GESSO STAGE: FRIDAY NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT – 8/26
6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Anita Michelle Jackson
Anita Jackson is a native of St. Louis, Missouri who returned home after living in New York City for twelve years. She is a graduate of the American Music and Dramatic Academy in New York and has performed extensively nationally and internationally in theater productions, concerts and workshops. She has recorded and performed as a background vocalist for several artists in the music industry.
She recorded as a background vocalist for Bette Midler on her acclaimed song “From a Distance” which won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1991; as a background vocalist for Patti Austin on “I Can Move this Mountain”; and Mariah Carey on “Anytime You Need a Friend”. Anita has toured and performed as a background vocalist for recording artist Chico DeBarge on his “Long Time, No See” album which was released in 1997. His national tour featured the artist Joe, and Erykah Badu with whom Anita was blessed to perform and tour. She is a background vocalist on Cissy Houston’s 1996 Grammy award winning “Face to Face” album which won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Gospel Album of 1996, as well as her “He Leadeth Me” album which won the Grammy award in the same category in 1997.
As a gospel BGV, Anita has performed with Shirley Caesar, the late Albertina Walker, Dorothy Norwood and Tramaine Hawkins. Anita was a featured vocalist on the 2014 “Reach Week in New York City” live recording for New Hope for the World Ministries recorded in Harlem, New York under the auspices of Rev. Terrance L. Kennedy and New Hope Community Church, which also featured national gospel artist Vickie Winans and New York’s own Melanie Daniels. With New Hope for the World Ministries, Anita has been blessed to be a featured missionary vocalist in Entebbe, Uganda and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In St. Louis, Anita has been a featured player with the St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre. She has performed as a featured player in “Gospel at Colonus”, “Ain’t Misbehavin'”, “Crowns”, as Caroline in “Caroline or Change” and as the Lady in “Blues in the Night” for which she was nominated for a St. Louis Kevin Kline Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Anita performed as Bertha in “Hello from Bertha” at the inaugural Tennessee Williams festival in St. Louis under the direction of David Kaplan. She was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama by the St. Louis Theatre Circle for her performance. Recently, she performed the role of Grandma Dorothy in the new film “A New Holiday”, a Christmas celebration based on the life of a young Thelma Steward, wife of Dave Steward of World Wide Technologies, directed by Brian Owens for Nine PBS.
She has appeared as a featured vocalist with several jazz, R&B, soul, blues and gospel musical groups in and around St. Louis at venues such as Jazz, St. Louis (formally Jazz at the Bistro) to BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups to the St. Louis Ethical Society to the Heman Park Starlight Concert Series to the Sheldon Concert Hall – as a solo artist, as well as a collaborative artist with many of St. Louis’ finest musicians and groups.
Anita accepted a fellowship as a resident artist with the Kranzberg Arts Foundation (KAF) as a featured jazz performance and recording artist in 2018, releasing a jazz compilation EP with her fellow KAF artists-in-residence from the Dark Room series at the Grandel with her own original composition called “Your Time” written with Phillip Graves, Joshua Crump and Jeff Taylor.
Anita gives thanks to the family of Christ and praises God for HIS matchless goodness and mercy.
She dedicates all her performances to her late mom, Barbara Marie Jackson; her late aunts, Marian Ashford and Jackie Broom; and to her beautiful daughter, Christian Reignah-Lee for giving her so much strength.
GESSO STAGE: SATURDAY ENTERTAINMENT – 8/27
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Bill Pushe
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
LIVE Remote Broadcast at the Midwest Salute to the Arts Festival
Join Bob Ramsey and Jim Heuer as they will be part of a special LIVE Saturday broadcast from Moody Park at the Midwest Salute to the Arts festival. The Midwest Salute to the Arts festival will be taking place from August 26th through the 28th, with the special LIVE broadcast taking place from 10am to noon on Saturday the 27th! Admission is free, so don’t miss it!
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Dusty James & Abalone Pearl
Acoustic duo that performs folk & traditional, playing guitars, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer & harmonica.
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Live Remote KLOU: Billy Greenwood
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Jay Dover
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Roots in Blue
Band of MidAmerica Scott AFB
Roots in Blue is one of two popular music groups within the USAF Band of Mid-America. This seven piece popular music group features guitar, bass, drums, piano and vocalists, and is sure to impress audiences of all ages. Located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, this ensemble is committed to honoring our veterans and active duty members, communicating esprit de corps, motivation and inspiration, and rendering honor to our Airmen and country across a 10-state region in the Midwest and Southern United States. Roots in Blue celebrates America’s love for rock, country and popular music. A versatile ensemble, Roots in Blue is adaptable for military functions, community concerts, school assemblies and outdoor festivals. Roots in Blue’s programming suits everything from large venues to small acoustic shows. No matter the audience, Roots in Blue is sure to bring you an unforgettable show!
GESSO STAGE: SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENT – 8/28
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Dave Mendoza
1:15 PM – 2:45 PM
Louis Michael
3:15 PM – 5:00 PM
Mark Biehl
Interested in Purchasing Masterpiece Money for your Friends?