PATTI SMITH

BIOGRAPHY

Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and poet who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses.

Called the "punk poet laureate", Smith fused rock and poetry in her work. Her most widely known song is "Because the Night", which was co-written with Bruce Springsteen. It reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1978 and number five in the U.K. In 2005, Smith was named a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. In 2007, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

On November 17, 2010, Smith won the National Book Award for her memoir Just Kids. The book fulfilled a promise she had made to her former long-time partner, Robert Mapplethorpe. She placed 47th in Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Artists published in December 2010 and was also a recipient of the 2011 Polar Music Prize.

Patti Smith is also known for her activism. In 1993, she contributed "Memorial Tribute (Live)" to the AIDS-Benefit Album No Alternative produced by the Red Hot Organization. Smith was a supporter of the Green Party and backed Ralph Nader in the 2000 United States presidential election. In the winter of 2004–2005, Smith toured again with Nader in a series of rallies against the Iraq War and called for the impeachment of Bush. A long-time supporter of Tibet House US, she performs in 2019 at their benefit at Carnegie Hall.

Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award 2015 to Joan Baez and Ai Wei Wei.

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ESPERANZA SPALDING

BIOGRAPHY

Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984) is an American jazz bassist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Her accolades include four Grammy Awards, a Boston Music Award, and a Soul Train Music Award.

A native of Portland, Oregon, Spalding began playing music professionally in her childhood, performing as a violinist in the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at age five. She was later both self-taught and trained on other instruments, including guitar and bass. Her proficiency earned her academic scholarships to Portland State University and the Berklee College of Music, both of which she attended, studying music.

Spalding released her first album, Junjo, in 2006 on the Spanish label Ayva Musica, after which she signed with the independent American label Heads Up, who released her 2007 self-titled album. Her third studio album, Chamber Music Society (2010), was a commercial success, charting at number 34 on the Billboard 200, and resulting in Spalding winning her first Grammy Award for Best New Artist; Spalding was the first jazz artist to win in this category. She saw further acclaim for her fourth release, Radio Music Society (2012), which earned the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album, as well as the track "City of Roses" winning for Best Arrangement, Instrument and Vocals.

After spending the following several years performing as a supporting band player, Spalding released her fifth studio album, a funk rock-inspired concept album titled Emily's D+Evolution, co-produced by Tony Visconti, on Concord Records. The following year, she released the album Exposure, which was limited to 7,777 copies. Her subsequent sixth studio record, 12 Little Spells, was released in 2019, and peaked at number one on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums. The album also saw Spalding nominated for two Grammy Awards, winning in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category.

In addition to writing and performing music, Spalding has also worked as an instructor, first at the Berklee College of Music, beginning at age 20. In 2017, Spalding was appointed professor of the Practice of Music at Harvard University. In 2018, Spalding received an honorary doctorate of music from her alma mater, Berklee College of Music, and served as commencement speaker at the ceremony.

During her 2012 tour, Spalding donated a portion of proceeds from merchandise sales to the non-profit organization Free the Slaves. The organization, based in Washington, D.C., works to combat human trafficking around the world. In 2013, she performed a benefit for the American Music Program Pacific Crest Jazz Orchestra, a music program founded by her mentor, Thara Memory.

On September 4, 2018, Spalding performed a benefit for Bienestar, a local housing and outreach non-profit based in Hillsboro, Oregon. Several weeks later, she appeared with Herbie Hancock at the Lions of Justice Festival, sponsored by Soka Gakkai International, to support the respect and dignified treatment of all people.

Spalding also is an advocate for parks and open spaces, and is a supporter of The Trust for Public Land.

Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award 2013 to Malala Yousafzai and Harry Belafonte.

