Based on the photos and online briefs, Ken and Nicole seem to be a pretty good duo, playing eclectic covers of rock, pop, country, folk and Americana.
They have last names: hers is Morgan, and hers is Ray. He plays the guitar ; she plays the ukulele. They have been together for over seven years.
Normally they play about one gig a week, usually in or near Hendo. But curious minds want to know more, especially if they plan to visit Ken & Nicole at one of the local cider houses or wineries.
This week, they’ll be playing Bold Rock on Friday night and Appalachian Ridge on Sunday. Here are 10 questions and their answers, which will allow us to better understand and appreciate Ken & Nicole.
What is the relationship between you two? Are you married?
Yes, but not between them. We’ve been playing music together in one way or another since 2013, when we first met singing in church. We played together in The Groove Shakers for several years.
We also have another band project about to come out called Dive Bar Divas. So stay vigilant!
I have the impression that your music is very median. Develop or correct this impression. Include songs that you play a lot and that are popular with your fans.
We like to think that we have a fairly wide variety of songs; a little something for everyone. We try to make musical transitions that you rarely hear, like going from Willie Nelson to Earth, Wind and Fire to Taylor Swift.
We use a variety of instruments including guitar, ukulele, keyboard, bass, harmonica, and kazoo. You haven’t lived until you’ve heard a scorching kazoo solo.
We also like to mix styles, like playing Sublime’s “Santeria” on the ukulele with a female singer or mixing Ed Sheeran with Marvin Gaye.
Do you both have professional training and experience as musicians? Do you have day jobs?
Neither of us have any formal musical training, per se, but we have years of experience. Ken has been making music in one form or another since childhood, beginning with singing in the Cherub Choir at church. He participated in groups and choirs throughout middle school, high school and college.
He has been active in the Asheville / Hendersonville music scene since 2010, performing in bands such as A Social Function, Commodore Fox and The Caribbean Cowboys.
Ken’s day job is Music Director at Covenant Community United Methodist Church in Asheville.
Nicole has also participated in the choir in middle school, high school and college. She joined the music scene with The Groove Shakers in 2016.
Nicole is a medical assistant at Blue Ridge Health in Hendersonville.
Obviously, you don’t have a busy performance schedule. Why is that?
We just started with the duo in early 2020. Then, of course, COVID hit and the gigs dried up. We’re just starting to be successful now, but we have day jobs and do it for fun, so we’re happy with three or four gigs a month.
What is your niche?
We just want to play in a place where people are aware that we are in the room. We love laid-back spaces where people can engage with us, or sit and listen, or sit and talk. We don’t need to be the center of attention. We love to play in cellars, cider houses and breweries.
Tell us something about Ken that will give music lovers a glimpse of him as a person and a musician.
Ken is the old one. His formative years were the 80s. He likes music from the 70s and 80s, likes music from the 60s and 90s and tolerates everything from 2000 onwards.
He has a wonderful wife who works in health care (bless his heart), a son at UNCG and a daughter in high school. He loves cats and dogs, loves to cook and also does woodturning.
Tell us about Nicole who will give music lovers a glimpse of her as a person and a musician.
Nicole, meanwhile, was born in the 80s. She listens to almost all genres of music depending on her mood. She recently chose the ukulele and a little bass as a COVID hobby so she doesn’t get too overwhelmed by Ken.
She likes any excuse to dress up, but is actually a bit shy and prefers board games with close friends and reading challenges on comfy sofas when she’s not singing or, you know, practicing music. medicine. She is married to a teacher from Asheville with two elementary-age children.
What do you think of the live music scene in Hendersonville?
We love to play in and around Hendersonville. The people are always so friendly and seem to really enjoy the live music. There are many great venues and music groups playing in the area. There’s always something to do. It’s good!
Where are Ken and Nicole going with their music? (recording, touring, etc.)
At the top, baby! In fact, we don’t have big aspirations. We just love to play music and entertain people. We are happy to play in western North Carolina. It really is the best place in the world! (Sorry Toledo.)
What is your philosophy of being the Ken & Nicole duo?
If the audience is not entertained, what good is it? We don’t do a lot of songs just for ourselves. We make songs that we hope people will want to hear and enjoy.
Appalachian Ridge Craft Hard Cider
749 ch. Chestnut Gap, Hendersonville
Saturday November 13, 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Excellent Duo by Bill & Tad, acoustic, blues to Beatles, 12-string guitar, djembe, singers
Sunday November 14, 2:30 p.m., Ken & Nicole, singers, guitarist, ukulele, covers, rock, pop, country, folk, Americana
Blue Ghost Brewery
125 Underwood Road, Fletcher
Sunday November 13, 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Pickle Music by The Log Noggins (fusion / progressive southern rock) and the Bald Mountain Boys (smokin ‘mountain grass), as part of the Picklepalooza event
Bold rock cider
72 School House Road, Mills River
Friday November 12, 6 p.m., Ken & Nicole, singers, guitarist, ukulele, covers, rock, pop, country, folk, Americana
Saturday, November 13, 2 p.m., Super ’60s, party band playing 1960s pop, hits, classics
Scorched Shirt Vineyards
2695 Sugarloaf Road, Hendersonville
Saturday November 13, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., Roots & Dore, American blues, soul, rock, based in Asheville,
Sunday November 14, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., Ben Phantom, singer, songwriter, guitarist, covers, originals on his travels around the world
D9 Hendersonville Brewery
425 N. Main St, Hendersonville
Friday November 12, 7-10 p.m., Vilai Harrington, soulful Americana with a country accent
Dry Falls Brewery
425 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville
Friday November 12, 7 p.m., Awake in the Dream and Becky Stephenson, all rock, today’s pop, covers, originals
Guidon Brewery
415 8th Avenue East, Hendersonville
Friday November 12, 7 p.m., The Baggage Brothers, acoustic duo, Scott Moss and Derek McCoy, singers, guitarists
Mills River Brewing Co.
