OXFORD – On Saturday, at 7:30 p.m, 6 On The Square (6OTS) welcomes Rod Picott and Amanda Shires back to their stage. Recently returned from a European tour, Rod and Amanda will be performing some new songs from their latest CD.

Listening to Rod, you feel like you are hearing an old friend, one you don’t even know you had or had missed. Fellow songwriters Slaid Cleaves and Fred Eaglesmith have included Rod’s songs on their CDs, and he co-produced “Unsung” with Slaid on the Rounder label. Rod has opened for Alison Krauss, and she performed a duet with him on his last CD. Rod is never an “in your face” performer; his whiskey voiced delivery and intimate story telling seduces you with charm and warmth. He seamlessly toggles between alt-country and folk, sometimes mixing them up with a little blues, one of his original music genres.

Amanda is a Texas style fiddler, and has been called “an onstage sparkplug” by Tom Geddie of Buddy Magazine (if you saw her perform last year, you’d agree!). At 16, she was playing fiddle with Tommy Allsup and The Texas Playboys, and has been in demand as a studio musician and side player. She was one of the founders of Lubbock, Texas’ Thrift Store Cowboys, and this year one of her compositions for the Thrift Store Cowboys was featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered. Amanda’s sweet melodic voice rings true on her songs, as she sings of heartache and happiness, loss and the journey of life.

Hearing Rod and Amanda together pairs an incredibly talented duo and a mix of genres. Their visit to 6OTS last November was an evening of music, stories, and energized fiddle playing. Purchase tickets on-line at the discounted price of $12, until the day of the show; $15 on the day of the show. Doors open at 6:30 PM.