PENSACOLA, Fla., September 13, 2023 ― WSRE PBS has announced three free concerts to be performed in the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio for the station’s “StudioAmped” music series: Grits & Greens on Tuesday, Oct. 3; Paul Vinson on Thursday, Oct. 5; and the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival show, featuring Kathie Baillie, Michael Bonagura and Alyssa Bonagura, on Friday, Oct. 6.
All shows start at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is free, and donations for Manna Food Pantries will be collected at the door.
Launching production for the series’ 14th season, “StudioAmped” showcases the original music of regional bands and artists. Concerts recorded in October and January will premiere on WSRE in the spring. Bill Harrell is executive producer.
Mississippi-based Grits & Greens is a powerful four piece band described as rock ’n’ roll with a soulful and jam-heavy delivery. Nashville-based Paul Vinson is an indie rock artist, originally from Pensacola, who released his debut full-length album “Tunnel Vision” in 2022.
This will be the 12th production of the series’ “Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival Special.” Festival director Reneda Cross Pasquale selects three songwriters from the festival to perform for “StudioAmped” each year. This year’s selection: Kathie Baillie and Michael Bonagura, of Baillie And The Boys fame, and their daughter Alyssa Bonagura, a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Nashville.
WSRE and the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival are also teaming up to facilitate the third annual songwriting workshop for Pace Center for Girls. Students from the Pace Center program will learn about the art of songwriting from Nashville songwriters Anne Buckle and Caitlin Evanson during the workshop at Pensacola State College on Friday, Oct. 6.
More information is available at wsre.org/events.
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ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Grits & Greens
Grits & Greens is a powerful four piece band best described as rock ’n’ roll with a soulful and jam-heavy delivery. Front woman Ryann McGhee shines with commanding guitar licks and a powerful voice. Jesse McGhee’s soulful slide guitar work is characterized by open tunings and melodic riffs. Jake Noble and Jackson Bounds round out the rock ’n’ roll feel on bass and drums.
Paul Vinson
Indie rock artist Paul Vinson left his hometown of Pensacola for Nashville to bolster his career as a singer-songwriter. Last fall, he returned home to celebrate the release of his debut full-length album “Tunnel Vision” featuring singles “Drama Queen,” “Keep Up” and “Final Show.” He released his debut EP “Got Get Me Out of Here” in 2021.
Kathie Baillie & Michael Bonagura
Kathie Baillie and Michael Bonagura were part of the popular country music trio Baillie And The Boys, which emerged as one of the best known bands of the late ’80s and early ’90s and became an integral part of forever shaping the direction of today’s country music.
Alyssa Bonagura
A songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Alyssa Bonagura spent the past decade fine-tuning a sound that reaches far beyond her Nashville roots. It is a sound that blurs the boundaries between genres, mixing the southern storytelling of country music, the free-thinking spirit of rock ’n’ roll and the cinematic sweep of Britpop into its own hybrid.
ABOUT WSRE PBS:
WSRE, a PBS member station licensed to the Pensacola State College District Board of Trustees and supported by the WSRE-TV Foundation, serves as a critical media source for trusted content and a safe media space for children to grow and learn.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mary Riker: (850) 484-1211