Artists

VIC JOHNSON Born and raised in Kankakee, Illinois, Vic is a US Air Force veteran, and attended the Art Institute of Chicago. For 25 years Vic served as associate editor of Farm Pond Harvest magazine. At that same time, he produced advertising and promotional art and copy for various clients, including Imperial International Learning, Inc. Between 1990 and 2002, Vic originated over 500 articles on local Kankakee history for the Kankakee Sunday Journal and has authored four books on the subject. He has written and narrated 150 audio scripts for the NPR radio station WKCC, entitled Grand Prairie Chronicles. He recently prepared historical narratives and illustrations as co-curator of the French Canadian Heritage exhibit for the Kankakee County Museum. Vic is also a lifelong member of the Kankakee County Historical Society, and past president of the Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society.

BRIAN BUSCH Born in Winfield, Illinois, Brian’s earliest artistic inspiration came from trying to outdraw his two older brothers. Encouraged by his parents, Brian’s initial studies began in high school, taking classes at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago and the Rhode Island School of Design, then continuing his studies with Irving Shapiro and Bill Parks at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Working solely from the live model at the Academy, Brian fell in love with the emotion and drama that can be expressed with the human form.

JOHN KENNEDY is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His rich, deep voice is an instrument unto itself. John is the 2004 All-Ireland Fleadh Silver Medalist in Accompaniment, competing on guitar. He has won numerous Gold and Silver medals in traditional singing and accompaniment the Midwest Fleadhs. Jonn’s solo CD ‘I’ll Learn To Fly’ was chosen by WVPE FM 88.1’s Back Porch program as one of the top ten folk releases of 1998. John is a founding member of the traditional Irish band ‘Seamaisin’ and co-produced two recordings with that group ‘Joseph Harvey’s Fiddle was Left in the Rain’ and ‘Seamaisin: Live at The Tin Shop’. Seamaisin also produced music for the sound track of the short-film, Araby, an adaptation of James Joyce’s short story of the same name. Araby was nominated for an Academy Award in the Student Narrative Film category. The band ‘Seamaisin’ can also be heard in one of the scenes from the movie ‘Rudy’.

JASON SEED‘s music has been performed by various jazz, rock, and classical ensembles across the United States, Holland, Germany, and Poland. He has performed as a guitarist with Present Music, The Jessica Lurie Ensemble, Trey Gunn (of King Crimson), Bill Frisell, and numerous groups of his own. In 2006 he created the Jason Seed Elixir Ensemble, which went on to win Best Album in the 2008 Independent Music Awards. In 2008 he created the Jason Seed Stringtet, consisting of members of the Chicago and Milwaukee Symphonies.

JERY EDMONDS is a self-taught musician and songwriter whose heartfelt sounds and lyrics exude from his pores like the sweat bled from a blast furnace tender’s brow in August. His friends say he’s a combination of John Mellencamp and John Candy.

ERIC LAMBERT has been pickin’ and grinnin’ his way into people’s hearts for over 40 years. Specializing in the fiery art of flatpicking, he has built a distinguished career writing, performing, recording, and teaching Americana music in and around Chicago, and beyond. Traces of rock, folk, bluegrass, and blues can be detected throughout his music, which is delivered with energy, soul, and inspiration. His voice, presence, and precision moves audiences to their feet, while his playful spirit and warm sense of joy makes them feel right at home.

AMY WURTZ, pianist and composer, was born in California, and began studying piano at the age of six. She started writing her own music at age sixteen, and went on to study Piano Performance and Creative Writing at the University of Redlands before completing dual Master’s degrees in Musical Composition and Piano Performance at the University of Minnesota. Since completing her studies, Amy has worked as a freelance pianist, accompanist, composer, music copyist, conductor and teacher, with students in piano, composition, counterpoint, and harmony. Amy also worked at the East Metro Music Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she was appointed Chair of the Piano Department for almost the entire duration of her tenure. Among her accomplishments are performing the American premiere of Armenian composer Beatrice Ohanessian’s “The Dawn,” and winning first prize in the Vocal Composition category of the 2001 Beyer National Federation of Music Clubs Composition Competition for her work, “Mariposa en arrullo,” a song cycle for Mezzo-Soprano and piano using the poetry of Pablo Neruda.

SUSAN BROWN is a multi-instrumentalist and songstress, performing on fretted dulcimer, guitar, zither, autoharp, piano, penny whistle, recorder and various rhythm instruments. She is known for expressive vocals; from ethereal Celtic tunes to hard-hitting country songs. Brown performs on three compilation projects considered for Grammy nomination. She has instructed Renaissance dance at Valparaiso University, high schools and renaissance fairs, teaches private music lessons, writes original compositions and loves to entertain audiences of all ages. Susan is Music Leader at First Presbyterian Church in Portage, IN.