Ronnie And The Redwoods and Clay Johnson and The Hard Promises
Ronnie and The Redwoods is a West Texas Americana/Rock band that has broughtdeep and emotional lyrics together with music rooted in the blues, folk, and countryof the high plains. Honest and earthy, with influences from The White Stripes, Tyler Childers, John Prine, and the Red Dirt scenethat surrounds them, they’ve formed their own interpretation of what happens when you combine Folk, Country, Rock n Roll and Grunge. A little bit of country, a little bit of folk; a little bit of Americana, a little bit of rock; a little bit of all good things southern, but a whole lot heart all around. Much can be said about the over all collage of sounds and influences that Clay Johnson & the Hard Promises have meshed together, but at the end of the day it’s just earnest songs about life, love, and the experiences of growing up and living in Upstate Carolina. The kind of music you put on while cruising the back roads, windows down at golden hour, taking in the sights and sounds of rolling hills and the Piedmont landscape; all wrapped up with their uniquely southern flavor.
Erin Viancourt w/ Casey Noel
Full-hearted, free-spirited, and irresistibly genuine, Erin Viancourt’s take on country music is both timeless and entirely attuned to the chaos of modern life. On her debut album Won’t Die This Way, the Cleveland-bred singer/songwriter/guitarist brings her lived-in storytelling to a gritty but gorgeously detailed batch of songs, encompassing everything from Americana to Western swing to classic outlaw country. Rooted in the warm and radiant vocal presence she’s shown onstage in touring arenas with Cody Jinks (who recently made Viancourt the first signing to his Late August Records), Won’t Die This Way ultimately reveals her rare capacity to soothe the soul and leave the listener newly empowered to live each day to the absolute fullest.
The NuBeing Collective
THE NUBEING COLLECTIVE IS A NC-NATIVE HIP-HOP FUSION GROUP THAT BLENDS ITS MEMBER’S STRONG BACKGROUNDS OF JAZZ, FUNK, SOUL, AND ROCK INTO OUR PERFORMANCE. WE ADD NEW AGE VOCAL AND SYNTH SOUNDS TO HEIGHTEN THE AMBIANCE OF OUR SOUND TO A MASTERFUL SPIN ON CONTEMPORARY HIP-HOP.
When We’re Sober
When We’re Sober is an indie-rock band based in Greensboro, NC. Formed as a songwriting collaboration between Grey Hyatt & Erich McPhail, the duo quickly grew into a full band following the release of their debut EP The Bottle in July 2022. Backed by Luke Rettie on Drums, Tony Luz on Lead Guitar, and Kenny Damron on bass, the quintet set about playing live shows while fleshing out a collection of songs soon to be recorded as their debut studio album in early 2023. A few line-up changes soon followed as Kenny moved and was replaced by bassist Lucifer Josts, & Erich stepped away from playing live shows to focus on writing/recording with the band. Tony would also move away in late 2023, but not before tracking solos for the upcoming album. Currently playing live as a trio and recording as a quartet, When We’re Sober released Jammin’ (Take My Hand), the first single off their debut album on March 1st 2024. The album is currently slated for a release in July
Turpentine Shine
Jammy Blue-Eyed Soulgrass from the Piedmont of NC.
Christopher Paul Stelling w/ Emily Stewart
To date Atlanta, Georgia based songwriter Christopher Paul Stelling has released 7 albums and played thousands of concerts across the US and EU. Over the last decade Stelling has toured as both headliner and as support for Son Little, Mavis Staples, and The Devil Makes Three, Ben Harper (who produced his 2020 album Best of […]
Tommy Scifres + Tim Easton
After touring with North Carolina artists Caleb Caudle, House of Fools and Roseland, Tommy Scifres moved to Nashville in 2014. He got his feet wet in the Nashville music scene spending countless hours on the honkytonk stages of lower Broadway. Tommy has toured and recorded with the likes of Aaron Lee Tasjan, Tim Easton and Brian Wright. In 2021 Scifres completed and released his first solo album “Last Legs”. Since 2022 he has been touring, full-time with recent Grammy winner, Lainey Wilson and has appeared on several late night talk shows, award shows and hit series Yellowstone.Raised in Akron, OH, singer/songwriter Tim Easton was influenced by a combination of pop icons (Beatles, Stones) and bluegrass/folk legends (Doc Watson, John Prine). After college, Easton found himself busking in the streets of Paris, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Prague, on and off for seven years, at one time alongside Anti-Folk hero Beck Hansen. His folk-based songwriting brought an earthy sound to the Haynes Boys (an existing rock band that recruited Easton in the mid-’90s) and they recorded one album, Guardian Angel, for New York-based Slab Records. Easton pursued his solo career, recording his first solo album, Special 20, with friends and session musicians in Nashville. He signed with EMI Publishing in 1999, relocated to Los Angeles, performed at songwriter hubs like Largo, and signed a recording contract with New West Records. His first release for the label was 2001’s The Truth About Us, featuring members of WILCO as the backing band. 2003 brought his solid follow-up for the label, Break Your Mother’s Heart, which received 4 stars in the print version of Rolling Stone, heralding his songwriting as having a “novelist’s sense of humanity.” This was followed by “Ammunition” in 2006. Support slot tours with mentors Lucinda Williams and John Hiatt crossed North America and Europe. A concert set, “Live at Water Canyon,” appeared in 2008, followed by “Porcupine” in 2009 and a pair of self-released albums, “Beat the Band” and “Since 1966, Volume 1,” both in 2011. After moving to Nashville and starting his own label, CAMPFIRE PROPAGANDA, Easton teamed with THIRTY TIGERS to release roots & blues-based “Not Cool,” which was included in the Top 50 Albums of American Songwriter’s year end list for 2013. “American Fork” came out with LAST CHANCE RECORDS in 2015, rising to #11 on the Americana Radio charts, and the solo acoustic, direct to lacquer recording, “PACO & THE MELODIC POLAROIDS” was released on Campfire Propaganda in 2018, followed by tours of North America, Japan, Alaska, and Europe. Easton also toured the entirety of Russia in 2019, representing American folk music, as part of the Forum For Cultural Exchange. His experiences were documented in a weekly column for No Depression Magazine. Easton performs annually at SALMONFEST in Ninilchik, Alaska and WOODYFEST in Okemah, Oklahoma. June of 2019 brought the “EXPOSITION” LP, a field recording partly recorded at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas where Robert Johnson cut his tracks, and partly in Okemah, Oklahoma. Up next for worldwide release will be “YOU DON’T REALLY KNOW ME,” a return to the full backing band sound, produced by Brad Jones & Robin Eaton in Nashville, to be released on BLACK MESA RECORDS in August of 2021.
