Past Events

Kate Kelly:

Growing up on the Gulf Coast, Kate Kelly, a now Nashville-based soul, folk, and Americana-influenced artist, invites her listeners to dig into the roots of her image-invoking writing just as she once dug her fingers into the roots of earth in Alabama. Music was synonymous with childhood from the start, but when she obtained a scholarship through Bayfest, a music festival originating in her hometown Mobile, she used the funds to purchase her first guitar at age 15. Journaling and acquainting herself with the artist-instrument relationship was simultaneous, and when her journal entries morphed into songs and her guitar-picking found its way around melodies, songs became a self-healing medicine for Kate, and still are. Kate Kelly began sharing her remedies in 2016 with her debut EP New Heartbeat, and in 2018 she released her first full-length record The Wonder Of It All. More recently inspired by artists like Phoebe Bridgers, she’s exploring a more indie-folk, ambient sound, and her most recent single “Quiet as a Mouse” reflects this new direction

Steven McMorran:

Steven McMorran has always had a passion for songwriting. Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, McMorran’s father, a studio engineer, brought him up on the music of James Taylor and Jim Croce. Although that music influenced his songwriting in many ways, his musical taste didn’t stop there. He also found influence in bands like Soundgarden and Rage Against The Machine. After college he headed West to Los Angeles. During his LA years, Steven made great strides writing songs for Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, and many more. He formed the band Satellite who signed to Sony’s Descendant Records and released an album in 2013. Eventually, the gravitational pull of Nashville brought him back to his native South. Steven found an artistic home in the “city built around songwriting” as he puts it. “There is a depth of lyric and clarity in country music“ he says. After moving back to Music City, it didn’t take long for him to gain some traction. His song “Still on The Line” landed on the #1 Tim McGraw album “Sundown Heaven Town”. Steven signed with Major Bob Music in the spring of 2017 and the sky’s the limit for the gifted singer songwriter. He has landed cuts with Parmalee, Eli Young Band, Jimmie Allen, Joe Nichols, Nate Smith, and Avery Anna. McMorran, whose instagram bio reads “professionally emotional”, aims to write songs that make people feel more in touch with who they really are.

Malia Sweeney:

Malia Sweeney is a Nashville based singer-songwriter from Fredericksburg, Virginia. With her debut EP, “Living Without You”, set for release in October 2024, Malia’s music reflects a fusion of folk and pop, woven together with heartfelt storytelling. Drawing inspiration from her life experiences, her songs delve into themes of love and loss, inviting listeners to connect with her on a deeper level.

JP Williams:

JP Williams is a performing songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. He co-wrote the three-week no. 1 hit “Best Shot,” the most notable of his major label cuts. JP has performed on the Grand Ole Opry (a stunning solo acoustic performance of his song entitled “The Grand Ole Opry” co-written with Bobby Tomberlin), as well as countless other famous stages throughout his career in the music industry. He writes under his own publishing company, Blonde Leading Blind Music. Previously, he was a signed staff writer on Nashville’s Music Row for more than seven years. In addition to songwriting, JP is an accomplished public speaker and certified mental health coach. Blind since age 10, he brings a unique, seasoned perspective to every opportunity. He has an innate gift for connecting with audiences through humor, music and inspiration. To keep up with JP, follow @blindmangram on Instagram or visit jpwilliams.net.

BEST FEST and White Cane Day 2023!

The goal of this training is for participants to gain an understanding of and to develop skills in the unique needs of infants, toddlers and preschoolers who are blind and visually impaired and their families. This includes working with families and other service providers of these children, things to consider when assessing developmental skills and developing IFSPs and IEPs for these children, needed support services, intervention techniques and resource materials to use in all developmental areas (communication, social, daily care, motor, orientation and mobility, play, and cognition), developing use of all the senses (in particular vision, touch, and hearing), sensory processing challenge, special needs of infants and toddlers with vision impairment and additional disabilities/medical problems, and supporting transitions.

Certification is provided after course completion.

Cost: $450 early registration through 5/31; Beginning in June, cost increases to $475
This fee will cover training materials sent to your home. In addition, participants will receive a two-volume set of the VIISA Curriculum for infants and young children with vision impairments.

Please review curriculum and time commitment prior to registration. In the event that interest is greater than spots available, priority will go to person currently serving or seeking to serve children with blindness and visual-impairment birth-to-three years old and birth-to-five years old.

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