Southport/Oak Island Songwriter Showcase - Songs from the Heart
Jul
30
6:00 PM18:00

Southport/Oak Island Songwriter Showcase - Songs from the Heart

Doors open at 6pm, show until 9:00pm. This event is free, but cash tips and donations are welcome. **Please note that we do not have an ATM on site.

Southport Singer-Songwriter, Ted Todorov, has curated an evening of songwriters from Southport and Oak Island.

Featured Songwriters:

Ted Torodov

Ken Schnedetz

Jeff Leaver

Victoria Humphreys

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Emery Freeman & The Turkey Buzzards (SOLD OUT)
Aug
1
8:00 PM20:00

Emery Freeman & The Turkey Buzzards (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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Hailing from eastern North Carolina with roots deep in the hills of Virginia, Emery carries the weight and wisdom of old country sounds in every song. Raised on the voices of legends like Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, and Blaze Foley, his music echoes with the timeless grit of Americana, outlaw country, and country folk.

For Emery, music has always been more than a melody, it’s a way to say the things words alone never could. Each song is a raw and honest piece of life lived between heartbreak and hope, silence and truth. With a voice as weathered as the stories it tells, Emery doesn’t just play music, he gives it a place to breathe.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/emeryfreemann/

Video: https://www.instagram.com/emeryfreemann?igsh=MWg5b3Z6eW1hdzdoMQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

The Turkey Buzzards are a local duo but have a repertoire that range near and far. From the sticky humidity of North Carolina to the dusty cellars of the West, The Turkey Buzzards tell simplistic stories that unravel through gritty vocals and thoughtful harmonies. The carefully crafted guitar riffs set against a solid bone bass stretch out across an American landscape with enough depth to sink well beneath the skin.

Website: https://www.theturkeybuzzards.com/

Video: https://youtu.be/AxBciOLDYsc?si=5tXWTrn0GEyP3E9o

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The Jay Killman Trio Plays Music of Monk
Aug
2
8:00 PM20:00

The Jay Killman Trio Plays Music of Monk

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $20 + fees.

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Jay Killman has been a professional musician for eleven years. He performs with a wide array of acts including jazz ensembles, singer songwriter acts, hip hop groups, and fusion bands.

Over the years Jay has studied and played with numerous greats including Keith Ganz, Joey Calderrazo, Ralph Bowen, Branford Marsalis, Isaiah Sharkey, Peter DiCarlo, Jerald Shynett and more. He has acheived a BA in Music from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a MM in Jazz Composition from North Carolina Central University.

Jay has released 2 albums of original music - Rene & Jay Nice Sounds Collection no. 1 and Jay Killman Cycles. https://open.spotify.com/album/0yDP6i7ajTd2RtadJejFyF

In addition to performing, Jay is an avid composer, arranger and teacher.

Joining him for this trio show playing the music of Thelonious Monk will be Jon Hill on drums and Chris Mills on bass.

Website: https://jaykillmanmusic.com/

Video: https://youtu.be/OEeD-ZJF4V4

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Noah Guthrie
Aug
5
7:00 PM19:00

Noah Guthrie

Doors open at 6pm, show 7-9pm. Tickets are $20 + fees.

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Americana singer-songwriter, Noah Guthrie's sound has been described as possessing Chris Stapleton’s country/rock grit with the authenticity of Jason Isbell. The unique soulfulness in his richly textured voice and the unmistakable Southern influence in his music makes him capable of conveying emotion as only a handful of artists can in today’s musical landscape. Noah's latest album, BLUE WALL, honors the Blue Ridge Mountains where he grew up and still resides. Noah is passionate about making good, honest music - music that sounds like him - music that relates - music that makes the listener feel something.

Noah has built a strong following through powerful live performances, social media and television. He has released three critically-acclaimed albums. He has also performed on NBC’s Today Show and Tonight Show, Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, and ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. The producers at the hit FOX TV show, GLEE, discovered his YouTube channel and were so impressed with Noah's voice, that they recruited him as a cast member for the sixth season of the show. Noah was also a semi-finalist on the 13th season of America's Got Talent.

As a solo performer (as well as with his band, Good Trouble) Noah has performed at major festivals, fairs and clubs all over the United States and Europe. Noah has opened for an impressive group of artists including Ed Sheeran, Ben Rector, Corey Smith, Sister Hazel, Matt Nathanson, Dwight Yoakam and has had the rare privilege of opening 12 shows for the legendary, Willie Nelson! 

 

Website: https://www.noahguthrie.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWcH15HQ-68

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Adam Fenton Jazz Trio
Aug
8
8:00 PM20:00

Adam Fenton Jazz Trio

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15.

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Adam Fenton is a local musician and music instructor in Wilmington who's been playing covers (as well as original music with his group Happy Pill) for the past 4 years. He's passionate about Jazz music and is excited to bring a cool and unique mix of tunes ranging from jazz, R&B, and pop to the Ted’s stage.

https://instagram.com/1086jazz?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

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Rod Abernethy
Aug
10
4:00 PM16:00

Rod Abernethy

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $15 + fees. 

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Rod Abernethy is a unique blend of an authentic southern folk troubadour, master acoustic guitarist, and award winning songwriter and composer for film, TV and video games and the Overall Grand Prize Winner of the 2021 International Acoustic Music Awards. In 2019 he was the Grand Prize winner of American Songwriter's Bob Dylan Song Contest. His last album Normal Isn’t Normal Anymore, produced by Grammy nominated producer Neilson Hubbard (Mary Gauthier, Kim Richey, Glen Phillips), received rave reviews from No Depression, American Highways and The Wall Street Journal and was the Top 20 CD of 2021 at No. 11 on the Folk International Folk Charts.

Rod’s talents go beyond being a dynamic performer, vocalist, instrumentalist, and storyteller. He’s a prolific photographer, a sculpture artist of whimsical steampunk found-object robots and a seasoned teacher and adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston Salem, NC, where he teaches how to score video games. As composer, Rod has scored and produced music for countless television shows, commercials and over 80 video games including the Electronic Art's blockbuster hit "Dead Space" which won a BAFTA Award in 2009 for Best Use of Audio and Tolkien's "The Hobbit" for Vivendi Universal which won the Game Audio Network Guild’s Video Game Soundtrack Of The Year in 2003.  

Rod continues to perform live in acoustic venues and halls across the country. Past venues include The Stone Pony (Asbury Park, NJ), The Woodstock Folk Festival (Woodstock, IL), Club Passim (Boston, MA) and The Cat’s Cradle (Chapel Hill, NC). He is also a featured artist on this year’s popular PBS series, Songs At The Center hosted by Eric Gnesda.


 Video: https://youtu.be/P8qzVlQQgOw

Website: https://rodabernethyguitar.com/home

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Laura McLean's Songwriter Showcase
Aug
13
7:00 PM19:00

Laura McLean's Songwriter Showcase

Doors open at 6pm, show 7-9pm. Tickets are $10 + fees.

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Wilmington Guitar Guru, Laura McLean, curates a night of local songwriters on the Ted's stage!

Artists performing:

Jerry Nerra

Velma Martinez

 Allis Marie

Timmy Sherrill

Laura McLean

This showcase is a longtime Ted's favorite and always such a fun evening. Come out and see for yourself!

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Drew Peterson
Aug
15
8:00 PM20:00

Drew Peterson

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $10 + fees.

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Drew Peterson is an independent Americana singer-songwriter who has captivated fans across the Midwest for over 20 years. Since fronting the Minnesota-based group Forty Watt Bulb, Peterson has spawned two other successful Roots projects; the twangy, upbeat Dead Pigeons and bluegrass-influenced Boxstore Bird.

Peterson comes from a long line of musically inept Norwegian Farmers (unless you count Grandpa Pops, the town drunk, who played the harmonica and the concertina for booze).Peterson was not born with musical talent. Mom bought him a guitar at a church rummage sale for five dollars and it was then he decided he wanted to become a musician. Growing up on a farm in rural Minnesota, he tackled this endeavor the way he had been taught - hard work and lots of practice. And practice is what he’s been doing for 20 years. His passion has always been crafting lyrics and songwriting. 

Peterson has built a unique brand that transcends the genre. With clever, dry humor and thought- provoking lyrics, Peterson’s music is like oil over gravel. Drawing on influences from John Prine, Tom Waits, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, among others, Peterson offers the world upbeat tunes with a soft- spoken gravitas that belies his years. 

With a performance style that can transform from intimate listening room to rowdy festivals and bars, Peterson always gives his heart and soul to the stage. And with each new performance, he works to connect with the audience through storytelling.

Website: https://drewpetersonmusic.com/home

Video: https://youtu.be/MFzj2KXr9ik

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A Tale of Two
Aug
16
8:00 PM20:00

A Tale of Two

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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2024 AMERICANAFEST Official Showcase Artist

“Official Showcase Artist: 2022 Folk Alliance International Conference” & 2022 Kerrville "New Folk Songwriting Contest Finalist" 

Combining the best of Americana and blues melodies with timeless Southern storytelling, award winning vocalist Stephanie Adlington and guitarist Aaron Lessard draw influence from the likes of Tom Waits and Ray LaMontagne, along with bedrock artists such as Patsy Cline and Hank Williams Sr. A Tale Of Two has opened for notable artists such as Mary Gauthier, Grayson Capps, and Peter Mulvey. Not unlike the artists who inspired them, the duo’s songs frequently dabble in stories of revenge, drinking and feature sinners of all stripes and persuasions. 

