Lamont Landers w/ Ashley Heath
ALL AGES STANDING ROOM ONLY LAMONT LANDERS Born and raised in Alabama, Lamont Landers grew up absorbing the soulful sounds of the South that surrounded him. At the age of 14, he taught himself how to play guitar, and, at the age of 19, began singing. He spent years quietly honing his talents behind his bedroom doors, listening to records by Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Sly & The Family Stone, and Ray Charles on repeat. At the age of 22, a candid video recorded by his sister of Lamont performing the Ray Charles’ classic “Hit the Road Jack” went viral on YouTube and garnered over 400,000 views overnight. In the summer of 2023, history repeated itself with similar enthusiastic fan response propelling five Lamont Landers TikTok videos to over 1,000,000 views each. A feature on the Bobby Bones nationally syndicated radio show and shoutouts from music tastemakers ranging from Snoop Dogg to Questlove soon followed. No longer a secret of North Alabama, Lamont will be touring throughout North America in 2024. ASHLEY HEATHWith a voice often described as “velvet soul,” Asheville songwriter Ashley Heath has been winning over the hearts of Americana music lovers since she gave up her barista apron in the spring of 2015. Currently on tour in support of her sophomore album “Where Hope Never Dies,” Heath continues to deliver her signature blend of sultry blues and anthemic rock n’ roll arrangements to clubs and festivals nationwide, most recently appearing at acclaimed events including Merlefest, Bonnaroo, Shakori Hills, and more and supporting the likes of Donna The Buffalo, Del McCoury Band, Anders Osborne, Shamarr Allen (of Galactic), and other staples on the scene. Often compared to music influences Bonnie Raitt, Grace Potter, and Susan Tedeschi, Heath still manages to find a voice all her own, and has been recognized across Appalachia for her strong songwriting and vocal abilities, having made the WNCW Top 100 list and Mountain Xpress “Best Of” awards several years in a row. On the heels of a jam-packed year touring throughout the American southeast and northern Europe, and with her band “The Heathens” in tow, Ashley Heath aims to bring her message of hope and resilience to listeners everywhere and show by example that all it takes to achieve your dreams is the belief that you are capable.
OUTPOST: The Copper Children
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE The Copper Children are a unique blend of styles and influences that span from the choral sounds of American gospel music to the psychedelic acid jam fueled sounds of the 60s. Live they take you into your heart space, conjuring the spirit of unity, freedom, silliness, and love, with harmonies and rhythms that remind us of our shared humanity. The Copper Children have shared the stage with notable artists such as Jerry Garcia Band, The Flobots, Devotchka, Mike Love, Everyone Orchestra, Elephant Revival, Dustbowl Revival, Handmade Moments, and many more. Over the years the band has performed for audiences at Summer Camp, Northwest String Summit, Arise Music Festival, and on national tours of the U.S. Like a roller coaster, their “Psychedelic Gospel” experience leaves audiences feeling transported to the rail-yards of freedom.
Victoria Victoria featuring Charlie Hunter
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYVICTORIA VICTORIA Tori Elliott’s deep love of harmony is the driving force that shapes her soul-pop musical endeavor, Victoria Victoria. Her craft in songwriting is the seedbed for intricate vocal arrangements, creating a layered, ethereal experience; one that translates dynamically from her albums to her live shows. 2022 saw the release of Victoria Victoria’s album, To the Wayside, which is a collaborative effort with guitarist and producer, Charlie Hunter. “Writing these songs with Charlie was an otherworldly experience,” says Elliott, who engineered and produced her lead and background vocals in her home studio. “Arranging these songs for our live show was even more incredible.” Hunter and Elliott teamed up to write glossy anthems of self acceptance such as Over My Shoulder and Move Right On, and enticing tunes of invitation like Really Really and Keep Up. January of 2023 marked Victoria Victoria’s debut tour with Charlie Hunter on hybrid guitar, her brother, Noah Elliott on keys and vocals, her dear friend and collaborator, Maia Kamil on vocals, and renowned Memphis drummer, George Sluppik. The rhythm section makes for a sturdy foundation for transcendent vocal performances and inviting banter. The charisma and kinship between the band members left listeners with the sense that each Victoria Victoria show is truly a family affair.CYNTHIA McDERMOTT Cynthia pushes the envelope of what is possible with the mandolin. While her diverse musical background spans many decades and genres, her debut album of original music, slated for release later this year, hones in on her love of jazz, bossa nova and R&B to deliver a collection of songs that both soothe and stir the soul. Cynthia has developed an impressive musical presence in Asheville in the 5 years she has called it home. Currently leading 3 bands — MOOD RING (90s/2000s pop, R&B), Para Gozar (Cuban son, bolero), and The Knockin Boots (honky tonk) — and a frequent contributor to many other local projects, she averages 250+ performances a year.
Jalen Ngonda
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYJALEN NGONDA Jalen Ngonda is one of the most captivating performers on today’s soul scene. His voice, equal parts raw feeling and elegance, exudes confidence and charm. At 28, his resume reads more like that of a seasoned veteran: He has performed at New York City’s Summer Stage Festival, Picktathon, Newport Folk Festival, opened for Laura Mvula and Lauryn Hill at the Montreal Jazz Festival and sold-out houses on his own in Germany, the UK and Switzerland. Most recently, Jalen thrilled audiences and garnered rave reviews with his powerful solo performance in support of Thee Sacred Souls’ US tour. Now with a pair of widely revered singles under his belt at his new home, Daptone Records, Jalen prepares for the release of his debut LP, Come Around and Love Me. Jalen Ngonda grew up in a music loving family on the outskirts of Washington D.C. He began musical studies in grade school, where he dabbled in violin, ultimately moving on to the guitar and piano. His inspiration came from listening to his father’s collection of Motown CDs (The Temptations, Mary Wells, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles), which opened his eyes to the vastness of American music, guiding him along a path of constant study and discovery–from early blues, to gospel to jazz to rock & soul. Some years later, after a serendipitous, last minute opening slot for Jools Holland–attended by Daptone Co-Founder, Neal Sugarman–the pair hit it off and plans for an album on Daptone were struck. Unfortunately, this happened to be a month before the COVID 19 pandemic shut down the world. Notwithstanding, Jalen eventually made it to Hive Mind Studios in Brooklyn, NY where he began writing and recording with the help of producer/arrangers Mike Buckley and Vincent Chiarito (both members of Charles Bradley’s Extraordinaires) and a crack team of a-list musicians from the Daptone family. The team skillfully blends heavy arrangements and introspective lyrics with motown sophistication, leaving the listener in a blissful wash of wonderment–culminating in quite possibly one of the finest soul albums of the decade.SOUNDING ARROW Sounding Arrow is the musical project by recording artist Scott Kinnebrew. The debut record Loving Is Breathing, released in September 2017, is a call to life, love and the spirit of compassion. While sitting comfortably in the contemporary Indie Folk genre, there is a patina to Sounding Arrow’s sound that’s indicative of earlier musical influences. Though a widely celebrated recording, these songs have rarely been performed live. It’s just since moving back to Asheville, NC from LA in 2020 that Kinnebrew began playing them again, having found a group of musicians that shared the right chemistry. Scott Kinnebrew is a veteran recording artist and performer. His band Truth & Salvage Co. released two records under the Megaforce Records banner and toured Nationally for years, headlining shows and supporting heavy hitters like The Black Crowes, The Avett Brothers, Levon Helm, Lynryd Skynrd, and Gov’t Mule. Before moving to Los Angeles in 2005 he led the long time local Asheville band Scrappy Hamilton.
