Daniel Prince
Quest headlines Friday night, "The Voice" contestant Rachel Messer highlights Saturday
The Environmental Art & Music Festival is set to open Friday evening from 5-8:30 and Saturday from 10-6. All the music is free to enjoy, and it will be going on throughout the festival, both days. Local musician TJ Jeter will open the festival at 5:30 p.m. Friday. He has performed for audiences not just here in Union and across the Upstate, but also across the country and abroad. At 7 p.m. Friday, one of Union’s best-known bands, Quest, will take the stage. Lauren Fowler, Ronnie Ivey, Donnie Ivey, Scotty Silvers, and Phil Gough make up the band, covering hits from all genres and several eras.
The music continues Saturday at 10 a.m. with another local musician. Jordan Lawson will take the stage. He is a multi-instrumentalist and producer who has music out on several streaming services. At 11:30, Chris Ndeti will take the stage. Also known as “Acoustic Chocolate”, she is a resident of Augusta, GA, and is described as a dynamic, versatile female acoustic rock/soul performer and songwriter. She is proficient in violin, piano, and guitar. She works full-time with veterans providing therapy services through music and creation. At 1 p.m., a youth dance team called the Cole Mountain Cloggers will take the stage. Their members are from five western North Carolina counties, and they perform all over the southeast. They seek to preserve the Appalachian heritage of traditional smooth Mountain Dance and Southern Appalachian Freestyle Clogging. At 2 p.m., Tri County Express, a local and regional bluegrass group, will take the stage. The group includes two from Union County—Bob Love, who plays lead guitar and sings tenor and baritone, and Phillip Arnold, who plays banjo and sings lead and baritone. They are joined by Jimmy Swearingen from Blair, Steven Henson from Chester, and Tony Helms from Chester.
Capping off the festival will be a West Virginia native who was featured on The Voice. Rachel Messer is a singer/songwriter who was part of Team Blake on season 15 of The Voice back in 2018. Her music captures authentic country music, and she uses her music to spread her love of storytelling. She has released three singles since appearing on the show—California Sunrise, Red Carpet Gal, and Cowboy’s Sweetheart.
For more information on the festival, visit www.piedmontphysicgarden.org or check out the Environmental Art & Music Festival’s Facebook page.