PENSACOLA, Fla., August 30, 2023 ― WSRE has announced the artists selected to perform for the 15th season of the public television station’s “StudioAmped” music series. Six concerts will be presented in the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio at Pensacola State College in October, and the shows will premiere on WSRE PBS in the spring. Admission is free.
Three artists from the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival—Lauren Mascitti, Jim McCormick and CJ Solar—will kick off the concert series on Friday, Oct. 4. The series will continue with Bangarang Peter on Tuesday, Oct. 8; Civilized Natives on Thursday, Oct. 10; Johnny Hayes & The Alabama Fire on Monday, Oct. 14; Jordan Chase on Wednesday, Oct. 16; and Justin Jeansonne on Friday, Oct. 18.
The public is invited to attend the concerts, joining the studio audience for each show. All shows start at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Donations for Manna Food Pantries are collected at the door.
Another community outreach component of WSRE’s “StudioAmped” series is a songwriting workshop and concert outing for Pace Center for Girls on Oct. 4. In partnership with the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival, the station will facilitate the morning workshop on campus at Pensacola State College and host a group of students who will attend the songwriters’ soundcheck and concert that evening. Nashville songwriters Anne Buckle and Lauren Mascitti will conduct this year’s workshop.
“StudioAmped” presents the original music of regional artists. Bill Harrell is executive producer. More information about the Season 15 artists and free concert series is published at wsre.org/events. Past seasons of “StudioAmped” are streaming at wsre.org and on the PBS app.
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ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Lauren Mascitti (Nashville, Tenn.) is a singer-songwriter who appeared on the 2020 season of ABC’s “American Idol,” and has been writing and performing since age 7. By the time she was a teen, she was performing six shows a week in Branson, Mo., with gospel singer Gary McSpadden, formerly of The Oak Ridge Boys. She has performed on the Grand Ole Opry multiple times and has written and performed with several of country’s top artists. Her album “God Made a Woman” was named to the New York Times and Saving Country Music’s Best of 2020 lists and went to #4 on iTunes in country albums sales.
Jim McCormick (Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans) is a Grammy and CMA nominated, multi-platinum selling songwriter who has scored three No. 1 songs atop Billboard’s Country Airplay chart: Gabby Barrett’s “The Good Ones,” Jason Aldean’s “Take A Little Ride” and Brantley Gilbert’s “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do.” His songs have also been recorded by Luke Bryan, Harry Connick Jr., Kelly Clarkson, Jon Pardi, Charley Pride, Payton Smith, Trace Adkins, Tim McGraw, Jamey Johnson, Keith Urban, Randy Travis, Trisha Yearwood, Ronnie Milsap, Tyler Farr, Cody Johnson, Matt Stell, Dalton Dover, James Barker, Shenandoah, Smash Mouth, Samantha Fish and many others.
CJ Solar (Baton Rouge, La.) fuses influences of Southern rock, Delta blues and country into his songwriting. Named a New Artists You Need To Know by Rolling Stone Country, he says the driving force behind his success is neither fame nor fortune, but a diehard infatuation with the music he grew up on in Louisiana. He has opened for major acts including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hank Williams Jr. and Gary Allan, and he has penned songs for Jason Aldean, Jerrod Niemann, Justin Moore and others, including the No. 1 single “Some Girls” for Jameson Rodgers and Morgan Wallen’s breakout hit “Up Down” featuring Florida Georgia Line.
Bangarang Peter (Pensacola, Fla.) is a rock band and self-described group of “kids” who refuse to grow up. Inspired by the Lost Boys of Never Land, this imaginative show band of seasoned musicians has become known for commanding the stage and mixing with the audience to create memorable music experiences wherever they play.
Civilized Natives (Pensacola, Fla.) was founded in 1994. In 2000, the band was awarded the opportunity to record and release their first CD, “Closing In,” as Pensacola’s SpringFest Discovery Stage Award winner. Fast forward 30 years with founding members Glenn Vignolo and Jeff Gardner; the band is experiencing a revival with new music, new recordings and a robust performance schedule.
Jordan Chase (Pensacola, Fla.) is an R&B, pop and soul singer who developed his love for music as a child in New Orleans, where his father pastored a small church and the unique sounds of jazz and soul moved his heart. He appeared on NBC’s “The Voice” as a high school senior and began touring in 2021 with his first EP at age 21. He has since appeared on ABC’s “American Idol,” performed at major music festivals and opened for national acts LoCash, Ingrid Andres and others.
Johnny Hayes (Mobile, Ala.) is a multi-genre artist and singer-songwriter who appeared as a finalist on NBC’s “The Voice” and has since played major music festivals and opened for national acts including JJ Grey & Mofro, Daniel Donato, Spin Doctors and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. His Americana EP “Voodoo Country” was released in 2021 with the song “Rosé and Cigarettes” on Spotify’s popular Acoustic Hits playlist.
Justin Jeansonne (Mobile, Ala.) has a passion for music, kindled after his service in the Marine Corps, and an unwavering love for writing songs that reflect his values. He is making a name for himself on the country music scene while traveling across the U.S. and opening for the Red Clay Strays in Columbus, Ohio, this summer.
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.