South Jersey Arts Fest Line-up brings earthy, rootsy, countrified, soul-filled, rockin’ music to Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus on June 1 & 2, 2019.
South Jersey Arts Fest at Appel Farm will come alive with music! On Saturday June 1st, soulful spoken word recording artist Ursula Rucker will open the Meadow Stage, followed by The Wallace Brothers Band with a blend of country, folk, improv, jazz, psychedelia, and everything in between. Hymn for Her take the stage next with their wild-eyed mash-up of country, blues and punk, and closing the show on Saturday is Gina Chavez with her collection of bilingual songs that traverse cumbia, indie-folk, blues and Latin pop.
Back for a second day of music on Sunday, June 2nd, we open the show with the hand clapping soul stirring indie blues of Hoochi Coochi, and then Gooch and The Motion deliver a unique blend of country, blues, and rock n’ roll straight out of South Jersey. The Jersey Shore’s own country duo Williams Honor return to the Meadow Stage, and we close Arts Fest with a legendary live show by Southern Culture on the Skids and a testament to the therapeutic powers of foot-stomping, butt-shaking rock and roll.
“Have you ever been to Appel Farm?,” says Programs and Creativity Director, Julia Weekes, “For camp, an art retreat, an event? When we come together at Appel Farm, the farm comes alive. It’s as if the whole place is giving off sound and color and energy. The 2019 South Jersey Arts Fest line-up at Appel Farm captures this magic – on one giant stage for two amazing days of earthy, rootsy, countrified, soul-filled, rockin’ sound and color…a musical rainbow.”
Southern Culture on the Skids
Southern Culture On The Skids has been consistently recording and touring around the world since its inception in 1983, when Rick Miller was a grad student at UNC-Chapel Hill. The current lineup (Dave Hartman – drums; Mary Huff – bass and vocals; Rick Miller – guitar and vocals) has been playing together for over 30 years. The band’s musical journey has taken them from all-night NC house parties to late night network talk shows, and from performing at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan to rockin’ out for the inmates at NC Correctional Facilities. Their music has been featured in movies and TV, and used to sell everything from diamonds to pork sausage, and their legendary live shows are a testament to the therapeutic powers of foot-stomping, butt-shaking rock and roll. Watch the band tripping out in the kudzu patch in our video of “GREY SKIES”.
Gina Chavez
Gina Chavez is blending the sounds of the Americas with tension and grace. A 10-time Austin Music Award winner and 2015 Austin Musician of the Year, she and her band are fresh off a 12-country tour as cultural ambassadors with the U.S. State Department, uniting audiences from Texas to Uzbekistan and Venezuela to Saudi Arabia. Her bilingual album, Up.Rooted, topped the Amazon and Latin iTunes charts following a feature on NPR’s All Things Considered. Chavez is currently touring her new EP Lightbeam, a collection of five songs about the journey and hardships she and her wife have undergone to be able to publicly express their love for each other as Catholic Latinx women. “Steeped in slow-burn soul and uptempo R&B,” Lightbeam already has NPR under the spell and of a new sound that expands upon her passionate collection of bilingual songs that traverse cumbia, indie-folk, blues and Latin pop. Her Tiny Desk concert has more than 750,000 views.
Williams Honor
Straight from NJ’s legendary music scene, comes an unstoppable collision of likeminded influence, chemistry and a true love for country music. Singer and performer powerhouse Reagan Richards and producer/multi-instrumentalist Gordon Brown have come together to show the world their love for modern country by building on the years of tradition, harmonies and story songs the genre continues to pride itself on. Reagan has been a backing vocalist for many major artists including Cheap Trick, Jon Bon Jovi and among others while Gordon has toured the world as a guitarist and continues to write for acts like Audrey Kate (ABC’s Rising Star) and Audra McLaughlin (NBC’s The Voice) among others. Watch the official video for Send It To Me by Williams Honor.
Hymn for Her
Hymn for Her have been busy touring across the country and abroad over the past few years, injecting juiced-up backwoods country blues with a dose of desert rock psychedelia that has been described as “Hell’s Angels meets the Amish,” and “Hillbillies with electronics opening Pandora’s Box”
The duo certainly covers a lot of musical territory in Smokin Flames. Their wild-eyed mash-up of country, blues and punk led U.K. music critic Steve Bennett to call H4H’s sound “a riotous, rocking roadkill stew,” while others have referenced such diverse bands as Captain Beefheart, Primus, X, R.L. Burnside, JS Blues Explosion and the Ramones.
