Renewal Artists: Bio
Loretta Ricketts - Renewal Artist
Loretta Ricketts has long been known throughout her home state as an accomplished vocalist with vast live performance and recording experience. Her initial acclaim surfaced when she fronted Virginia based band "Troy & the Chameleons". The band performed material by soulful artists such as Aretha Franklin.
Loretta spent some time in Los Angeles before returning to Virginia and marrying longtime friend and musical collaborator, William Ricketts. The duo took time off to start a family before returning to the writing and recording process.
The completion of the “Finally” CD took way too long [thus the title “Finally” – said with a hint of impatience]. The disc contains an eclectic blend of original tunes [by her husband and their friend, Matt Matthews]; re-pristinated hymns and remakes of great songs by folks like Andy Gullahorn and Al Green.
Recorded in their home studio, the Doodle Pad, “Finally” is a very natural sounding disc designed to provide the listener with an opportunity to enjoy a bit of Sabbath in a very busy culture and life.
William Ricketts - Renewal Artist
William plays guitars, bass, keys, sings, writes, engineers, produces and is apparently the new web master for The Renewal Artists.
Matt Matthews - Renewal Artist
Matt tries to write a dozen songs a year, records a few and enjoys playing them at home late at night after everyone has gone to sleep.
He's also been known to pen an occasional play, poem or sermon. His novel "Mercy Creek", winner of the South Carolina Arts Commission First Novel Prize, is expected in bookstores in May 2011.
Nicole Belanus - Renewal Artist
Nicole has been writing music since a very young age when she would sit on the bench of the family piano, pencil in hand, and write songs about friends, moving to a new school, pets, and riding bicycles.
Since then her music has matured into songs where her own voice is not necessarily the dominant voice; instead she often uses the perspectives of others to tell a story through her music.
She is so very grateful and honored to have met such talented individuals to collaborate with in the Renewal Artists' group project.
Steve Kolb - Renewal Artist
Steve is a gifted pianist & teacher who is at home performing every style of music from hymns and gospel to jazz and classical.