NOTABLE SDML ALUMNI
There’s something to be said for resonance. That instant when your ears start to tingle, the hairs on the back of your arm stand on end, and electricity hangs so heavy in the air that you could reach out and touch it. When those moments happen, it’s like catching lightning in a bottle. That’s Julia Knight.
The Nashville-based songstress has been electrifying Music City, working to bring that spectral spark into every second of her music. Her first single, “Ghost of You,” weaves hazy dream-soaked synths and star-drenched production with cascading hooks and billowing sonics.
At once ceaselessly powerful and beautifully vulnerable, this haunting debut winds it way through melodies that are as artful as they are hooky. Topped off with Julia’s effortless vocal prowess, there’s a surefire smash built into the song’s very DNA that’s guaranteed to stick with you from the very first listen.
Starting out on the acoustic circuit in early 2011, Thomas Suggs began his playing career as a solo performer, but in the fall of that year he was asked to join All the Little Pieces. During the next four years with the band, Thomas played more than 100 shows and festivals throughout Kentucky, but also played gigs in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Charleston, SC. During his time with the band, he recorded two albums with ATLP.
Recently, Thomas has helped form a new project – Five Minutes Left, a hard rock band – and they are in the process of putting together sets for upcoming shows. A frequent collaborator, Thom sits in regularly with area musicians, ranging from folk artists to rappers. When not playing with FML, Thomas also plays with D.J. Crowe & Edenspeak.
Thomas is an endorsing artist for Walrus Audio pedals (https://www.walrusaudio.com/) and George L cables (http://www.georgelsstore.com/).
She’s been called wise beyond her years, accomplished and award-winning, but Sydney Cubit’s path to success has been paved with hard work, tenacity and humility. Her fearless pursuit of music began with an early love for music. At age 10, while attending the School for Creative and Performing Arts as a vocal major, she picked up a guitar…and NEVER put it down! After learning a few chords, she began writing her own music. She never looked back, pursing every opportunity to play and sing out.
The music community of Lexington, KY rallied behind her talent. She was mentored by local musicians and songwriters providing opportunities co-write with seasoned writers, perform on professional stages, to hone her performance skills and also afforded opportunities to learn the difference between the stage and the studio production. At age 13, she wrote and recorded her first EP and released her first music video in December 2012 and March 2013.
She continued to write and play throughout high school and at age 16 was a Finalist on Season 7 of The Voice. In 2013, Sydney was awarded the National Association of Country Music International’s “Most Promising New Songwriter” and in 2015 was honored with “Best Pop Artist,” a peer selected award, at the Lexington Music Awards. Her unstoppable pursuit of music led her to finish high school early and move to Nashville at age 17 to be immersed in it.
Sydney’s unwavering commitment to pursing music despite the inevitable ups and downs, led her to protect her reputation during her teen years, knowing that one day she would be looked at as a role model for other young girls. "When I step on stage, I want young artists to know, it’s ok to be weird...it’s ok to be different....as long as you are true to yourself."
@sydneycubit
Savannah Dean,16, is a singer/songwriter who discovered she could play the piano by ear around the age of 6. She started performing at age 9 in her school talent shows. That inspired her to continue to perform outside of school and she had her first solo singing engagement at age 11 at Equus Run Vineyards. She began to be inspired by the bands she was performing with so she decided to start guitar at age 14 with JD Wright at SDML.
Since working with JD she has written 7 original songs. She has excelled tremendously and was honored to be the Woodsongs Kid for the “Women in the Blues” episode. She has since performed in numerous locations from Ohio to Florida. She has been fortunate to perform at venues such as the Hard Rock Cafe in Louisville, Kentucky and at the Indiana Sports Superdrome.
While her passion for songwriting seems to be geared more to the country side, her love of of music is not limited at all. She loves to perform all types of music! Her favorite quote about her music is “I’m a guitar/piano player-Jesus Follower-Music lover, country-pop-southern rock-blues-love ‘em all!” She aspires to attend a performing arts college in Nashville and pursue a career in music.
Her upcoming EP, “Southern Sass” is scheduled to be released this summer.
