Honorary Lifetime Members

	Vicki Blankenship ~ www.spottedkivaproductions.com ~ In September 2003 Vicki Blankenship released her debut solo CD “Don’t Forget To Breathe” to great reviews and followed up with her sophomore release “Horizons” in January 2005. Both projects received airplay in numerous radio markets. In May 2005, Vicki founded Indie Music For Life, Inc. (www.indiemusicforlife.org) a non profit organization that raises money for cancer research and cancer awareness programs through working with Indie artists in benefit concerts and yearly compilation CDs. In October 2005 Vicki took over the lead role in Indiegrrl giving Holly Figueroa O’Reilly a much deserved rest and began doing volunteer work to set up showcases and events for the organization. Indiegrrl is now a division of Indie Music For Life, Inc along with Laughs For Life the division that works with comedians to raise money in the fight against cancer. Vicki presently sits on the board of the non profit as an advisor. Vicki has devoted her life into supporting Indie music and singer songwriters of all genres and to raising more awareness for the need of cancer research.
	Holly "Figueroa" O'Reilly ~ www.hollyoreilly.com ~ "...a fine new CD, How It Is, slays just about any big company songster product that has been coughed up over the past 12 months." -Los Angeles Entertainment Today, Paul Anderson, October 2002 After a recent performance at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Holly Figueroa was contacted by A&R at Elektra and MCA, both looking for copies of her latest record, "How It Is". One listen to her songs, and more importantly, her live performance, and you'll find out why she is a “major force to be reckoned with”. (Carla DeSantis, Rockrgrl Magazine) Recently featured on NPR¹s “All Things Considered”, native Ohioan Holly Figueroa started playing guitar in July 1999, when during her first tour, her guitar player broke his hip while pitching the tent before their first festival show in front of ten thousand people. Not knowing a thing about playing guitar, she learned three chords in three days and finished her tour by herself. In her first year solo on the acoustic music circuit, she was wowing national audiences in listening rooms from The Bitter End in New York City, to Club Passim in Boston, to the Tractor Tavern in Seattle and Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles. Seattle based Figueroa logged in over 1000 tour dates between 1999 and 2003, greeting fans everywhere with her knock down, drag out vocals and percussive solo acoustic guitar, usually with her now nine year old daughter in tow. Holly recently had her second child and is sojourning close to home for now. "Being on the road alone is hard enough," says Figueroa. "Being on the road with a nine year old is really tough. Add a toddler into the mix, and what remaining sanity I have might just be destroyed." Having a new baby in the house hasn't stopped Figueroa from releasing new material. In June 2004, she released "Live in New York City", a live CD recorded at Makor in NYC in January 2003. "People have been asking me for a long time when I was going to make a live, acoustic record." says Figueroa. "Now that I'm taking a bit of a break from performing as much, they can listen to the live CD until I come back to their town again." Holly was able to fund the recording of her latest record, "How It Is" solely through pre-orders from fans on her extensive mailing list. Her new record, released once again on Cake Records, will be distributed by Red Music, the indie arm of Sony/BMG distribution, in Fall, 2006. “How It Is” was produced and recorded by Evan Brubaker (Tennis Pro, Edie Carey, Skip Peri), and Troy Glessner at Spectre Studios in Seattle, WA. The record features mega talents Tony Levin and Jerry Marotta (both known for touring with Peter Gabriel), Danny Barnes, Dan Tyack, Sean Halley, and Skip Peri. “How It Is” is the follow up to her 2001 release "Dream in Red², which received great reviews from national, weekly and daily press all over the country. Holly is also the founder of Indiegrrl.com (a 2000 member international organization for women in the independent music industry).
