The Dukes, with special guest Micahlan Boney, will light up the stage at the Emma Kelly Theater Feb. 22.
This concert will have something for everyone musically. The Dukes will be doing a great selection of rock, Motown and soul that spans from the 60s all the way to current. Boney will put her soulful and youthful spin on numerous genres including country and folk. She is truly a one-woman band, playing various instruments and also has a voice rivaling the best out there.
This amazing third annual concert will serve as a fundraiser for the Emanuel County Institute Technology Student Association (ECITSA). TSA is a club/organization specifically designed for middle and high school students that have an interest in robotics, engineering, audio-video and many other aspects of technology. The Dukes' front man, Kendall Hadden is the teacher and adviser for these students. All profits from this concert will go to help 12 students attend their state conference in Athens, Georgia March 11-14.
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to put together an “A-Team?” A group of specific people who are some of the best at what they do? Well, that’s how “The Dukes” came together, and each member of the band has more to offer than simply being excellent at their instrument of choice.
Frank Farr, a seasoned drummer, vocalist and recording engineer, has a keen ear for detail and works hard to keep the band’s rhythms tight and the harmonies beautiful. Keyboardist Bradd Craft uses his amazing gifts to add keyboard, B3 organ, and horns to all of the songs on the set list and also sings a mean harmony and Elton John.
Guitarist Jay Stewart has not only written many of his own tunes, but has also had a solo album that placed in the Billboard jazz charts, now he lends his expertise to the arrangements that really set this group apart. Bassist Sean Kent, also a singer/songwriter, has spent time fronting bands of his own in years past, and now he holds down the groove that keeps this group moving.
Last but certainly not least, lead vocalist Kendall Hadden has paid his dues onstage for more than 30 years, fronting bands, leading vocal groups, and sometimes even being behind the scenes running sound...now he shines as this group’s energetic frontman!
So there you have The Dukes. Yes, these guys are leaders at what they do...which is making great music at a higher level of execution than the norm.
Joining them will be local songwriter and instrumentalist Boney. Boney’s one-woman show is guaranteed to entertain. Her repertoire of rockin’ originals and fresh interpretations of cover songs invite listeners to lean in closer for an intimate experience between artist and audience. She enjoys using her instrumentation of guitar, violin/fiddle, mandolin, and banjo in genre-bending, unexpected ways (sometimes she even plays two instruments at once). Her heartfelt presentation belies her young age as she channels her youthful exuberance, sass, dynamic professional vocals, and musical abilities into each note.
When not touring, Boney halves her time between Nashville, Tennessee and her home in coastal Georgia. In 2018, her songwriting skills caught the eye of Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton’s producer who wanted to collaborate on her first album. When in Nashville, she plays solo at singer-songwriter rounds—such as The Commodore Grill, Bluebird Cafe, Douglas Corner and Belcourt Taps — and also with bands, often doing studio work by adding fiddle and harmonies.
Boney's music is groove-based and it simmers with seasonings from neo-soul, R&B, jazz, rockabilly and retro country. At the age of 18, she has the experience to impress and entertain. She has toured in 22 states either solo or as part of various bands. Audiences walk away saying they are spell bound by her vocals and musicality, captivated by her original lyrics, impressed by her interpretations of country/rock classics, and awed by her stage presence.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15, and can be purchased at the box office or online at www.averittcenterforthearts.org.
