Omar Ruiz-Lopez - Durham, NC (Roots / Progressive Folk / Old-time / Americana)
is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and educator based in Durham, NC. Proficient in violin, viola, guitar, and mandolin, he has been a vital part of the NC Triangle music scene for over a decade. After a stint in Nashville (2023–2025), he recorded and performed with artists like GRAMMY-nominated War and Treaty, Lizzie No, and Langhorne Slim, and co-wrote with Rachel Baiman and GRAMMY-winner Melody Walker. He is currently working on an EP with Willa Frank (Paper Wings) and a full-length album with Rachel Baiman producing.
Lyle de Vitry- Asheville, NC (Folk / Baroque Folk / Singer Songwriter)
Bio: Much like life itself, the music of Lyle de Vitry comes in cycles. Effortlessly moving between unity and dissonance, voice and instrumentation, rhythm and melody, de Vitry seamlessly integrates the comfort of folk music with the spine-shivering emotional release and intentionality of classical compositions. In so doing, he manages to create a sound as dynamic and honest as the ocean’s eternally flowing tides or the planet’s ever-changing seasons. An acclaimed songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, de Vitry was selected as one of ten finalists for the 2023 Telluride Troubadours contest and was named runner-up in the NewSong LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition. He recently completed the prestigious Residency at 821 hosted by Lamplight AVL in Asheville, NC, and is currently recording an instrumental album. His debut album, Door Within a Dream, was released in August 2024.
"The music is full of mystery and a kind of slow-burn intensity. Invokes worlds" -Lynne Bertrand, Signature Sounds Presents
Full Album: https://lyledevitry.bandcamp.com/album/door-within-a-dream
Live Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS2rNKmCe1o