The Slocan Ramblers

The Slocan Ramblers (featured on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville TN, 2020 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year Award Winner & 2019 Juno Award Nominee) are Canada’s bluegrass band to watch. Rooted in tradition, fearlessly creative and possessing a bold, dynamic sound, The Slocans have become a leading light of today’s acoustic music scene. With a reputation for energetic live shows, impeccable musicianship and an uncanny ability to convert anyone within earshot into a lifelong fan, The Slocans have been winning over audiences from Merlefest to RockyGrass and everywhere in between.

On their new album _Up the Hill and Through the Fog,_ the all-star Canadian roots ensemble channels the past two years of loss into a surprisingly joyous collection of twelve songs intended to uplift and help make sense of the world. Bluegrass music is nothing short of catharsis for The Slocan Ramblers.

Though the past few years have brought the group accolades, that same momentum was abruptly halted by the pandemic’s brutal impact on live music. Over the next year, bandmates Adrian Gross and Darryl Poulsen both lost close family members and their bassist decided to step back to spend more time at home. They channeled these tumultuous changes into some of their most honest and direct compositions yet. Up the Hill and Through the Fog showcases the breadth of their varied influences while staying true to their roots in the rough and tumble bluegrass scene of Toronto’s no-nonsense bars and dancehalls. From Frank Evan’s classic, dusty vocals, to John Hartford-inspired lyrical musings, it’s all buttressed by impeccable musicianship, and emotionally raw songwriting from the three core members. This is roots music without pretension, art powerful enough to cut through the fog of the past two years and chart a more hopeful course forward.

Learn more at https://slocanramblers.com/pages/home

Laura Jane Vincent

Laura Jane Vincent is a performer, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter. Vincent is a country girl both at heart, and literally, as reflected in her down-home, introspective songwriting. Raised in Raeford, North Carolina, she writes ballads of strength, loss, and triumph featuring stories of those who should know better but just simply can't help themselves. Warbling with red-clay-’tween-the-toes lyrics, her compositions are deeply rooted in Southern musical traditions. She now resides in Glendon, North Carolina, where she is the creator and curator of the twice annual music festival, Glendonfest. 

Her latest album “All These Machines” was release in February 2020,  and it is available everywhere you stream music. Vincent is currently working on her 3rd full length album with Black Rabbit Audio; which is slated for release in Summer 2023. Her release will be followed by a regional U.S. Tour of the East Coast and Mid-West.

In addition to performing and curating, Laura Jane Vincent is the CEO of Street Place entertainment. Vincent takes enormous pride and pleasure in sharing with the community her wisdom gained through years of her work as a professional musician. Specializing in artist representation and career growth, Street Place Entertainment provides assistance with PR, booking, management, events, promotions, and more!

Learn more at https://www.instagram.com/laurajvincent

Barry Gray & Isabel Valls

Isabel and Barry Gray are a duo whose voices blend in harmony and whose guitar styles are perfect complements. Originally drawn together out of their love of acoustic music from the 60s and 70s, they write and perform together. They are currently recording their first project.

Based in Durham, NC, Isabel Valls' musical journey began in 2010 at local open mics, where she sang and played guitar, covering cherished yet lesser-known songs. In 2013, the songwriting bug bit her, prompting her to team up with local award-winning guitarist Jon Shain in 2014 to enhance her guitar skills. Shain went on to produce her original albums: “Awake Again” (2016) and “Isabel Taylor” (Isabel’s former name; 2019).

Performing since 2013, Isabel has graced stages both individually and collaboratively at songwriting showcases, festivals, and private events. Recently, she has joined forces with Barry Gray, a solo artist and Graymatter band member from Burlington, NC.

Hailing from Buffalo, NY, singing has been her lifelong passion, while songwriting serves as an outlet for processing and conveying her life experiences. Her songs often resonate strongly with audiences, with whom she finds profound connection.

Barry Gray was awarded a North Carolina Arts Council Artist Fellowship in Songwriting in 2018 which enabled him to record Footsteps. His folk style is speckled with blues, country, and gospel influences. The songs are about personal struggle and community; finding a way to make a difference in a complicated, unfair world, is a common theme of the album.

About five years ago, with the support and encouragement of a newly found Triad songwriter network, Gray started playing his songs at open mics. A respected supporter encouraged him to enter songwriting competitions. The first contest he won enabled him to record a studio demo of two songs that he submitted to the NC Arts Council songwriting competition. After 30 years of songwriting, and with the help of the NC Arts Council, he is now publishing his first album of original songs.

Barry’s family band, Graymatter, is a local favorite, performing 60s and 70s covers in four-part harmony. He is also a member of the Wes Collins band (among other distinctions,

Learn more at https://www.reverbnation.com/barrygray