Impressively, the two create their “ripsaw sounds” (Los Angeles Times’ Randy Lewis) with only a few instruments. Wayne (with the devilish voice), mainly playing the kick-drum, high-hat, acoustic guitar and harp, serves as the group’s rhythmic driving force. Lucy (of the fallen-angel voice) delivers a gritty squall on her “Lowebow” — a custom-made cigar-box guitar: “The Riff Monster.” Catch this duo as they burn down the highway and tear up your town like a Wichita twister.
The Wallace Brothers Band
The Wallace Brothers Band’s psychedelic-country, folk-rock music digs deep into the world of rock and roll, bluegrass, jazz, R&B and soul. Their sound is rounded out by the pedal steel playing of Lucky Pham, Colby Wallace on drums and vocals, Zach Wallace on guitar and lead vocals, and Phil D’Agostino/Paul Wilkonson on bass. Based out of Philadelphia, the group has performed at many major festivals throughout the Northeast, as well as having been fortunate enough to have worked with/opened for members of: Ween, Rusted Root, Grammy winner David Bromberg, Grammy winner Ricky Skaggs, Robert Hunter of The Grateful Dead, Frog Holler, and many other great local and regional artists. Check out this performance of Time Marches On.
Gooch and the Motion
Gooch and The Motion deliver a unique blend of country, blues, and rock n’ roll straight out of South Jersey. 9-time Grammy award winning producer, Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo, says “they have a one of a kind sound that also makes you nostalgic of artists you’ve listened to in the past.”
The band is in the process of recording their sophomore album, “Outside the Window” to be released later this year in addition to a northeast tour to support it. The album showcases band leader Ryan “Gooch” Nelson’s growth in lyrics and musicality influenced by his life. The energy and connection in the band is truly at an all time high!
Formed in 2016, Gooch and The Motion began as a rotation of many talented musicians from the Philadelphia and New Jersey area. The core of the band has blossomed in to a fully dedicated 6 piece group that is as comfortable headlining a festival as it is playing intimate club venues. The Motion have performed with The Allman Brothers, Luther Dickinson, Lynryd Skynyrd, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Walter Trout, and the Zach Brown Band, just to name a few. Check out the video for Jersey Mudd from their debut album, Comin’ Home.
Ursula Rucker
Ursula Rucker is a Philadelphia born poet, mother, activist and recording artist. She has been performing, recording and releasing works for over 20 years. Ursula has traveled and toured extensively, throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Africa…sharing her poetry…her heart and soul. She is dedicated to art as/for social change…and committed to freedom fighting, truth-telling and peace-(and a little trouble 😉 making through her chosen art form.
Ursula believes in taking her art as far as it can go…whether it be through teaching, activism, lecturing, conducting workshops, merging it with music and recording or rocking mics and stages.
To date, Ursula has released five solo albums (Supa Sista, Silver or Lead, ma’at mama, Ruckus Soundsysdom, SHE SAID)…as well as collaborated on over 100 songs, in a wide array of musical genres, with producers/artists from around the world (such as King Britt, Bahamadia, The Roots, 4 Hero, Jazzanova, Louie Vega, Incognito). Ursula was awarded both the Leeway Foundation’s Art for Change & Transformation Awards. She is the feature of a documentary short called POET. In 2015, she successfully premiered her first one-woman show/live memoir My Father’s Daughter, and is still touring with it. Most recently, Ursula is most proud of her Monument Lab piece “Logan Squared”, an epic poetic ode to her beloved city Philadelphia…as well as…Voices of Kensington, the poetry series she curates thru the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program…geared towards healing and giving voice to the Kensington community greatly affected by opioid addiction. Currently, Ursula is working on her 6th solo album, and planning her first book project…and always looking forward to making and sharing art with the people in as many ways as possible.
But the latest shining feather in Ursula’s cap…is being named a 2018 Pew Fellow. This is Ursula Rucker featuring Jurczok 1001 — L.O.V.E.
