Jenefer Duane

Founder & Executive Producer

As a precocious five-year old in 1968, Jenefer Duane was first thrust into the Bay Area’s rock and roll music scene when she spotted Janis Joplin driving her famous psychedelic convertible bathtub Porche near her childhood home in Marin County, California. Although Jenefer did not recognize the iconic singer, who was smiling widely and singing at the top of her lungs, Joplin made direct eye contact with the stunned, long-haired child standing on the corner with her mouth dropped open in awe. Jenefer’s life was forever changed from that moment forward as she went on to bear witness to the amazing sights and sounds of the Summer of Love in San Francisco and then immersed herself in the regional 70’s and 80’s counter cultural eras of rock and roll.

At the age of 15, she discovered who the ‘crazy lady’ in the cool car was when she saw an iconic photo of Ms. Joplin in a music shoppe in Mill Valley, California. By then, she was a full-on Zeppelin/Hendrix style rock and roll fan discovering the Blues and falling in love with life in the fast lane.

As the realities of young adulthood settled in, Jenefer‘s lifelong passion for helping animals and older people segued into a 15-year career in orthopedic medicine and elder care. 1n 1996 she started community organizing to provide more support for isolated elders struggling to live at home.

Discovering that financial exploitation is a major life threat to older people motivated Jenefer and a group of partners from the banking industry to found the non-profit Elder Financial Protection Network in 2002.  She leveraged that work to become one of the nation’s leading voices in the emergent field of elder justice. In 2011, Jenefer was called to serve when President Obama appointed her to a senior position in the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office for Older Americans.

In January 2025, Jenefer retired from the Bureau and began leveraging her 40-year career in Elder Affairs as a one of the nation’s leading experts to consult as an event producer and to train financial professionals, law enforcement, attorneys and aging network service providers on identifying, preventing, responding to and resolving cases of elder financial exploitation.

While doing this work, she met Mary Beth Guard. She is thrilled to have had the opportunity to found and lead the annual New Harmony Blues Festival that nurtures her passion for the Blues and especially the immense talent of the women who play the Blues. She co-owns the elegant AC Thomas House Bed & Breakfast Inn, New Harmony, Indiana with Mary Beth, our spouses and another partner from the elder justice field. She resides in Snow Camp, North Carolina.

Ruth Wyand

Founder / Guitarist, Historian and Singer-Songwriter

Ruth Wyand has achieved a level of diversity that has exceeded the expectations of audiences around the world. Her guitar virtuosity is demonstrated by dynamic fingerpicking, bottleneck slide and a warm alto voice.

She is a walking encyclopedia of American music styles, playing a mix of Americana, jazz, blues, folk, country augmented by Piedmont and bluegrass clawhammer fingerpicking. Performing well-crafted instrumental arrangements of classics ranging from Doc Watson, Etta Baker, Jimi Hendrix, Leo Kottke to Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington along with her own compositions always makes a captivating show.  Each song no matter how different has a firm Ruth Wyand stamp of style on it.

Ruth’s songwriting is timeless, relatable, emotionally resonant, sometimes witty, sometimes serious but always human and genuine. Her lyrics and stories along with her sense of humor will bring a smile to your face or a tear to your eye and her skillful command of the fretboard never ceases to amaze audiences of all ages.

Wyand has toured extensively throughout the United States, Britain, New Zealand, Kuwait and France and has won numerous awards for guitar and songwriting including the Gamble Rogers Fingerstyle Guitar Competition, the South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Competition and the Hank Williams Songwriting Award.

“Ruth’s personal spirit of diversity shines through in the music she creates and performs,” says MoMojo label president, Sallie Bengtson. “Her ability to blend multiple and varied musical influences into her own appealing style is an exciting addition to our growing catalog.”

“To sit and listen to Ruth Wyand is the opportunity to experience the best of Americana, Blues, Jazz, Folk along with her great style of storytelling”.     ACMA (Americana Community Music Association)

Mary Beth Guard

Founder & Associate Producer

Mary Beth Guard is the owner PrettyFood.com, Capers Emporium, Capers Glassporium, and Caper’s Candy & Cards. She is also co-owner of the AC Thomas House in New Harmony, Indiana. After working as a banking attorney for almost 40 years in Oklahoma City, she decided to venture into something new and opened Capers Emporium to offer cooking and crafting classes, and to provide everything needed for beautiful tables, stylish entertaining, and easy meal preparation. Mary Beth is a professional magician, a piano player, and is the chair of the Shenanigans committee on the New Harmony Business Association.

Ron Spinhoven

Founder & Chief Financial Officer

Ron is a co-owner of the AC Thomas House and is an avid Blues enthusiast and walking encyclopedia of music history of many genres. Ron is also a musician who plays the ukulele and the Pūtātara, an ancient Maori tribal instrument. He is neuro muscular therapist that specializes in pain relief and posture realignment. He reside on and manages a 44 acre farm in North Carolina with his wife Jenefer Duane.