Oozing an infectious stage presence and chemistry that carries over from the music to the back and forth banter between songs, “A Tale Of Two” offers a different kind of Americana – storytelling by a swampy pair of retro raconteurs spinning blues arias with soul, intrigue and power. 

Website: https://www.taleoftwomusic.com/#taleoftwo-section

Video: https://youtu.be/bsn9l7duNiU?si=Gp_IH0jrYDUwq6eA

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Les Fontanelles (SOLD OUT)
Aug
17
4:00 PM16:00

Les Fontanelles (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $20 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

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Les Fontanelles of Wilmington, NC, have deep roots in the North Carolina coast, which probably explains their mixture of sweet, but salty sensibilities. Their style and harmony driven sound can be attributed to the influences of Townes Van Zandt, Dire Straits, The Byrds, and Blaze Foley, then rounded out with undercurrents of Bonnie Prince Billy, Mazzy Star, and Magnolia Electric Co. The music is made with the belief that life is filled with heartache, but laughter and love is what makes the journey beautiful. It's the perfect balance between "supper at grandma's" and "put the youngins to bed, so grown folks can visit." Be prepared to cry, cackle, and blush before it's all said and done.

The five-piece folk group is comprised of members of Wilmington's No Dollar $hoes (Carson Jewell, Jesse Jewell, Richard Welsh), Masonboro Sound (Shane Lippard), and The Barnraisers (Tiff Reece Jewell).

Recordings:https://open.spotify.com/album/01UiYNTfZDwpDJRDBGFcdP?si=9FH0QS0oSO2EhCSTWYplWA

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WHQR Soup to Nuts LIVE! w/ Admiral Radio
Aug
22
8:00 PM20:00

WHQR Soup to Nuts LIVE! w/ Admiral Radio

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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Admiral Radio, the award-winning folk/Americana act from South Carolina, is the creative partnership of Coty Hoover and Becca Smith. Named after their old wooden radio, this husband-and-wife team blends heartfelt harmonies, storytelling, and raw sincerity. Having met while waiting tables in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, their sound is straightforward yet powerful—rooted in tight vocal interplay and finely picked acoustic instruments. Inspired by the everyday, their songs explore life lessons, the quiet hustle of ordinary life, and the dogged optimism that drives it all. Simply put, Becca and Coty aim to leave listeners better than they found them. With a personal sincerity and honest performance, you might shed a few tears and roll with laughter.

The group has earned finalist and first-place honors in prestigious songwriting competitions around the country, including Kerrville NewFolk, the MerleFest Band Competition, Cayamo Soundcheck, and the International Bluegrass Music Association's Official Songwriter Showcase. Known for their energetic and emotional live shows, Admiral Radio has shared stages with bluegrass legend Del McCoury, folkgrass icon Molly Tuttle, pop-rock sensation Judah & the Lion, and more. From humble beginnings to their growing buzz, Admiral Radio is redefining the folk tradition with every mile down America's backroads.

About Soup to Nuts Live!: Well into its second decade, WHQR's Soup To Nuts LIVE! has become one of the Cape Fear region's favorite, live-listening experiences, featuring a wide array of musical genres on its stage. STNL!'s recording process reflects its commitment to high quality, ongoing success, and the hard work of its technical staff. Each performance is engineered, multitracked, and edited into a one-hour program for broadcast on an upcoming date. In addition, WHQR forwards and cross-promotes the live event (and the later broadcast) across their website, on-air, social media, and related platforms. Starting in 2023, Live At Ted’s joined in hosting and booking acts for the STNL! show, alternating hosting duties each month with WHQR. Ted’s listening room environment, recording capabilities, and commitment to showcasing original music made for a seamless partnership.

Website: https://www.admiralradiomusic.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1KCXo98OnA

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Shannon Baker & Sometime Soon
Aug
23
8:00 PM20:00

Shannon Baker & Sometime Soon

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $20 + fees. 

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Shannon Baker & sometime soon is an acoustic bluegrass and country group that holds true to the traditional sounds of those genres, yet incorporates the distinctive skills from the varied backgrounds of its members for enhanced arrangements.

Shannon sets a high bar as the lead vocalist and songwriter. Joe Pessolano brings lead and harmony vocals with guitar and mandolin skills. Ronnie Parrish sets the foundation with upright bass. Chris Hill adds refined fiddle work and John Dudley serves up baritone vocal, banjo and guitar.

Together they deliver bluegrass-flavored, carefully crafted harmonies and acoustic instrumentation for those favorites in a fresh way, introduce you to new ones from unexpected places and share some original works for you to enjoy. There will be classic foot-stomping numbers, soulful renditions and some surprises from nearby genres, all with their unique styling and energy.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTCV1z84PS0

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John Doyle
Aug
24
4:00 PM16:00

John Doyle

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $27 in advance + fees, $30 at the door.

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Originally from Dublin, John Doyle is a compelling singer and songwriter; producer; multi-Grammy nominee; and an extraordinary master of the Irish guitar whose singular percussive style has influenced a generation of players. A founding member of the acclaimed group Solas, John’s guitar sound took the traditional music world by storm and has likely forever influenced the role of guitar in Irish music. John regularly performs solo, in duos, groups and has been the choice guitarist for the likes of Joan Baez, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Linda Thompson, Jerry Douglas, The Alt, Usher's Island, Liz Carroll, Eileen Ivers, Tim O’Brien, Michael McGoldrick and John McCusker, Alison Brown, Mick Moloney, Kate Rusby and a host of other world class performers in America and abroad. John’s duo recording, Double Play, with the great Chicago fiddler and previous National Heritage Fellowship recipient, Liz Carroll, received a 2009 Grammy Nomination for Best Traditional World Album. That same year, John and Liz performed for President Obama, Vice- President Biden and Congress. John has been featured on over 130 recordings of traditional Irish, folk, old time, and bluegrass music, many of which he produced, including 2016 National Heritage Fellowship recipient Billy McComiskey’s Outside the Box. He has performed at every major folk, bluegrass, and Irish festival in the U.S., Canada and Europe, some many times over as well as NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion, E-Town, Mountain Stage, and World Cafe. 

John is a great lover of traditional song, an encouraging and enthusiastic teacher, and his nearly non-stop schedule of touring, producing and recording attests to his high standing in the world of traditional Irish and American music. From a family of musicians in Dublin and Co. Sligo, and having been exposed to traditional music as a young teen through his grandfather, father and uncle, all of whom were musicians, John’s roots run deep in collecting songs and tunes. His influences include Arty McGlynn, Andy Irvine and Paul Brady as well as the great impact of his musical elder family members. Having been long established as the premier guitarist in traditional Irish and Irish/American music, John’s 2011 solo cd, Shadow and Light is a showcase for John’s acclaimed talent as a songwriter in the traditional genre. He has the rare ability to pen new songs that for all the world, sound decades or hundreds of years old and are well on their way to becoming standards in the Irish folk canon. 

Though he could no doubt play and record with any of the world’s best acoustic musicians, and often does, John’s heart is always in the traditional music of Ireland and its diaspora in America and beyond. 

Website: https://www.johndoylemusic.com/

Video: https://youtu.be/IRAKhZHApaY?si=8aFUs-f6O312XtwB

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Anya Hinkle & Grace Pettis
Sep
3
7:00 PM19:00

Anya Hinkle & Grace Pettis

Doors open at 6pm, show 7-9pm. Tickets are $15 + fees. 

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Anya Hinkle is an Americana singer-songwriter, winner of Merlefest’s 2019 Chris Austin song contest and 2023 USA Songwriting Competition; she was 2022 International Acoustic Music Awards runner-up. She “effortlessly delivers” (Pop Matters) with "vivid songwriting and transportive vocals” (Folk Alley). Her current project, OCEANIA, features Irish guitar legend John Doyle and slide guitar master Billy Cardine.​ Hinkle has played many of the major roots festivals including MerleFest, Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, Bristol Rhythm & Roots; in Europe she has headlined at La Roche and Grenna Bluegrass festivals. 

Video: https://youtu.be/JSJOyubajdU?si=1X-agfPYNZsyX0hz Website: https://anyahinkle.com/

Grace Pettis is described as folk, a little bit of country/Americana, and a whole lot of soul! She is the winner of many of the nation’s most prestigious songwriting contests, grants, and residencies, including NPR’s Mountain Stage NewSong ContestThe Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, and The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico. Grace’s songs have been recorded by other esteemed artists, including Sara Hickman and Ruthie Foster, with three co-writes on Foster's Grammy-nominated album, Healing Time. Grace was an official showcasing artist at SXSW and Folk Alliance International last year.

Videohttps://youtu.be/S2Nwa96nOG8 Websitehttps://www.gracepettis.com/

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Lou Hazel
Sep
5
8:00 PM20:00

Lou Hazel

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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Lou Hazel grew up along the Allegheny River, where New York meets Pennsylvania and Northern Appalachia slips into quiet obscurity. In a landscape of cold towns, blue-collar fatigue, and early brushes with hardship, music wasn’t inherited—it was uncovered. There were no venues, no mentors, no real sense of a scene… only what you could scrape together with curiosity and a cassette deck.

That absence—of direction, of mentors, of art—shaped Lou’s songs as much as any influence. His music echoes the loneliness of those forgotten towns and the strange resilience it takes to create something where nothing was planted. Blending folk, indie, and an eye for the overlooked, Lou writes like someone who’s learned to pay attention. His songs are spare, vivid, and weathered with warmth.  

