Juno nominated artist Dayna Manning exemplifies the very best that Canadian Folk music can be.  Her cool clear voice along with her insightful songs represents a history of Canadian musical art that goes back to the early ‘60s and sounds just as vital today.  A modern renaissance artist, Dayna recently produced Trent Severn’s third album “Portage”, designed the Stratford Festival’s best selling 60^th anniversary t-shirt, and just produced her latest album “Morning Light” with the help of Stratford Festival alumnus Ben Bolt-Martin arranging for chamber orchestra.  She recently penned her first book “Many Moons: Songwriter’s Memoir” which was released by Blue Moon Publishers in October 2019.  In 2016 Dayna founded the “Folk Army”, a private music instruction academy in Stratford, Ontario.  The Folk Army’s mission is to empower young girls to make a positive change in their communities through creativity, thoughtful performance and positive self-esteem.

Marty Kolls is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter based in London, Ontario.  Crossing genres for over 25 years, Kolls has found her greatest inspiration from other female artists.  Her newest video release, Play Too, pushes the message of individuality to the next generation.  As an educator, mother-of-two and champion of the “female forward” movement, Kolls’ vocals capture the audience with intense raw lyrics and her powerful piano playing.

Singer/pianist/composer Brent Jones is a busy musical collaborator in his home region of South-Western Ontario contributing to the work of many artists both local and international through sessions, production, and performance.  He runs Quiet Earth Studios on a heritage farm, just outside London, Ontario and is co-founder of the Back To The Garden Music and Arts Festival.  Jones’s work focuses on building sustainable creative communities – combining artistic expression and natural systems – to help teach, heal, and celebrate the human experience.

Hailing from the Old East Village in London, Ontario, Kevin’s Bacon Train has been defined as “That band who plays the covers” or “Covergrass” by St. Regis Tavern Regular and Kevin’s Bacon Train Superfan Rudbal Kelly.  Members Marty Kolls, Mark Schram, Paul Aitken, Jordan Blake, and Andrew Fleet blend fun and musical virtuosity to create a unique performance experience.  From The Our Street Festival, to Aeolian Hall, to in front of that alleyway across from the Movie Theatre in Forest, Ontario, Kevin’s Bacon Train have been making people get up and dance with their upbeat bluegrass spin on the hits of the 80’s, 90’s and 20’s.

Singer/songwriter Darren Powers has been honing his skills of songcraft and performance with nearly 20 years of experience throughout his home region of Southern Ontario.  His music captures the gritty spirit of classic Americana – grounded in truth and realism – exploring tales of loss and redemption with a raw sensitivity.  2020 marks the debut of Darren’s first album release – False Bravado – recorded at Quiet Earth Studios with the help of noted Canadian musicians and producers.  The album will be officially launched Saturday, May 30^th, 2020 at Quiet Earth with a special immersive concert experience featuring a live multi-media album performance.