Listen to Jonell Mosser just once in concert and you’ll be an instant believer. She sings with all-out passion and heart. No frills. No games. Just a soulful intensity that makes you realize you’re in the presence of the real thing, not some manufactured, corporate-approved diva of the sort littering the landscape these days.  By STEVE MORSE, former staff writer at the Boston Globe for nearly 30 years, who has also written for Billboard and served on the nominating committee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jonell is as honest as they come, both in her personal life and in her music. Her voice is stunning in its raw power, scope, and ability to take you places where you’ve never been. In addition to her four official album releases, she will be releasing a new album this year.   Jonell's Music Journey Past Jonell started singing at a young age, rising to do jazz standards in piano bars in her childhood home of Louisville. Her dad, a retired Air Force Master Sargent, had died of a heart attack when she was 3, so she was brought up by her mother, Joy, who loved jazz. “I listened to all the big band stuff,” Jonell recalls. “I loved Rosemary Clooney, Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday. She bought me 45s and albums from the time I was 5 or 6. Later on, my brother had great records by Jethro Tull, Al Green and Dobie Gray.” And what about Janis Joplin, to whom she has been compared? “I didn’t like her at first. Janis seemed unattainable. And on the other side, Aretha Franklin seemed unattainable. So I was drawn more to men’s voices, like when I heard Otis Redding for the first time. And James Taylor, of course. I adored him and Jackson Browne and Dan Fogelberg. And then I found Lowell George and Little Feat.” She also loved Texas singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt {whom she first met in Bowling Green around 1978 or ’79} and her debut album was a 1996 compilation of Townes covers called “Around Townes.” Solo Projects Her second album was “So Like Joy” in 2000, a smart, sophisticated batch of songs that Jonell wrote with John Hall (of Orleans fame) and Johanna Hall. They have been major believers in her. The disc included the high-arcing ballad “Do You Love Me” and the stylish title track, about letting go of regret. It is a connoisseur’s record. Next up was “Enough Rope,” a 2001 album that Allmusic.com proclaimed had “enough class, muscle and tough grace to stand out from the pack.” Then a lull followed as Jonell turned to raising her sons, before her “powerful “Trust Yourself” CD came out. The title track was a Dylan song given new heft by Jonell, while other stand outs were three co-writes with the Halls, and a sax-laced soul version of Harlan Howard’s “The Chokin’ Kind.” And perhaps the most intriguing project she’s been involved with in the last few years or so is being one of the Freedom Singers, who perform under the auspices of the First Amendment Center headed by former USA Today editor Ken Paulson. They feature songs that were once banned or censored, such as George M. Cohan’s “You’re a Grand Old Rag” (later changed to “Grand Old Flag”) and the controversial Billie Holiday tune, “Strange Fruit. ”It adds up to a highly unique career with no end in sight. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in this business, but I feel successful as a human being,” says Jonell. I play and sing every day” “I’ve gotten to sing with Mavis Staples. I’ve gotten to sing with Levon Helm, and with Sam Moore, Bruce Cockburn, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. I’ve gotten to meet and play music with so many great people, most of whom I feel I can call my friends” “That means everything to me” Now it could be Jonell’s moment to grab the spotlight. “I feel a tidal wave coming,” she says hopefully. “I just don’t want to get buried by it. I want to ride it.

Maura O'Connell is an Irish singer. She is known for her contemporary interpretations of Irish folk songs, strongly influenced by American country music.

Grammy-nominated bass player Byron House was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he grew up playing a variety of instruments and enjoying many different styles of music. At age 17, he chose bass as his main instrument. Originally inspired by Jaco Pastorius, he focused on fretless electric bass for a season, and soon began playing upright and fretted electric bass as well. He trained classically with Ernest Szugyi at Western Kentucky University, and has studied in recent years with jazz legend/master bassist Ron Carter. Over the course of his career Byron has played with luminaries such as Al Green, Amy Grant, Brady Blade, Sr & The Hallelujah Train, Buddy & Julie Miller, Chris Cornell, Chris Thile, Dixie Chicks, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Jerry Douglas, Johnny Cash, Jorma Kaukonen, Keith & Kristyn Getty, Linda Ronstadt, Mark O'Connor, Nickel Creek, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Ricky Skaggs, Rodney Crowell, Sam Bush, Solomon Burke, and Vince Gill. In 2010-11 he recorded and toured with Robert Plant as a member of his Band Of Joy. Since early 2021 Byron has been touring & recording with celebrated singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken. Byron has made TV appearances with many of these artists, performing on the late night shows of hosts Conan O'Brien, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, Johnny Carson and Jools Holland, as well as Austin City Limits, Crossroads, Live from the Artists Den, and The Grammy Awards telecast. Byron's credits as producer include Jorma Kaukonen's "Stars In My Crown", The Waybacks' "Loaded", numerous Kyle Frederick albums including "Mr. Mercurial”, and Tina Lie's "Free Enough To Fall”.

Kyle Frederick is a Nashville-based songwriter/producer with extensive experience in multiple aspects of the music industry and non-profit sector. Frederick began his career working as a professional touring musician with nationally recognized acts. His work ethic and leadership skills soon set him on a career trajectory that has included tour management, record production, songwriting, publishing, publicity, artist management, and oversight of music industry, healthcare and veteran arts nonprofit organizations.