SOT Music

Durham-based musician A.yoni Jeffries understands discouragement. Her latest album, “Potential Gon’ Pay,” was delayed three times this year. But the 25-year-old never stays discouraged for long. In the interim, while she awaited a new release date, she focused her attention on a new endeavor, Handèwa Farms, which she launched in December 2019 with eight partners. 

Like SZA’s groundbreaking R&B album "Ctrl" (2017), Nikki Morgan’s "30 Something" puts to bed the gendered expectations of adulthood. On her first full-length album, the Wilkes County artist weaves her lilting music together with intimate vignettes of women reflecting on their age.

Hurricane Dorian swept away Javier Montano’s dream of winning the nationally televised talent competition “Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento.” After the storm cancelled his flight to California, Montano had to recalibrate his expectations. 

Nora Knapp turns her dreams into song lyrics. Three-year-old voice memos on her phone become foundations for melodies and song titles. These chance inspirations are the building blocks of Knapp’s new album “Contradox.” 

The Doug Prescott Band started in 1996 as a musical project between friends. Now, its an evolving group of up to eight people who create Americana folk tunes. Frontman Doug Prescott got started in music when he picked up a trumpet in the fourth grade. Songwriting came naturally to him, and it has been a lifelong passion. 

Fans of Southern Soul have been yearning for new music from country crossover artist Rissi Palmer. Slated for release on Oct. 22, 2019, “Revival” will be her first album since “The Back Porch Sessions” EP in 2015. 

Shay Martin Lovette grew up paddling and playing soccer in Wilkesboro with his brother Chad. Every spring, Lovette watched musicians and their followers flood his little mountain town for Merlefest, the popular roots music festival. More and more came each year as the festival grew. Lovette took notes from legends like Doc Watson and young arrivals like the Avett Brothers. He also listened to his father strum, and decided to pick up a guitar himself.

The Carrboro-based band Dissimilar South is focused on transitions right now. Their recent debut EP, “Treehouse,” tracks the bittersweet flavors of change as a relationship ends. It contrasts the desire for nostalgia with dreams of the future. All of the band members have recently graduated from college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where they met and began the band.

The Asheville-based swing group Queen Bee and The Honeylovers made their entire debut album a tribute to their beloved hometown. “Asheville” came out in late April and features tunes about the historical characters and legends of the city in the style of a 1920s swing record.

Durham-based guitar player Jon Shain and bassist FJ Ventre have known each other since high school. They have played music together on and off for more than three decades, and Ventre has played on or produced all of Shain’s CDs.

Singer-songwriter Abigail Dowd’s latest album reflects her years-long process of coming home. In 2009 the folk artist moved to Florence, Italy and then to Maine in search of herself. She swore she would never come back.

Pianist Ernest Turner’s latest album is an ode to black American music. “My Americana” came out earlier this month, and it features jazz compositions by Stevie Wonder, Fats Waller, Kenny Kirkland and other African-American artists. Instead of playing classic jazz standards, Turner chose to highlight black composers. 

Music is in Faith Jones’ blood. Her father plays piano; her mother sings, and the two met in a band in the 1980s. Growing up, Jones and her family listened to a wide range of music around the house, from jazz to classic rock. 

Mystery Hillbillies are a band of misfits. The band is frontwoman Michelle Belanger and a rotating cast of “sidemen.” The group plays a wide range of music, including country, western swing and blues from the early 1940s to today.

The Pinhook in Durham has won local awards for being the best gay bar in the Triangle, but it is not actually a gay bar. The music venue and bar is an inclusive space that prides itself on belonging to the community — and not just the LGBTQ community.

The sound of Sidecar Social Club is rooted in the grit and authenticity of old jazz, but their performances are not stuck in the past. The band incorporates elements of rhythm and blues, Latin music and even rock. 

Eric Hirsh’s parents met at a conservatory, so music was a staple in their home. Like many children, he began music lessons at a young age. But how many take jazz piano at the tender age of eight? Jazz would become his love. 

Duo D. Shawn and Soul say their debut album takes on a different tone than the “turn up” or party songs that loom large in the rhythm and blues scene. According to the artists, a significant amount of R&B music does not show the true depth of who a woman really is, and their release “Ya Girl’s Playlist” is an effort to counter that one-dimensional narrative.

Valerie June is known for her eclectic voice, energetic on-stage performance and soulful lyrics. She was born in Tennessee, raised in the church and got her start in the music biz by helping out her dad who promoted artists like Prince and Bobby Womack.

 Last year, the Craven Arts Council and Gallery asked Jon Shain to do a tribute show featuring the music of W.C. Handy. He decided to take on the musical challenge of turning music for cornet and big band into music that a solo guitar and singer could perform. He transcribed hours of old piano music and listened to hours of full band recordings of Handy’s music. He re-arranged the music to work for solo guitar and voice.

Canadian multi-instrumentalist Rozalind MacPhail fell in love with Wilmington when she was stationed there for an artist residency as part of the Cucalorus Festival. She was inspired to create an audiovisual project featuring short films about why people feel connected to the city.

Christy Hopkins trained in classical music, but her heart led her to the soulful sound of Americana blues.

Cameron Carpenter has had a unique perspective on the organ from a very young age. While many of us first discovered organ music in concert halls or church services, Carpenter discovered the organ through a picture in his Childcraft Encyclopedia set when he was four years old.

For Autumn Brand and Casey Allen, every song starts with a story. As soon as the couple began dating, they also began crafting songs based on their personal experiences and upbringing. They are featured as the pop-rock duo Season & Snare in the new arts project from the City of Raleigh called "Oak City Sessions."

Jack the Radio’s new album Badlands stretches outside the Raleigh band’s Americana comfort zone. The album's musical recipe is one half blues-rock and the other half experimental synthesizers.

Host Frank Stasio talks with the band about it’s new “cosmic country” album and marketing music in the modern age. Jack the Radio is: George Hage on acoustic guitar and vocals, A.C. Hill on acoustic guitar and vocals, Chris Sayles on hand percussion and vocals, and Danny Johnson on dobro and vocals.

Durham native Jon Stickley has jumped around from Indy rock bands to renowned bluegrass groups like Big Fat Gap and Town Mountain.

But he's found another musical home in Asheville with his newest creation, the Jon Stickley Trio. 

Jon has combined his experience with rock, bluegrass and Americana with two other talented musicians who have classical and hip-hop backgrounds.

Durham guitarist Jon Shain recorded an album of covers in 2014 entitled Reupholstered. 

Singer-songwriter Chris Staples has spent much of his career as a backup musician for other artists.