After years of solo touring and home recording, Lou found grounding in Durham, North Carolina, where a vibrant music scene and chosen community have helped shape his recent work. His latest record, Riot of the Red, captures the urge to get away from all of it—the news, the noise, the weight of a world gone sideways—and find stillness in the simplest things: a long drive, a bare sky, a familiar chord. Lou Hazel makes music for those who had to teach themselves how to listen.

Video: https://youtu.be/I0iIcvN_r0E?si=jWDqaSIOTGOb80T_

Website: https://louhazel.com/new-page

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Calloway & Ruby Dice
Sep
6
8:00 PM20:00

Calloway & Ruby Dice

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $10 + fees.

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Calloway and The Prickly Pears are a groove based band out of Austin, TX.  Band leader Calloway Ritch mixes his Midwest blues rock roots along with southern rock and Texas Honky Tonk.  Creating a funky sound reminiscent of bands like Little Feat and The Allman Brothers, with a heavy dose of Willie Nelson and Freddie King.  

Instagram: @callowayandthepricklypears

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wzQoShH-VQ

Ruby Dice is a Colorado native who currently resides in Texas and has been performing music for as long as she can remember. At the age of 22, she relocated to Texas to pursue a career in music after beginning her musical career in her family's church band. She has accumulated musical experience over the years by playing bass in a variety of bands, developing as a songwriter, and winning the respect she merits for her musical abilities. She started performing all over the country at this time, sharing stages with artists like Brian Wilson, Dale Watson, and many others.

Ruby’s debut album was recorded with Gordy Quist and several members from The Band Of Heathens.

This is an up and coming artist you don’t want to miss.

Video: https://youtu.be/poB3gvfzpV0?si=fqN0E4lXkuiUy19s

Website: https://www.rubydice.com/

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David Dixon & William Seymour
Sep
12
8:00 PM20:00

David Dixon & William Seymour

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $10 + fees.

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Wilmington, NC songwriter David Dixon has been balancing live performances with writing & recording new music. His latest release, “Before It Gets Too Cold” recently hit 100K streams on Spotify. Dixon was awarded a 2023 Artist Support Grant by New Hanover County. He was also a finalist for the NC Artist Fellowship Award (NC Arts Council). Dixon studied guitar performance at the acclaimed Berklee College of Music in Boston. His musical styles consist of pop, rock, blues & soul. Think John Mayer meets Derek Trucks, with some Ed Sheeran sprinkled on top. Dixon's self-titled album was Mastered by Grammy Award-winner, Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, Beck). His 5-song EP, “The Game” was released in August of 2021 and features his most popular song to date, “Across the Room”, along with a guest appearance by Korey Riker on horns (John Legend) on “Better With You By My Side”.

Dixon performs solo shows while “looping” multiple guitar, percussion & vocal parts. He also plays violin, bass, piano & mandolin. Dixon regularly performs at music festivals, on college campuses, songwriting showcases, house concerts, weddings & corporate events. He opened for Phillip Phillips (American Idol Winner) at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater to a sold-out crowd. Dixon has performed in South Korea, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, & all over the US.

Video: https://youtu.be/8UOsszMBuy4

Website: https://www.daviddixonmusic.com/

William Seymour is a singer-songwriter originally from Eastern North Carolina, now based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. His music weaves together elements of Country, Blues, Soul, and Americana, grounded in raw storytelling and a deep reverence for American roots traditions.

With a sound shaped by artists like Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, and Waylon Jennings, William’s songs carry a lived-in authenticity — exploring themes of home, heartache, and the roads in between. His solo work spans three albums, each one marked by soulful vocals, honest lyrics, and a deep groove.

In addition to his solo career, William tours nationally as the bassist for rock/soul outfit Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast. He has performed in over a dozen countries and continues to build his audience through powerful live performances and heartfelt songwriting.

Website: linktr.ee/williamseymour

Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/izBuE2jCjh8

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Jeff Reid & Catesby Jones
Sep
13
8:00 PM20:00

Jeff Reid & Catesby Jones

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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Join us for a special evening of homegrown music from two of Wilmington's most prolific songwriters. Jeff Reid and Catesby Jones first met in the summer of 1983 where they traded original songs in a bungalow on the south-end of Wrightsville Beach, NC. Despite travelling different roads since that fateful day, they reconnected back in Wilmington in 1996, where over the years Reid has produced seven of Catesby’s CD’s and together they have shared the stage in countless performances..

Catesby Jones was born in Versailles, Kentucky and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio. As a young man, he began writing original compositions, playing in folk clubs in Boston, and touring on the fabled New York college coffeehouse circuit. He has held steady gigs in Cleveland, the Virgin Islands, a Kingsville, Texas honky tonk, the Rum Boogie Café in Memphis, and The Bluebird Café in Nashville. He won the Kerrville New Folk Competition in 1982 and, as a staff writer in Nashville, co-wrote Travis Tritt's breakout hit 'Country Club'. In 1993, he moved to Wilmington, NC where he has performed extensively and continues to pursue his songwriting career.

Songwriter, producer and publisher Jeff Reid was born in New Orleans and raised in Wilmington, NC. He began performing in the Wilmington area in 1981 and has since travelled throughout the United States performing his original music. He has played hundreds of club dates, either backing others or performing solo and has engineered and/or produced CDs for many local and regional artists. From 2006 - 2011, Jeff was the publisher and editor of Wilmington's’ monthly music magazine The Beat.

Catesby Video: https://youtu.be/zjG2FC_rgBk?si=Fyigj4x2_3NzPW6j&t=27

Jeff Recordings: https://jeffreid.bandcamp.com/

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Clem Snide
Sep
14
4:00 PM16:00

Clem Snide

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $20 + fees. 

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The intersection of hope and resignation can be a disarming place but also incredibly beautiful. It’s where Oh Smokey, the tenth Clem Snide album, spends a lot of its time. Eef Barzelay, the songwriter behind the name since time immemorial, describes Oh Smokey as “slow, sad songs about God and death,” knowing full well that he’s being technically accurate but wryly incomplete.  Like a sleepy late-night road trip conversation about a near-death experience, the record makes space for some intimate contemplation of what lies beyond.

 

Barzelay wrote these eight songs while upending much of his life. His 25-year marriage dissolved, he parted ways with his longtime manager, and he left his Nashville home after two decades. If you look at it one way, he’s been almost cosmically unlucky in the business, with a big break always around the corner that doesn’t exactly materialize. Seen from another angle, he’s built a dedicated fanbase person by person by creating an improbably timeless body of work, playing living rooms, and even writing personal songs for individual fans.

 

This collection of songs was brought to life with longtime Clem Snide fan Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman, Craig Finn, Hiss Golden Messenger). Kaufman added color and texture to Barzelay’s compositions, from the gentle sonic shrapnel of album opener “Free” to the organic hum that “At Your Command” rests on to the swelling expansiveness of title track “Smokey,” which was inspired by Eef’s fleeting collaboration with another Clem Snide fan: pop star YEBBA.  With 30 years now of rising and falling Clem Snide emerges from the ashes, once again, with Oh Smokey. Still committed to loving the unknown, but with a more empathetic and mature appreciation for the bruises that come along with it.

 

“I look up to Eef with total respect and admiration...”

— Scott Avett

“I look up to Eef with total respect and admiration,” says Avett, “and I hope to survive like he survives: with total love for the new and the unknown. Eef’s a crooner and an indie darling by sound and a mystic sage by depth. That’s not common, but it’s beautiful.”

 

Named for a William S. Borroughs character, Clem Snide first emerged from Boston as a three-piece in the early 1990’s, and the group would go on to become a cult and critical favorite, picking up high profile fans from Bon Iver to Ben Folds over the course of three decades and more than a dozen studio albums. NPR highlighted the Israeli-born Barzelay as “the most underrated songwriter in the business today, with a sneakily firm grasp on poignancy and humor,” while Rolling Stone hailed his songwriting as “soulful and incisive,” and The New Yorker praised his music’s “soothing melodies and candid wit.”

 

Barzelay currently resides in Nashville, TN.

Video: https://youtu.be/G9xoR50c8Ss

Website: https://www.clemsni.de/

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Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light
Sep
19
8:00 PM20:00

Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $20 in advance + fees or $25 at the door.

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2025 Telluride Bluegrass Band competition winners, Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light, are a Boston-based string band making music that blends folk tradition with feminist storytelling, poetic detail, and just enough grit. At the center is Sumner’s songwriting—rooted in history, myth, and personal reckoning—carried by close harmonies, upright bass, acoustic guitar, and fiddle. The trio features Kat Wallace on fiddle and vocals and Mike Siegel on upright bass and vocals, whose playing brings both tension and tenderness to the sound.

Their sound is spare and intimate, sometimes eerie, sometimes sweet, always intentional. They call it Femericana—sharp-edged Americana with a splash of feminine rage.

Sumner has performed at the Library of Congress, where five of her original songs are now archived, and was a 2024 winner of the Kerrville New Folk competition. Her song “Radium Girls (Curie Eleison)” struck a nerve—streamed over 300,000 times and picked up by dancers, theater directors, and deep listeners who saw themselves in its story. It’s been tattooed on arms, sung in audition rooms, and carried into classrooms and protests. The kind of song people hold onto.

Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light has toured coast to coast, bringing their spellbinding live show to listening rooms, libraries, farms, and festivals across the country. They've appeared at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Earl Scruggs Festival, IBMA, and legendary folk listening rooms like Caffé Lena and Club Passim, where their shows have become a staple of the Boston folk scene.

Their latest release, The Traveling Light Sessions, reimagines Sumner’s studio album Heartless Things—recorded live around one microphone with no overdubs. Just the way they play it.

