Deep Roots, Many Voices is a project by the Blue Ridge Music Center exploring diversity and inclusion in roots-based music.
The project includes video discussions, a virtual symposium, and associated concerts in our summer concert series.
In the video discussions, we pair two musicians in each episode to talk about issues related to race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, how these issues have been part of their personal stories, and the importance of celebrating diversity in the music world.
These discussions highlight contributions to American roots-based music from the many voices that make up our nation, and give us hope for a rich and diverse musical future.
The discussions are moderated by Blue Ridge Music Center Associate Program Director Marianne Kovatch.
DOM FLEMONS is a performer, multi-instrumentalist, historian, researcher, writer, record collector, and founding members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. In his performances, “The American Songster” presents music covering over 100 years of American popular music. 
RISSI PALMER made her debut in Nashville as a country artist in the early 2000s, where she made it onto the country charts and onto the Opry stage. She has since left Nashville to continue her career as an independent artist and has her own radio show on Apple Music Country called Color Me Country, where she has conversations with country music’s underrepresented voices. 
RISSI PALMER made her debut in Nashville as a country artist in the early 2000s, where she made it onto the country charts and onto the Opry stage. She has since left Nashville to continue her career as an independent artist and has her own radio show on Apple Music Country called Color Me Country, where she has conversations with country music’s underrepresented voices. 
CHARLY LOWRY is a singer-songwriter, and is an Indigenous woman belonging to the Lumbee/Tuscarora Tribes of Robeson County, North Carolina. She is the lead singer of the band Dark Water Rising. The all-Indigenous band members come from the Lumbee and Coharie Tribes of North Carolina. Charly also sings and plays the hand drum with Ulali, the group started by Pura Fé.. 
PURA FÉ is an Indigenous activist, singer-songwriter, and storyteller. Her mother is Tuscaroran and father is Taino, giving her roots in both North Carolina and Puerto Rico. She has been singing professionally for many years and her musical career has included many genres, including jazz, blues, Indigenous music, and more.Pura Fé is a founding member of the internationally renowned native woman’s a capella trio, Ulali, and is recognized for creating a new genre, bringing Native contemporary music to the forefront of the mainstream music industry.
JOE TROOP is known for his multi-cultural approach to music. Joe speaks Spanish and Japanese, and has lived all over the world, most recently in Argentina. He traveled to the U.S. several times with his band Che Apalache. Since the pandemic, Joe has returned to the U.S. where he’s been writing songs of social justice, and performing with the band The Joe Troop Trio.
EARL WHITE is a dancer and an old-time fiddler. An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, White’s energetic, rhythmic, driving fiddle style is attributed to many years of dancing with the group. 
TRAY WELLINGTON 
JOSEPH KWON was born in South Korea, and moved to High Point, North Carolina with his family as a baby. Starting out playing classical cello at age 9, he joined an Americana band in college He has been with the Avett Brothers since 2006.
Singer, songwriter, and musician AJ LEE has been playing mandolin since she was 5 years old. As a youngster she played with The Tuttle Family with AJ Lee, and now has her own band, AJ Lee and Blue Summit.
Keynote Speaker: Amy Reitnouer
Panelist: Michelle Conceison
Panelist: Charly Lowry
Panelist: Kamara Thomas
Panelist: Atiba Berkley
Panelist: Joe Seamons
Panelist: Brandi Waller-Pace
