordinaire, he's known for a fingerpicking style that draws on influences from blues, jazz and folks music, and for syncopated, polyphonic melodies

· Maria Muldaur: Friday, May 30 ($15-25)

Maria Muldaur is best known world-wide for her 1974 mega-hit "Midnight at the Oasis," which received several Grammy nominations, and enshrined her forever in the hearts of Baby Boomers everywhere; but despite her considerable pop music success, her 50-year career could best be described a long and adventurous odyssey through the various forms of American Roots Music. During the folk revival of the early '60s, she began exploring and singing early Blues, Bluegrass and Appalachian "Old Timey" Music, beginning her recording career in 1963 with the Even Dozen Jug Band and shortly thereafter, joining the very popular Jim Kweskin Jug Band, touring and recording with them throughout the '60s.

· Red Molly: Thursday, June 12 ($15-20)

Since 2004, Americana trio Red Molly has been bringing audiences to their feet with gorgeous three-part harmonies, crisp musicianship, and their warm, engaging stage presence. The band consists of Laurie MacAllister (bass, banjo), Abbie Gardner (dobro, banjo) and Molly Venter (guitar). This past year, the ladies were invited to open multiple shows for music legend Willie Nelson and they performed at the venerable RockyGrass festival in CO. Their new CD "Light in the Sky" spent 20 weeks on the Americana Music Association's Top 40 radio chart and charted as Folk DJ's #3 Top Album of 2012.

· Milk Carton Kids: Monday, June 16 ($15-25)

The Milk Carton Kids performed at the Opera House when they opened for The Punch Brothers and almost stole the show. The flat-picking harmony duo has emerged in the last three years as a powerful voice defining the continuing folk tradition. A refreshing alternative to the foot-stomping grandeur of the so-called "folk revival", an understated virtuosity defines The Milk Carton Kids to the delight of traditionalists and newcomers to the folk movement alike.

· 10,000 Maniacs: Saturday, June 21 ($40-50)

The 11 new songs on the album represent the broad spectrum of styles the Maniacs have mastered over the years. From country-folk to wistful widescreen pop, MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE proves 10,000 Maniacs are at the top of their game.
2013 finds songwriter and vocalist Mary Ramsey celebrating her 20th anniversary with the group. Her haunting voice and viola add an evocative twist to vivid songs of love and loss.

JUST ADDED! Lewis Black: July 10, 11, 12 ($55-75)

Lewis was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Silver Spring, MD. Colicky as a baby, it seems he was destined to be angry and easily irritated. In 1996, his friend Lizz Winstead tapped him to create a weekly segment for a show she was producing on Comedy Central called The Daily Show. The segment, a three minute rant about whatever was bothering him at the moment, evolved into Back in Black. It became one of the most popular and longest running segments on the show and also created a long and successful relationship with the network. Since then, Lewis has taped four specials for the Comedy Central Presents series, co-created Last Laugh with Lewis Black, presided over Lewis Black's The Root of All Evil, and continues to perform Back in Black on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His popular appearances on Comedy Central helped to win him Best Male Stand-Up at the American Comedy Awards in 2001. He has been nominated for an Emmy and a Grammy. He is a highly acclaimed playwright, actor, and bestselling author as well.

All City Winery at the Napa Valley Opera House events are open to all ages and start at 8pm, unless noted.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, January 28 at noon. Only members of City Winery Napa's signature VinoFile program now:

• have access to ticket sales a full 48 hours in advance of the public on sale
• a waiver of ticket service fees
• free bus service
• Restaurant Loyalty Rewards, such as a free pair of VIP concert tickets for every $500 spent in the restaurant
• exclusive membership-only events; and access to the proprietary City Winery Virtual Sommelier, which helps make suggestions for wines one might enjoy based on past consumption at the venue.
• To purchase concert tickets or for more information on becoming a VinoFile member, please call 707-260-1600 or visit www.citywinery.com.

City Winery at the Napa Valley Opera House, a world-class concert hall, restaurant, and private event space, is located in the heart of the downtown Napa, in the historic Napa Valley Opera House, one of Napa's most important cultural icons since 1880. The concert hall accommodates up to 300 guests, all seated at tables with complete beverage and dining service, ensuring a comfortable "listening room" experience enhanced by a state-of-the-art Meyer Sound system. Riedel is the official and exclusive provider of glass ware, showing City Winery's commitment to enjoying quality wine in a quality vessel. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.citywinery.com.