	Jamie Anderson ~ www.jamieanderson.com ~ 18 years and growing as the spirit of a true “Indie” artist. Touring nationally since the eighties, Jamie Anderson has played her warm and witty songs in hundreds of coffeehouses, concert halls, colleges and festivals all over the U.S. She's released seven albums including her newest, A Promise of Light, produced by Kiya Heartwood (Wishing Chair). Her music has been featured on the Dr. Demento radio show, Car Talk, and stations all over the world. Jamie has been involved with Indiegrrl for over 6 years. When Jamie isn't touring, she's teaching songwriting, guitar and other classes at Duke University, arts centers, privately in Durham, NC and at festivals all over the country. She has a chapter in Songwriting and the Guitar, a book that also includes Paul Simon, The Indigo Girls, Joni Mitchell and others. Jamie is a freelance writer whose articles and CD reviews have appeared in Acoustic Guitar, SingOut! and more. In her spare time - she must have a clone -- Jamie is director for Women in Harmony, an annual music camp in the mountains near Asheville, NC.
	Denise Barbarita - www.MyShyTune.com - Denise Barbarita is a singer-songwriter, a music producer and engineer and not your typical girl with a guitar. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, with a degree in Music Production and Engineering, she is an engineer at Kampo Studios in New York City and has worked with a long list of top selling artists including Grammy nominees Angie Stone, Herbie Hancock, David Byrne, Mary J. Blige and The Roots. Along the way she’s also been at the mixing board to help many independent artists realize their vision, including Brenda Kahn, Kristi Martel, Halley Devestern, Pale Beneath the Blue, Pillow Theory, Kevin So, Allison Tartalia, & guitarist Michael Hewett. As far as guitar skills, Denise has all the rock riffs at her fingertips in an uncanny way, from clean and light to crunchy and dirty. She can handle a delicate acoustic guitar as easily as her prized blonde Tele. Oh, yeah – and then there’s the voice. There’s no denying the voice. Soft without being timid, powerful without trying too hard and just so damned musical. It’s a voice pulled deep from a well of emotion and skill. In 2000, Denise teamed up with guitarist, David Weintraub, drummer, Rich Kulsar, and bassist Jason Wallenstein to produce her debut album, “Beauty Lied”. The album hit the shelves with rave reviews in 2002. Denise was chosen as Women Who Rock's "Girl Underground" and she has been featured in numerous publications such as Billboard, Ballbuster, and WomanRock. Denise released her 2nd CD, “Chaos and Congeniality”, in 2005, which has also enjoyed rave reviews. She toured extensively in support of her new release, performing as a soloist, as well as with her band, The Morning Papers, stunning audiences across the U.S. with her live performances. You can get a taste of the live show by picking up a copy of her latest release, "Alive & B-Sides"(2007). The album showcases new arrangements of old songs and a new band line-up as well! Songs from both of her albums can be heard regularly on the daytime television drama, “One Life to Live”, "The Young & The Restless", and ABC's prime time drama, "Traveler". http://www.myspace.com/denisebarbarita
	Ronnda Cadle - www.ronndacadle.com - Ronnda Cadle is both a performer and an event coordinator in the music scene of Atlanta, GA and is highly respected by her peers. She is a fine example of hard work where she diligently pressed forward as an instrumentalist playing her acoustic guitar breaking into the music scene of Atlanta and the surrounding areas performing in songwriter venues without singing a word. Spectators liked what they heard and became loyal followers and now she packs such notable venues as Eddie's Attic and Kavarna whenever she performs. As a solo guitar instrumentalist, Ronnda Cadle is known for melodic undertones and musical hooks she coaxes from her guitar. With over 20 years experience playing her original compositions before live audiences across the U.S., this musician from Decatur, Georgia has developed a devoted fan base. She has shared the stage with many other well-known musicians including Sarah Bettens, Al Petteway, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Mother's Finest and 2003 American Music Award Winner, Moe Loughran. Ronnda's