Since releasing her first recording in 1990, Ani DiFranco has established herself as one of the most influential and inspirational artists of the modern era - she was named on CMJ's list of the 25 most influential artists of the last 25 years - while remaining steadfastly independent. DiFranco's signature percussive fingerpicking, expressive vocals, and incisive lyrics shine through once again on her most recent release, Red Letter Year, her 20th full-length album, released September, 2008. Opened in 1876 for America's Centennial Exposition and World's Fair, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia - America's first art museum - displayed the work of a different kind of artist on a warm May night when Ani DiFranco played the Artists Den stage. Before a packed gallery inside the National Historic Landmark, the prolific, fiercely independent folk singer-songwriter gave a special performance of both fan favorites and new songs from her upcoming album, Red Letter Year.
