Liza’s artist friends at Purple Rover “Live with Liza” stage
<in alphabetical order>
Margaret Belton
https://www.margaretbelton.com/
Margaret Belton is that rare artist who fuses her exceptional talent with a genuine warmth that makes audiences feel they’re part of the family. A true renaissance woman, She is a songstress, theater and film actor and a visual artist. She has starred in many independent films, theater productions and crooned various stages around The Bay Area and beyond. She founded her Patsy Cline Tribute band called ‘The Patsychords’ in 2010 and has accomplished five rounds of her critically acclaimed portrayal of Patsy Cline in ‘Always… Patsy Cline’. Margaret continues to croon, perform and collaborate with other artists near and far and she is over the moon to be at the Purple Rover to honor our beloved Liza.
Kofy Brown
https://www.kofybrown.com/
Kofy Brown, an Oakland, CA musician, singer, and songwriter, is a pioneering force in the Bay Area’s hip-hop soul scene. As the leader of her band, KBB (Kofy Brown Band), she has toured extensively, paving the way for other indie artists to follow in her footsteps. With performances across North America, Canada, and Europe, Kofy Brown has showcased her unique style of soul, rock, funk, and more to audiences worldwide. MORE>>
Dillbilly
www.dillbillymusic.com
Raised in a rural trailer park near the Ohio River, Dillbilly (they/them), grew up in the Bible Belt surrounded by cornfields and grain silos. Songmaker, wordsmith, and multi-instrumentalist, Dillbilly crafts soulful countryfied songs and mournfully resonant ballads that join hands and waltz around a bonfire on a full moon night. Their most recent studio record, “Chaparral,” engages with deeply fraught topics, bringing the deep and troubling to the surface, and in doing so lets in the sunlight. Winding tenderly through these introspective tales is an elegant voice that warbles like a jay, world-weary and vulnerable, yet glowing gently with a palpable inner strength. Featuring performances by a coterie of gifted artists and produced by Julie Wolf, Chaparral is masterfully arranged and recorded; pristine, soft-edged, and utterly enchanting. Over their two decade long career, they have contributed to movies and soundtracks and released 11 records, including one live album, “Chaparral: Cover to Cover”.
Cynthia Kneen
www.cynthiakneen.com
CYNTHIA KNEEN (pronounced neen)─writer-poet, theater artist, educator and long-time practitioner of Buddhism. Recently Cynthia graduated from an elite three-year Jacques Lecoq-based school of physical theater in Italy, with a big emphasis on comedy. She is also a cofounder of Naropa University, and a graduate of Lighthouse Poetry Collective in Denver.
A long-time Boulder resident, the picture is Cynthia in downtown Boulder during the Great Flood of 2013.
DJ Anita Lofton
https://www.theanitaloftonproject.com/dj-anitalofton
Anita Lofton was recognized as one of the top DJs in the Bay Area and mentored with the legendary DJ Page Hodel. She maintained numerous residencies in San Francisco’s top nightclubs including The Box, Club Universe, Ruby Skye and 1015 Folsom. She opened for world renowned Djs Little Louie Vega, Derrick Carter, Roger Sanchez, Dj Dan and a host of others. Lofton performed nationally and abroad at numerous exclusive private events for clients such as LeAnn Rhimes. Lofton was a music editor at SF Weekly, music assistant to the program director at KMEL radio, and dj record store manager at Soundworks. In 2003, she became one of the founding members of Sistas in the Pit, the black girl rock band. The trio toured China and Europe, and took an infamous national tour supporting a certain James “Iggy Pop” Osterberg and the Stooges during that band’s reunion in 2007. The Anita Lofton Project was established over 8 years ago, illustrating an energy & Bay Area based bounty of styles, & rich instrumentation that stretches from current day fascinations to vintage rhythm & blues rock traditions. The talented guitarist, singer-songwriter and band leader also had the pleasure of composing a commissioned performance for Big Mama Thornton that was attended by 4 generations!
James Ösel Thorpe
www.jamesoselthorpe.bandcamp.com
James Osel Thorpe is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer who draws his melodies from the dragon-guarded springs of the Rocky Mountains. Having played diverse roles in a diverse group of bands, from the latin-reggae-busta-music powerhouse Jyemo Club, to the highlife-afrobeat staple Selasee and The Fa-Fa Family, to an array of folk-rock-funk-jam projects, Thorpe’s music is sun-soaked but undaunted by rain. His third solo album, In A Violet Room, is a tasty blend of his pan-atlantic influences that showcases his commitment to the song itself as the ultimate aesthetic and artistic pursuit.