style fuses heartfelt emotional content with masterful guitar work. There are times when her guitar seems to speak with a charming "slow southern drawl," like Ronnda herself. She perfected her craft while listening to guitarists whom she considers her greatest mentors - Nancy Wilson of Heart, Caroline Aiken, and Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls. Ronnda says, "I wouldn't be the player I am today if it were not for these strong and amazing women. I hope to bring my own voice to the generations of women musicians who follow." Ronnda has been featured on the Public Radio International program Echoes playlist, and was recently selected to provide several songs for the PBS television program and online site, Roadtrip Nation. She has two CDs to her credit, "The River Runs" (2006) and "After" (2007). http://www.myspace.com/ronndacadle
	Tret Fure ~ www.tretfure.com ~ One of the most prolific artists in the contemporary singer-songwriter arena, Tret Fure is extraordinarily talented. In 2004 she won the prestigious South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Competition in two out of three categories, Best Up-Tempo and Best Overall, as well as the Phyllis Schliessman Award for Outstanding Contributions to Women’s Music. In addition to being a gifted songwriter, Fure possesses an uncanny mastery of musical technology. Over the past 30 years, Fure has engineered and produced countless recordings by a variety of artists, including her own work. This writer, producer, engineer, vocalist and gifted instrumentalist has navigated her career with integrity and determination. After releasing her premier album on MCA records in 1973, titled Tret Fure, and becoming one of the first women sound engineers in the US, she left the mainstream music industry. Armed with a fierce desire to retain full artistic control, Fure began exploring the independent side of the industry and soon discovered the blossoming genre known as Women’s Music. She has been a major player in that field ever since. Now after 3 acoustic releases on her own label, Tomboy girl Records, she has re-established herself in the folk world. Tret is a true inspiration to "Indie" women singer songwriters. Her CD credits include: 1970 - Mousetrap 1973 - Tret Fure 1984 - Terminal Hold 1986 - Edges of the Heart 1990 - Time Turns The Moon 1993 - Postcards from Paradise 1999 - Between The Covers 1999 - Radio Quiet 2001 - Back Home 2002 - My Shoes 2005 - Anytime Anywhere
	Vicki Genfan - www.vickigenfan.com - Every now and then an artist comes along whose music reaches out and touches the soul of all who hear them…virtuoso guitarist, singer and composer Vicki Genfan is among those artists… Drawing from folk, jazz, pop, soul and world music, Vicki is redefining ‘singer/songwriter culture.’ With a mastery of the acoustic guitar that borders on pure alchemy, audiences are mesmerized by the waves of sound Vicki creates with just two hands and her voice. Using 29 alternate tunings and the percussive technique she calls 'slap-tap', you'll find the addition of her pure, expressive vocals that dig deep and stir the heart to be the perfect accompaniment on many of her songs. Vicki has been recognized among the world’s greatest guitarists and musicians at festivals such as The International Montreal Jazz Festival, Germany’s Open Strings Guitar Festival, Italy’s Soave Guitar Festival, as well as at venues and Performing Arts Centers across the US and abroad. In 2005 she was one of the featured artists on 'La Guitara', the first compilation CD featuring female guitarists from around the globe, released by Vanguard Records. With several additional ground-breaking recordings behind her, recent acquisitions of the 6 string banjo, 12 string and baritone guitars, high demand at clinics and music camps and an ongoing European presence, Vicki continues to reach beyond musical borders and into new territory. Winner of the Guitar Player Magazine’s “Guitar Superstar” Competition, the contest had hundreds of submissions from all over the world and were narrowed down to 10 finalists. Vicki Genfan was the first female ever to be chosen as a finalist. The finalist performed live at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall on Saturday night September 13, 2008 in front of a live audience where Vicki blew the crowd and judges away with her unique guitar style.
