10:30 am
Janine Wilson
Janine Wilson's eclectic taste has informed her style with everyone from Sheryl Crow to Lucinda Williams and The Black Crowes receiving their due. She has been honored with six Washington Area Music Awards (Wammies), national songwriting accolades, and has released two critically acclaimed albums. The Washington Post describes Janine as "poignant and seductive" and Richmond's Style Weekly says, "...when Wilson digs her heels in and opens up her big voice, it's best to pay close attention." Janine Wilson has blazed a path from the backyard stages of her childhood in Columbus, Ohio, to some of Washington's premier venues, including the Birchmere, the State Theatre, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Millennium Stage. She received Wammies from the Washington Area Music Association for her blues album and best debut recording for "The Blue Album." She was nominated for her vocals again in 2008 and 2007. Her release, "Save Me From Myself " finds Wilson expanding her stylistic repertoire to include grittier roots rock, alt country, R&B and even a little traditional country-and-western twang. In late 2006 Janine, along with co-writer Max Evans, were awarded honorable mention from the Billboard World Songwriting Contest for "Don't Even Start" and "So Long" as well as an honorable mention in the 23rd Mid Atlantic Song Contest.
Website: www.crosstownarts.com/janine/html

1:00 pm
Karen Collins and the Backroads Band
One of the Washington area's top retro honky tonk bands, The Backroads Band plays classic country music like it was played back then. Their sound is vintage country from the 1940s-1970s plus original roots songs written in that early country style. In 2008 and 2007, the band was nominated for Wammies in the country band category, and in 2007 for best country recording ("Tail Lights"), by the Washington Area Music Association. Karen Collins (vocals, rhythm guitar, fiddle) is a coal miner's daughter from Southwest Virginia who grew up listening to country music. She was a 2007 Wammie nominee in the vocalist and songwriter of the year categories. Ira Gitlin has been playing in bluegrass, western swing, and jazz guitar for many years. He is a former National Bluegrass Banjo Champion. In 2008, he won a Wammie for best country instrumentalist, and in 2007, he won for bluegrass instrumentalist and was also nominated in the country instrumentalist category. Geff King is a former standup bassist who went "electrified" in 1980. Geff has played with many bands, including Honky Tonk Confidential He is also an accomplished songwriter. Drummer Rob Howe took up drums in 1969 and has played with bands such as Honky Tonk Confidential, The Fabulettes, and Daryl Davis Band. He was nominated for a Wammie best rock/pop instrumentalist in 1998.
Website: users.rcn.com/fredfeinstein/karen/backroadsband.html