ARTISTS
Read on to find out more about a few of the artists that make Atlanta special. The following aren’t exclusive to ONE Atlanta, but they’re people we’ve been writing with, hanging with, praying for, rooting for. Many of them have been spending time in the studio with us. Please go see them and check out their music. More to come!
RUDY VAUGHN
Rudy grew up listening to R&B music and to Dave Matthews Band, but also dabbled in virtually every musical style imaginable. His teen and college years found him playing drums and sax for a variety of bands, which shared the stage with artists like Ben Folds and Matt Wertz. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a jazz saxophone performance degree.
Rudy then headed to Atlanta, where he started a recording studio and teaching school called Melody Lane Studios, located literally on Melody Lane! He quickly found the stage at 12Stone Church to be a home base for his songwriting and performing. Rudy’s energy and lighthearted approach to life make for a great “hang.” But he has some great insights on his music as well. Says Rudy, “I intend on discovering the ultimate level of human conquest… the battle of artistic fulfillment… that is: the war that is art, and the discovery of one’s self in the nature of what you create.”
Rudy’s fun fact about himself: “I was sitting front row on the Jay Leno show the day Arnold Swartzenegger was voted Governor of California; he shook my hand.”
Visit Website: melodylanestudios.com
PLAYCHASE MUSIC
PlayChase Music is 12Stone Church’s avenue for raising up artists and redeeming the art of songwriting. They are a group of songwriters who want to add value to the world through the power of song. Members of this collective include talented singers and songwriters like Rudy Vaughn and Dustin and Miriam Ah Kuoi (see mp3 player above and to your right).
Visit Website: playchasemusic.com
MEGHAN COFFEE
Meghan moved to Atlanta when she was four. A few years later, her family was given a piano by a church friend; she claimed it as her own. She was soon having fun “writing little songs, or adding new lyrics to old songs,”
but her writing began in earnest when her mother died; Meghan was thirteen. She taught herself guitar at age 15 and began playing Atlanta coffeeshops.
Meghan has toured nationally and beyond, appearing with such artists as Edwin McCain and Jay Clifford (of Jump! Little Children). In February 2008, she performed on the Cayamo Cruise with Lyle Lovett, EmmyLou Harris, Patty Griffin, Brandi Carlisle, Shawn Colvin, and others.
Meghan was featured on the Turner South series, “Music Road” that showcases the SouthEast’s best singer/songwriters. She was also on TBS’ Storyline as afeatured artist, as well as twice on Comcast’s “Bands on Demand.”
She has led worship “all over the place,” participating in the recording of two worship albums and in worship concerts across the country.
Meghan is the proud mommy to seven-year-old Phoenix Dorian Coffee. She does an excellent gorilla impression. She has synaesthesia, a neurological phenomenon in which a person “hears color” – seriously. She responds to Meghan, Meg, Megasaurus Rex, Megatron, Nutmeg, Hey You, and Buckaroo. But NOT Meggles.
For more info, contact: Melissa Simmons of Harrington Artist Management/404-377-9166/email: melissa at edwin.com
Visit Website: meghancoffee.com
INOJ
As an artist with So SO Def Records, INOJ had a platinum-selling song (a million sold) with her hit single “Love You Down.” Her version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” made for a gold record (half a million). She has toured with such artists as *NSync and Backstreet Boys, and has written songs for artists like Janet Jackson and Monica. Her friends know her as Joni Portee.
JAMIE “JAMM” PORTEE
At the age of seventeen, Jamie trained under legendary R&B and hip-hop producer Dallas Austin. This experience, together with his musical and technical skills, opened the door for writing and production work for such artists as Usher, Darryl Hall, Gladys Knight, and even Michael Jackson. His work with sister group Out Of Eden garnered him a Dove Award.
A talented singer as well, Jamie is now focusing much of his energy on recording and performing his own material, along with his band.
Visit Website: jammonline
MANDY MILLER
Mandy has been singing and leading believers in worship since she was a young teenager. She’s shared her unique and infectious vocal style in large concert and conference settings, as well as various Atlanta congregations. It was during her pregnancy with her third child that she felt a strong urging from above to focus on songwriting. The songs began pouring through her into the notebook which has become her constant companion. One Atlanta Volume 1 debuts two of these gems, with Mandy on lead vocals.
Mandy and her husband, Brian, have three daughters – Adelaide, Lelie, and Leiflynn.
CASEY DARNELL
Casey Darnell grew up in Atlanta and has been leading worship at churches across the metro area for the last ten years. His heart for leading people in authentic worship is evidenced in the way he crafts songs; he has a passion for connecting people to a God who loves them and wants to be known by them.
Writing from his ever-near Taylor acoustic guitar, Casey hashes out catchy pop grooves, rife with pop and soul sensibilities, that make his music accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds.
His passion for spreading the light of the Gospel and for social justice recently led him to Romania. There, he and his band led worship for thousands of believers in the formerly Communist nation. Upon their return, they wrote and recorded the Worth CD (www.worthsongsofhope.com) and raised $10,000 to support pro-life efforts there.
Casey is married to Anisa. They have a daughter, Ava, who is 8 months old. Casey fancies himself a “baller” (as in basketball), and his prized possessions include a shotgun and a “hair straightener.”