	Jonida Beqo aka Gypsee-Yo - www.gypseeyo.com - Jonida Beqo aka Gypsee-Yo is a native of Tirana, Albania who has finally been pronounced as a "bonafide" Southern girl, after "doing time" in the Bible Belt for almost 9 years. She is currently a resident of Atlanta, GA. Gypsee Yo is a poet, actor, movement director, designer, and activist. In 2001 she founded Lighthouse Productions, an independent theater company that performs works that educate about and empower communities in crisis. In spring of 2004 she was recognized by the American College Theatre Festival and the Kennedy Center for the Arts with the Dell’Arte Diversity Award for her work in her original one woman show “Sinners and Saints; The Women I Know”, an internationally performed and critically acclaimed play. She joined the spoken word/slam frontier in 2005, and is still loving every (3) minute(s) of it. As a slam poet she has been a member of the Atlanta/Java Monkey Slam Team at the National Poetry Slam in Austin, TX 2006-2007.She is the author of three critically acclaimed poetry books and several anthology features in her native tongue, and of four CDs and a DVD in English. She continues to perform nationally and internationally and has been known to violate the prop rule by bringing her infant daughter up on the stage with her. CD credits include: Sinners and Saints: the Women I know Soundtrack (2005), Songs of Deliverance (2005), Kitchensinkdrama" (2005), Kur jeta hedh rrenje ne valixhe (2006), Firstborn Daughters (2007). She also has published two books, Trupi im s’me nxe – (I do not fit inside this body) a poetry collection TOENA Publishing House, Albania 1998 & Best New Author National Award 1998, and Kur jeta hedh rrenje ne valixhe (When life grows roots in a suitcase) a Poetry collection "Bota Shqiptare" Publishing House, Albania 2005. http://www.myspace.com/gypseyo
	Sonya Heller - http://www.sonyaheller.com - Pop/Folk singer/songwriter and composer Sonya Heller is a three time ASCAP Awards recipient and the recent new love of France. She’s been compared to everyone from Sade to Carol King, Rickie Lee Jones to Laura Nyro, Joan Baez to Joan Armatrading, and back to Sade! Sonya’s music emanates from the streets of NYC and an old hip soul. She’s played most of its landmark and trend-setting clubs such as The Bitter End, The Living Room, and the Knitting Factory. Music Morsels Magazine recently called Sonya, “The Big Apples latest gift to the singer/songwriter world..one of the most ear-opening in a long time”. She continues touring throughout this country and has had her music performed by Jazz and World music artists from Carnegie Hall to the Olympia Theatre in Paris. Sonya Heller writes "Music for the masses that gets real personal." A streetsmart soothsayer with ruby red lips and a voice too good to be true wearing Road worn jeans and her trusty old Martin guitar in hand, she shares her time between the US and Europe where she has been wowing audiences everywhere.
	JEN/ed - www.jened.com - JEN/ed [a.k.a. Jennifer Edwards] is an ARTIST: writer, spoken word poet, dancer, visual artist and visionary hailing from Brooklyn, NY. She has toured the US and Canada inspiring, enlightening and educating audiences. In 2006, JEN/ed was nominated for OUTMUSIC and Just Plain Folks Awards and won Fresh Fruit and Stone Wall Society Awards for her work. She writes for Velvet Park Magazine and the Journal of the Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation. In 2007, her piece ‘4 Cycles of Single Motherhood’ was added to the collection of the International Museum of Women. She has participated in community arts projects including: V-day readings and fund-raisers, ‘the C-word’ lesbians coming together around cancer, THAW (theaters against war), Poets Speaking Out for the Park (Not in Our Name Rally), OUTRAGED: Womyn, Art and Activism (protesting the Republican National Convention ’04, organizer/ performer). As a Guest Artist/ Speaker, JEN/ed has worked with the National Organization for Women, National Conference on Organized Resistance, Student Environmental Action Coalition, Cancer Care, Gilda’s Club, The LGBT Center of New York, and the Girl Scouts of America. She is the founder of Relaxation on the GO and author of book series by the same name. The first installment, “Relaxation is Not a Luxury’ will hit the shelves in November of 2008.
