Conventional wisdom says two frontmen shouldn’t live on opposite sides of the country, but that’s never stopped Avi Vinocur and Patrick Dyer Wolf of Goodnight, Texas, the storytelling folk-rock band named after their geographic midpoint — a real town between San Francisco and Chapel Hill.

With roots in folk, blues, and rock, the five-piece band blends 1913 mandolin and 2015 baritone guitar to craft songs where dry wit meets dark truths and deep sincerity. Their newest single, “RUNAWAYS,” swaps their signature folk-rock for full-throttle hard rock, featuring a searing guest solo from Metallica’s Kirk Hammett. “This is the hardest we’ve ever rocked,” says Wolf. “It’s thanks to a vintage Kirk Hammett wah solo on his legendary Greeny guitar.”

Goodnight, Texas earned national attention when their song “The Railroad” appeared in the opening of Netflix’s Tiger King. In 2021, Metallica invited them to cover “Of Wolf and Man” for The Metallica Blacklist, making them the only band to tackle that track — and earning praise from the metal legends themselves.

Their 2022 album How Long Will It Take Them To Die dives deep into American history and identity, continuing the band’s tradition of rich, character-driven storytelling.

Jerron Paxton and Dennis Lichtman are world-renowned multi-instrumentalists and vocalists whose musical partnership began in 2017 with a video shoot at the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Since 2019, they’ve toured together across the U.S. and internationally, and recently released their first full-length duo recording. In 2024–25, they served as Artists-in-Residence at NYC’s Symphony Space.

A Smithsonian Folkways artist, Paxton brings Black folk music to life through stride piano, deep blues, fiddle and banjo traditions, and ragtime—offering a full spectrum of pre-WWII sounds. Lichtman, a virtuosic clarinetist, mandolinist, and violinist, has led NYC’s famed trad-jazz sessions at Mona’s Bar since 2007 and collaborated with artists like David Byrne and Pokey LaFarge.

Together, Paxton and Lichtman deliver high-energy, deeply informed performances blending acoustic blues, ragtime, Tin Pan Alley pop, 1920s jazz, twin fiddle hoedowns, and original songs—celebrating the rich stories and sounds of early American music.

With 10 years of experience running econic earth, an NGO based in California, Nicole Watson focuses on solar solutions and conservation programs for students living off-grid, primarily in Africa. Her background includes 20 years in the film industry, studies in fine arts and media, an MBA in Sustainable Business, and travel to over 40 countries. She excels at creating innovative solutions to engage individuals, positively impact communities, and tell compelling sustainability stories.

Nicole has lived and worked globally, leading programs in Kenya, Zambia, India, and Cambodia. Her international experience enables her to connect with diverse communities and observe global changes firsthand. She is currently expanding the “Watts On Lighting Students’ Lives” solar lighting program in off-grid schools and launching a start-up focused on solar-powered hubs for underserved areas, aiming to transform thousands of lives by providing access to resources through electrified commercial centers. Her documentary film “LIGHT” which tells the story of the unexpected impacts of light on students’ lives, is currently circulating film festivals and global events.

Fluent in French, with some Spanish, Nicole is deeply passionate about conservation, nature-based solutions, and sustainable innovation. A member of the New York-based Explorers Club, she loves exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations, prioritizes health and wellbeing, enjoys plant-based cuisine, and is driven by solutions that shape a sustainable future for all.