Video: https://youtu.be/suBQJAmtuDg?si=_R_G_A_auLde5F7l

Website: https://rachelsumnermusic.com/

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Darrell Scott (solo): Night 1 (SOLD OUT)
Sep
25
8:00 PM20:00

Darrell Scott (solo): Night 1 (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $65 + fees.

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Multi-Instrumentalist and Singer-Songwriter Darrell Scott mines and cultivates the everyday moment, taking the rote, menial, mundane, and allowing it to be surreal, ever poignant, and candidly honest, lilting, blooming, and resonating. The words he fosters allow us to make sense of the world, what is at stake here, and our place in it. And ultimately, Darrell knows the sole truth of life is that love is all that matters, that we don’t always get it right, but that’s the instinctive and requisite circuitous allure of things, why we forever chase it, and why it is held sacred.

Darrell Scott comes from a musical family with a father who had him smitten with guitars by the age of 4, alongside a brother who played Jerry Reed style as well.  From there, things only ramped up with literature and poetry endeavors while a student at Tufts University, along with playing his way through life. This would never change.

After recently touring with Robert Plant and the Zac Brown Band (2 years with each), and producing albums for Malcolm Holcomb and Guy Clark and being named “songwriter of the year” for both ASCAP and NSAI, these days find him roaming his Tennessee wilderness acreage hiking along the small river, creating delicious meals with food raised on his property and playing music. He often leads songwriting workshops to help people tell their own truths with their stories, and is as busy as always writing, producing, performing, and just plain fully immersing himself in life.

Website: https://www.darrellscott.com/

Video: https://youtu.be/IqvHKetBJhQ?si=iUI2kgbCKrgnvAqg

**NO AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDING PERMITTED FOR THIS PERFORMANCE**

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Darrell Scott (solo): Night 2
Sep
26
8:00 PM20:00

Darrell Scott (solo): Night 2

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $65 + fees.

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Multi-Instrumentalist and Singer-Songwriter Darrell Scott mines and cultivates the everyday moment, taking the rote, menial, mundane, and allowing it to be surreal, ever poignant, and candidly honest, lilting, blooming, and resonating. The words he fosters allow us to make sense of the world, what is at stake here, and our place in it. And ultimately, Darrell knows the sole truth of life is that love is all that matters, that we don’t always get it right, but that’s the instinctive and requisite circuitous allure of things, why we forever chase it, and why it is held sacred.

Darrell Scott comes from a musical family with a father who had him smitten with guitars by the age of 4, alongside a brother who played Jerry Reed style as well.  From there, things only ramped up with literature and poetry endeavors while a student at Tufts University, along with playing his way through life. This would never change.

After recently touring with Robert Plant and the Zac Brown Band (2 years with each), and producing albums for Malcolm Holcomb and Guy Clark and being named “songwriter of the year” for both ASCAP and NSAI, these days find him roaming his Tennessee wilderness acreage hiking along the small river, creating delicious meals with food raised on his property and playing music. He often leads songwriting workshops to help people tell their own truths with their stories, and is as busy as always writing, producing, performing, and just plain fully immersing himself in life.

Website: https://www.darrellscott.com/

Video: https://youtu.be/IqvHKetBJhQ?si=iUI2kgbCKrgnvAqg

**NO AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDING PERMITTED FOR THIS PERFORMANCE**

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Brad Heller & The Fustics
Sep
28
4:00 PM16:00

Brad Heller & The Fustics

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $15.

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Whether with his backing band, The Fustics, or performing as an acoustic artist, Brad Heller has established himself as a credible force among current songwriters. Honing his craft for over a decade and a half the Wilmington, North Carolina, transplant has built a reputation as a thoughtful songsmith who tackles a wide range of personal and social issues. Bouncing between a myriad of genres, Heller finds creative drive in honoring musical influences that inspired him, while never abandoning his own unique sound.

With the forthcoming 2024 release of his sixth album, From What You’ve Built, Heller continues to build his audience with constant touring and spirited live shows. Heller’s music centers on middle-class characters while exploring themes of loss, self-imposed alienation, abandonment of faith, and addiction. Voted Wilmington’s “Best Original Rock Band,” look for upcoming shows by Brad Heller & the Fustics and Heller’s acoustic duo.

Website: https://www.bradhellermusic.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0NoqALzOQc

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Jon Shain & FJ Ventre
Oct
10
8:00 PM20:00

Jon Shain & FJ Ventre

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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Hailing from Durham, NC, Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter who’s been turning heads for years with his words, his fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style – combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime. Jon has released nine solo albums to date, along with two albums with duo partner FJ Ventre, a Jon Shain Trio live album, and one album of co-writes with Joe Newberry. Shain’s newest album, Restless Soul Syndrome, recorded at Good Luck Studio this past year, will be released April 9, 2024. Shain is also the author of the music books Gettin’ Handy With the Blues – a Tribute to the Legacy of W.C. Handy and Jon Shain’s Fingerstyle Guitar Method, both published by Mel Bay Publications. In 2019, Shain won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN in the solo/duo category.

In 1986, Shain studied with jazz professor Paul Jeffrey and also learned the piedmont blues tradition firsthand by playing in Big Boy Henry’s backing band. It was at this time that Shain also got to meet and play with John Dee Holeman and a number of the great older NC blues players. 

Shain cut his touring teeth from 1989-1998 founding the Chapel Hill, NC folk-rock group, Flyin' Mice and their spin-off group, WAKE. The band performed with acts such as David Grisman, Tony Rice Unit, Hot Tuna, and the Dixie Dregs, released four CDs, and played clubs, schools, and festivals up and down the East Coast, building a legion of fans.

After the band’s breakup, Shain went solo, returning to his roots by touring in the folk and blues circuit. Shain has also become a sought after guitar teacher and studio producer. In 2021, he produced Donna Herula’s blues radio chart-topping album, Bang at the Door.

Over the last several years, Shain has headlined listening rooms both as a solo and with duo partner FJ Ventre throughout the US and he's done two solo tours in Europe. He has opened shows for John Hiatt, Keb’ Mo’, Little Feat, and many other roots legends. When Shain is not recording, producing other artists, or performing, he stays busy giving private instruction in guitar, and teaching group workshops in songwriting and blues guitar.

FJ Ventre began playing music with Jon in 1982 when they met in high school and have developed a brotherly connection that continues to this day. Ventre went to University of Massachusetts-Lowell, earning a B.A. in Music Performance and Sound Recording and remained for some time in the Boston area, performing in the city's vibrant music scene. Since relocating to Chapel Hill, NC in 2000, Ventre has performed with his own group The Swang Brothers, as well as with Chris Stamey, Wes Collins, Huzzah, and a who's who of NC music groups. In addition to being a sought-after bassist, Ventre spends his time behind the mixing board, producing and engineering at his own Good Luck Studio as well as writing his own songs.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj3klop8pGk

Website: https://www.jonshain.com/

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PIERRE BENSUSAN - ONE GUITAR, ONE VOICE - 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Nov
23
4:00 PM16:00

PIERRE BENSUSAN - ONE GUITAR, ONE VOICE - 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $25 + fees. 

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If World Music means the fusion of traditional, contemporary, jazz, classical and pop music, then Bensusan is one of the most eloquent World Music musicians of our time. A pianist in his beginnings then self-taught on the guitar, the originality of his style makes him one of today’s greatest guitarists and composers for the instrument. Also called “The Prince of DADGAD”, the Rose d'Or of the Montreux Festival, elected Best Guitarist of World Music by the readers of Guitar Player Magazine! His triple album "Encore" won the Grand Prix of the Independent Music Awards in the category Best Live Album... Since his first performances in 1974 in France, the guitarist has sold half a million albums and given thousands of concerts around the globe, both solo and through numerous collaborations. 


Pierre Bensusan is an adventurer of unusual lands. His almost “sacred” music is an intimate and orchestral hymn, a solo crossing on a multi-shell Lowden guitar subjected to the natural elements with sound molecules and finger pulp on an ebony fingerboard for open tuning - an unique and transparent technique, under the fingers of an adventurous pilgrim.


“Listening to Pierre's music is rejuvenating. Beside his extraordinary touch and tone, the notes and melody appeal directly to the tender side
of our human nature” - Steve Vai 
 
 “This is beautiful... Pierre is one of the GREATS!!!” 
Tommy Emmanuel Cgp. 


With only his steel-string-acoustic guitar – and sometimes his rich, affecting voice – Mr Bensusan can disassemble your heart and hand it
back to you restored and renewed. As he did to mine tonight. A true giant.”  James Volpe Rotondi (former senior editor at Guitar Player Magazine)

Video: https://youtu.be/SM4bN6eYOG4

Website: https://www.pierrebensusan.com/

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PIERRE BENSUSAN - ONE GUITAR, ONE VOICE - 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Nov
24
7:00 PM19:00

PIERRE BENSUSAN - ONE GUITAR, ONE VOICE - 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Doors open at 6pm, show 7-9pm. Tickets are $25 + fees. 

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If World Music means the fusion of traditional, contemporary, jazz, classical and pop music, then Bensusan is one of the most eloquent World Music musicians of our time. A pianist in his beginnings then self-taught on the guitar, the originality of his style makes him one of today’s greatest guitarists and composers for the instrument. Also called “The Prince of DADGAD”, the Rose d'Or of the Montreux Festival, elected Best Guitarist of World Music by the readers of Guitar Player Magazine! His triple album "Encore" won the Grand Prix of the Independent Music Awards in the category Best Live Album... Since his first performances in 1974 in France, the guitarist has sold half a million albums and given thousands of concerts around the globe, both solo and through numerous collaborations. 


