BIPOC Community

Mercy Bell was raised in California and New England, and lived in New York City, and Arkansas before finally settling in Nashville. Her sound is deeply influenced by traditional roots music, folk and country western songs of the 1960s-70s, and songwriters of the 1990s. As an openly queer Filipino-American woman who has lived all over the United States and grapples with the hard truths of life, Bell offers a fresh and dynamic approach to folk music.

Mylo Choy finds comfort in the spaces between things. As a mixed-race and non-binary person, moving between worlds feels like home to them. Born and raised in Wisconsin, they also developed a strong connection to Hawai'i, where their mother is from. For over 10 years they worked in outdoor education, living and working in many places including Maine and Hawai’i, but mostly between the woods of Upstate New York and New York City. They currently live in the Hudson Valley, exploring planting roots in one place for a while. Mylo’s range of work — music, graphic stories, and comics — uses the inherent tension of multimedia to bring to life their space between worlds. Inspired by nature’s ability to offer peace and perspective, their work reflects without dwelling and soothes without escaping.

Luisa Lopez is a singer songwriter from Houston Texas and has been writing and recording in Nashville for 2 decades. Steeped in the influences of soul and country, which is at the heart of her storytelling, Lopez has developed her own distinctive sound on the Americana landscape.

Early Career: Toured as guitarist with Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, Stevie Wonder. My country career began in the early eighties as I was a band leader for Country As Country Soulman O. B. McClinton after his passing then a solo act. I was known as "The Chocolate Cowboy" Recorded my first country album 1980 @ Arthur Smith's studio in Charlotte, NC. Country Star" Have always been drawn to country music the stories, the sincerity. I have recorded an performed R&B, Soul, Blues & Country. Rock House Records in Greensboro, NC .

Digs cool beats

StormMiguel Florez is a trans masque, queer Xicane audio and visual artist who has been writing and performing music for over 30 years. He started out as a young lesbian-identified performer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, performing solo and in the all dyke rock band, Too F.I.N.E. Minds and moved to San Francisco in the mid-90s where he recorded two solo albums and transitioned into becoming a performance artist and filmmaker. Today he mostly focuses on filmmaking but still likes to take out his guitar and perform for his friends over the internet. His music has got a twang to it.

At first glance, you may think you’re seeing double. After taking a closer look, you’ll realize that you’re staring at twin brothers who bare their soul every time they hit the stage. CMT has raved, “For nearly the past decade, Derek’s twanging baritone and Brandon’s timeless Southern soul tenor have wowed audiences...that established trend continues.” Their sound was born and bred in the hills of their Versailles, KY hometown. Brandon and Derek didn't always have music pegged as their future.  However, after deciding to attend college in separate states they realized they weren't happy and started considering their next move.  Both knew they wanted to pursue music, so they decided to do it together and soon found themselves packing up their teenaged bedrooms and with their parent's help moving to Nashville, TN. These two are known for their positive and high-energy personalities and talents. Music and fan connection are of the utmost importance to them and you can both see and hear it in their interactions with their listeners. The young men have been galloping uphill and it looks as if nothing can keep The Kentucky Gentlemen from chasing the sun.

Based in Oakland, California, Amina Shareef Ali performs songs of love and struggle, of pain and wonder, of loss and redemption. Lyrics by turns poignant and sardonic are set against a backdrop of American music both traditional and modern, from folk to punk to country to jazz to rock and roll.

Country music singer/songwriter from Texas. Currently living in Nashville. My brand of country music you will be sure to find something for everyone from classic country to Pop country and everything in between.

"Loamlands is a distorted country music outfit based in North Carolina that places queer storytelling at the forefront. Their music intimately grapples with identity, pronouns and experiencing a queer existence in both modern-day and historical southern culture. LOAMLANDS IS A PROJECT BUILT OUT OF A LOVE OF SOUTHERN QUEER CULTURE AND A DESIRE TO LISTEN TO AND TELL STORIES OF QUEER COMMUNITY USING ASPECTS OF STORY TELLING FROM TRADITIONAL ENVELOPE PUSHERS THAT CAME BEFORE US. WE'RE OBSESSED WITH ELDERS AND DISTORTION. WE HOPE SOME OF THESE STORIES CONNECT WITH YOU AND PRESERVE / REFLECT OUR LIVED QUEER SOUTH. QUEER - NONBINARY - COUNTRY MUSIC LOVING - ARIES RISING PISCES SUN SECRET MOON - THRILLING STABILITY SEEKER - FOLK - STORY TELLER - AVID LISTENER - FM DJ - ELDER YEARNER - NORM DESTROYER - HAIR PHOBIC - SECRET KEEPER - ANY INSTRUMENT PLAYER - COMMUNITY OBSESSED - FRIEND OF DOROTHY'S"

Jake Blount is an award-winning banjoist, fiddler, singer and scholar based in Providence, RI. He is half of the internationally touring duo Tui, a 2020 Strathmore Artist in Residence and a board member of Bluegrass Pride. He is a 2020 recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. Although he is proficient in multiple performance styles, he specializes in the music of Black and indigenous communities in the southeastern United States, and in the regional style of Ithaca, New York. He foregrounds the experiences of queer people and people of color in his work.