Artist Biographies for John Lennon Virtual Tribute / 2020 Vanessa Davis is thrilled to be returning to the Music for Mission stage for her third year. Vanessa is a Canadian-born singer-songwriter who has lived in Kentucky since 2005. Raised by a classical music teacher and a jazz musician, her musical studies began at an early age. Although classically trained, Vanessa’s first love is writing and performing in her unique pop/indie/bluesy style. Vanessa’s “adult” job (the one where she’s not a Rock Star) is running a private music studio where she teaches piano, voice, guitar, music theory, and songwriting. Vanessa performs Don’t Let Me Down with Mandy Ray and Jenny Drake and Oh My Love with Paulie Felice. Jenny Drake is a singer-songwriter, composer, and sonic artist from Lawrenceburg, KY. She began composition and theatrical sound design while at Morehead State University (B.A) and has worked in the regional theatres of Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Lexington where she created cinematic soundscapes and music composition for theatre and soundtracks for fringe festival shows. She was a member of MUSE women’s choir in Cincinnati. She began performing her original songs and composing music for video games and visual art while in Richmond, VA. After returning to Kentucky she has enjoyed collaborating on songwriting and jams with her friends, and is currently composing instrumental electronic music. www.Jendrakejohnson.com She plays keyboard and sings on Don’t Let Me Down with Mandy Ray and Vanessa Davis. Michael Evces is a Lexington resident and native of no place in particular. He performs at corporate events, weddings, family reunions, Oktoberfests, assisted living facilities, restaurants, and bars. He recently collaborated with celebrated poet and just incidentally his cousin Jennifer L. Knox on “I Want the Seeds,” a jingle about obsessive pumpkin carving. His other songs include “Danville’s Been Drinking,” “King of Kentucky,” “King of Parentheses,” and “Gnostic Industrial Laundry.” Every note dedicated to Lucy. Michael performs Come Together and Ticket to Ride. Raleigh Dailey is a composer, pianist, scholar, and educator. He is Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at UK, and he directs the jazz program for the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras. Raleigh arranged and plays piano for the Imagine virtual choir. Founding member of Psych Folk outfit Good Saints, Doc Feldman released his critically acclaimed solo album Sundowning at the Station via This Is American Music in 2013. Currently working on a new album with his band Doc Feldman & the Alt + Cntry + Delete. Doc performs Tomorrow Never Knows. Paulie Felice is an American guitarist, teacher, singer, songwriter and producer. He’s a full-time professional musician, and since 2006 he has founded several original musical acts. He has also 1 played as a member of multiple active bands, as well as a frequent “hired-gun,” and as a side- kick and collaborator for a number of skilled and successful singer/songwriters. As an instructor he has guided hundreds of players to reach and exceed their own goals on guitar and in the music industry, and since 2016 he’s been the Program Director of the SDML Academy of Guitar (founded by David McLean in 1999.) Born in Lexington, KY, he has lived in Philadelphia, Orlando and Chicago, and now resides in Shelbyville KY. He plays guitar on Oh My Love sung by Vanessa Davis. The Johnson Brothers Jim Gleason – Guitar & Vocal: Jim shares lead guitar duties in The Johnson Brothers Band, The Nick Stump Band, and stunt guitar with The Bats. Jim has released four solo records recorded in his Claustrophonic Sound studio, including the recent Sure, I’m Blue. He was musical director for American Idiot, Tommy, and The Rocky Horror Show, and played guitar for Rent, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line and Dark Side of the Moon. In a parallel universe, Dr. Gleason is a professor at EKU. Steve Pasquariello – Guitar & Vocal: Steve also shares the lead guitar duties, and is a founding member of the Johnson Brothers Band. After listening to his mother’s Broadway albums, and listening to Sam Cooke, Ricky Nelson, etc., he took up the guitar at 9 after hearing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (still has the 45). He was a past member of Junction, Ol’ Dad, on the road with Alfalfa in the 70’s, Annie and the Hubcats, among others. Steve played on productions of Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy and American Idiot, and is currently working on his first CD. Bill Fairchild – Bass: Bill plays bass guitar, adds vocals and is a founding member of the Johnson Brothers Band. The addiction for music happened early in the 1960's after playing in the school band and having been