Taylor Hunnicutt w/ Ben Sutton
Taylor Hunnicutt makes old-school southern music for the modern world. She’s a proud daughter of Alabama, writing songs that nod to the state’s tradition of country storytelling, rock ‘n’ roll rebellion, and guitar-driven grit. Sharpened by a touring schedule that’s kept her on the road for roughly 200 days a year, she makes her full-length debut with Alabama Sound — an album that unfolds like a love letter to the American South, written by a road warrior who’s spent most of the decade far away from home. “It’s a little country, a little singer/songwriter, a little Americana, and a lot of soulful southern rock,” says Hunnicutt, an opera-trained vocalist who began writing songs after dropping out of music school, landing a waitressing job at a blues juke joint, and sitting in with the bands that came through town. She’s no longer the guest artist, though — she’s the main act, and Alabama Sound showcases her high-energy, hellraising brand of southern stomp, country-rock twang, and amplified attitude.
Jacoozy with Oceanic and Daytona (album release)
Jacoozy is a improvisational, funk, and alternative band formed in Boone, NC in 2021. Featuring guitarists Killian Wright and Will Fentress, on the keys Isaac McMurry, and drummer Pauly Scott, all members of the band contribute vocals. With a vast range of influences ranging from classic improvisational bands to pop, Jacoozy shows are known for their high energy, precision, and unpredictability.Oceanic is a versatile indie pop band based in Charlotte, NC. Heavily influenced by a number of genres, they aim to create original music with diversity that enables the listener to see the world in a new way. Even before Oceanic was formed, each member of the band was well-versed in performing arts. The band works together during shows to create a high-enthusiasm experience focused on personality, musical interest, and artistic visual effects. In January of 2023 Oceanic released their debut album, ‘No, Human’. Since then the band has been playing the album at live shows all over the U.S. and working on their next record.Daytona is a 4-piece rock and roll band from Boone, NC that blends alternative country, blues, and pop sensibilities to enrapture audiences with their captivating storytelling and raw performance.
Big Daddy Love
As you can probably tell by their name, Big Daddy Love is no gentle string quartet. Their music has been described as “a blend of rock, bluegrass, southern soul, and psychedelic jams.” One reviewer characterized them as “a band with teeth” (fortunately in both a literal and metaphorical sense). Identifying a single genre for Big Daddy Love is nearly impossible; all four members are comfortable playing almost any type of American music. Collaboratively, the band produces a unique sound that they have long referred to as “Appalachian Rock.” Big Daddy Love (BDL to many fans) has released four CDs, most recently Live at Ziggy’s and This Time Around. One reviewer wrote, “Big Daddy Love is a force. The festival scene has been eating them up. If you haven’t been able to check them out yet, then you are missing out. It’s a foot-stomping good time at every single show, and they are the nicest guys I have met in music.” The quartet–– based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina–– has played well over a thousand shows over most of the country. Members include: Matteo “Joey” Recchio on electric guitar and vocals, Brian Paul Swenk on banjo, Ashley Sutton on bass guitar, and Scotty Lewis on drums Along the way, they have played venues of all sizes, from listening-room coffee houses to the 20,000 seat PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. Their festival resume ranges from local favorites like The Big What to larger regional festivals such as Bristol Rhythm & Roots and the premier southeastern festival, FloydFest. In 2010, BDL won FloydFest’s “Under the Radar” contest, which recognizes the best up-and-coming band of the festival. The music is only one aspect of the BDL experience. A close-knit community of fans has developed into an extended BDL family, many of whom travel throughout the southeast for multiple shows and are a huge part of what makes Big Daddy Love successful. “We’re constantly amazed by how many people have jumped on board with us and do so much to help us in every way possible,” says banjoist Brian Paul Swenk. “Whether it’s Kickstarter donations, giving us a place to stay on the road, or even giving their CDs away to friends and coming back to buy another, we’ve learned that it takes hundreds of people to help a band find success in today’s music industry.”
