"...absolutely twangy, good old-fashioned American rock & roll - a sound that makes sense when you consider their name, a combination of "hippy" and "redneck." Their enthusiasm for their craft is obvious and infectious. Remember the name, because this band is going places," Jambase.com

The sound has been called a "jambalaya" by press and "country fried jam" by fans alike. Take it from the name, The Hipnecks, which combines the words "Hippie" and "Redneck" as affectionately as it unites trucker hats and flip-flops. Within that sentiment lays their genre-bending approach to making music. Music that is, in every way, firmly rooted beneath their feet in the fertile floodplains of the American Midwest. Rock & roll with hues of bluegrass. It is twangy. It is Ozarkian. It is most certainly Missourian - and there is nothing to the contrary about it.

No sooner than their first performance in 2004, the Hipnecks broke ground on their debut album, Just Another Fine Day, and released it feverously in April of 2005. After selling over 300 copies the night of the release show, the band scoured the Midwest for several years completing small tours that brought them as far out as Colorado's Front Range and won a national competition for best unsigned band along the way. In April of 2008, The Hipnecks released their sophomore album, American Night, on Home Tone Records which introduced heavy harmonies, mandolin, piano, and organ into their sonic landscape. Wes Wingate (vocals/piano/organ) was recruited to support the additional instrumentation on the album, and the band toured as a six piece thru 2010.

Over the following year, The Hipnecks bid farewell to several founding members; co-frontman Scott Anderson, bassist Ryan Renne, and drummer Zach Stubbs. Midwest powerhouse drummer Danny Carroll immediately volunteered to take the helm on drums, and Pat Kay's brother, Bryan Kay, joined the group on bass and vocals. Amidst these lineup changes, the band managed to release four singles; Mighty Mississippi (2010), Sni-A-Bar Stomp (2010), Trainstops & Alleyways (2011), and the gypsy ballad, Svata (2012), which features Molly Healey from Big Smith on fiddle. Molly joined the ranks of the band on fiddle, cello, and vocals around the same time as the song's release.

"... a beautifully harmonized band. There's enough intelligent songwriting here to merit attending any Hipnecks live performance," -Comomusic.com

"The band members are small-town Midwestern guys with serious musical training, and their genre-bending tunes pay as little attention to pigeon holes as they do." –Vox Magazine.

A set of drums. A guitar. A two piece hillbilly rock music machine driven by two whiskey drinking, lyric slinging cowboys. That's The Hooten Hallers.

Fronted by brothers Dick and Dave Pruitt on bass and electric guitars, with Michael Cherry on drums, the Bel Airs play a danceable mix with an authentic but eclectic bluesy-country-soul-and-rock-n-roll sound influenced by the likes of Wilson Picket, Slim Harpo, Howlin' Wolf and Johnny Cash.

The Bel Airs will mark their 30th year performing together in 2011. The Pruitt brothers' harmony vocal style sets them apart in the contemporary music scene--leading one reviewer to refer to them as the "Everly Brothers of Blues". David's "big guitar" and Dick's howling vocals over soulful, right-on rhythm playing make this trio a powerhouse.

Mercer and Johnson, Brock "Fat Knee" Johnson and S. Mercer are a hill-billy pop band, specializing in sounds from the American past and present. The duo embodies the Do It Yourself idea, one or the other, writes, designs, records and generally controls everything about the group. Since June of 2010, when they put their first recordings online for free, they have toured consistently through the South and Midwest, playing anywhere they possibly can. The pair have logged thousands of miles and thousands of downloads. In December of 2010 the band completed a 6 song cd, titled "Oregano", available only at shows. In September of 2011 the band released another 6 song effort, titled "Road Noise", it is availble on itunes
Amazon mp3 and a large variety of other digital sources.

Vulvette sounds like summer rain falling on the hot, dusty ground. Like wrenching open a fire hydrant and dancing in the mist. Vulvette is the sound of last goodbyes, of true love lost. Of baptism and murder, trains and graveyards, sweethearts and scoundrels. A celebration of life no matter how hard it's been on us.

A little bit country, a little bit delta blues, and a little bit rock and roll, Vulvette is Steph Foley up front on guitar and vocals, Mike Danger on guitar, keyboards, and trumpet, Dr. Doug Freeman on bass, and Jon Boldt on drums.

It all began when the Musical Gods of Rock and Reggae mated in August 2007 to give birth to what is now known as Nifty 250. The minions of Nifty originally consisted of Justin Wilburn on vocals, Marley Magner on guitar, Lucus Welch on bass and Jordan Parks on drums. Members have come and gone over the years with the current line-up featuring Wilburn, Welch, and newcomers Trace Thorpe-Bucklew on drums, Toby Runyon and Ian Vardel on guitar and Sergio Slayer backing vocals with special appearances by original member Magner on sax. Their goal as musicians is to blend and bend the genres and mix their different styles and inspirations to make your body move like it has never moved before. Inspired by 311, Led Zeppelin, Earth Wind and Fire, Reel Big Fish and The White Stripes; their high energy live performances started blowing minds with open mic nights and have led them to headlining local venues in Columbia and surrounding areas. They have supported mainstream acts such as Dirty Heads, Rehab, Lojic, and Culture. What started as four guys getting together to have fun and change people's perception on the genres have become an epic display of rock, reggae, and rap unlike anything ever heard before. To compliment their original tracks such as "Hey Reggae", "Time", "Hard to Listen", "Trippin", "Maya Fantastic" and their newest track "Just Keep Going"; they have covered and put the Nifty spin on tracks by Cake, Snoop Dogg, Cee Lo Green and Rage Against the Machine. Nifty 250 are eager to rock heavier and party harder than ever in 2011. This is a band that must be seen live; their energy and unique sound will have you wanting more. So, for all those who are prepared to have their ears penetrated by some of the most satisfying sounds, Nifty 250 is here to fulfill that musical desire.

Born and raised in Arkansas and now residing in southwest Missouri, Cindy Woolf is steeped in the Ozark folk music tradition. Her earliest memories are of her daddy hauling her around in the bib of his overalls while he picked his old Martin guitar. She learned to play piano at the age of four, learned hymns from her granny on the front porch swing, and started her first group, Three Apples High (the most adorable punk/pop band ever) while in high school.

Cindy honed her performing skills as a solo artist at open mic nights while attending Missouri State University in Springfield, and has recorded two albums to date. The first, Simple and Few, is completely acoustic, and the second, Before Daylight, is largely electric, with full band arrangements and excellent production work. Both are solidly grounded in tradition, with more contemporary influences showing through here and there, and have garnered rave reviews. She is currently touring with a small acoustic group which allows her youthful voice and mature delivery to really shine.

Cindy's songwriting is timeless -- simple and straight from the heart, but her voice is her ace in the hole. It is instantly recognizable and utterly captivating. It grabs the listener and speaks directly to the soul. Audience members are often moved to tears by her performances, and come up after every show to express the awe and wonder they feel upon hearing Cindy for the first time.

In this writer's humble opinion, she is an absolutely unique and original world-class talent -- but don't take my word for it, listen for yourself and you will undoubtably agree. Cindy Woolf is one of a kind.