Akron Celebrates Dolly Parton

I come from a big musical family. From an early age, I watched my mother finger chords on an old Kay guitar. Taking what I learned from her, I started my journey and I’ve been lucky enough to be playing tunes for a long while now. Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker are favorites of mine.

Angela Berlingeri’s musical and artistic background spans generations; singing and playing multiple instruments were part of everyday life. While following a career path in the visual arts and design education, she continued performing with semi-professional choirs and as a guest artist with various bands out east. In 2012, she met guitarist Joe Troyan, and their shared love of acoustic music, strong vocal harmonies, and an eclectic repertoire led to the formation of The Fretters. Originally bi-coastal, Novelty, Ohio, is her long-time home, where she lives on none other than…Music Street!

Hallie Bowie is singer, trumpet player, and percussionist who has been performing in the Akron area since 2001. She provided lead vocals and harmonies in the local Celtic group Si Bheag Si Mhor, and was a founding member of Scott & Hallie Music with Scott Evans. Currently she performs with One Fine Day, as well as her musical and life partner Jeff Reynolds.

More than just a pretty face, Kevin G. Brosien has been making music in Northeast Ohio since he was a child. He started playing piano in kindergarten, but got frustrated that he couldn’t take his piano down to the creek where he liked to play. After a brief sting with a cornet, which really pissed off the neighbors, a guitar fell into his hands and it all went downhill from there. He has played with Eskimo Tailor, Rye Valley and the Brown Brothers and currently hosts the open mic every Wednesday at Divine Food Spirits Wine.

Wendy Darling is a Northeast Ohio singer-songwriter whose voice has been filling rooms since she was three years old. Wendy grew up aspiring to be like many of the powerful women in music that she listened to such as; Bonnie Tyler, Pat Benatar, Suzi Quatro, Joan Jett, Ann Wilson, Tina Turner, Olivia Newton-John, and, of course, Dolly Parton!
Comfortable across rock, Americana, country, blues, soul, and the occasional metal edge, Wendy brings both grit and glitter to the stage. Whether she’s belting a power ballad or leaning into a playful country classic, she delivers every note with the kind of soulful spark that has audiences captivated.

Meet Alexis James, a talented 15-year-old recording artist from Northeast Ohio. With her smoky vocals and mature heartfelt sound infused with blues and rock influences, she captivates audiences wherever she performs. When Alexis was just 14, she caught the eye of a producer and began working on her debut album. At only 14 she had already opened for notable acts, been showcased on the radio and has released her own original music.
Currently, she is hard at work on her debut album, while showcasing her passion and dedication as she continues to play various venues across Ohio. Be sure to follow Alexis’s inspiring journey as she carves out a promising career.

Kathy Johnson’s music includes her originals, folk, rock, old cowboy songs and more, featuring her clear, warm voice. She has sung at festivals and venues in Ohio, the Eastern U.S., and Canada and played multiple times at Nashville’s Bluebird Café and other clubs. Her CDs, recorded in Nashville, have gotten radio airplay and great reviews. She was in the Ohio Arts Council’s Performing Arts on Tour program, on the Artist Roster of the Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center, and performed 13 years at First Night Akron. Review excerpts include: “Playing a wide gamut of subjects as well as styles, Kathy moves seamlessly from serious to hilarious.” – Kent State Folk Festival. “… a voice that evokes the openness of the American Midwest.” – WGMC-FM, Rochester, NY. ”Her songs are memorable, filled with wit, substance and humor.” – Country Songwriter

Cindy Calle Ley from Wadsworth, Ohio, came to music late in life. She enjoys various music styles, but her main interest is alternative folk. Her current influences are Rhiannon Giddens, The Civil Wars, Abigail Lapell, and Gillian Welch. She considers herself primarily a singer, but also plays multiple instruments and has recently delved into songwriting. Calle has played various venues, both individually and with others. She especially enjoys the accompaniment of strings and mandolin. She is currently working on recording. You can find Calle on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Jean Mastin is a local singer and ukulele player and founder of The One Fine Day Band

Jen Maurer has been a NEOH musical standout for 30 years. 
She is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter that was raised on various American Traditional Roots musics. You’ll hear a lot of those roots in her original songs, which draw from old-school Blues, Jug-Band, Swing, Jazz, Country, Old-Time, and Americana influences. In 2024 she received an Ohio Arts Council “Individual Excellent Award” in musical composition, and is currently recording her first solo album with the single, “Wearied Blues,” soon to be released.

Jen came from a musical household where both her mother and step-father played, as did most of their friends. That made her a lover and connoisseur of all the Roots Music styles. This is reflected in her current projects, which include Mo’ Mojo (Zydeco/Louisiana), the Jen Maurer Project (originals), The Rhondas (old-school Country), Maurer and Lenz (Blues), Jen and Billy (fiddle music), Jen and Jackson (60s R&B), and Jen and Joe (electric mix of originals and covers). 

Britney Redpath is a singer-songwriter from Canton, Ohio. Once a keytarist in a synth-pop band, she now writes indie folk music that often juxtaposes the upbeat sounds of the ukulele with raw and personal lyrics. She is currently working on recording her debut EP featuring a few of her “sad girl ukulele songs.” She admires Dolly for both her storytelling music and the heart that was behind it, and she’s looking forward to being part of something that can honor that.

Akron, Ohio based singer/songwriter Katy Robinson is a product of a large musical family, a thriving local music scene, and a lot of self-motivation. She started playing guitar at 13, and quickly began frequenting area open mics. Her biggest influences include songwriters and storytellers like Brandi Carlile and Dolly Parton. Her folk-pop-rock blend and unique voice combined with her raw and relatable lyrics have landed her area gigs, and she is making waves on local radio.

Colleen Welsch is a singer, songwriter, producer, and teaching artist from Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
Her two goals in life are to pet every dog and win a Grammy.