Pierre Bensusan is an adventurer of unusual lands. His almost “sacred” music is an intimate and orchestral hymn, a solo crossing on a multi-shell Lowden guitar subjected to the natural elements with sound molecules and finger pulp on an ebony fingerboard for open tuning - an unique and transparent technique, under the fingers of an adventurous pilgrim.


“Listening to Pierre's music is rejuvenating. Beside his extraordinary touch and tone, the notes and melody appeal directly to the tender side
of our human nature” - Steve Vai 

 “This is beautiful... Pierre is one of the GREATS!!!” 
Tommy Emmanuel Cgp. 


With only his steel-string-acoustic guitar – and sometimes his rich, affecting voice – Mr Bensusan can disassemble your heart and hand it
back to you restored and renewed. As he did to mine tonight. A true giant.”  James Volpe Rotondi (former senior editor at Guitar Player Magazine)

Video: https://youtu.be/SM4bN6eYOG4

Website: https://www.pierrebensusan.com/

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The Echromatics
Jul
26
8:00 PM20:00

The Echromatics

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $25 + fees.

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The Echromatics is a modern jazz fusion project that blends elements of jazz with hip-hop, funk, and RnB. First debuted as a trio at Live at Ted's, the group returns as a quintet to bring their original music to life in the full format their compositions were written for.  Started by saxophonist Sean Meade in 2023, the Echromatics features world-class musicianship by highly sought after musicians from across North Carolina. This show will be debuting several new compositions from the Echromatics, as well as renditions of other originals never played before in Wilmington. Join us for a fun and memorable evening to hear these compositions for the last time before they are recorded for the Echromatic's debut album.

Featuring:

Jon Hill

Jay Killman

Marcus Jones

Carlos Garcia

Sean Meade

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VZ6MbqlJIs

Website: https://www.seanmeademusic.com/

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Holler Choir (SOLD OUT)
Jul
25
8:00 PM20:00

Holler Choir (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $20 + fees.

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Led by the lyrical craftsmanship of singer, guitarist, and songwriter Clint Roberts, the distinctly Appalachian, old-time sound of Asheville’s Holler Choir combines haunting harmonies, stirring string compositions, and heart-wrenching ballads, yet hardly conforms to a stereotypical genre. Call it a confluence of old-time, Americana, and bluegrass, but, by its own exceptional design, the sound and atmosphere of Holler Choir are singular. Robert’s wordcraft and explosive vocal range is met with the dulcet clawhammer banjo plucking of long-time collaborator Helena Rose and the sturdy timekeeping of upright bassist Norbert McGettigan. With a rotating cast of gifted musicians featured on Holler Choir’s recordings and electrifying live performances, it’s no wonder they are the band to watch in 2023.

The band's inception began when recording Robert’s 2022 solo release, entitled “Mountain Air”. That fortuitous collaboration of gifted roots musicians at Asheville’s Crossroads Studios proved to be the genesis of an unmistakable new sound built on that shared experience. Produced by Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist, Michael Ashworth, of The Steep Canyon Rangers, the five-song EP lit the fuse and Holler Choir was well on its way to delight audiences throughout the southeast and beyond.  

For their debut full-length record, “Songs Before They Write Themselves,” Holler Choir again teamed up with producer Michael Ashworth. Set for release in summer of 2023, the album was tracked in the historic Echo Mountain Studio’s church room and boasts the engineering prowess of Jason Richmond (Avett Brothers, Rising Appalachia), and was mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer, Kim Rosen. 

According to Roberts “Holler Choir” could be a double entendre. A choir that hollers, or a choir from the hollers of western North Carolina. What their sound and vision exude leaves the meaning up to you.

Video: https://youtu.be/KG4cp2l0DUc

Website: https://hollerchoir.com/

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Wyatt Easterling
Jul
20
4:00 PM16:00

Wyatt Easterling

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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Wyatt Easterling’s decades of success in the music industry includes a myriad of roles from performer to songwriter, and as an executive of both a major record label and publishing company. This wealth of experience and accompanying success in all these varying facets of the industry, give him a unique and valuable understanding of the music business.

When Atlantic Records opened their Nashville office, Easterling signed on as Chief of A&R, and started his track record of success by signing artists such as Tracy Lawrence, Michael Johnson, Neal McCoy, and John Michael Montgomery. Easterling along with Doug Johnson, produced Montgomery's multi-platinum debut album, Life’s A Dance.

Wyatt then partnered with Miles Copeland (Sting, The Police, IRS Records) and formed the Nashville Division of Bugle Publishing Group and Firstars Management as Director of Operations. Easterling brought Keith Urban to Firstars Management and worked at length with Urban in the studio recording the project that landed Keith his first major deal at Warner Bros. Records. 

In addition to ushering notable artists into the mainstream, Easterling and Copeland created Bugle Publishing Group’s The Castle, the first of its kind songwriter's retreat held yearly at Miles Copeland’s Chateau Marouatte in France. This event saw great success with a long list of esteemed artists and writers such as Keith Urban, Cher, Carole King, Jon Bon Jovi, Peter Frampton, Olivia Newton-John, and Stuart Copeland, to name a few.

Wyatt then signed alternative roots artist Paul Thorn into the company for management and publishing. Easterling produced Paul's album, Hammer & Nail along with Greg Wells and Billy Maddox for A&M Records, Los Angeles. 

After Bugle Publishing, Easterling decided it was time to get back to songwriting and promptly signed with DreamWorks Publishing. Eventually Wyatt opened Terra Nova Music, his own publishing company in Nashville, which had eight writers on staff. 

To name a few, Wyatt’s songwriting success includes “Modern Day Drifter” (Dierks Bentley), “Life’s So Funny” (Joe Diffie), “This Time I’m Taking My Time” (Neal McCoy).

Wyatt released his 5th album titled From Where I Stand on July 29th, 2022 and is currently touring to support this critically acclaimed release.

Website: https://www.wyatteasterling.com/

Video: https://youtu.be/r1MzOm390UI?si=0LGElX5TUAeZ3JbE

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Kelly Zullo & The Invisible Circus
Jul
19
8:00 PM20:00

Kelly Zullo & The Invisible Circus

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $10 + fees.

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Kelly wowed us during Laura McLean's Songwriter Showcase back in May 2025 and received a standing ovation after her set. We knew then we just had to have her back for a full show!!

Carolina Coast-based singer/songwriter, Kelly Zullo’s voice melds seamlessly with her “funk finger style guitar” folk.  Her original music has been noted for its impressive guitar accompaniment, using “some speedy finger work and hard hitting right hand technique while she sings at the same time” (Guitar World Magazine).

A lover also of great songs, she re-brands iconic 80’s and 90’s songs with refreshing new arrangements of classics that clearly and concisely honor the lyrics while transforming them often into a previously unimagined entity.

Keep up with Kelly and learn more here: www.kellyzullo.com.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GixXb3Gzwi4

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The Asheville Mountain Boys (SOLD OUT)
Jul
18
8:00 PM20:00

The Asheville Mountain Boys (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $25 + fees.

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By their name, you know where they are from, and by their sound, you know what they are about. The Asheville Mountain Boys are on a mission to capture not just the style but the spirit of traditional bluegrass. Asheville, NC has long been known for great music and its roots in bluegrass go back to the founding of the genre (Bill Monroe’s first broadcast performance as the Bluegrass Boys was at Asheville radio station WWNC in 1938) A group that firmly stakes its claim to the tradition of the music from the area, The Asheville Mountain Boys spring onto the scene with a thought,” What happened to bluegrass?” It’s not a disparaging one that condemns current styles in the genre but rather asks, “Why do we love this music in the first place” and answers with an approach that is true to the originators of the genre in the sense of both style and philosophy. Bluegrass is raw emotion, excitement, drive, and authenticity. It is not sanitized or compromised but a reflection of the lives of those who play it. It’s storytelling that follows a throughline of tradition. With these priorities in mind, they offer their first in a series of live-recorded singles.

Your introduction to the band is “Another Day” a classic tune written and first recorded by Reno and Smiley in the late 50’s. This song choice and performance fit the ethos of the Boys showing the musical prowess of the group which includes John Duncan on banjo, Zeb Gambill on mandolin, Jacob Brewer on bass and vocals, and Marshal Brown on guitar and vocals. The group plans to release more live music this year with studio recording to follow.

Video: https://youtu.be/3X7uWaF21v0?si=FTBxzNIF9CxPMURC

Website: https://ashevillemountainboys.com/home

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Sunny War (SOLD OUT)
Jun
30
7:00 PM19:00

Sunny War (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 6pm, show 7-9pm. Tickets are $20 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

When Sunny War (a.k.a. Sydney Ward) moved into her late father’s house in Chattanooga, she thought the place was haunted. “I spent the winter seeing things and hearing things,” she says. “The house is 100 years old, and I was in there by myself. I could hear people walking around and talking, but when I jumped out of bed with my machete, there was nobody there. I assumed it was my dad, and I started writing about the ghosts that I was living with.” One of those songs, simply titled “Ghosts,” anchors her latest album, Armageddon in a Summer Dress. A kind of slithering blues, driven by her spidery guitarwork and haunted by disembodied voices dopplering in and out as the song fades, it’s a wise-yet-confused meditation on what it means to live with your memories of the dead and the lost.

