Triad Musicians Matter – 2022 Non-Profit Sponsor
The Summer Solstice Festival is proud to announce a partnership with Triad Musicians Matter, a local non profit organization founded to help musicians in a time of need. In many cases in our community, it’s the musicians who are the first to offer their time and talents to help raise funds for many worthy local and global causes. It is the purpose of Triad Musicians Matter to be a vehicle to which the community can give back to those generous and artistic people when they themselves are in need.
Triad Musicians Matter, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit corporation created in 2011 for the purpose of providing Triad North Carolina musicians and their families financial support in cases of sudden illness, hospitalization, accident, death, or displacement from home due to fire or natural disasters. Visit Triad Musicians Matter to learn how you can donate or apply for assistance.
Renee Henry
Renee’s a veteran performer who has been fortunate enough to bring her harp and vocals to every Solstice festival, except those interrupted by Covid. Part of the fabled “Awake the White and Wintry Queen” cast, Renee brings over 30 years of performance experience to the stage. In 2020, she was chosen best female vocalist in “Triad City Beat’s Best of” edition. In addition to her Celtic and traditional music, she has performed Americana, jazz, swing, folk and currently is lead singer and plays keys in the band GypsySoul, Her ongoing passion is music that creates a vibe of healing in her listeners. She chooses her songs to touch their hearts, minds and souls.
Emanuel Wynter
Emanuel Wynter is a violinist/singer/songwriter residing in North Carolina. His musical journey started at the age of 6 when he was signed up for violin classes in the first grade. 17 years later, Emanuel’s dedication to music, as well as his time as a professional violinist, has exposed him to musical styles ranging from classic rock to jazz. Emanuel’s influences are all ingredients at the table, combining flavors to create music is a partnership of the contemporary sounds of neo-soul, funk, and r&b with the sounds of a traditional instrument, the violin. His sweet and soulful displays are a unique spectacle that you don’t want to miss.
SunQueen Kelcey and the Soular Flares
SunQueen Kelcey has two things at the center of her music: body positivity and radical self love.
These are more than ingredients to her lyrics, they are her soul; and she has such a strong calling to these tenets that watching her at the mic is more than a concert. Her musical style is a genre -bending collage of hip-hop, soul, rock, and contemporary R&B, call it soul-rock. She delivers an energetic and passionate performance complete with her live band The Soular Flares. Specializing in blending her original music with Top Billboard Hit covers, she is the center of a universal sound that aims to unite her listeners over a shared experience.
She began her performance career with Dalton Village, a group that blended R&B and rap. As their lead vocalist, she gained experience performing live, but after the band broke up she was launched on a solo career. She decided to create a backing band for her music with the former guitarist of Dalton Village, Kolin Robinson, and called it SunQueen and the Soular Flares. Creating this group was a pivotal moment that led to her receiving the 2017 R&B Artist of the Year Award by the Artist Bloc. The band has two guitarists (Malcom Dickens & Kolin Robinson), a bassist (Darion Jones), keyboardist/trombone player (Tyrissa Swilley) and drummer (Jamese Moses). Every member is multi-talented, either bringing other instruments into the mix or by adding to the group through graphic design. The band grooves and together they add flare to the original lyrics created by Kelcey and accomplish dynamic covers.
“I just like to empower people to love themselves, practice bodily autonomy, mind their business
and allow themselves to feel a full range of emotions and not be ashamed of it. And of course, I
stay promoting body positivity and radical self-love. It’s a gender-expansive movement and I’m
committed to it” Kelcey says. Her commitment to empowerment is what helped Kelcey sign a
record deal with indie label, Smart Mouth Records LLC based in Durham, NC. She is devoted to
improving the space she is in, from organizing group events, to lending her talents to her countless friends. She is a rock star and a hometown hero.
Joy Band
Citing Maya Angelou’s, “we need joy as we need air,” the Joy Band sees songwriter Molly McGinn and pedal-steel player DaShawn Hickman, team up with Sam Frazier and his Side Effects’ rhythm section: bassist, Chris Micca, and drummer, Cliff Greeson, to round out something of a Triad super group, looking to break ruts, shake butts, and share a smile or two.
Shiela’s Traveling Circus
Shiela’s Traveling Circus is all about The Blues!
This band came out of the Local Blues Jams run By Shiela Klinefelter where Blues Loving musicians get together and play The Blues. Playing with a revolving cast of character’s to keep it fun and interesting!
Regular Castmembers:
Shiela Klinefelter Ringleader (Guitar and Vocals)
Chuck Cotton King Of The Drums (Drums and Vocals))
Rob French Louisiana Alligator Trainer (Harmonica)
Richard Hanner Master of The Live Wire (Guitar)
Scott Nixon World’s Strongest Man (Bass)
We Love to play the Blues!
Second Line Stompers
The Second Line Stompers play in the highly energetic and uplifting Early Jazz style; also referred to as New Orleans Jazz, Early Jazz, Dixieland or Traditional Jazz. The ten year old band is from the greater Raleigh area and stays busy performing in clubs, dances and at festivals throughout the region. Each player brings many years of experience playing in and leading numerous different musical groups in the region, such as: Gregg Gelb Swing Band, La Fiesta Latin Jazz Quintet, Atomic Rhythm All Stars, North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra, Dick Gable All Stars, and the Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra. The group has authentic New Orleans roots in its cornetist, Greg Cagle, who grew up listening to live performances by authentic traditional New Orleans and early swing musicians at live performances in his home in the New York/New Jersey area. The band’s repertoire consists of music by Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke and many of the great early jazz standards.
Gregg Gelb, clarinet and tenor sax
Greg Cagle, cornet and vocals
Dillard Moss, trombone
George Knott, bass and tuba
Dave Albert, drums
Liontracks
Liontracks Roots Reggae Band is a homegrown, grassroots reggae band born in Winston-Salem NC. Liontracks Roots Reggae Band has entertained fans for over three decades with hundreds of original songs with their most recent CD “Monumental” located on all major music platforms. Liontracks Roots Reggae Band brings a timeless reggae sound that is embraced by fans all over the world and will have you dancing on your feet.
Caique Vidal
Born in Salvador, Bahia, Caique Vidal is a singer, multi- instrumentalist, songwriter and music educator steeped in the Afro-Brazilian tradition. He started his artistic path early when he began to participate in social projects in his hometown, including the Olodum Mirin project. Looking closely, you can spot Caique in Michael Jackson’s music video “They don’t care about us’’ (1993) as part of the Olodum ensemble! Opting to pursue his formal musical education, Caique joined the school of arts Liceu de Artes e Oficios da Bahia. He studied with Sergio Souto (conductor, music educator and arranger) and started to deepen his knowledge of the choral arts. At the school, Caique participated in many national and international tours and had the privilege of sharing the stage with internationally acclaimed artists Suzana Baca, Carlinhos Brown, and Gilberto Gil, among many others.
Professionally, Caique began working with the Balé Folclórico da Bahia in 2002. For nine years, Caique toured internationally with the group, showcasing Afro-Brazilian culture and traditions in countries like the United States, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Colombia, Venezuela and others.
Housewife
A mix of everything!
