Danie 'Big Hope' Jones has a voice built by the Gospel music of his childhood. His harmonica playing infuses the duo’s music with the blues and country. A gentle soul, he brings a sonic color commentary to Big Hope and the Dog. The second element of the duo, Mystkdog aka Todd Eric Verts, is a singer/songwriter, guitarist, slide guitarist and bassist. From Denver, Colorado, he specializes in blending notes of Country, Blues, and Americana with authenticity and craftsmanship.

Breadfoot was spawn of the East River Delta. He digs his whisky neat and his coffee black. He is a one-man band whose idiosyncratic take on life and wide range of influences from The Carter Family and The Sherman Brothers to Tom Waits and X, fuels his unique brand of Tin Pan Folk Americana.   Here are some links to Breadfoot’s Official EPK, music, videos and social media: EPK - Bio, Music, Videos and More http://www.breadfoot.com/epk.html   Video https://youtu.be/Mt3Pu0tsPgQ https://youtu.be/KPR_h7NlRm8 https://youtu.be/654mNdYJDLM    Social Media https://twitter.com/BreadfootMusic https://www.instagram.com/breadfootmusic

Originally from Detroit, MI, Jack Gorham has called the triad home since 1987. Gorham performs often as a solo artist and also with several bands. His music reflects notions of time, place, love and the human condition. Gorham's work draws comparisons as varied from Billy Joel and Randy Newman to Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. ------------ Special Thanks to PB and Java for sponsoring our event. Audio Engineer: Tom Troyer of Black Rabbit Audio Writer: Naomi Bate and Nikki Tomeo Behind the scenes: Audrey Ward

Abigail grew up under the North Carolina longleaf pines and hints of the early Celtic settlers weave through her music. Her lyrics are mesmerizing and her bluesy voice has been described as “a rare thing that is at once strong and generous in its vulnerability." She blends her classical guitar style with the edgy bass and percussion of Jason Duff.

Singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey is an Irish and Americana folk musician. Jim grew up in Ireland, and came to the US in 1982 when he joined the US Navy in London, England. He spent five years as a photographer on the USS Dixon in San Diego, California, and ten years working in television and video production in North Carolina and Maine. Later he taught children with special needs but decided to pursue music full-time in 2014. He plays around Virginia, North and South Carolina, Maryland, and Washington DC, accompanying himself on guitar, harmonica, and bodhran (Irish drum). Jim's original songs blend Celtic traditional ballad influences with contemporary issues that are often set in the area he resides. Jim has just released his third CD, “Misty Morning Rain” in May, 2017. Jim's other CDs "Black is the Color" and "Sweet Anne's Road" were released in 2015. "Sweet Anne's Road" and "Misty Morning Rain" are available on iTunes, Amazon.com, and CD Baby.

Dynamic Duo Whisky Christy and Pajama Don perform a set with a eccentric and refreshing take on the blues genre. Whisky Christy and the Half Pint Orchestra was founded in January 2011 and like many bands cycled through different "orchestra" members who bring their own unique style to the songs. You can often find them gigging and jamming all across the Piedmont and stirring up community!

Justin The BeLoved is a singer, musician and producer and has produced several albums including his own. Building music through his loop station, he creates textures and melodies to sing over live. His performance on the Grooves stage was electrifying and it shines through his recording during the podcast. His music can be found on iTunes and Amazon.

Margo and Sarah Cilker are sisters with more than blood in common. They have been touring the United States and landed in North Carolina - to the birthplace of their musical roots tradition. Margo's eloquent songwriting is braced with strong musical harmony and nimble picking style. Their performance left us with chills! Find Margo's EP release last year on itunes, soundcloud, and bandcamp.

Our youngest performer yet, Jacob Vaughan is a 17 year old student from Reidsville, NC. He has been writing and singing music since he was 15. While he is focusing on finishing school he still has time to write music and play gigs on a regular basis throughout the Piedmont.

Dean Driver started playing guitar in his teens, but pretty much set music aside for a couple of decades while he focused on raising a family. As his kids started leaving the nest, he started hearing songs in his head, calling him to pick up his old guitar and learn to play it in completely new ways. Each song, he says, presented itself to him and challenged him to turn it into reality. The inspirations continued until he felt the need to produce an all-original album at age 50, which he aptly called Late Bloomer. The all-acoustic songs on the this album don't fall into any particular genre – this music in many ways appears to emerge from nowhere, though his influences (Beatles, John Prine, Paul Simon, and maybe a little Mozart) can be heard lurking between the lines. Dean first played in front of an audience in 2010, and has played hundreds of shows since then all over the East Coast. His daughter Riley often joins him on vocals and accordion. His mission is to inspire others to step out of their comfort zones and see the world from a different perspective. With the help of a bunch or music-loving friends and family, Dean and his partner Laurel started a non-profit music venue in 2011 by converting an old tobacco barn on their property into a funky little stage. They called it Doodad Farm, and after six years it's become one of the Triad area's favorite spots for live music. For more information about Doodad Farm follow the link below: https://www.facebook.com/DoodadFarm/

Beth McKee offers fiery-sweet songs of tenacity and purpose, sung to a deep southern groove. The resulting sound is a composite of the places she’s called home; Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and Florida. Beth hosts gatherings, called “Swamp Sistas La Las,” a re-vamp on the traditional Creole house party. The Swamp Sista La Las are celebrations of regional music, food, and culture, raising money and awareness for community causes and organizations. In addition to touring and La La coordinating, McKee mentors other songwriters, conducts songwriting clinics as musical “informances” at various southern Universities and leads a performance collective of songwriting women called the “Swamp Sistas Songwriter Circle.” For more information about the Swamp Sistas Network follow these links: http://swampsistas.com/ https://www.facebook.com/SwampSistas