CARLY SIMON

BIOGRAPHY

Carly Simon is a singer, songwriter, musician and author who’s won Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Awards for her work. Beginning in a duo with her sister Lucy as the Simon Sisters, Simon – daughter of Simon & Schuster co-founder Richard L. Simon – has scored 13 Top 40 hits, including as the enigmatic “You’re So Vain,” “Anticipation,” “Coming Around Again, “Nobody Does It Better” from the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me” and the award-winning “Let the River Run” for the 1988 feature “Working Girl.” Simon was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994 and has written books such as “Amy the Dancing Bear,” “The Boy of the Bells ” and “Midnight Farm.” 

WAYNE P. SHEEHY

BIOGRAPHY

Ireland’s Wayne P. Sheehy is an intensely active musician, writer and producer as well as the creator and producer of the TV show “The Last Pub in Ireland”. Sheehy has worked with U2 frontman Bono, Van Morrison, Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones and Faces, the Animals’ Eric Burdon, Bo Diddley, Bobby Womack, Paul Brady, Paul Young, the Chieftains, Hot House Flowers and many more. Most recently he’s collaborated with Paul McGann, Sarah Lynch and Jane McGann. Sheehy formed The Armada with Jeff Martin of the Tea Party, and his first solo project, DDAAKKUU launches this year. He also owns Ocean West Recording, which has locations in four countries, and organizes annual workshops for songwriting, composing and drumming.

VIDA SIMON

BIOGRAPHY

Los Angeles native Vida Simon is a Berklee College of Music alumnae who performs, records, composes, coaches, conducts and arranging. The singer and multi-instrumentalist has worked with Herbie Hancock, Keb’ Mo’, Ewan McGregor, James Newton Howard, Logan Henderson and Mother’s Finest; she co-produced “Primal Incantation,” the solo debut by Mother’s Finest’s Wyzard and produced vocals for Guitar Shorty’s “We The People.” Simon herself sang as part of Disney’s “Quiet Is series and created the PSA “Vote.” In 2012 she’s also recorded a solo album, “Life”.

SIR SAMUEL

BIOGRAPHY

Sir Samuel is a member of the French rap/reggae collective Saïan Supa Crew, which takes its name from the manga and anime “Dragon Ball Z/GT” series. Samuel (real name Fabien Philetas) has been on board for the crew’s trio of albums, as well as its live DVD, but tested the solo waters in 2005 with his own release, “Vizé pli ô.”

SARI

BIOGRAPHY

Sari is an award-winning Queens, N.Y.-born singer, songwriter, keyboardist and humanitarian who clearly embraces the D.I.Y. ethic. For her debut album, “Forever True,” she created her own record label yet still placed four singles from the disc into the Top 30 of the adult contemporary chart. She launched the jazz-flavored ambient rock project Lotus Effect in Germany, then moved it to Paris. Sari is currently recording a blues-rock album for the The Label/Universal and is on tour with legendary blues artist, Joe Louis Walker. As a humanitarian, Sari has done social work in Haiti and India and is the founder of Matters, a non-profit organization connecting humanitarian causes and the arts. She has also performed concerts benefiting the United Nations, Peace & Justice Now and Orphans International.

JOHNNY LEE SCHELL

BIOGRAPHY

Johnny Lee Schell is an American guitarist and songwriter. In the 1970s, he premiered as a prominent member of a Texas-based southern rock band, Baby. Since his professional debut, he has played with dozens of well-known recording artists. His inclusion on albums such as Bonnie Raitt‘s Green Light (1982)[1] and Nick of Time (1989)[2] has lent him his bearing in American pop music culture. Yet, Schell’s works had already journeyed from the North America to Australia, when he worked with Australian soul singer Renée Geyer on her album So Lucky (1981). As a member of Bonnie Raitt’s road band, Schell backed the Australian Geyer while recording So Lucky (renamed Renee Geyer for international market) at Shangri La studios in Malibu, California.[3][4] Other members included Ian McLagan (formerly of The Faces) and drummer/producer extraordinaire Ricky Fataar.

JOE SUBLETT

BIOGRAPHY

Grammy-winning saxophonist Joe Sublett is a member of the Phantom Blues Band, Texacali Horns, and Jim Belushi’s band, the Sacred Hearts.