Dwight & Nicole is an American indie-soul band fronted by Dwight Ritcher & Nicole Nelson. Ritcher and Nelson met in Boston when they were both just out of school and cutting their teeth on the local club scene. They discovered a shared love of classic blues greats like Albert King and Lighting Hopkins, covering songs by their vocal heroes Mavis Staples, Jimmy Witherspoon and Etta James. All the while obsessing over writing, and honing their own original music.
Dwight & Nicole began performing live as a duo; touring the Northeast and developing a strong fan base. They then self-released two critically acclaimed albums through crowd funding. Over the next several years they would become well known regionally for their dynamic live shows and well crafted songs; gaining plenty of industry respect with nods for nine Boston Music Awards, seven Boston Pheonix Awards, seven Daysie Awards, and six New England Music Awards.
Both Ritcher and Nelson posess strong natural voices that stop you dead in your tracks. Wether belting or whispering, their singing commands attention. They are both also captivating performers, multi-instrumentalists, and strong songwriters. This rare mix finds them standing out from the crowd of up and coming East Coast bands. Ritcher plays a Gibson Flying V guitar – picking up his first one as a teenager in Long Branch NJ – he has never played anything else. Nelson, a gifted singer & classical violinist from NYC has described the bass as her first real love. She picked it up again in 2015 and has not looked back. The recent addition of powerhouse drummer Ezra Oklan to the band has solidified their sound. They took this combination into the studio in 2017 with spectacular results.
Dwight & Nicole’s 2018 EP “Electric Lights” was recorded live to analog tape with multi-Grammy Award Nominated producer Joel Hamilton (Aaron Neville, The Meters, The Black Keys, Yoko Ono) at Studio G in Brooklyn, NY. Hamilton, undoubtedly captures their sound and live energy. They have just self released two singles – the shimmering soul-anthem “Wait” and the dusty rocker “Hi-Lo” ahead of the EP, which have begun to introduce their music to a whole new wave of listeners. The release has also just landed D&N their first major label distribution deal through Orchard / Sony Music, and an Independent Music Award nomination.
Simultaneously familiar and fresh, The Steel Wheels bring a singular energy to every note they play and sparkling craft to each song. This potent combination, paired with a robust tour calendar, have made the veteran band hands-down favorites of fans and peers alike. From their base in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, The Steel Wheels have played the most prestigious festivals, listening rooms, and clubs in the world, earning a reputation as one of the top independent bands on the scene today.
While 2017s’ stunning studio album, Wild As We Came Here, was still ringing in the air, the band shone a light on their concerts with the release of two EPs of live music; Volume 1: Live at the Station Inn, and Volume 2: Live at The Jefferson Theatre. Ever ambitious and not content to let moss grow under their feet, the Wheels returned to the studio-retreat of Sam Kassirer, producer of Wild, to record another studio album that will be released summer 2019.
In keeping with their relentless growth, the quartet, has become a quintet with the permanent addition of percussionist Kevin Garcia to the longtime lineup of Brian Dickel, Trent Wagler, Jay Lapp, and Eric Brubaker.
True Orleans: Media Quotes
“Many New Orleans musicians blend jazz and brass band music with bounce, hip-hop, funk,
soul, R&B and more. Shamarr Allen has a name for his blend: True Orleans.” – Will Coviello,
Gambit Weekly
“The song (The Greatest Place in the World) is an upbeat celebration all things New Orleans,
including music, Mardi Gras Indian culture, boiled crawfish, New Orleans Saints fans and just
hanging out and greeting neighbors on street corners. Most of the album bursts with local
pride, but Allen’s tell-it-like-it-is candor ranges from humorous laments about parking tickets to
addressing New Orleans’ racial tensions, as on “Colorblind.”” – Will Coviello, Gambit Weekly
“On the album, “Weekend Dance” evokes a Big Easy version of Twenty-One Pilots. Horns and
hip-hop intermingle on “Keep Up” and elsewhere, traditional and modern New Orleans music
are mixed together.” – Keith Spera, New Orleans Advocate
“The first song, “The Greatest Place in the World (feat. Big Freedia)” mentions many things that
make New Orleans great such as jazz, bounce and crawfish. The track is infused with trumpet
solos and fun lyrics such as, “The city where grandma is gettin’ down in the kitchen / City where
musicians can actually make a livin.’” This song sets a tone for the rest of the album that is
unequivocally New Orleans.” – Bryce Berman, Offbeat
“Shamarr Allen has proven his musical chops by performing non-stop in many of New Orleans'
most prestigious clubs.” – Emily Hingle, Where Y’At Magazine
“… Allen's brass- and trap-influenced "Hit the Sean Payton" with DJ DNA is a sharp, straight-
forward earworm and a teaser for his 2018 album True Orleans.” – Alex Woodward, Gambit
Weekly
Shamarr has been referenced as: “Multithreat New Orleans instrumentalist and vocalist” –
Keith Spera, New Orleans Advocate
Kyle Eldridge is a vintage style country and western singer, songwriter, and guitar player from Louisville, Kentucky. With his smooth yet folksy singing voice, hot guitar playing, and friendly, personable stage presence, Kyle blends traditional Americana music styles into a unique, one of a kind sound that will get your foot tappin' and put a smile in your soul.