	Sonia Leigh - http://sonialeigh.com - Sonia Leigh is a singer/songwriter hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. With gritty vocals and poetically compelling lyrics, Sonia's country-tinged, bluesy folk-rock music grabs listeners by the heartstrings and leads them on an intoxicating ride. Sonia Leigh's unbridled passion and rebellious charm bring an electrifying excitement to the stage with her. Unlike many other performers, Sonia easily and immediately creates a bond with her audience by the sincerity of her haunting voice, soulful lyrics, excellent musicianship and sultry appearance. Sonia Leigh's roots are in country music (her grandfather and father were musician's and songwriter's) but she soon discovered Blues and Rock and Roll ! By the age of 10, Sonia had learned chords and strumming techniques from her father. Later, she was drawn to artists from various musical backgrounds, including Lightning Hopkins, Brownie McGhee, Janis Joplin, Nirvana, Hole, Melissa Etheridge, Jackson Browne, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Bruce Springsteen. This musical upbringing serves as the foundation that has become the unique sound of Sonia Leigh. Her first song was recorded at the age of 14. By the age of 21, Sonia had recorded two albums,"Remember Me" recorded in 1998 and "Laundry" recorded in 2000. She took some time off to let her songwriting skills mature and in 2007 released "Run or Surrender" a mix of Americana and Country Blues with nail driving lyrics and melodies that will stick with you for days. Sonia has performed as an acoustic solo artist and with a band, as headliner and supporting act for various artists, including, Rocco De Luca,Wild Sweet Orange,Tea Leaf Green, Gringo Star,Meiko,Kristen Hall,The Zac Brown Band, Jason Mraz, Randall Bramlett, Jennifer Nettle's, the list goes on and on.  http://www.myspace.com/sonialeigh
	Laura McLean ~ www.guitarheel.com ~ known as the "Guitar Guru of the Lower Cape Fear", is a native Wilmingtonian, (Wilmington, NC), and wears many hats including radio host, producer, guitar/recording instructor, concert promoter, professional musician, song writer and published writer. She has a B.A. in Creative Arts from UNC Wilmington and is the NC Ambassador to the Southeast Regional Folk Alliance as well as a member of the NC Writer's Network. She earned her name early on as an acoustic singer-songwriter, and later as the fluid lead guitarist/vocalist for indie-rock mainstays, CALAMITY. Laura is the creator and co-host of The Magnolia Fatback Folk Hour on WHQR public radio and features many of the Indiegrrls and other Indie artists on her show. She teaches digital music production and guitar at the Dreams Center For The Arts, a cutting-edge downtown afterschool arts program. Laura is the musical chair of the Airlie Arts Festival, and founder-producer of the Cape Fear Folk Festival, now in its 16th year. Laura is very active with Indiegrrl setting up showcases in her hometown of Wilmington, NC featuring performers as they tour the US and was one of the very first members when Indiegrrl came to life in 1998. In her own words "I was 'Indie' before 'Indie' was cool".
