Jim Meyer

Jim discovered the God-Man in the late 1960’s in New York City, then moved to Myrtle Beach and worked at Meher Center for years. A favorite of Kitty and Elizabeth, he was a fabulous singer right from the start and has been featured on Baba albums, CDs and video soundtracks for more than half a century! He has been a prolific songwriter and has penned many timeless, classic Baba songs. He is also a luthier and artist, building dulcimers and painting portraits of his Beloved Baba.

Videos:

You Alone Exist (video of Meher Baba with soundtrack by Jim Meyer):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGHg8sH9ahw&t=395s
I Will Never Leave You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zw9EY0glvY

Billy Goodrum

After graduating with honors from Berklee College of Music, Billy began performing professionally on keyboards with jazz legends Ronnie Laws and Lionel Hampton. In Hollywood, he was soon writing songs and working on soundtracks for hit movies by the Farrelly brothers, including There’s Something About Mary and Dumb and Dumber. He has worked consistently with director, Edoardo Ponti including as music producer and multi-instrumentalist on the Netflix film The Life Ahead which was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Oscar in 2021. His high energy live performances and wonderful Baba songs have entertained Baba-lovers across the country.

Videos:
We Should Always Be Together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXw_Q0HSNEA
The Way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHsVOEbsVLc

Beverly Smith and Jason Homan

Beverly is a professional guitarist and fiddler specializing in folk and old-time music and calling square dances. She has been singing her lovely and memorable Baba songs for the mandali and Baba lovers for many years. Jason Homan graduated from the famous Fame High School for the Performing Arts in New York City before moving to New Orleans and finally resettling in Asheville. He has played professionally and is an extraordinary jazz guitarist and singer.

Videos:
Beverly Smith (with John Grim): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gOi_upoiU4&list=RD-gOi_upoiU4&start_radio=1
Baba Zoom concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A7MoS3lZiA

Cathy Riley and Patrick O’Neil

Cathy Haas Riley has been performing and teaching music most of her life. Her lovely voice can be heard on albums and CDs going back to 1973’s In His Love. She recently published an acclaimed autobiography of her late husband (and Baba treasure), Tom Riley. Patrick O’Neil is a wonderful cellist living in Asheville. He and Cathy have created a special program that chronicles Meher Baba’s 6 trips to America—from 1931 through 1958—and celebrates the God-Man’s presence here through narrative and music from those years. Patrick will also perform with Gay Dunn as they play their deeply moving, double cello version of Baba’s Gujarati Arti.

Videos:

Cathy singing (a lovely song begins at 19:45 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PgLbyfzqec

Michael McConkey

Michael’s”music is upbeat and energetic, yet with a mellow, easy rhythm” (Amazon review of Michael’s CD, Market Stage). In his youthful years, Michael played in several bands and danced around the fringes of stardom. After getting married, he opened a mail order plant nursery in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. He has a Baba CD at Sheriar bookstore with the catchy title: Hook, Line and Seeker!

Videos:

You’ve Got the Spirit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tHtAx6Enf0
Circle Center concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBEwKRyxW-I

Raine Eastman-Gannett

Beginning in 1967, Baba’s red-headed, Aussie songbird was a mainstay of the early Australian group. She and other singers performed exquisite musical renditions of Francis Brabazon’s poems. After years as a voice teacher in San Francisco, her clear alto and rhythmic guitar playing will regale us with Baba-songs at this year’s Sahavas. She has a cartload of CDs available at Sheriar Bookstore.

Videos:

AMBCSC 2005 concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XRJmcDbKT8
Avatar’s Abode 2018 concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RHoGtODpII

Gary Edelman

Gary Edelman - Talk about high energy! Gary is a force of nature who will shake us and wake up our inner Baba! A long-time resident of Myrtle Beach, Gary has been singing and playing guitar for decades.

 Videos:

Two songs written by Gary Edelman, performed by Ron Greenstein, Elaine Munson and Bob Belansky 

(”Someone Like You” starts at 2:25 minutes,” Amartithi Song” starts at 6:57):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oj05mOoAvwec

• Matthew/Priscilla/Ken/Chris group

A new collective (band name last week: ‘Upabhog Express’; the week before it was ‘Asmans R Us’), consists of Matthew & Priscilla Breindel, formerly of California, who are prolific writers of lovely and catchy Baba songs; Ken Richstad, another excellent songwriter, who has released a string of Baba CDs, and Chris Barker, formerly of Texas, who played percussion on CDs by Jerry Edwards and Ward Parks. When this group plays you can expect new Baba-music that segues from dreamy to driving and is leavened with tuneful harmonies.

Videos? No, they are too new.