Sunny’s house wasn’t haunted, at least not the way she initially suspected. “Something broke and I had to fix it, so I called the gas company even though I didn’t have the money. The guy discovered major gas leaks all over the house. I thought I was losing my mind, but I was just hallucinating from the gas. After I got that fixed, I never saw or heard another ghost.” That’s not to say they weren’t there, just that she could no longer detect them and no longer had to sleep with a giant knife next to her bed. But Armageddon is rooted in the disorientation of those hallucinations. In songs that are deeply incisive and keenly imaginative, Sunny ponders the act of crossing boundaries—between worlds, between musical genres, summoning the ghosts of the people she lost, the people she once was, and the people she was not allowed to be. “Just how to hang on to the ones we let go,” she sings on “Ghosts.” “They’ll be down in the ground when you need them most and nowsomehowyoubelieve in ghosts.”

Following the release of her 2022 breakthrough, Anarchist Gospel, Sunny spent less and less time at her not-haunted house and more and more time on the road, opening for Bonnie Raitt, Mitski, Iron & Wine, and Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, among others. When she was back in Chattanooga, she did her best to stay busy, lest she lapse back into the drinking that almost killed her. “If I’m home and not touring, either I’m going to play music all day or I’m going to get drunk. It’s really one or the other. I’m just obsessively trying to work on something so that I’m making healthier decisions that day.”

Video: https://youtu.be/KhxIBgJTOVI?si=9mHJXkTWvqfcEaii&t=525

Website: https://www.sunnywar.com/

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Carrie Welling
Jun
27
8:00 PM20:00

Carrie Welling

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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Fans have loved Welling’s music from the inception and it’s clear to see why. Her bold, sultry voice, reminiscent of Sheryl Crow’s grit, Tom Petty’s pen, and Stevie Nicks’ heart, is upstaged only by the genuine love and connection this natural performer has with her fans both on and off stage.

Welling’s latest album, Crack in the Chaos, invites listeners on a journey to search for the joy in the turmoil, a testament to the belief that even in the darkest times, there is always a glimmer of light to guide us. Each track is a reminder that the struggle itself is a part of that journey. In each “crack” we find confidence and hope - the energy that drives us. 

Melodies rich in Americana pop blend seamlessly with her singer-songwriter roots and empowered, honest lyrics. But while this new collection of songs maintain Welling’s signature raw vulnerability and authenticity - qualities that are essential to her creative process - fans will certainly take note of a more mature and evolved sound.

Fans are not the only ones who have seen Carrie for the brilliant artist she is. From touring with Delta Rae, Wyn Starks, Carbon Leaf, David Cook and Bowen Young to singing on the Melissa Etheridge Cruise and Sail Across the Sun Cruise with Train, Welling’s voice shines boldly and brightly the moment she takes the stage. Whether performing in The Netherlands and Germany, headlining Norwegian Cruises and the Meeting of the Minds Festival, or dazzling crowds at the Songwriter Island Showcase in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, Carrie Welling shows no signs of stopping. 

Website: https://www.carriewelling.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NDQokNqxcA

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Halley Neal (SOLD OUT)
Jun
22
4:00 PM16:00

Halley Neal (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $15 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Halley Neal is an award winning folk singer and songwriter whose live shows center on themes of positivity and peace. The formerly-Nashville-currently-Boston-based artist is often joined by her backing band of upright bass and fiddle. Halley’s lyrical folk-Americana songs are met with her soaring vocals and an upbeat bluegrass inspired instrumentation. Halley has gained national recognition from touring across the country to listening rooms and folk music venues and from her performances at festivals, notably the Kerrville Folk Fest, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Halley released her most recent solo record “Beautiful and Blue” to critical acclaim on September 30th, 2022. Her live shows are remembered for her effortless vocals and honest lyrics.

Graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2019, Halley was chosen from the graduates to perform a song at Berklee’s Commencement Concert at Agganis Arena. The concert honored the 2019 Berklee honorary doctorates, Missy Elliot, Justin Timberlake, and Alex Lacamoire, who all attended the show. In her final semester at Berklee, Halley collaborated with artist Plot Twist and her former band Rose & Kennedy to write and release a single called “Lover” which shortly after gained notable traction on Tik Tok. Since it’s release in July 2019, the song has gained over 27 million streams and has seen global acclaim with covers and Tik Toks of the song posted by people from all over the world.  

Shortly after graduating from college, Halley moved to Nashville, TN where in her first few months, she was a chosen finalist for “Nashville Rising Song,” a premiere songwriting competition. In Nashville, Halley also hosted house concerts in her backyard bringing together a community of independent musicians. In 2020, Halley became an official Guild Guitars artist, and performed a set of original music at the 2021 NAMM Show with Guild. She is also one of the first artists to participate in Guild’s “Factory Sessions” YouTube series, where she performed an original set of songs live in the Guild Guitars factory in Oxnard California. Currently, Halley tours nationally to house concert and listening room venues.  

Halley’s debut self-titled record was released on June 4th, 2021. Halley Neal blends sounds that Neal picked up throughout her time studying at her alma mater, Berklee College of Music, as well as in the city she now calls home, Nashville, TN. The record includes a collaboration with artist Plot Twist and her former band, Rose & Kennedy, in an acoustic version of their song “Lover,” and another which was produced by guitarist for Zac Brown Band and former John Mayer co-writer and producer, Clay Cook.  

Halley released her second album, "Beautiful and Blue" on September 30th, 2022. She made the record while grieving the loss of her grandmother to dementia. Dedicated to her Gram, on “Beautiful & Blue” Neal discovers the joyful parts within sorrow. Her recent sound blends effortless layered vocals with Americana production, and is deeply rooted in ideas of positivity and peace with a throwback to classic folk production.

Video: https://youtu.be/dHHeDcJm8H0

Website: https://halleyneal.com/home

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WHQR Soup to Nuts LIVE! w/ David Dixon (SOLD OUT)
Jun
21
8:00 PM20:00

WHQR Soup to Nuts LIVE! w/ David Dixon (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $12 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Over the last few months, Wilmington, NC songwriter David Dixon has been balancing live performances with writing & recording new music. His latest release, “Before It Gets Too Cold” recently hit 100K streams on Spotify. Dixon was awarded a 2023 Artist Support Grant by New Hanover County. He was also a finalist for the NC Artist Fellowship Award (NC Arts Council). Dixon studied guitar performance at the acclaimed Berklee College of Music in Boston. His musical styles consist of pop, rock, blues & soul. Think John Mayer meets Derek Trucks, with some Ed Sheeran sprinkled on top. Dixon's self-titled album was Mastered by Grammy Award-winner, Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, Beck). His 5-song EP, “The Game” was released in August of 2021 and features his most popular song to date, “Across the Room”, along with a guest appearance by Korey Riker on horns (John Legend) on “Better With You By My Side”.

Dixon performs solo shows while “looping” multiple guitar, percussion & vocal parts. He also plays violin, bass, piano & mandolin. Dixon regularly performs at music festivals, on college campuses, songwriting showcases, house concerts, weddings & corporate events. He opened for Phillip Phillips (American Idol Winner) at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater to a sold-out crowd. Dixon has performed at the NC Seafood Festival in Morehead City, the Beaufort Music Festival, & the Wilmington Wine & Food Festival. He has toured South Korea twice, performing on US military bases for the troops. Dixon has also performed in the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, & all over the US

@daviddixonmusic on all socials

Video: https://youtu.be/8UOsszMBuy4

Website: https://www.daviddixonmusic.com/

About Soup to Nuts Live!: Well into its second decade, WHQR's Soup To Nuts LIVE! has become one of the Cape Fear region's favorite, live-listening experiences, featuring a wide array of musical genres on its stage. STNL!'s recording process reflects its commitment to high quality, ongoing success, and the hard work of its technical staff. Each performance is engineered, multitracked, and edited into a one-hour program for broadcast on an upcoming date. In addition, WHQR forwards and cross-promotes the live event (and the later broadcast) across their website, on-air, social media, and related platforms. Starting in 2023, Live At Ted’s joined in hosting and booking acts for the STNL! show, alternating hosting duties each month with WHQR. Ted’s listening room environment, recording capabilities, and commitment to showcasing original music made for a seamless partnership.

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Brown Dirt Cowboys (SOLD OUT)
Jun
20
8:00 PM20:00

Brown Dirt Cowboys (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $20 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Brown Dirt Cowboys is an American Rock Band from Wilmington, NC. They are noted for their piano driven original music and lively performances with vocal harmonies.

Joel Lamb-Keys. Zak Lanier-Drums. Riley Kearns-Bass. Bobby Lloyd-Guitar. Alex Lanier-Guitar. Andy Stanfill-Horns.

Video: https://youtu.be/Ca31zbWYn10?si=eu1JB8Vo3AfoSjlA

Website: linktr.ee/browndirtcowboys

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Tray Wellington Band
Jun
15
4:00 PM16:00

Tray Wellington Band

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $25 + fees.

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Steve Martin Prize winner and Banjo player Tray Wellington’s approach to the quintessential American instrument is all about looking forward. Also an International Bluegrass Music Association Award winner, Wellington is critically acclaimed not only for his technical prowess, but also for leveraging his unique point of view to craft a one-of-a-kind voice on the instrument. It’s a feat that’s all too rare in these roots genres that seem to value emulation and regurgitation over all else. Instead, Wellington has time and time again reasserted that his playing style, and all of the many varied and disparate parts that combine within it, is wholly his own – and it’s unconcerned with tradition.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G-6POjb0ss

Website: https://traywellington.com/

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Stillhouse Junkies
Jun
14
8:00 PM20:00

Stillhouse Junkies

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $20 + fees. 

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Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as they weave their way through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. 

Based in the Southwestern Colorado town of Durango, the trio consists of founder Fred Kosak on guitar and mandolin, longtime member Alissa Wolf on fiddle, and Jeanette Adams on upright bass.