Visit Website: caseydarnell.com
DJ SKILLSPINZ
Antonio (DJ Skillspinz) Biggers is the first Christian DJ to release a turntablist record worldwide (via Rescue Records).
Greatly influenced by Dj Jazzy Jeff, DJ Scratch (EPMD) and DJ Jam Master Jay (Run DMC), DJ Skillspinz has been rocking the turntables since age 8. Soon after giving his life to Christ at the age of 17, Skillspinz began to emerge in the Holy Hip Hop scene. He’s been the tour Dj for groups such as Grits (Gotee Recording Artist), The Ambassador (Crossmovement), and Pastor Joyce Meyers tour (Rage Against Destruction) to name a few.
He’s also produced tight joints like “Shadow Dance” from Playdough’s album Lonely Superstar, and his own fully produced record “Reintroduction of the DJ” which garnered a Dove Award nomination. His latest installment, The Foundation, is distributed world wide via EMI Gospel.
Skillspinz has been nominated for numerous awards, sold thousands of CDs and traveled the world. He’s also the DJ for the Steel Roots/Mixx Master’s Loung show on the INSP network. He kindly requests that all fans bring him Hot Tamales when they come to see him.
Visit website: DJ Skillspinz
CANDI PEARSON SHELTON
Candi has been singing her whole life, her honest and passionate vocal style affording her opportunities to sing for Passion conferences and albums, churches and other venues across the country, and even at an event honoring Muhammad Ali. She wrote the title track for the Glory Revealed album and participated in that tour, alongside Mac Powell of Third Day and Mark Hall of Casting Crowns.
Candi and her husband, Jonathan, live in Los Angeles, but are “grandfathered” into the One Atlanta community through their years spent here with us. She enjoys Brain Age for Nintendo DS…and she’s doublejointed, which is, unfortunately, of no help when playing Brain Age.
Visit Website: candilion.com
JAMES DAVID CARTER
James David grew up singing Southern Gospel songs in church, but it was his Mom’s preference for oldies and Motown that hooked him on soul and R&B.
He claims to prefer sports to music, but his dream of playing college football was shattered during his senior year of high school when he tore an ACL. Pursuing music instead, he went on to record songs for major record companies like Mercury, Dreamworks, and RCA.
James David claims to be a homebody and an introvert. However, he stays busy singing, captivating audiences of venues and churches across Atlanta and the Southeast. In February 2008, James David performed on the Cayamo Cruise with Lyle Lovett, EmmyLou Harris, Patty Griffin, Brandi Carlisle, Shawn Colvin, and others.
Visit Website: jamesdavidcarter
MICHAEL JOHNSTON of Smalltown Poets
For ten years, Michael Johnston was the lead singer and one of the principal songwriters for Smalltown Poets, of which he’s a founding member. During that time, the Poets garnered sales of a quarter of a million units, two Grammy nominations, eight Dove nominations including Best New Artist and Best Christian Rock Album, and played concerts and music festivals worldwide. The band is currently on hiatus, with talk of a “best-of” album in the not too distant future.
Michael now lives on his “quarter of an acre farm,” as he calls it, near downtown Atlanta, where he writes songs, has coffee with neighbors, and feeds the bears, when he is not off having meetings with new people about some great idea. He and he his wife Amy have two children, Larkin and Lucy Wren.
Visit Website: smalltownpoets
MOXIE DAVIS WORSHIP
“Moxie” Davis has had a love for music all his life, but it was not until he hit his lowest point that he realized this love for music was really a God given mandate to use his talents to glorify God. During his teenage years, he faced difficult circumstances and ended up spending time in a juvenile detention center. Through God’s love and the support of his family and church family he turned his life around. He believes all this was God’s way of preparing him for service.
In high school, Moxie (then simply known as Mark), became the lead singer of the band Sundry, who would tour across the country from 1997 to 2002 and release an album nationally through TrueTunes Music. In more recent years, he has been a worship leader for North Point Ministries and its campuses. Through these opportunities God has blessed him with the vision for the next chapter of his life, “Moxie Davis Worship”. MDW is a worship band that has a heart to reach all people. They feel that God has given each of them gifts and talents to connect with people in a refreshing way through extremely energetic music. This love for people and this “moxie” (energy, pep, determination) is what makes their music infectious.
Visit Website: Moxie Davis Worship
CHRYSTINA LLOREE FINCHER
Says Chrystina: “ I have been singing since a tot. I have been writing over half my life. I have been producing for several years. I work with people that make me laugh, challenge me, and are over-the-top talented. I love music. God rocks for creating it. He loves it too. Although I’m sure He could have done without a few songs - you know, say like, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.
Music is what I do, but it’s not who I am. I am a child of the King of Kings-that is my definition. I’m just lucky and blessed He lets me do something that brings my heart so much joy.
He has passionately put in my heart to write, develop, and produce with other artist, which I’ve done for the past 15 years. Hope that fire never goes out, can’t imagine it will - but if it does, so be it. Gardening is most fascinating too.”
Chrys’ husband, Jayce, was one third of Atlanta’s own Marvelous Three. Her ten-year-old son, Holden, is bassist for the band 2nd Wave. Chrystina and Jayce also have another son, Cashman (4), and a daughter Ava (2).
Visit Website: Chrystina Lloree Fincher