	Gilli Moon - www.gillimoon.com - Gilli Moon is the quintessential Renaissance woman. Her restless creativity and rebellious nature continually urge the artist to push the envelope in the studio, on stage and with whatever she touches. She has become a beacon for her musical integrity, inspiring artists around the world by her story and creativity, and for her extensive and ceaseless contribution to the creative and artist community at large. Gilli (pronounced like as with a 'j') is a singer, songwriter, recording artist, pianist, actor, producer, author, painter, entrepreneur, visionary and empowering artistic community builder. She is an illustrious, energetic poly-media artist, with multifaceted music albums and dynamic live shows that have touched music lovers worldwide garnering high praise from the most jaded of critics. All her original songs from her 4 albums that have been released worldwide with many rave reviews, most recently being her album “extraordinary life”, an adventurous journey of autobiographical songs and stories, and intimate music conversations about Gilli Moon’s inner truths, emotions and passions. Gilli’s restless creativity and rebellious nature continually urge the artist to push the envelope in the studio, on stage and with whatever she touches. She has headlined and performed at many festivals across the U.S, sharing the spotlight with notable artists such as Erykah Badu, Rickie Lee Jones, Monty Python’s Eric Idle and Simple Minds. www.gillimoon.com/tours for her current performing schedule. Gilli is also a music producer for other artists, a well known author of a motivational artist handbook about surviving the business (I AM A Professional Artist), president of Songsalive! (non profit songwriters org) and runs her own record company, Warrior Girl Music, which releases artists’ albums in music compilations (including Females On Fire, celebrating over 65 female artists). Gilli Moon’s songwriting has proved strong for her career, being an international award winner and a writer for several artists' projects. Some of her award credits include Song of the Year and others by the Benelux International Song & Culture Festival (The Netherlands); Best Popular Song by the Johnny Dennis Light Music Awards (Australian Guild of Screen Composers), Best Solo Artist (twice) at L.A’s Rock City Music Awards (winning over Aly McBeal's Vonda Shephard); nominated Best Female Singer/Songwriter by the Los Angeles Music Awards; and, honored as “Outstanding Contribution as an Artist” by Hollywood’s Artist For A Better World organization. Her songs have been featured in independent films and network U.S television programs worldwide including Disney, Nickelodeon, CBS and other major network shows and movies of the week. Her songs have also graced theater productions and have been recorded by other artists including Dutch artist, Erikah Karst (Mercury/Universal), produced by David Kershenbaum (Tracy Chapman’s "Fast Car"). Other artists who have covered Gilli's songs are artists Nocy, Paulina Logan and Holly Light. More at www.gillimoon.com/discography. Gilli Moon creates music that is fresh, rebellious, passionate and unique. Itunes has been unable to classify her. She stands alone.
	Molly Neuman - www.indivisionmanagement.com - Originally from Washington, DC, Molly began her career in music as the drummer for the seminal riot girl band Bratmobile. After graduating from The Evergreen State College in 1992, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and began to work at Lookout Records in 1994. In 1997 she became a partner and has been instrumental in the signing and development of such artists as The Donnas, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Ted Leo/Pharmacists among many others. After moving to New York in 2004, Molly became involved with the as yet unnamed U.S. independent label trade association as a member of the search committee for its first president, and a founding board member of A2IM upon its formation. In addition to Lookout, Molly is a partner at Indivision management, a management company focusing on independent artists, has founded a new label Simple Social Graces Discos, and works at eMusic.com. She is absolutely committed to the independent music industry and anticipates being a punk rocker for the rest of her life.
	Karen E. Reynolds - www.soundadvicemusic.com - Karen E. Reynolds has made her distinctive mark in the music industry. A staunch independent, Reynolds owns her own label; operates a booking/management agency for independent artists; has national credits to her name as producer, publicist or vocalist; teaches songwriting and music business for the University of Tennessee; is a Mentor/Instructor for the Country Music Hall of Fames prestigious 'Words and Music in Schools' program and is host/program director of Writer's Block, a radio program that airs ONLY independent artists. If that's not enough, she started a concert series, Writer's Block LIVE, as a spin off of her radio program and in a very short time, has built the series enough to warrant national attention. A Knoxville, TN native, she has performed at some of the most prestigious festivals in the Eastern United States, is a regular at premier listening rooms and has shared stages and performance billing with some of the best in the business, establishing herself as one of their peers. Karen signed a publishing deal with Wolf Publishing, Nashville, in early 2007 and freelances as an independent career management and radio promotion consultant for independent artists and major publishers. http://www.myspace.com/KarenEReynolds
	Shelly Ryan - www.myspace.com/shellyryan - Inspired by sketch comedy, Comedian Shelly Ryan began her adventure in 2004 by joining other writers at SketchWorks, where two of her scripts were produced in a showcase. She also co-wrote a piece that appeared as the closing act in one of their main stage performances. After graduating from Funny Farm University in late 2005, Shelly's been on stage at several of Atlanta's comedy clubs and has emceed for a variety of local events. Shelly's closest brush with fame was the Nickelodeon at Nite's Funniest Mom Contest. WARNING: She's NOT your average mom! While driving her mid-size SUV around suburban Atlanta, her mind goes places it often shouldn't, but always has a fun time while it's there! Her comedy has been broadcast on live streaming radio and podcasts as far away as Australia. She's thrilled to be on board with BZoO HomeGrown Radio where she produces Red Brick Cabaret and hosts her own variety talk show, Shelly Ryan Late Night. Her passion for telling stories (thus letting the voices in her head escape) has resulted in scripts short films, a feature-length screenplay and most recently The Hopeful Princess story CD which is dedicated to all the children who must fight the bad dragon of cancer. Shelly is a board member of the Indie Music For Life, Inc. non profit as well as being the Co-Director of the Laughs For Life division of the non profit.
