performers The Eisteddfod International Music Festival in South Africa referred to Lemuel as “An example in international and inter-cultural relations” Lemuel is a member of the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Kansas Folklore Society’s Joan O’Bryant award. Lem has performed at the Kennedy Center, and also composed the sound track to the PBS documentary on the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. The Topeka Board of Education, “Black, and White & Brown.” Lindsborg Folkdanslag – dnfred@cox.net, 785-227-3678, (Lindsborg) Traditional Swedish dancers from the central Kansas community of Lindsborg have travelled nationally and internationally promoting their Swedish heritage and community. They are always a crowd favorite. Lora McDonald – loramcdonald.com, lorakathleen@yahoo. com, 620-437-6229, (Madison) Lora McDonald, mother of two, wife and band teacher, music has always been a constant in her life. “Living in ranch country in the Flint Hills of Kansas, natural beauty has surrounded me my whole life providing a creative canvas to develop as an artist. Time spent with family, horseback, and helping on the ranch have inspired me in lyrics and song.” A great friendship between Lora McDonald and Marc Haney, singer / songwriter and producer at Analogue Magnetism provided an opportunity to record her debut album Doin’ Alright. Doin’ Alright is a fun mix of easy listening, blue grass and country. Matt Miers – matt.miers7@gmail.com, 620-262-6509, (Winfield) After playing with bar bands for the past ten years, singer/songwriter Matt Miers breaks out for a solo performance. His original work has been described as blend of Ben Folds and Bob Seger. Playing music since 15, he is an accomplished pianist and guitarist. Moreland & Arbuckle – morelandarbuckle.com, derek@BMATours.com, 704-525-1559, (Winfield/Wichita) Guitarist Aaron Moreland – co-founder of the groundbreaking Kansas-based trio Moreland & Arbuckle -- describes their music as “gritty blues and roots rock from the heartland.” Moreland, along with harmonicist/ vocalist Dustin Arbuckle and drummer Kendall Newby, electrify raw Delta and Mississippi Hill Country blues, folk, and traditional country with unrelenting punk rock energy washed in hard-hitting Southern soul. Their songs are expertly executed with musical muscle and fifth-gear urgency. When they perform more traditional blues, they play with the same decisive command. With each of their six previous releases, the band has grown musically and lyrically, creating a signature sound while earning a large
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and loyal worldwide fan base. Soon after coming together, Moreland and Arbuckle played both as an acoustic duo and as The King Snakes, a four piece electric band. Keeping a bass player proved difficult, and they soon found they made a better sound without one, as Moreland kept the rhythm thumping on his guitar while Arbuckle took the music into overdrive with his harmonica and vocals. The band quickly became local heroes, filling clubs beyond capacity. It wasn’t long before they started touring larger cities around the country, earning new fans with every performance. Over the course of their career, Moreland & Arbuckle have played hundreds of shows and have logged hundreds of thousands of road miles (recently replacing their van after driving it over 400,000 miles), performing in the United States, Canada and across Europe. In 2008 they spent 10 days in Iraq, playing for the troops. They’ve shared stages with ZZ Top, George Thorogood, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray and Los Lonely Boys. They’ll return to the road in support of the new album, with dates in the United States, Europe and beyond. No Depression says, “These guys have kegs full of talent. Their songs will keep you driving fast and long.” Mountain Deer Revival – mountaindeerrevival.com, mountaindeerrevival.ict@gmail.com, 316-807-4330, (Wichita) Every great sound has to come from somewhere. Red dirt music had its start in Oklahoma, Southern Rock can be traced back to the early American South, while Texas Country clearly defined its roots in its name. So where does Mountain Deer Revival’s sound come from? From band members Jake and Jason Coffey, Dale Shuey, Matt Ohm and Connor Edmundson. Their music manages to successfully close the gap between Country Rock, Americana and Bluegrass, while maintaining an honest, independent tone. The band reaches beyond talent, by writing with creativity and performing with passion. With great focus being placed on their lyrics and the feeling of their songs, MDR’s music is as much a state of mind as it is a sound. Rusty Rierson – rustyrierson.com, rusrye@gmail.com, 316200-4389, (Augusta) Rusty Rierson has played all over the United States including Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and across Europe as well. After graduating from Kansas State with the Masters’s degree Animal Science and Industry, Rusty has been a full-time country music artist and a country radio show host. He has shared the stage and worked with many legends including his greatest hero, the great Don Williams. Rusty plays a wide variety of country music as well as some crossover songs. Rusty often tours with his band “Forever Young”. Six Mile Creek – dragerstudios@gmail.com, 785-640-6499, (Topeka) Kirk Drager and Jim Campbell perform as a duo called Six Mile Creek. They have a unique style on the local music scene as they play an eclectic mix of Americana Roots music. Their repertoire includes Alt-Country, Rock, and Bluegrass in addition to originals including up-tempo honky-tonk party songs and softer tales of love and loss.