The Vidrine Family
Jo Vidrine, guitar and accordion
Jane Vidrine, guitar, fiddle, voice
John Vidrine, accordion
John Vidrine is from Mamou, Louisiana, where Cajun music is a lifestyle. He’s played accordion, fiddle and guitar since he was very young and was influenced by legendary figures from the area including Nathan Abshire, Dewey Balfa, and Marc Savoy.…
Victoria Vox
Victoria Vox is an award-winning, ukulele-toting songwriter and one-woman powerhouse whose musical journey began at age 10. Since embracing the ukulele in 2003 and adopting the name Victoria Vox—Latin for “voice”—she has cultivated a sound that blends chanson, jazz-infused pop, and indie folk, establishing herself as a dynamic force in the ukulele community. Her performances are a celebration of creativity and emotion, enchanting audiences with music that feels both intimate and expansive.
Jeremy Wakefield
Steel Guitar
Jeremy Wakefield is a steel guitarist and composer living and working in Portland, Oregon. He first discovered the sound of the steel guitar coming out of a thing called a radio, on the kitchen table of his grandparents’ South Dakota home. Jeremy has recorded and performed live with a multitude of Western Swing, Country and Lounge artists , but is probably most known for his background compositions in the SpongeBob SquarePants series. He also enjoys writing descriptions of himself in the third person.
Melody Walker
Melody Walker is a songwriter, producer, performer, and fervent believer that songs can change the world. Best known for her writing with Molly Tuttle, Sierra Ferrell, Della Mae and her own band Front Country, Melody’s post-pandemic recalibration has found her setting real roots down in her home of Nashville, co-writing with her talented neighbors, and hosting her weekly writers’ round, Writers’ Kitchen.…
Chris Wallace
Gospel Choir
Chris Wallace, hailing from the small town of West Point, Georgia, has been immersed in music for as long as he can remember. Starting out at just 11 years old, Chris began playing music for churches, and it’s been his passion ever since. Currently, he serves as the Minister of Music at The Friendship Baptist Church in Columbus, GA, with past roles at Spirit Filled Ministries, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Asbury United Methodist Church, and Sightseeing Road Chapel at Fort Benning.…
JD Walter
Faculty
Vocal
Vocalist and songwriter JD Walter is considered by many in the jazz world to be the among the very best jazz singers, known for his immediately recognizable smokey sound, his virtuosic talent for improvisation, his compelling original songs, and his ability to reinvent standards.
Over the decades, Walter has performed as a featured artist at numerous American jazz clubs and festivals in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Central America as well as over 80 tours in Russia.…
Ian B Walters
Faculty
Ian B. Walters plays spirited, updated blues and standards as well as contemporary tunes. Known for his unique piano sound, dripping with soul vocals, and all-around good vibes, Ian’s inventive interpretations of great old songs make them new again.
Daniel Ward
Daniel Ward is an accomplished musician, composer and educator, who has become one of the country’s top clinicians and performers on the ‘ukulele circuit’. He is known for his command of Latin styles and teaches right hand techniques, adapting his style and knowledge from the classical and flamenco guitar.
Daniel Ward
Daniel Ward’s polymath approach is born from his passion and appetite for the diversity of music. Born in Los Alamos, NM to a nuclear chemist/conductor, he holds degrees in classical guitar and composition from the University of New Mexico. As a performer and composer, his work spans a wide ranging gamut: flamenco guitar, heavy metal, virtuosic ukulele, classical string quartets and four-hands piano pieces, kid’s music, jazz, commercial jingles, film soundtracks… he has what musicians call “big ears”.…
Ashlee Watkins & Andrew Small
Based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia, Ashlee Watkins & Andrew Small have captivated audiences around the globe with their stirring harmonies and deep-rooted sound. The duo moves seamlessly between heartbreaking country duets and foot stomping breakdowns as they explore various combinations of fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and guitars. Ashlee and Andrew have won many awards from fiddler’s conventions throughout the region including first place in the old-time band contests at the storied festivals in Galax, VA, Mount Airy, NC, and Clifftop, WV.…