Formed in 2017, Stillhouse Junkies plan to release their fourth album in early 2025. Their prolific songwriting, tight vocal harmonies, and blistering instrumentals earned them the prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Momentum Band of the Year” award in 2021. 

As they tour relentlessly across the United States and abroad, Stillhouse Junkies are gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting bands in the acoustic music scene. They have played such beloved festivals as Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Rockygrass, Merle Fest, and ROMP, and their busy schedule has seen them supporting Willie Carlisle, The Lil Smokies, and Asleep at the Wheel.

Join us in this Americana experiment and be the one to say you booked Stillhouse Junkies before they were huge. From festivals to performing arts centers - Stillhouse Junkies will deliver a one-of-a-kind experience!

Video: https://youtu.be/9GeNptasy_I?si=oLZEtvBP_hGjrh_B

Website: https://stillhousejunkies.com/#home-section

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Blue Canvas Jazz Quintet (SOLD OUT)
Jun
7
8:00 PM20:00

Blue Canvas Jazz Quintet (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $20 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Jessica Coppola is a jazz vocalist with a timeless sound and a deep reverence for the greats. A graduate of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), she draws her musical inspiration from legends like Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Herbie Hancock, and Bill Evans. Jessica’s style blends classic jazz phrasing with soulful expression.

She will be performing alongside an incredible lineup of musicians: Jerald Shynett on keys, Benny Hill on saxophone, Jon Hill on drums, and Will Beasley on upright bass. Together, they bring a fresh yet classic energy to the stage, delivering a night of jazz that honors tradition while embracing the moment.


Video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-GHK5hvzre/?igsh=c3hzcWFybDV0ZHFo

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Jared Michael Cline & Friends - Jared's Birthday Bash! (SOLD OUT)
Jun
6
8:00 PM20:00

Jared Michael Cline & Friends - Jared's Birthday Bash! (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $10 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Driven by a passion for music and performance, Jared Michael Cline always delivers, and when he does, it usually involves a simple, yet honest, performance. As an active performer, musician, and songwriter in Wilmington, NC, Jared Michael Cline aims to connect with his audiences on a level that digs deep below the surface of each and every person in attendance. Citing his influences as "life, love, and pain", he has no problem using his pen to address thoughts and feelings that are essentially taboo, or plainly, unspoken.

In 2012 he moved to Wilmington, NC to pursue schooling, having fallen in love with the local art and music scene. Since being in Wilmington, he has worked to become a better songwriter and performer, as well as a vocalist,, and has slowly matured and continues to carve his way as an active member of Wilmington's music community. Continually growing and developing, Jared Michael Cline shows immense promise as an artist and songwriter, and will certainly be one to touch even the hardest of hearts through his music.

This is a special JMC & Friends show to celebrate Jared's birthday! Special guests include Tyler McKaig, Mike Blair, Falling for Tuesday, Striking Copper and more...

Website: https://jaredmichaelcline.com/about

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UjETnDvHDQ

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Dear MariBella & The Pigkickers (SOLD OUT)
Jun
1
4:00 PM16:00

Dear MariBella & The Pigkickers (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $15 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Dear MariBella and the Pigkickers are an up-and-coming sibling bluegrass band. Born and raised near Wilmington, NC, the band was formed in 2021 by the siblings when they decided that there was no reason not to! The band is composed of Isabella on the fiddle, AnnMari on the guitar, Pete on the banjo and Chris on the mandolin. They are set to serenade your soul with their harmonious melodies and foot stomping fun. With music rooted deeply in the Blue Ridge Mountains and feet planted firmly in the Carolina sand, their style is not just a sound, but a journey through family ties and tradition. Catch a live show and get ready to be swept off your feet as they infuse their performances with a blend of music, faith, kinship, and a whole lot of heart. 

Website: https://dearmaribella.com/

Video: https://youtu.be/ozPPIOGvcSw?si=Iw4jPqSNtJJhnCRY

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The Fabulous Nitelife Boogie (SOLD OUT)
May
31
8:00 PM20:00

The Fabulous Nitelife Boogie (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Hey now! It’s the Fabulous Nite-life Boogie, bringing the swingin’ sounds of 1940–1960 and beyond to the modern times. Jump, jive, rock-n-roll, straight-up swing and even a right turn into the Blue Note era of jazz. This is not a cover band, not an oldies act but a love letter to a sound that keeps toes tapping, fingers snapping and the crowd yelling “Hey bartender! Make it double!” It’s the nite-life, boogie it’s the all-night boogie for joy!

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTb0CmRgT7g

Website: https://www.nitelifeboogie.com/

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Justin Cody Fox (SOLD OUT)
May
30
8:00 PM20:00

Justin Cody Fox (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Justin Cody Fox is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Wilmington, NC. Justin gained regional notoriety for his guitar skills at the age of 15 and has been performing professionally since then. Over the years Justin has written and recorded multiple albums and toured up and down the east coast and Virgin Islands, sharing the stage with many great national acts including: Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Alice Cooper, Whiskey Falls, Thin Lizzy) Vince Neil (Motley Crue) Mother's Finest, David Lee Roth (Van

Halen), Blackfoot, Cowboy Mouth, Joe Bonamassa, Frank Bangs (Buddy Guy) American Minor, The Steepwater Band, The Trews, Will Hoge, Hubert Sumlin, Sonny Landruth, Chris Duarte, Zoso, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Three Doors Down, Rusted Root, Candlebox, Marshall Tucker Band, Shooter Jennings, Blackberry Smoke, Buddy Guy, Gregg Allman Tab Benoit, Donna the Buffalo, Audley Freed, Ford Thurston and many others.

Justin signed with Spectra Music Group in 2017 to release his sophomore album "Go Down Swinging". Justin's latest singles are a well balanced showcase of smart songwriting and polished musicianship For his latest group of recordings Justin teamed up with Legendary Guitarist Audley Freed to record what would be known as the "Three Days in Nashville" EP. The project was Produced by Mr. Freed and enlisted the Allstar talents of Audley himself(guitars), Robert kearns(Bass/Vocals), Jen Gunderman(Keys) and Fred Eltringham(Drums). Hear the tracks here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5s5QDgs3iRk3fFi5XlY9qG?si=0f1f12d8aecb459d

Website: http://www.justincodyfox.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvLZ-_MKKjU

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Soul-R Fusion
May
25
4:00 PM16:00

Soul-R Fusion

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $10 + fees.

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Soul-R Fusion is Tim Koehler (acoustic guitar / vocals) and Alex Goodell (fretless bass).  They started collaborating as a duo in 2015 and developed an original sound by blending diverse musical influences and unique approaches to their instruments and to songwriting.  Perhaps best described as modern bluesy-folk with a touch of singer-songwriter storytelling, Soul-R Fusion’s music highlights ethereal fretless basslines and rhythmic acoustic guitar, that together complement intelligent, heartfelt lyrics. ​

Based in Wilmington N.C., the duo are focused on writing and performing their own original music.  Soul-R Fusion’s music is optimistic and highlights the common experiences and connections people share.  Their songs and live performances are uplifting, positive experiences that will draw you in and make you feel good.

Website: https://soulrfusion.wixsite.com/website-2

Video: https://youtu.be/DFOfq1ht7EY

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Catesby Jones (SOLD OUT)
May
23
8:00 PM20:00

Catesby Jones (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $10 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Catesby Jones was born in Versailles, Kentucky and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio. As a young man, he began writing original compositions, playing in folk clubs in Boston, and touring on the fabled New York college coffeehouse circuit. He has held steady gigs in Cleveland, the Virgin Islands, a Kingsville, Texas honky tonk, the Rum Boogie Cafe in Memphis, and The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. He won the Kerrville New Folk Competition in 1982 and, as a staff writer in Nashville, co-wrote Travis Tritt's breakout hit 'Country Club'. In 1993, he moved to Wilmington, NC where he has performed extensively and pursues his prolific songwriting career, collaborating with talented local characters like Jamie Hoover, Jim Ellis, and others.

Website: https://catesbyjones.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjG2FC_rgBk

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Les Fontanelles (SOLD OUT)
May
18
4:00 PM16:00

Les Fontanelles (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $20 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Les Fontanelles of Wilmington, NC, have deep roots in the North Carolina coast, which probably explains their mixture of sweet, but salty sensibilities. Their style and harmony driven sound can be attributed to the influences of Townes Van Zandt, Dire Straits, The Byrds, and Blaze Foley, then rounded out with undercurrents of Bonnie Prince Billy, Mazzy Star, and Magnolia Electric Co. The music is made with the belief that life is filled with heartache, but laughter and love is what makes the journey beautiful. It's the perfect balance between "supper at grandma's" and "put the youngins to bed, so grown folks can visit." Be prepared to cry, cackle, and blush before it's all said and done.

The five-piece folk group is comprised of members of Wilmington's No Dollar $hoes (Carson Jewell, Jesse Jewell, Richard Welsh), Masonboro Sound (Shane Lippard), and The Barnraisers (Tiff Reece Jewell).

Recordings:https://open.spotify.com/album/01UiYNTfZDwpDJRDBGFcdP?si=9FH0QS0oSO2EhCSTWYplWA

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Blue Cactus
May
17
8:00 PM20:00

Blue Cactus

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $12 in advance + fees, $15 at the door.