exposed to family members that were already musicians. Bill began as a drummer at 12 years old and was soon playing clubs and dances with much older musicians all over eastern Kentucky. After moving to Lexington it was difficult to practice drums while living in an apartment, so a move to bass was decided on. In addition to The Johnson Brothers Band, Bill also works with Little Walter Tube Amps and helps to provide client support, primarily in Nashville. The most recent musical adventure was playing bass for Robben Ford in Nashville. Bill is also a registered professional civil and environmental engineer specializing in the solid waste industry. Marty Walker – Drums: Marty has been playing drums since the Beatles arrival in America and still appreciates the genius that was John Lennon. Marty has played with a variety of musical styles through the years and has been heavily influenced by his parents’ musical abilities as jazz musicians. Marty has been a proud member of the Johnson Brothers Band for the past 25 years. Harold Young – Keyboards: Harold Young has played keys with many local and regional groups over the last five decades, both as a member and sideman. Among these groups 2 most notable are, the Johnson Brothers, the Lexington Trendells, Torques, the late Duke Madison, and Rock n Roll Hall of Fame members The Impressions. Kevin Holm-Hudson – Keyboards & Vocal: Holm-Hudson is professor of music theory at the University of Kentucky, author of the theory textbook Music Theory Remixed, and an active performer (with The Twiggenburys, Dr. Kevin Holm-Hudson & The Adjuncts, and solo) and songwriter. The Johnson Brothers play Strawberry Fields and I am the Walrus. The KY Partisans formed as a trio for the Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert in 2017. They recently released 2 songs with videos targeted at voting out Mitch McConnell; they can be heard on their YouTube channel, https:// www.youtube.com/channel/UCPEe8cctsS4xcQNYtpH3Qrg Diane Timmons is a member of the Kentucky Bach Choir and Good Shepherd Episcopal’s choir, and hopes to be back to in-person singing soon! She plays guitar, flute, mandolin, keyboards and percussion, and teaches piano, flute and voice. Claire Rose sings, plays accordion and guitar. In addition to her day job and her work with The KY Partisans, she teaches and performs with Blackbird Dance Theater. She also does mural painting with Moonless June Productions; some of their work can be seen at Big City Pizza in Richmond and Danville. Art Mize sings and plays fiddle, guitar and mandolin. He teaches these instruments, as well as restoring violin family instruments at Mize Violin. Art engineered the recent Partisan recordings. The KY Partisans perform Rain and Because. Andrew Perkins is a composer and multi-instrumentalist living in Lexington, KY. In college, Andrew was a two-time state finalist for Kentucky in the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Competition for his songs, "In the Meantime" and "Kirkwood Drive." Today, he enjoys performing popular music of all varieties and composing choral music. Andrew believes in the power of music to heal, to enliven, and to bridge the gaps in our world. The Radical Departures is a group of friends & family who enjoy making music together. We are David Hurst (bass) & Melissa Snow-Groves (vocals, keyboard). Friends Chris Mears (vocals, guitar, tambourine) & Kopana Terry (percussion) round out the group. We are a mix of professional and amateur musicians committed to quality music-making. David is a long-time lover of Lennon’s music, and can be heard making dad jokes when not playing the bass. Melissa is a professional classically-trained singer, and an arts administrator with the Lexington Philharmonic. Chris is a media composer at Warner Bros. with a recently released album entitled Escapist, and Kopana can also be seen behind a camera lens when not playing the drums. The Radical Departures perform Isolation and Steel and Glass. 3 Mandy Ray is a singer based out of Richmond, KY. She has played with several local groups, was an entertainer at Renfro Valley and won a Lexi-Award for the Best Female Singer. She sang Don’t Let Me Down with Vanessa Davis and Jenny Drake. Marcus Wilkerson is a singer-songwriter, artist educator and entrepreneur from Louisville. Currently, he develops programs focused on helping all children (including those with disabilities) K through 12 to harness their energy and focus by applying themselves to songs, song writing and musical instruments across many of curriculums. He currently resides in Lexington with his family living day to day, loving his lady and kids, writing his songs and pushing towards an even more efficient way to live the life he loves. Marcus performs Norwegian Wood and Across the Universe. 4 .