Amythyst Kiah
With a style that cuts across genres, Johnson City resident and Tennessee native Amythyst Kiah brings an unforgettable voice and unique sound to her music.
Kiah’s songwriting explores the vast expanse of her inner world: her deep-rooted affinity for Eastern philosophies and spiritual traditions, a near-mystical connection with the natural world, the life lessons learned in her formative years as a self-described “anime-nerd mall goth.”
In her latest album, Still + Bright, Kiah pushes into new emotional and musical terrain while exploring the struggle and joy of true self-discovery. “With all of my music, I’d love to leave people with the feeling that it’s okay to go off the beaten path and to structure your life in a way that feels right to you,” says Kiah. “I always hope that my music will be a part of the healing process for anyone who might need it.”
Kiah has also appeared (along with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell) on the album Songs of Our Native Daughters. Kiah earned a 2020 Grammy Award Best American Roots Song Nomination for her song “Black Myself” featured on the album.
More information: Amythyst Kiah
Joe Troop’s Truth Machine
Opening the show is Joe Troop’s Truth Machine. Troop is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter hailing from the North Carolina Piedmont. He is one half of the acclaimed Pan-American folk duo Larry & Joe, and founder of Grammy-nominated string band Che Apalache. His music is deeply inspired by a decade living in Buenos Aires and traveling across Latin America and the world.
Troop has carved a niche as an “artivist,” entwining music and social justice. He has now recruited some of his favorite festival friends from the old-time and bluegrass scene to form a political protest powerhouse band, Truth Machine: Troop (banjo, guitar, vocals), Lu Furtado (guitar, vocals), Deb Shebish (fiddle), Olivia Fernandez (mandolin, vocals) and Jimmy Washington (bass).
More information: Joe Troop