336 Banner Farm Road, Mills River
Friday November 12, 7-10 p.m., Adi the Monk, blues, jazz, funk guitarist, based in Asheville
Saturday November 13, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., Hope Griffin Trio, folk, Americana, pop
Sunday November 14, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., Two Step Too, Just Rick and Marc Brown, eclectic
Oklawaha Brewing Company
147 1st Avenue E. Hendersonville
Thursday November 11 7-9 p.m., Collin Cheek, covers and originals, singer, guitarist
Friday November 12, 8 p.m.-11 p.m., ALR Trio, blues, rock, covers, originals
Saturday November 13, 8 p.m.-11 p.m., JED Flanders, cover group for three, based on Hedno, reggae, indie
Packa’s place
4210 chemin Brevard, horseshoe
Saturday November 13, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., Perry Wing Combo, duo playing originals, Texas country / Americana
Sunday, Nov 2 p.m., 2 p.m.-4 p.m., Lefty Carmean, soloist, singer, guitarist, covers, alternative country, classic country, Americana
Point Lookout Wineries
408 Appleola Road, Hendersonville
Sunday November 14, 2 pm-5pm, Almost Vintage, classic rock band, based in Morganton
The Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards
588 ch. Chestnut Gap, Hendersonville
Saturday November 13, 3 p.m.-6 p.m., Hunnilicious, mother / daughter singing duo
Sunday November 14, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., Brian Ashley Jones, soul singer, acclaimed guitarist, country, blues
Flat rock of the vineyards of the Saint Paul mountain
2698 C Greenville Hwy., Flat Rock
Sunday, November 14, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Geriatric Jukebox, husband and wife sing favorite songs from the 60s and 70s
Sierra Nevada Mill River
100 Sierra Nevada Road, Mills River
Saturday, November 13, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., Daniel Shaerin, singer, songwriter, finger-style guitarist, based in Asheville
Sunday November 14, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., duo King Garbage, Vic Dimotsis and Zach Cooper, based in Asheville, singers, songwriters, multi-instrumentalists
Southern Appalachian Brewery
822 Locust Street, Ste. 100, Hendersonville
Thursday November 11, 6-8 p.m., Howie Johnson and Bill Mattocks, blues, classic rock, eclectic
Saturday November 13, 6-8 p.m., Mattocks-Johnson Band, blues, classic rock, eclectic
Sunday, November 14, noon-3 p.m., Hendo Showcase Brunch with Carver, Carmody, McIntire with Johnnie Blackwell, eclectic rock
South Rock Sports Grill
830 Greenville Road, Hendersonville
Saturday November 13, 8 p.m.-12 p.m., Sinder Ella, classic and southern rock, covers; Based in Asheville
2nd Act coffee, wine and craft beer bar
101 E. Allen Street, Hendersonville
Friday November 12, 7-9 p.m., Foreign Landers Duo, South Carolinian David Benedict and Irish Tabitha Agnew, bluegrass, folk
Saturday November 13, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Jason Whitaker, guitarist, acoustic, Americana, blues, country, rock
The Dugout Sports Bar & Taphouse
430 N. Main St., Hendersonville
Thursday November 11 from 8 p.m. to midnight (every Thursday), open jam
Friday November 12, 8 p.m., Pleasantly Wild, alternative band from Asheville, originals
Saturday November 13, 8 p.m. to midnight, Ricky Gunter Band, singer, songwriter, country
La Serre Moto Café
4021 Haywood Road (Highway 191), Mills River
Friday November 12, 7-10 p.m., Howie Johnson and Bill Mattocks, acoustic duo, “play whatever you want”
Saturday, Nov 13, 6 p.m., Marvin King Revue, blues; and Pyletribe, rock (Chris Pyle, singer, guitarist; Artimus Pyle, drums; Josh Chassner, guitar, percussion; and Matt Pike, bass)
The Loft Café & Pub
111 Joel Wright Drive, Hendersonville
Saturday, November 13, 6 to 9 p.m., Gin Mill Pickers, Randy Sarton and Eric Ellis, an eclectic mix of Americana based folk / rag based in Asheville
The Poé House
105 1st Avenue West, Hendersonville
Saturday November 13, 7-10 p.m., Mary Kenyon, independent singer, songwriter, based in Asheville
Triskele brewing company
340 7th Avenue East, Hendersonville
Friday November 12, 7 pm-10pm, Mojomatic, “grooves so good that swinging your head can explode”
Want to be included in “Live Music? »Email your information to Steve Wong at [email protected] by Monday 8:00 am for the upcoming Thursday-Sunday. Remember to send details about your performer as well as a good high resolution photo.
