Willie Phoenix

Willie performs a fusion of blues, soul, and rock influences- 60’s british blues (Yardbirds and Cream) to American psychedelic rock (Jimi Hendrix).

Willie is a big-time concert performer who is known for his legendary performances throughout the Midwest. He is a charismatic showman who will simply rock you! He's been described as a "....raging guitarist with a ton of attitude and stage presence."

He is a prolific songwriter who writes at least four songs to every one included on his CDs. He writes moving, soulful songs with infectious hooks.

As a musician, he's a talented guitarist who plays with great feel and intensity. He was taught to play guitar by his father and bluesman the Reverend Willie J. Creagh, who played with such legends as Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williamson 2 (Willie Jr’s Godfather).

Highlights:
Vocals on Cooper Tire's 2007 Television Commercial

2005 Honored Artist of the Year Columbus Community Festival

Two Columbus Music Awards in 1994 for Best R & B Songwriter and Outstanding Rock Act

Opened for or played with acts like BB King, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Tinsley Ellis, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, Buckwheat Zydeco, Joan Armatrading, and Bryan Adams.

Performs annually for the CD 101 Andyman-A-Thon benefiting Children's Charities in Columbus, Ohio.

Wrote the song "True Blue Jacket Fan" for the NHL Hockey Team Columbus Blues Jackets, which became a fan favorite and frequently played song during intermission at games.

Learn more at WilliePhoenix.com

Heidi Howes

Heidi Howes has been singing and writing songs as long as she can remember.

A classically trained lyric soprano, Heidi holds a BA in Vocal Performance and Creative Writing from Northland College.

Also a modern singer-songwriter and poet, Howes can delight audiences with original songs, Mozart arias, and Joni Mitchell tunes all in the course of one evening, and often reads from her
published works of poetry.

Her debut CD, Even Lovers Drown, was released in 2003,
accompanied by her first chapbook of poetry, The Morning After the Night She Fell Into the Gorge, Savage Press.

She promoted these works on a 400-mile bicycle tour through Wisconsin called One Less Tourbus with her guitar on the back of her bike.

Howes teaches Voice, Guitar, Songwriting, and Kindermusik at the Upper Arlington Music Academy www.UAMA.net.

She recently moved from rural Wisconsin to Columbus, Ohio, where she lives with her husband and two children.

In Wisconsin, Howes founded and directed the Lake Superior Girls Rock camp which promotes growth and self-esteem through creative music for teenage girls.

Currently she is preparing a new recording and poetry project entitled MotherSongs.

Her work has been described as waltzing, spine tingling, deep breathing, high singing, moving, healing, powerful music. Howes is a poignant storyteller, speaker, performer, and teacher and is available for workshops, performances, keynotes and more.

Learn more at HeidiHowes.com

Eric Nassau

Eric Nassau is everybody's friend.  Since 1996, Eric has been traveling around North America, turning fans into friends and friends into family.  His music grew out of the Connecticut Coffeehouses and was fine-tuned in the Midwestern Cornfields.

In the tradition of folk troubadours, his original songs reflect lived-in soles and handed-down stories, personal anecdotes mixed with imagination and charm. His stage show backs this up; his engaging personality reaches out to audiences like a friend you haven't seen in years. 

Although he is often found on the Folk circuit, Eric is not your typical folk singer. Whether on the road or back in Columbus, he has a revolving cast of performers who lend their talents to his live shows and recordings.   

His latest recording What's Left of Empty Space was released last April on Chestnut Tree Records followed by a 3-month tour from Michigan to Texas to Maine.  The CD features 16 tracks with multi-instrumentalist and initial MITR performer Jim Volk at the helm of the recording.  The album also highlights many talented musicians in Columbus including Megan Palmer, Joshua Huber, Keenan Wade and Stan Smith.
 
Through his travels, Eric has shared shows and festivals with Chris Smither, Michelle Shocked, Claudia Schmidt, Hot Tuna, John Hammond, Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart, and Chris Barron (Spin Doctors) to name a few.   

When not on the road, Eric teaches theatre classes at the Columbus Children's Theatre.   He performs music for children in the schools and leads theatre and songwriting workshops across the country.  Eric also organizes the annual Townes Van Zandt tribute/benefit, now in its 5th season and hosts dozens of songwriters as they tour through Columbus.

Learn more at myspace.com/EricNassauAndFriends

or read this article from 614 Magazine