Aaron Nathans has never really written a love song.

This 2011 Kerrville New Folk finalist will yodel about grapefruit, and chant about a heavy metal rocker at his Orthodox Jewish wedding. He rocks out about that girl who shouldn't be wearing Goth clothes anymore, and the curious alchemy that makes an Italian bakery turn out the very best bread on the planet.

Maybe that's love after all: You can hear the joy he takes in crafting a song, in the tradition of Lyle Lovett, Guy Clark and Richard Shindell. He's a polished yet unpretentious performer, with a sweet baritone voice and a signature fingerpicking style. While not exactly a humorist, Nathans inevitably makes you laugh.

"You were the perfect opening act," said Pete Kennedy after Nathans opened for The Kennedys recently.

"This CD shines with life," raved Greg Winkler of the Madison Songwriters Group in his review of Nathans' debut album, "Same Old You." He called it "a refreshing mix of delicately crafted and wildly enjoyable songs. The outstanding songwriting is the foundation of this project, and the breadth of genres is reminiscent of Cheryl Wheeler."

"I could do nothing but leave the CD in the player and let it start all over again..."

In November 2007, Nathans was one of 18 songwriters selected from a pool of 600 to compete in the Williamsburg Live Songwriter Competition semifinals in Brooklyn, N.Y. Critic Ben Krieger reported in his blog that Nathans “ripped the evening wide open” during the first night of the competition.

Nathans relocated to Wilmington, Delaware from Madison, Wisconsin in 2006.

Nathans is a two-time Madison Area Music Awards nominee, including for Best Unique Artist 2006. His music has appeared on National Public Radio’s “Open Mic,” Minnesota Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Radio, 105.5 Triple-M radio in Madison, WHRV radio in Norfolk, VA, WSTW in Delaware, and WORT-FM radio in Madison.

He is a three-time finalist at the SolarFest Songwriter Showcase in Vermont (2005 & 2008). Dar Williams took the stage later that day both times. He has opened for singer-songwriter Claudia Schmidt and Richard Julian, and shared a bill with Red Molly.

Aaron Nathans is a New Jersey native, and grew up in Bexley, Ohio.