Bex Marshall

Co-Founder / International Award-Winning Blues Guitarist

UK British Blues Award winner and 4 time European Blues Awards nominee Bex Marshall’s unique style of guitar playing is a combined technique of slide, blues rock, ragtime and roots pickin’.

Her voice is a powerful melting pot of old black woman’s heartache and rock diva soul. Bex is a writer of distinction and notability, she pushes the boundaries of blues, her songs have been called timeless, touches of genius, and now she tours internationally solo or with a three piece band which augments her unique style of of virtuoso playing, Born In Plymouth Devon she was the product of two very different family’s, one blue blooded landed gentry (her great grandfather was the Squire of Cornwall) and her mothers side Irish Romany (her great Grandmother was the original fairground fortune teller Madam Olga)

As a child at family gatherings her uncles would always play and stand her on the table to sing, at 11 years old she was given a 1963 Gibson Hummingbird by her Uncle David and started playing, she got hooked on instrumentals and classical guitar standards which stretched her fingers and gave her a great basis for her own music to develop, flamenco, ragtime, country chicken pickin’, rock and on to blues and roots where she is now in her element.

She always had a passion for travelling, its in her blood and trained as a croupier at 18 began her travels around the world. She hitchhiked the coast of Australia on cattle trains and always with a guitar on her back living and storing tales.

Greg Douglass

Co-Founder / Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Guitarist

Douglass started his musical career in the late 1960s with his band The Virtues, which later turned into the acid-rock group Country Weather. He came in contact with Van Morrison and Jefferson Airplane spin-off band Hot Tuna and ended up touring with both of them.

After his departure from Hot Tuna, Douglass founded the group Terry & the Pirates. He got in contact with Steve Miller Band bassist Lonnie Turner in 1977 and co-wrote the song “Jungle Love”[3] as well as playing on Miller’s tenth studio album, Book of Dreams. In 2002, “Jungle Love” became the theme song for CBS-TV sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, opening the program for seasons 7-9.

Douglass was a member of the band John Cipollina’s Raven and appeared on 1980 album “Raven”. He joined The Greg Kihn Band in 1983 and played on the band’s hit single “Jeopardy”. After recording Kihnspiracy, Kihntagious, and Citizen Kihn, Douglass left the group and toured with Tom Fogerty and Eddie Money.

Douglass has lived in the San Diego area since 1994, where he remains active as a touring guitarist (Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Electric Flag), a studio player, and a music instructor. He leads his own four-piece group, the Greg Douglass Band, playing concerts, clubs, corporate events. He also spends about a month each year touring Europe, primarily the UK.

Douglass also co-wrote two songs (“Something Special” and “Goodbye Love”) on Miller’s 1983 album Abracadabra, as well as “Maelstrom” for his 1986 album, Living in the 20th Century. Additionally, Douglass’ work with the Steve Miller Band has been reissued numerous times on greatest hits compilations.

Karl Dion Dixon

Co-Founder / Singer-Songwriter / Professor

Karl Dixon is an international jazz, blues entertainer and professor at NYU.  For the last ten years he has toured the world as a featured soloist with the Harlem Jubilee Singers which has included appearances at Italy’s Umbria Jazz Festival and France’s Jazz a Vienne festival where he performed Duke Ellington’s “Freedom Suite” with the Laurent Mignard Ellington Orchestra.

Jonathan Lolley

Co-Founder / Stage Manager / Sound Engineer / Master Chef

With 20 years of culinary experience, Master Chef Jonathon excels in creating unique fusions of British, Italian, and French cuisine. From winning competitions and cooking for the Chinese Ambassador to traveling the world with “Blues and Stews,” he delivers extraordinary culinary experiences wherever he goes.

Deborah Collier

Co-Founder / Visual Storyteller and Official Photographer

Growing up in the unique town of Oamaru, New Zealand—often called the “Steampunk Capital of the World”—I was immersed in the whimsical and imaginative world of steampunk culture, Victorian-era fashion, from a young age. This creative environment shaped my love for vibrant costumes, dramatic settings, and timeless aesthetics. With camera in hand, I explored everything from the charm of small towns to the grandeur of stunning landscapes.

My journey continued in Wellington, where I spent some time capturing the energy of runway fashion shows. I was drawn to the glamour of high fashion and the power of a well-timed shot that could transform a fleeting moment into an iconic image, then later in Sydney Australia, where street and wildlife photography became my passions.  

Now, based in the United States for over twenty years, I’ve embraced all of these diverse experiences, bringing a global perspective to my photography. From bold, dramatic portraits to intimate moments, I see each session as an opportunity to tell a unique story.

In addition to my photography, I’ve spent much of my adult life in the corporate world. This experience has honed my ability to collaborate effectively with diverse individuals, deepening my understanding of clients’ needs.

John Wesley Gardner

Technical Adviser

A master acoustician and recording studio designer, retired US Navy tall ship captain, race car driver, ukulele player, (to name just a few of his diverse array of talents). The legendary John Wesley Gardner brings over 60 years of experience in the music industry.