	Rachael Sage ~ www.rachaelsage.com East Village songstress, poet and multi-media maven Rachael Sage has been making gutsy pop music in one form or another since she was three years old. Her latest offering of "lovely and literate folk-pop-rock" (The Village Voice), THE BLISTERING SUN, is devoted to the topics of vision, clarity, and facing life head on. During the release of her first few albums, advice and support from the likes of Suzanne Vega, Ani DiFranco and Eric Burdon (The Animals) encouraged Sage to stick to her musical roots and "just keep doing what I loved and not think a whole lot about what was going on in the music industry." As a songwriter, she was energized by the sensibilities of Elvis Costello, Patti Smith and Laura Nyro; as a visual artist (Sage also paints, decorates instruments and designs much of her vibrant stage-wear), pop-art pioneers Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Keith Haring were ongoing visual muses. After receiving the 2005 Independent Music Award for Best Folk/AAA artist and the 2005 OutMusic Award for Best Songwriter for her previous CD BALLADS & BURLESQUE, Sage headed back into the studio and emerged with her newest full-length work, THE BLISTERING SUN. The 15 song album "focuses on the rare moments where action follows instinct, without procrastination." Fittingly, the cover-art depicts a colorful, super-heroine-esque image of Sage staring unflinchingly at the sun. Her awards and honors include: 2006 Indiegrrl Song Contest 4th place 2005 Independent Music Award (Folk) 2005 Outmusic Award (Outstanding Songwriter) 2005 International Acoustic Music Award 2005 Featured MIDEM Artist (Sonicbids-sponsored Indie Showcase) 2005 Finalist, VH-1 Song Of The Year for "Surprise" (Gospel category) 2004 First Prize, CSN Producers Project 2003 Finalist, Newport Folk Fest New Artist Search 2002 Billboard Songwriting Contest (R&B) 2001 Grand Prize, John Lennon Songwriting Contest (Rock) 2001 First Prize, Great American Songwriting Contest (Acoustic) 1999 NY Lilith Fair Talent Search Winner/Performer Her CDs include: Morbid Romantic (1996) Smashing The Serene (1998) Painting of a Painting (2001) Illusion's Carnival (2002) Public Record (2003) Ballads & Burlesque (2004) The Blistering Sun (2006)
	Carol Statella - www.myspace.com/carolstatella - Carol Statella is originally from Silver Spring, MD, grew up in Athens, GA and now resides in Atlanta, GA but all the while being at home in many musical styles. Violist Carol Statella has played on albums as notable as Sinead O’Connor’s Faith and Courage and in backup orchestras for Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, Harry Connick Jr., and Brian Wilson, as well as in a string trio for Cat Power's Variety Playhouse performance. She presently performs with Ronnda Cadle as part of The String Poets, and she frequently performs with Lauren Fincham as part of the Rosary duo/trio. Carol (unknowingly!) contributed a live improvised track to the EP Wingspan by Sarah Pinsker. Other live and/or recorded collaborators in recent years include Ron Hipp (of Over the Wires), Marc English, Envie, Diana Obscura, Mary Delaney, Blake Rainey, and The Tom Collins. As a reviewer for High Performance Review and contributor to Rockrgrl magazine, she interviewed Caroline Aiken and conductor Robert Shaw. While working as a public radio announcer in the 90s, she produced the series “A Celebration of Women Composers” for NPR affiliate 91.7FM WUGA Athens, GA. Carol has played in the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and sings with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus. Carol is also a music therapist and is a board member of the Indie Music For Life non profit where she serves as Director of the Educational Programs.
