Description

Americana Soul, Singer-songwriter & guitarist, Whitney Mongé learned to capture the power of authenticity while honing her skills as a street performer. With or without elevation of a stage, each part of her performance, from the passion of her powerful, smoky voice to the intensity of a whispered lyric, draws listeners into an embrace within each truthful moment of song. Whitney was raised with rhythm and blues in her blood, and while growing up in the Pacific Northwest, her music is heavily influenced by the alternative rock and indie folk scene of Seattle.

Her rich and sultry voice, accompanied by a raspy break at the edges, has drawn comparisons to esteemed artists like Brittany Howard and Lenny Kravitz. Through her music, Whitney gives voice to the marginalized, delving into vulnerable and profound storytelling reminiscent of greats like Tracy Chapman and Richie Havens. Mongé’s bluesy, percussive guitar style is unique in its own right, and she mentions John Mayer and Dave Matthews as influences in her musicianship.

In 2014, Whitney was a main feature in the award winning film, “Find Your Way: a Busker’s Documentary”, also starring Chris Bellew of The Presidents Of The United States Of America and world renowned violinist, Joshua Bell. This three year chronicle highlighting Mongé’s busking career, explores themes of creativity and success through the lens of street music. The documentary was nominated for ten film awards and screened at CBGB Festival in New York City.

From 2018 to 2022, Mongé was nominated for two terms as a Governor on the Pacific Northwest Recording Academy Chapter Board (GRAMMYs). During this period, she focused her energy on advocating for more local artist representation in the prestigious invite-only academy, helming member outreach events and connecting musicians with their vast network. Whitney is passionate about working with youth, women and people of color through peer support and deliberate collaboration. She has volunteered as a ‘band coach’ for all youth girls music program, Rain City Rock Camp, throughout her years in Seattle and donates a handful of performances to non-profit organizations annually. She offers mentoring for up-and-coming musicians specializing in artist development, branding, songwriting, and has been a guest panelist discussing these very topics from an independent artist perspective.

With three acclaimed EPs – “Steadfast” (2014), “Stone” (2017), and “Carry On” (2018) – under her belt, Whitney has solidified her status as a heavy-hitting, grassroots artist. Recently, she teamed up with the Grammy Award-winning orchestra, The Seattle Symphony, to release the captivating live album “Whitney Mongé Live with The Seattle Symphony” (2021), showcasing her remarkable musical journey.

After a three year hiatus-post Covid, Whitney is currently based in Asheville NC, and working on releasing new music in 2024.

Kelly Morris will open the show. KELLY is an indie artist whose ethereal vocals and emotive delivery have drawn comparisons to the legendary Jeff Buckley. However, Kelly Morris brings his own unique twist to the table by infusing his music with the soulful sounds of Motown, Memphis soul, and Vintage Country from the 1960s. He will be joined by Rhett Evans on percussion who has a background in performing Jazz and Gospel.