High Fidelity
Many folks remember the great bluegrass records from the 1950s and '60s.
The power and soul of that music has won the hearts of people across the globe.
Few bands have come along in recent years that directly draw their influence
from that classic era of the music's history.
High Fidelity is a rising group whose love and devotion to that music is unsurpassed.
The name alone says it all: HIGH FIDELITY.
How many record albums have you seen from the '50s and '60s that bear those words?
Herein lies the heart of what this group of young performers is all about.
Formed in early 2014, the group received its first achievement with a first place win
in the International Band Championship at the 40th Annual Society
for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) Awards in February of 2014.
They were nominated for International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) New Artist of the Year
for three years in a row, alongside several other nominations in the industry.
The band consists of four outstanding musicians and singers who are steeped in the sounds of tradition.
Jeremy Stephens, guitarist, banjoist, and lead vocalist for the group,
has worked for the world famous gospel group The Chuck Wagon Gang,
on the television show Ray Stevens' Nashville, and most recently with Jesse McReynolds & the Virginia Boys.
Corrina Rose Logston Stephens, fiddler and harmony vocalist, has worked with a
who's who of today's traditional-based bluegrass performers, most notably Jesse McReynolds & the Virginia Boys
and Jim Lauderdale.
Kurt Stephenson handles banjo duties and harmony vocals.
He is the 2010 National Bluegrass Banjo Champion.
Multi-instrumentalist and harmony vocalist Daniel Amick,
has won numerous instrumental contests across the southeast and is a recipient of
IBMA's 2019 Instrumentalist of the Year Momentum Award.
High Fidelity draws much of their inspiration from bands like Don Reno & Red Smiley,
The Stanley Brothers, The Louvin Brothers, Jim & Jesse, and a host of lesser known regional artists
from the same era.
Many have described them as the new Johnson Mountain Boys, interpreting classic era bluegrass through the fresh,
young perspective of today's generation.
Maybe it is this quality that makes High Fidelity so warmly received and widely loved
by every audience they perform for — from grandparents to their grandchildren.
Ethan Leinwand
Ethan Leinwand is a St. Louis-based pianist who specializes in barrelhouse blues.
A self-taught pianist, he is a student of the music, and delights in bringing this lost art to life.
His unique repertoire stretches from ragtime to boogie-woogie and tells the story of blues piano.
Through performances across the United States and Europe (as well as an active YouTube channel),
Ethan has gained world-wide recognition as a leading exponent of barrelhouse blues piano.
Ethan was born and raised in Middletown, CT and graduated from Wesleyan University in 2005.
He began his music career in 2009, performing in bars, restaurants and nightclubs in New York City.
He moved to St. Louis, MO in 2014 – a town with deep piano blues
and ragtime traditions – and began collaborating with vocalist Valerie Kirchhoff (Miss Jubilee)
among others.
He can be seen performing weekly in his hometown,
and is a regular at early jazz, ragtime, and acoustic blues festivals.
In addition to performing, Ethan is committed to growing the community and stature of ragtime in Missouri.
He is a board member of the Scott Joplin Ragtime Foundation, president/co-founder of
the St. Louis Ragtime Initiative, and the incoming Artistic Director for
the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival.
Lissa Schneckenburger
& Garrett Cameron
Vermont-based fiddle composer Lissa Schneckenburger and multi-instrumentalist Garrett Cameron
join forces to create music that's equal parts rooted tradition and fearless exploration.
Lissa's recent burst of writing—born during the pandemic and captured
on her 2023 album Falling Forward—highlights her signature blend of driving New England fiddle tunes
and reflective, original compositions.
Garrett brings his love of pulse, smushed tonalities, and the intersection of Scottish/Cape Breton traditions
with Minimalism and free improv, performing on mandolin, vibraphone, and whatever else the moment calls for.
Together, they craft concerts full of rhythm, melody, improvisation, and joyful spontaneity—music
that feels grounded, adventurous, and always alive in the moment.
The Luke Huval Band
Steve Riley, Luke Huval, and Amelia Biere form a powerhouse Cajun music trio,
blending traditional sounds with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Known for their deep roots in Louisiana's vibrant music scene, the trio brings together seasoned talent.
Riley, a Grammy-nominated musician and leader of the iconic band Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys,
is renowned for his soulful vocals and unparalleled Cajun accordion and fiddle skills.
Huval, a rising star in the Cajun music world, carries on the legacy of his family's
musical heritage with his expressive fiddling and accordion playing.
Biere glues the group together with her driving rhythm guitar playing and her tight harmony lines.
Together they create a unique and harmonious blend of traditional Cajun tunes with modern interpretations.
Gap Civil
Gap Civil is an Appalachian Mountain Music band built on their motto of honor and innovate.
They honor the mountain traditions that have shaped and rooted their music,
and they take great pride in innovative and exciting original songs and tunes and arrangements.
Fluidly blending the genres of oldtime, country, bluegrass and Americana,
their music is sure to make you want to dance - whether that's hitting the floor
with a driving flatfoot or pulling that special someone close with a honky tonk two-step.
Gap Civil was formed in 2017 based in Sparta, NC and features
Todd Hiatt on guitar, Chris Johnson on banjo and bass,
Lucas Pasley on fiddle and vocals, and Kyle Dean Smith on bass and lead guitar.
When they're not making music (which is not too often)
Chris is pursuing his business career,
Lucas is teaching English at Alleghany High School in Sparta,
Kyle is wheeling and dealing on Facebook marketplace (check out his records),
and Todd is keeping the roads safe with the NCDOT.
But they try to keep that kind of work to a minumum to focus on the important things in life...
dancing to fiddle tunes!
Jontavious Willis
Acoustic guitarist Jontavious Willis is resolved in his mission to reinvigorate today's Blues
with the spirit of the past.
Inspired by a time when the Blues were plentiful and rhythm reigned supreme;
he leverages his unique sound—a synthesis of his Georgia heritage
and reverence for traditional Blues—to get the world dancing again.
A Grammy-nominated musician and songwriter, Jontavious performs original,
toe-tapping tunes in the style of Delta, Piedmont, Texas, and Gospel Blues.
His dynamic vocals, technical prowess, and an abundance of Southern charm
send jolts of vitality through the Blues community.
Mariachi Flor de Primavera
Did you know that UNESCO declared mariachi music to be part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?
Originating from the Jalisco region of Mexico, the style features violins, trumpets,
guitars, the vihuela, and beautiful, soulful song.
Flor de Primavera is a group of young Chicago mariachis who will bring
a much-needed breath of spring to our winter festival.
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