	Michelle Thomas - www.michellelovescake.com - Growing up the oldest of three in a fully functioning, yet completely dysfunctional family in Texas, Michelle had two options: she could either become a sociopath or a comic. She chose comic, however quickly realized they were actually one in the same. At age 19, she began performing at various open mics in and around Dallas and within the year was a regular at clubs across the south. Her unique material stems from an array of real life experiences, ranging from the horrors of owning and operating her own daycare to her backwoods, hillbilly family. (Her stepfather makes his own moonshine and is younger than her husband, which means one day they will have to explain to their children why their dad is older than their grandpa. Yeah, seriously.) Whether she’s performing in front of a sold out crowd at a comedy club, at a charity event, a church or even at the bar down the street, her quirkiness, honesty and instant likeability has made her a hit with audiences across the country for years.   www.myspace.com/michellethomascomedy
	DeDe Vogt - www.cowboyenvy.com - DeDe Vogt is a musician/singer/songwriter and owner of Sound & Fury Recording Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. She has two solo releases, Willing Suspension of Disbelief and Cartoon Flat as well as the Cowboy Envy releases, all of which were recorded at Sound & Fury with Vogt as producer and engineer. She is a guitarist as well as bassist with bass being her primary interest. She received a gold record for her work on two cuts of The Indigo Girls debut Epic Records release. She appeared last year at Lincoln Center with recording artist Elise Witt and now appears regularly with Cowboy Envy and the Atlanta-based country rock band Gracie and the Slipcovers. She has produced and engineered over thirty independent releases and appears as a musician on nearly one hundred. Her compositions have appeared in various documentaries and films, one of which stars Jim (Ernest) Varney - a very "B" film but a nice walk to the mailbox if ya know what I mean. She is responsible for helping to nurture the Atlanta music scene and has led the way for folk musicians for quite some time. As a multi-instrumentalist, her wide range of influences and provocative style help to create magical albums. "She has been my idol for so long. I used to sneak into her shows at The Harvest Moon Saloon when I was 16 and then I'd come home and try to play her songs. She is the backbone of the acoustic scene. DeDe is God and everybody knows it." -- Michelle Malone The idea for Cowboy Envy was conceived by Vogt sometime in the early '70s when playing in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She ventured into a small club named Cat's Cradle and witnessed the flawlessly entertaining and musical performance of Riders In The Sky and said to herself, "I want to grow up and be like that someday." Well, the growing up part didn't happen, but years later, after a few phone calls, Cowboy Envy did.
	Cris Williamson ~ www.criswilliamson.com ~ is now an "Honorary Performing Member" of Indiegrrl for her long time commitment as an Indie artist. Decades before indie labels were the norm, and years before women had any real access in the industry, in her own way, Cris Williamson was busy changing the face of popular music. She hasn't looked back since. For nearly 30 years, Cris has toured incessantly, performing in Russia, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. One of the most sought-after performers on the acoustic circuit, she continues to criss-cross America, selling out Carnegie Hall three times, and headlining among others, the Newport and Kerrville Folk Festivals. Cris and her business manager Judy Werle are honored to be a part of Indiegrrl and to help continue the tradition of building "Indie" women singer songwriters into a more recognized force in the music industry.