Erin Bode

Advisor / Americana Vocalist

New Harmony-based Erin Bode creates music forged from the Americana of her Midwestern roots – infused with jazz grooves and made magic by Bode’s bell-like voice. Sophisticated arrangements and attention to phrasing, both vocal and instrumental, further distinguish her fresh sound.  In the decade-plus since Erin Bode began her professional recording career, she has garnered much critical praise for her pure voice and impressive phrasing and style.  It is this talent, coupled with her reluctance to accept classification as a purely jazz vocalist that has led to reviews hailing her as “someone you won’t forget”.

Tina Schutte

Co-Producer / Stage Management

Tina Schutte is a retired business owner, entrepreneur and lifelong musician.

She began her music career as a liturgical musician at the tender age of 10; and has continued since then, leading worship at churches throughout the Evansville area.

Schutte was the Choral Music Director at Mater Dei High School in Evansville and has directed choirs at Corpus Christi, St. Anthony, All Saints, Holy Redeemer, St. Philip, Sts Mary & John Catholic Churches and Zoar United Church of Christ in Evansville.

Her career as a professional musician includes lead vocal and keyboard for Clearlight, a top 40 cover band; and vocalist with the Red Wick Ensemble, with whom she recorded.  She frequently sings and plays at open mic nights at New Harmony venues.

Schutte took over direction of the New Harmony Community Choir in 2015 and has grown the choir to over 35 members and has increased the number of performances every year.

Most recently, she was music director for the 2024 Theatre Works production of “A Christmas Carol”, a large-format puppet show.

Schutte is a former trustee of the University of Southern Indiana, a former member of the University of Evansville Outstanding Educators Selection Committee, a former board member of Under the Beams (a New Harmony concert series), Secretary of Trace to Trail (a not-for-profit group that puts on creative writing workshops), a member of the New Harmony Artists’ Guild and a board member of New Harmony Music Festivals.

A composer, arranger and performing musician, Schutte lives in Evansville with her husband, David.  Between them, they have six children and seven grandchildren, who are the lights of their lives.

Colin Flynn

Associate Producer / Lead Project Director

A native of Wales, Colin has a long history supporting the arts and particularly music which he has supported alongside a corporate and entrepreneur career lasting over 40 years.

Julia Powell

Co-Producer/Project Director

Julia joined the NHBF in January 2025 following her retirement as a global technical platform and project management professional with expertise designing, implementing, and supporting technical solutions across diverse industries and global companies.

As co-producer of the NHBF, her skills and attention to detail combined with passion for music, women in leadership initiatives, institutional wisdom, keen insightfulness, and strong communication skills ensure that needs and issues are identified, addressed, completed and resolved while keeping projects moving forward and on time.

Skilled in applying technology to benefit clients, employees and the overall business, her aptitudes and abilities are well leveraged for working within teams to learn, collaborate, encourage and inspire each other to achieve quality outcomes.

Maddy Meyjes

Associate Producer

Maddy Meyjes loves music and history so she was instantly drawn to the opportunity to promote a music festival in the historic utopian town of New Harmony, Indiana. Maddy has experience organizing benefit concerts for UNICEF. She loves working with artists and community based organizations like NHBF. She is also an experienced proofreader and copy-editor with an interest in grant writing. Maddy is excited to help build and promote the New Harmony Blues Festival and make it a unique and memorable experience.

Désirée Logan

Graphic Artist

Désirée Sky Logan grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. From childhood musicals and playing instruments to designing—and growing up surrounded by technology—she has always embraced the blend of creativity and expression. Today she is co-owner of Creation Shop in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, working with a variety of media —including ceramics, bronze casting, sculpture, wood burning, fashion, watercolor, drawing, photography, and visual storytelling—while also fostering community through classes and workshops. She has contributed to the arts through her role on the board of the Kaddatz Gallery, past organizational work with Capers Emporium, and a public mural in New Harmony, each deepening her ties to the communities she loves. First connected to New Harmony through the New Harmony Clay Project, Désirée continues to return for its rare blend of beauty, creativity, and connection. After supporting the 2024 New Harmony Blues Festival, she is honored to be on the team for this year’s celebration, weaving together her lifelong love of art, music, and community into the festival’s spirit.

Patty Avery

Media Specialist

Until her 2020 retirement, Patty Avery was the program lead for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Your Money, Your Goals toolkit and training program for a range of intermediaries who serve low-income consumers.

Patty’s career has included more than seven years at Old National Bank, where she served as director of associate communications and as a community reinvestment officer. Prior to Old National, she worked for the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and as a producer and reporter for Fox 7. Before moving to Evansville, she spent fifteen years serving homeless youth and adults in Amsterdam and Brazil. As a national  and global volunteer leader in The American Cancer Society, Patty is an experienced trainer in the field of volunteer-driven legislative advocacy and received the Amcerican Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s highest honor for volunteers in 2024, the Volunteer Award for Excellence in Advocacy. She also serves as a Families for Safe Streets Ambassador and is a member of that organization’s National Executive Committee.

Patty lives in Evansville, Indiana with her husband, retired State Representative Dennis Avery, and holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern Indiana.