About

Saundra Porter Thomas is a Singer/Songwriter, StoryWeaver, Empowerment Facilitator, Interfaith-Interspiritual minister, and Transformational Life Coach. She is a graduate of Central Piedmont Community College with an Associate’s degree in Social Work, and of the Afro-American Cultural Center—now Harvey B. Gantt Center—Teaching Artists Roundtable program. As a Teaching Artist, Saundra has presented in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools and Afterschool-Enrichment Programs. She sang with Opera Carolina Chorus for six seasons, and is working on an album of original songs.

Kel Williams is a multifaceted singer, songwriter, poet, and actress, with a deep love and respect for all art forms. She is a graduate of Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC, where she studied Musical Theatre and a graduate of Central Piedmont Community College, where she studied Opera theatre. Kel holds an Associate of Arts and an Associate of Fine Arts in Music. She is currently in the B.A. Music program at Queens University of Charlotte, concentrating in Vocal Performance.

Nick Tutwiler is a Bluegrass and Folk musician who performs regularly in Charlotte and Chapel Hill. He recently graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BA in History, and he hopes to teach high school social studies upon his completion of the MAT program at UNC. He is a board member of the Charlotte Folk Society.

Banjo player Harry Taylor is past Charlotte Folk Society leader, a passionate social and political activist, history follower, thinker, writer, and nearly retired from a career in commercial real estate. He organized Charlotte Black Banjo Then & Now concerts that hatched the Carolina Chocolate Drops, graduated from Colgate University, and served in the armed services. Trouble So Hard is Harry’s creation—a labor of nearly 4 years—with help and assistance from scores of friends, musicians, archivists, librarians, books, magazines, museums, and internet chat boxes. A favorite adage comes courtesy of the United Negro College Fund, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”