Instagram: savannahdeanofficial
Facebook: SavannahDeanReeves
Email: savannahdeanmusic@gmail.com
iamsavannahdean@yahoo.com
savannahdeanmusic@gmail.com
Troy Jamison performs with Lexington, KY alt-rock band Zen Highway. Troy and Zen Highway have released a full length album "From Down Here", and have played hundreds of shows locally and regionally since 2014. Troy sometimes serves as a hired gun guitar player for live shows for bands such as All The Little Pieces, and plays acoustic gigs from time to time solo or as a duo with Candace Lovejoy.
Dylan Bourne
Starting as an avid listener, Dylan grew a love for music early on in his life. He decided after his discovery of Thrash Metal to pick up the guitar at age 13. After deciding in April to expand his horizons and play in front of people, he became acquainted with SDML, as well as the members of the band 5 minutes left, who he now is the frontman for. His biggest influences span the horizons of everything from Incubus to Nirvana to Slipknot to Metallica. After meeting Paulie Felice at an open mic he could see that not only was there a talent but a need to improve, and he hopes to one day be a proficient enough player that it can be more than a hobby. But for now, catch Dylan and the band 5 minutes left for a good rock show and a good time, and stay tuned as he hones his craft into something tangible and proficient.
Taylor Hughes is a local country artist from Lexington, Ky. She got her start in Nashville singing for a TV comcast called " Nashville Spotlight." She is also a singer/songwriter so she performs as a solo artist and duo act. She was nominated for 4 categories and won two awards at the 2016 Lexington Music Awards for "Best Singer Songwriter" and "Song of the Year." She has opened shows for a handful of artists at The Lyric Theater and Manchester Music Hall, such as Angaleena Presley (of Pistol Annies), Mud Morganfield with Kim Wilson, Striking Matches, The Secret Sisters, Olivia Dvorak, and Riley Green. She plays all over Kentucky and has started making her way into Nashville as well. She has worked with world-renowned vocal coach Renee Grant Williams and is currently working with her understudy, award winning gospel singer Christy Sutherland. Some of her music influences are Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies, Kelleigh Bannen, Little Big Town, and Sugarland.
Eliza is a 16 year old SCAPA Lafayette sophomore and singer-songwriter. She started SDML in April 2015 with David and was honored to be Woodsongs Kid episode 847 along with greats, Darlingside and Jack Semple and perform at Lexi-Fest and LexJam 10th Anniversary show. She's released her first original single "Pillar of Salt" 2/17 and will be releasing more new music all year long. It is selected to be played on ITunes Women of Substance Radio March 2017, Radio Avenue, KGUP Emerge, Moozikoo, KB Radio, Indie Music Plus Live #70and The Independent Film Project (IFP) selected it for filmmakers to license/use in future film. 9/1/17, her single was selected as a staff pick of the week on Radio Airplay /Jango.
At age 13 Hannah Sturgill began playing guitar. she started learning to write songs because of inspiration from other musicians. she listened to music beyond her age. Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, and George Jones made up early and impactful inspiration. she has become an accomplished songwriter on par with the best of Lexington. she would not be there if it weren't for the help of a guitar teacher she had in high school. Paulie Felice helped her learn her way around the neck. Beyond that he helped her fully define herself as a musician.
She spends a lot of time being inspired by local artists and local music activists. she wants to use her degree in Arts Administration to strengthen the local music community and maintain Lexington's place on the map. musically, at 21 she has goals of writing and playing as much as possible and someday recording a record.
Lissy is a young up and coming singer songwriter with her own distinctive vocal sound and signature acoustic style who has performed in Kentucky, Tennessee USA and Staffordshire England. Born and raised in Stoke-on-Trent, England, Lissy has spent the last two and a half years living in Lexington Kentucky USA. The Southern US influence combined with her smooth vocals and lyrics will captivate and transcend you into a unique blend of Americana, Pop and Blues.
