Bridget Kearney is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. A founding member of the band Lake Street Dive, she has performed at Radio City Music Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, Red Rocks Amphitheater, and The White House South Lawn, as well as appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report, Ellen, and Conan. Her solo debut, "Won't Let You Down," came out in 2017 on Signature Sounds and in 2020 she released a collaborative album written and recorded in Accra, Ghana, called "Still Flying" on Verve Forecast. Kearney has a BM from the New England Conservatory in Jazz Studies (bass) and BA from Tufts University in English. www.lakestreetdive.com

Mike Merenda is a songwriting force and clawhammer banjo explorer raised in NH and now dwelling in NY's Hudson Valley. Youthful musical forays into rock and punk later led to the more traditional folk realms and a productive creative partnership with his wife Ruth Ungar spanning 2 decades (so far.) They have toured extensively as both the duo Mike + Ruthy and the full band The Mammals. Mike curates the lineup of their community music festivals, the Winter Hoot and Summer Hoot at Ashokan. He is most fond of hoisting his antenna into the ether and seeing what emerges thru singing with a guitar or banjo in hand. In addition to his own original compositions he has recorded posthumous "co-writes" with Woody Guthrie & Allen Ginsberg. The Mammals' recent title track Sunshiner, which came to Mike in a dream, was nominated for Folk Alliance International's 2018 Song of the Year award. He attended Miles of Music's very first camp and is honored to be back.

http://themammals.love

After quitting her job in real estate five years ago, Naiika Sings bought a microphone and amplifier and took to performing on subway platforms and trains along the A, D and E lines. Her unplanned performances were based, she says, on the energy subway commuters were giving her that day.

Two years ago, a video of her posted by a rider on social media went viral as millions watched a packed train of commuters lose their inhibitions in a spontaneous sing-along. In other videos people danced in the aisles. When Naiika sings, said one post, magic happens.

In her forthcoming debut album, the Haitian-American singer-songwriter demonstrates to the world why her sultry mix of soul and style has already attracted the attention of millions, including 50 Cent, Ledisi, and many more.

naiika-sings.com

Ruth Ungar is a multi-dimensional collaborator, touring and recording artist, and event organizer based in the Hudson Valley of NY. In 2019 she and her husband Mike Merenda toured the US and UK with their band The Mammals, toured festivals for a month in Australia as Mike + Ruthy (duo) with their two kids, recorded a new full length studio album ‘Nonet' and organized their two annual community music festivals, the Winter Hoot & Summer Hoot at Ashokan. For 40 years Ruth's family has hosted summer traditional music and dance camps at Ashokan, the place that inspired her father, Jay Ungar, to compose his evocative fiddle melody Ashokan Farewell. Ruth is similarly known for eliciting an emotional response from an audience of any size. Her background in theater has also fueled a lifelong fascination with stagecraft, vulnerability, and the beauty of taking risks.

http://themammals.love

Since his dream career of full-time musician and multi-instrumentalist in the bands the Faux Paws and the Revelers was ripped away last year, The Chris Miller has been making lots of coffee for himself. Now he’s vaccinated and is excited to make coffee for you too!

https://thefauxpaws.bandcamp.com

Celia Woodsmith is a GRAMMY Nominated performer, vocalist, and songwriter. Influenced by artists such as John Prine, Janis Joplin, Patsy Cline, and Mahalia Jackson she has molded her own vocal style that can be described as "one of a kind: gritty, muscular, folksy and intimate sometimes all at once" (Bluegrass Situation). A fixture of the New England roots scene, she has been hailed by the Boston Globe as "Unvarnished and intimate (...) but then sounds like she's about to part the Dead Sea".

In the last 10 years, Celia has released six albums with Nashville based string band Della Mae. In 2014 Della Mae was nominated for a Best Bluegrass Album GRAMMY for their record "This World Oft Can Be". Their most recent album "Headlight" has been described as "...powerful writing, soaring vocals, and moving musical unity — challenge us, energize us, and touch us as they light the way. This is an album on which you can feel the emotions of the group in each song as they evoke anger, sadness, hopelessness, and joy". (No Depression)

The all-female Della Mae has performed in 19 countries with the US Department of State's cultural diplomacy program "American Music Abroad". Woodsmith spoke about her experiences with travel and music at TEDx Piscataqua River in Portsmouth, NH in a talk called "A Soft Drink and a Song in the Hills of Pakistan".

In 2016 Woodsmith took a hiatus from touring to write, listen, and reflect about her years on the road. With her husband she road-biked 1.700 miles from Geneva, Switzerland to Vlorë, Albania. In that time off she was able to write and record for her debut solo record "Cast Iron Shoes". The all original album combines raw, roots-rock with heart-searing songs like "Sicily" which paint a solemn picture of the global refugee crisis.

In March, 2020, Woodsmith found herself quarantined at her home in Kittery,ME. Off the road for the first time in 15 years, she has been focusing on writing, learning, teaching and rejuvenating her relationship with the outdoors.

As a person who grew up coming to Three Mile Island with her family in the summer time, Celia is a genuine “double agent” — equally familiar with the rhythms of the island with and without the Miles of Music people present!

www.dellamae.com

Photo credit to Amanda Kowalski

Dietrich Strause is a multi-instrumentalist from Cambridge, Massachusetts. His songs are a mix of timeless melody, literate lyricism, and a "virtuosic command of imagery.” (The Artery, WBUR)  In less than one year, Strause released  two albums -- How Cruel That Hunger Binds and Dietrich Strause & The Blue Ribbons -- proving to be one of the most prolific and eclectic writers and performers coming out of New England. He has taught songwriting at the Passim School of Music, played piano for English balladeer Sam Lee, recorded and produced an album of Chinese children’s songs, all the while touring the US and UK supporting folk luminaries such as Anais Mitchell, Sarah Jarosz, and more. Dietrich is an apprentice guitar builder at Outlier Workshop in Cambridge. More information can be found at www.dietrichstrause.com.

Jesse Harper is the founding member and lead singer of Acoustic Disc Recording Artists Old School Freight Train. He has toured and performed with many of his musical heroes including David Grisman, Madeleine Peyroux, Josh Ritter, Ricky Skaggs, Jason Mraz, kd lang, Bruce Hornsby, Warren Haynes, Keb Mo, Phil Wiggins, Michael McDonald, Sara Bareilles, Colbie Callait, Christina Perri, Josh Groban, Jerry Douglas and many others. Jesse has released 2 records of his original songs: JH and His Best Intentions and One True Thing. Jesse Studied classical guitar and music composition at Virginia Commonwealth University and the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Jesse currently and plays in Charlottesville’s bluegrass super-group "Love Canon” The band has released 4 albums to date. Their most recent release “Cover Story” debuted at no. 1 on billboard’s bluegrass charts.

http://www.lovecanonmusic.com