Hoochi Coochi
Hoochi Coochi is a hand clapping soul stirring indie blues band from Dover, De. Always a crowd favorite Hoochi Coochi brings the people together. They have entertained a wide array of venues and opened for national acts like Low Cut Connie and Larkin Poe. They are sure to get any crowd young and old rocking, rolling, and singing about love. Check out this rad performance of Give It To Me!
The Yokels
Playing the exclusive campfire concert for Overnight experience guests, these Cape May County musicians Nate, Chris and Marnie perform a mix of Bluegrass and folk rock covers and originals.
South Jersey Arts Fest at Appel Farm Highlights include:
- Appel Farm welcomes to the Meadow Stage a musical rainbow of earthy, rootsy, countrified, soul-filled, rockin’ music! Headliners Southern Culture on the Skids and Gina Chavez are joined by Williams Honor, Hymn for Her, Wallace Brothers, Gooch and the Motion, Ursula Rucker, Hoochi Coochi, and more.
- Visual Art, Music, Dance, and STEAM workshops and activities offer patrons the chance to ignite their creativity and make some art!
- A variety of craftspeople, fine artists and culinary artisans will be featured at the Crafter and Culinary Artisan Fair with painting, photography, glass art, jewelry, carved wood, leather, metal craft, spices, cut paper, printmaking and more!
- Patrons are invited to learn the Art of Wine Making at a workshop featuring the winemakers of Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery.
- Festival-goers will enjoy delicious fare from gourmet food trucks, craft brews and vintage wine.
- Kids age 3-13 can experience the magic of a summer at world-renowned Appel Farm Art Camp at our Arts Camp Pop-Up with visual and performing arts activities, a bounce house, and yard games just for kids! Arts Camp pop-Up is a great place for the kids to ignite their own creativity under the care of camp counselors, while parents check out the selection of vintage wines & craft beers.
- Arts Fest Attendees can also camp under the stars or rent an entire bunk for the Overnight Experience! Enjoy a campfire, s’mores and an exclusive campfire performance by The Yokels.
- On Sunday morning, riders may join the South Jersey Cycling Tour with routes for beginning, intermediate, and advanced riders with Auburn Road Vineyards as their destination.
1-Day Tickets are $25, and kids up to age 13 are free! Get tickets online at bit.ly/SouthJerseyArtsFest.
Support Arts Fest: Appel Farm is building a roster of volunteers, sponsors, and partners to help bring this ground-breaking festival to South Jersey. To learn more about getting involved, please contact Jennie Quinn, Public Outreach Director, at jquinn@appelfarm.org or 856-358-2472.
Location: Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus is located in picturesque Salem County, NJ at 457 Shirley Road, Elmer, NJ 08318. Only 35 minutes from Philadelphia, 30 minutes from Wilmington, DE, 90 minutes from Princeton, Atlantic City and Cape May, and 2 hours from Baltimore and NYC, Appel Farm is regionally accessible.
Accessibility Information: With two weeks advance notice, Appel Farm can provide NJ Relay Service (TRS) 800-852-7899, accessible parking with golf cart transportation to the stage, accessible port-o-lets, large print and braille schedules.
Funding: Made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional grant funding provided by the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel & Tourism. General support funding made possible in part by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Pascale Sykes Foundation, and Salem Health & Wellness Foundation. Sponsors include Subaru of America, Wedgewood Pharmacy, Dodges Market, RCL Solar, Eric M. Krise Electrical Contractor LLC, EnviroSafe, Bowman & Company LLP, AM Skier, Flying Fish Brewery, Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery, and Action Wheels Bike Shop. Marketing partners include WXPN FM 88.5, Social Impact Studios, VisitSouthJersey.com, VisitSalemCountyNJ.com, NJHeartland.org, JerseyArts.com, ArtsEdNow.org, and Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. Thank you to all our donors for supporting our arts education programs!
Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus: Since 1960, Appel Farm Arts and Music Campus has provided transformative arts and learning experiences, and has emerged as the arts education leader in South Jersey. Arts education programs on our campus at Appel Farm, in the schools, and in the community are raising the bar of arts education for children and families in our community. Appel Farm provides people of all ages, cultures and economic backgrounds with a supportive, cooperative environment in which to explore the fine and performing arts.
