About Queen Esther
Described as “...the unknown queen of Americana…” (Feedback), Queen Esther’s most recent work includes a TED Talk about the true origins of country and bluegrass, a self-released Black Americana album Gild The Black Lily/EL Recordings (“...a minor masterpiece…” - LIRA) and a performance with her western swing collective The Black Rose of Texas at Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City that included a workshop at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Raised in Atlanta, GA and embedded in Charleston, SC’s Lowcountry – a region with African traditions and Black folkways that span centuries and continue to inform her work – vocalist, songwriter, musician, playwright and performance artist Queen Esther uses her Southern roots as a touchstone to explore cultural mores in America, deconstructing well-worn historical narratives while creating a reclamation-driven soundscape. Her creative output musically is the culmination of several critical Southern elements, not the least of which are years of recording and touring internationally as frontwoman for several projects with her mentor, harmolodic guitar icon James “Blood” Ulmer, including a stint in his seminal band Odyssey.

A recipient of the 2022 NYC Women’s Fund for her upcoming alt-Americana album Blackbirding, her most recent Black Americana album Rona -- songs written in Harlem while in lockdown during the pandemic -- will be released in September..

About Julie Williams

Singer-songwriter Julie Williams is turning heads in Nashville’s country music scene with songs that tell the stories she wished to hear as a mixed race child. A regular host of The Song Suffragettes, Julie was named in Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country Class of 2021, featured on She Wolf Radio’s Ones 2 Watch list and her single Southern Curls was covered by Billboard, CMT, PBS NewsHour, and numerous music publications. Having opened for acts such as RaeLynn and Mt. Joy, Julie tours with the Black Opry Revue, a showcase of Black artists in country, blues, folk, and Americana music, and performed with the group at CMA Fest 2022 in Nashville. Julie is traveling the country - and globe - on her first solo tour this summer, with performances in London, Nashville, Charlotte, Washington, D.C, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.

Queen Esther / Julie Williams

Queen Esther / Julie Williams