In April 2016 Lissy was one of the winning acts of a Battle of the Bands competition at Eastern Kentucky University and then went on to be nominated for 3 music awards and perform at Lexifest festival, The Lyric Theatre, WKYT CBS TV, ABC36 TV, Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour and Red Barn Radio. Since arriving back in in England July 2017 Lissy has featured on several radio stations including BBC Radio Stoke and was delighted to open the Main stage at LeeFest -The Neverland for Headliner Jake Bugg on August 11th.
Lissy released her debut album 'Reminds Me of You' in January 2017, recorded at Broken Crow Studios, Lexington, Kentucky and features Nashville's Mark Prentice (bass and keys) and Michael Severs (lead guitar).
Lissy teamed up with Broken Crow Studios in Lexington Kentucky and released her debut album 'Reminds Me of You' in January 2017. It features Nashville musicians Mark Prentice (bass & keys) and Michael severs (lead guitar). It is available for download on iTunes, Amazon music,
http://www.lissytaylor.com/
16-year-old Rhyan Sinclair, 2016 and 2017 Best Pop Winner (Lexington Music Awards) and Nashville recording artist, has performed with and written the original music for the alternative country/rock band All the Little Pieces since she was 11.
Songwriting since she was 8 years old, her music has been featured in several independent films. She plays keys, guitar and the occasional kazoo along with handling vocals for All the Little Pieces. Her publishing company, Little Haunted Girl Music, ASCAP, has an impressive catalog and she has her hand in all facets of the business side of her music, from video production to the promotion of a house concert series called The Living Room Sessions.
The new All the Little Pieces’ album is the first on her label, Little Haunted Girl Records. With All The Little Pieces (2015 Best Rock Winner, Lexington Music Awards), she has played gigs from intimate coffee houses to large venues and festivals. Notable venues played are Hard Rock Cafes in Memphis, Louisville and Pigeon Forge, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, the Cooper River Bridge Run and Awendaw Barn Jam in Charleston, SC, The Main Street Fest in Franklin, TN, 12th & Porter and Grimey's in Nashville and many more.
She has made two appearances on the Woodsongs Old Time-Radio Hour, first joining Norah Jones on stage and more recently as the WoodSongs Kid, where she got to join in on a song with Jorma Kaukonen and Lowell “Banana” Levinger.
Already with two All the Little Pieces albums (If You Fall and Broken Little Soul) and one solo EP (Cardboard City) under her belt, she recently wrote material for the band’s 12-song concept album, The Legend of Lavinia Fisher. Guests on the album include Fats Kaplin (Jack White’s band), Carl Verheyen (Supertramp) and Warren Hood (The BoDeans).
Inspired by a ghost story, the album takes the listener on a journey from present day to the 1800’s, starting from the perspective of a traveler leaving small town life behind, and going into the twisted perspective of Lavinia Fisher (allegedly, America’s first female serial killer). The album is ethereal and haunting and was released in Sept. 2016.
Rhyan hosts a monthly Songwriter’s Round in Lexington and is also presenter for and co-producer of BalconyTV Kentucky.
Hannah Mae Rector
Hannah Mae Rector is a multi- talented musician from Kentucky who sings/songwrites, plays guitar, piano, and ukulele.
She has been playing music since childhood and performing out professionally for over 9 yrs. She loves the indie/folk world but dabbles in all different genres of music when it comes to writing and recording including soul, classical, blues, jazz, bluegrass and more! She has won many singing competitions and tried out for American Idol. She has self produced and co-produced 4 different albums.
Currently living in Hawaii, she is still pursuing her musical journey and passion for singing and performing and has performed at many different resorts, restaurants and music venues in Hawaii. She has performed with artists like Rachael Yamagata, and local well-known musician Jack Johnson since she has started her musical Journey in Hawaii.
She is also pursuing her second love and passion since childhood for the fine arts and paint murals, canvas, surfboards and custom orders.
You can find her album, "Christmas Angel" at Cdbaby.com.
Instagram: @maeland_
Facebook art page: @maeland89
Facebookb music page: @hannahmaemusic
Dave Peterson
Luke Jackson
Rennie Neubecker
Almira Fawn
Melissa Deaton-Johnathon
Slade Warnken
Blakeley Burger
Quinn Coffey
Albert Oberst
Colin Michael
John Davis