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Blue Cactus got their start among the active honky-tonk circuit of North Carolina, developing an electrified twang that now branches out effortlessly into folk, alt-country, and psychedelic-tinged rock. Having released two records to critical acclaim, they have grown a cult following in the South and beyond, their introspective lyricism and blistering guitar techniques making the band potent in the studio and on stage.  Their songs are currently featured in NPR Live Sessions and Billboard with albums reviewed in Paste, American Songwriter, and No Depression who praised their ability to paint “beautiful pictures of limitless possibility” in roots music. Their third studio album, Believer, is set to release April 25 via Sleepy Cat Records.

 

Website: https://www.bluecactusmusic.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ns9ieUXsjo

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Randy McQuay (SOLD OUT)
May
16
8:00 PM20:00

Randy McQuay (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $10 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

RANDY MCQUAY is a talented singer / songwriter and roots musician from North Carolina. He performs around the country with his band and as a solo acoustic artist offering an eclectic mix of soulful sounds and rhythms. With sincere lyrics and accomplished musicianship, Randy is a masterful storyteller who plays from the heart. His set is one not to miss, blending Blues, folk, rock & roll, funk, and Americana roots music from behind his harmonic and guitar.

He has performed at festivals and on premier stages all around the US including local events such as the Cape Fear Blues Festival in Wilmington, NC, the Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival Kure Beach, and the GoodVibes Brewfest in Carolina Beach. He has won numerous awards including the International Blues Challenge (3-Time Finalist), the prestigious Lee Oskar Harmonica Award, Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence, Cape Fear Blues Challenge Solo (3-time winner!), and was voted ‘Best Musician’ in encore magazine’s Best of 2020.

A few years ago, he released his first solo album, “Solo.” In 2017 he released a followup, “My Kind of Blues.”

Do not miss this incredible Wilmington, NC musician!

Website: randymcquay.com

Video: https://youtu.be/OokrXbi54Y4

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Kyran Daniel (SOLD OUT)
May
10
8:00 PM20:00

Kyran Daniel (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $20.

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‘I knew at that time he would be an incredible force in music…he was always received with thunderous applause and standing ovations…’ - Tommy Emmanuel AM

‘likely the most influential acoustic guitar composer of his generation … publicly unsung, his pieces have shaped the progression of the art form since his emergence onto the world stage, only growing stronger through his dormancy … we’re excited to see what this master of the guitar presents in his renaissance’

Guitarist, Composer, Producer and Musical Director, Kyran Daniel began his career performing alongside Grammy Nominee Tommy Emmanuel on stages spanning the globe. His debut album ‘Per Se’ became a highly influential work in the acoustic guitar world, opening the door to his attendance of the prestigious Berklee College of Music studying under the greatest songwriting & production professors in contemporary music.

Following his time at Berklee, Kyran focussed on the roles of songwriter & producer for a cohort of Australian artists including G Flip, Gretta Ray, and Kingswood. His diverse musical palette and superlative musicianship saw him fast become one of Australia’s finest studio talents, and a go-to for artists & labels domestically & abroad, with credits including Gretta Ray’s ARIA Nominated Album ‘Begin To Look Around’ (EMI), G Flip’s #1 ARIA Charting Album ‘Drummer’ (4x ARIA Nominated), and Australian & European tours and televised performances with legendary rock group Kingswood.

2022 saw Kyran return to his most authentic musical form as a solo artist, with sold-out concerts including the opening of ‘The Picasso Century’ at NGV International, and a triumphant return to European and American stages alongside mentor Tommy Emmanuel.

Kyran is currently completing his renaissance solo album amidst a string of 2023 European performances. Expect a new chapter of emotive compositions drawing upon rich global influences, cinematic soundscapes, and virtuosic performances from the heart.

Website: https://www.kyrandaniel.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW1hHD9_oBI

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Justin Hoke & Marc Siegel
May
9
8:00 PM20:00

Justin Hoke & Marc Siegel

Doors open at 7pm, show 8-10pm. Tickets are $15 + fees.

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Join us for an evening of acoustic jazz guitar duo music with Justin Hoke and Marc Siegel at Wilmington’s premier listening room. The concert will feature an eclectic blend of songs and styles arranged for guitar duo.

Justin Hoke is an active soloist, chamber musician, composer, and educator based in Wilmington, North Carolina. He has been featured as a soloist on classical and electric guitar with the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, Panama City Orchestra, Florida State University Orchestra, and the Appalachian State University Guitar Orchestra. He currently performs throughout the region as a member of the North Carolina Guitar Quartet and the Cypress Duo. Justin Hoke currently serves on the music faculty at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Awards include first prize in the 2012 Florida State University Doctoral Concerto Competition, Florida State University graduate teaching assistantship 2010-2013, top prize in the 2010 Appalachian Guitarfest International Competition, top prize in the 2010 Music Academy of North Carolina Guitar Competition. His solo album Open Sky was released in 2015: “Superbly played… very highly recommended” –Marvin J. Ward, CVNC.org.

Dr. Hoke has previously served as a guitar instructor at Coastal Carolina University, Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College, Appalachian State University, and Emory and Henry College.

Marc Siegel is an accomplished guitarist and dedicated educator at Cape Fear Community College, where he combines his passion for music with a deep commitment to his students. As a longtime part of the CFCC community, Siegel has inspired countless aspiring musicians, always going above and beyond to ensure his students not only develop technical skills but also a lifelong love for music.

His teaching philosophy centers on fostering creativity, confidence, and personal growth, and he takes immense pride in helping his students succeed both in the classroom and on stage. Siegel’s genuine care for his students shines through, and his influence extends well beyond the notes he plays on his guitar.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AefqGth6sW8

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Laura McLean's Songwriter Showcase
May
7
7:00 PM19:00

Laura McLean's Songwriter Showcase

Doors open at 6pm, show 7-9pm. Tickets are $10 + fees.

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Wilmington Guitar Guru, Laura McLean, curates a night of local songwriters on the Ted's stage! Artists performing include:

Moss Watts

Josh Youse

Kelly Zullo

Nathan Gerry

Laura McLean

This showcase is a longtime Ted's favorite and always such a fun evening. Come out and see for yourself!

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Ted's Closed - Whitney sings with Wilmington Voices!
May
2
to May 4

Ted's Closed - Whitney sings with Wilmington Voices!

Wilmington Voices presents Considering Matthew Shepherd at Kenan Auditorium

Friday, May 2nd at 7:30pm

Sunday, May 4th at 3:00pm

About the work: Inspired by the 1998 murder of a young gay man in Wyoming, Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard, premiered in 2016 and has since been performed by more than 30 ensembles around the world, sharing the work’s message of compassion and understanding.

This three-part fusion oratorio with choir and orchestra speaks with a fresh and bold voice, incorporating a variety of musical styles seamlessly woven into a unified whole. Johnson sets a wide range of poetic and soulful texts by poets including Hildegard of Bingen, Lesléa Newman, Michael Dennis Browne, and Rumi. Passages from Matthew Shepard’s personal journal, interviews and writings from his parents Judy and Dennis Shepard, newspaper reports, and additional texts by Johnson and Browne are poignantly appointed throughout the work.

Wilmington Voices will perform Considering Matthew Shepard at UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium. Admission will be $25, and a portion of every ticket sold will be donated to the Matthew Shepard Foundation to support their mission to amplify the story of Matthew Shepard to inspire individuals, organizations, and communities to embrace the dignity and equality of all people.

Get Your Tickets Here

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WHQR Soup to Nuts Live! w/ Courtney Lynn & Quinn (SOLD OUT)
Apr
27
4:00 PM16:00

WHQR Soup to Nuts Live! w/ Courtney Lynn & Quinn (SOLD OUT)

Doors open at 3pm, show 4-6pm. Tickets are $15 + fees. This show is SOLD OUT!

Courtney Lynn & Quinn, an Americana duo based in Wilmington, N.C., features married frontwomen Courtney Lynn Russell and Quinn Russell. They began their musical journeys separately in Charlotte, N.C.—Courtney with her indie-folk style and Quinn with her soulful voice. As they started performing together at open mics and songwriter nights, their musical chemistry became evident, leading them to form a duo in 2018.


Their debut EP, Remiss, came out in 2020, and they have continued to create and release music since. Their sound blends Courtney's folk influences with Quinn’s soulful touch, often drawing inspiration from artists like Brandi Carlile. Their songs tackle themes such as navigating toxic relationships and celebrating love.
Whether performing for small crowds or large audiences, Courtney Lynn & Quinn deliver energetic shows, mixing heartfelt songs with personal stories and playful marital banter. Their live performances reflect their genuine connection and commitment to their craft.

Courtney Lynn & Quinn are grateful for their many accomplishments over the years including their interview with NPR’s Amplifier Podcast and being featured in many regional publications for their live performances and recorded music. They have performed on NBC’s Charlotte Today and were winners of the national Songwriter Universe contest for "Best Song of the Month" for their original music.

About Soup to Nuts Live!: Well into its second decade, WHQR's Soup To Nuts LIVE! has become one of the Cape Fear region's favorite, live-listening experiences, featuring a wide array of musical genres on its stage. STNL!'s recording process reflects its commitment to high quality, ongoing success, and the hard work of its technical staff. Each performance is engineered, multitracked, and edited into a one-hour program for broadcast on an upcoming date. In addition, WHQR forwards and cross-promotes the live event (and the later broadcast) across their website, on-air, social media, and related platforms. Starting in 2023, Live At Ted’s joined in hosting and booking acts for the STNL! show, alternating hosting duties each month with WHQR. Ted’s listening room environment, recording capabilities, and commitment to showcasing original music made for a seamless partnership.

Website: https://www.courtneylynnandquinn.com/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qtj4YijE1c

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