2027 Honorees

Kiki Wong

Kiki Wong is a guitarist and content creator whose career has taken her from major stages to a global online following and, most recently, to The Smashing Pumpkins, which she joined as guitarist in 2024. A multi-instrumentalist who began studying piano at six and taught herself guitar as a teenager, Wong has performed alongside artists including Taylor Swift, Usher, Bebe Rexha and Lindsey Stirling. She has toured internationally, appeared in national campaigns, and built an audience of more than 2.4 million followers through her high-energy guitar performances, metal covers and unmistakable personality. A graduate of the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Biological Sciences/Pre-Medicine, Wong ultimately chose to pursue music full time. Her combination of musicianship, entrepreneurial drive and ability to connect with a new generation of guitar players has made her an influential voice in today’s guitar community.

Photo by Hugo Perez Ortiz

Joan Osborne

Joan Osborne is an eight-time GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum singer-songwriter whose acclaimed 1995 album Relish produced the international hit “One of Us” and established her as one of the most distinctive voices of her generation. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Osborne has explored rock, soul, blues, country and roots music while building a reputation as both a powerful interpreter and an accomplished songwriter. She has performed and recorded with an extraordinary range of artists, including Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Luciano Pavarotti and members of the Grateful Dead, and was part of the groundbreaking Lilith Fair tours. She has also performed alongside Motown’s legendary Funk Brothers and appeared at events ranging from the Nobel Peace Prize Concert to a performance honoring the Dalai Lama. An independent-minded artist throughout her career, Osborne founded her own Womanly Hips Records label, giving her greater creative control over her music and its release. Her latest studio album, Nobody Owns You, is a deeply personal collection exploring family, love, loss and finding purpose through change, continuing a body of work defined by curiosity, authenticity and an unmistakable voice.

Photo by Eduardo Orelhasq

Lari Basilio

Lari Basilio is an acclaimed Brazilian guitarist, songwriter and producer, considered by Guitar World Magazine “one of the most exci-ng names in instrumental rock”, describing her as “one of today’s most tasteful guitar virtuosos”. Known for her melodic and technical mastery, Lari has established her career over the years releasing her original instrumental records, showcasing her versaBlity and musical personality. Collaborators to her albums include the biggest names in the music industry such as Joe Satriani, Vinnie Colaiuta, Leland Sklar, Nathan East, Greg Phillinganes, Siedah Garret, Anika Nilles, and Sean Hurley. Her latest album Redemption was released in May 2025 followed by a successful headline European and North American Tour. Lari Basilio has also worked and performed alongside notable arBsts like Willow Smith, Avril Lavigne, Doja Cat, Travis Barker, A-mei, among others. Lari Basilio has partnered with some of most respected music brands to develop her signature products: The Violet Pedal in partnership with JHS Pedals; her own set of Signature Pickups with Seymour Duncan, becoming the first female artist to ever have a signature product with the brand; and her signature guitars with Ibanez, the LB Series.

Photo by Nick Spanos

Melissa Manchester

Melissa Manchester is a GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter and performer whose remarkable career spans more than five decades. Known for her distinctive voice and emotionally resonant songwriting, she has created an enduring catalog that includes such beloved hits as “Midnight Blue,” “Don’t Cry Out Loud” and the GRAMMY-winning “You Should Hear How She Talks About You.” Manchester has released more than 20 albums and built a career that reaches well beyond the recording studio, encompassing songwriting, film, television and theater. She made history at the 1980 Academy Awards as the first artist to have two nominated songs in the same year, performing “Through the Eyes of Love” from Ice Castles and “I’ll Never Say Goodbye” from The Promise. Television audiences also know her from her recurring role as Maddy Russo on Blossom. Her work on stage continues to add new chapters to her career. Manchester earned an Elliot Norton Award for her performance as Mrs. Brice in the national tour of Funny Girl and most recently appeared as Ma Cagney in the musical Cagney. Through decades of recording, performing and songwriting, Manchester remains a singular and enduring voice in American music.

Wendy Parr

Wendy Parr works with artists who already have something real to say and helps them say it without holding back. A vocal coach and artist development strategist with 35+ years of Grammy®-winning results, she’s built her career around one thing: closing the gap between who an artist really is and what the industry is asking them to be. Her artists include Melanie Martinez, Sara Bareilles, Regina Spektor, Isabel LaRosa, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Qveen Herby, Edis, Mark Tuan, and The Midnight – proof of a technique that holds up under real pressure: touring, recording, a bad night, a big night. The work is all about the artist’s voice – from Vocal to Vision to Release. Through PARR HAUS, her ecosystem for managers, labels, and artists, Parr guides talent. RESIDENCE, her exclusive artist accelerator, and THE CIRCLE, boutique A&R and label services, exist for one outcome: an artist who is truly themselves, can communicate it, and has built a world fans recognize and connect with – a world led by and thrilling to the artist.

Victoria Williams

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Victoria Williams is a singular singer-songwriter known for her distinctive voice and deeply personal songwriting. Emerging in the late 1980s, she collaborated with artists including Van Dyke Parks, Lucinda Williams and Randy Newman, and established herself with albums including Happy Come Home and Swing the Statue. In 1992, while touring with Neil Young, Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The music community rallied around her, leading to the 1993 tribute album Sweet Relief – A Tribute to Victoria Williams, featuring artists including Pearl Jam and Soul Asylum. The experience inspired Williams to help found the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which continues to provide critical assistance to musicians in need. Williams continued recording and performing, releasing several solo albums and recording with The Creekdippers. Today, she continues to create and collaborate while Sweet Relief carries forward the legacy sparked by her experience.

Photo by Jen Squires

SACHA

A trailblazer in Country Music, Sacha blends heartfelt storytelling with an infectious energy that captivates audiences. Since releasing her debut EP The Best Thing, she has quickly risen as one of the genre’s most exciting new voices. Named iHeartRadio’s “Future Star” and a member of CMT’s prestigious Next Women of Country Class, Sacha has achieved numerous milestones in her burgeoning career. Known for her introspective songwriting, her debut album Woman In The Mirror, is a bold collection that highlights her growth as both a writer and storyteller. The album includes Sacha’s hit single, “Hey Mom I Made It,” a true heartfelt anthem that has garnered over 11 million combined streams globally. Sacha continues to make waves across the industry. She is recognized as one of Holler Country’s ‘10 Country Artists You Need to Know in 2025,’ and she’s performed at a Voguemagazine party, made her Grand Ole Opry debut and hit the stage at of some of Country music’s biggest festivals including CMA Fest in Nashville, Boots & Hearts, LASSO, Cavendish, and more. Captivating audiences with her electrifying live performances, Sacha is cementing her place as a must-see performer in Country Music.

Samantha Fish

Samantha Fish is a two-time GRAMMY-nominated guitarist, singer, and songwriter widely recognized as one of the leading artists in contemporary blues and roots music. A Kansas Music Hall of Fame inductee and multiple Blues Music Awards winner, she is celebrated for her fiery guitar work, powerhouse vocals, and emotionally charged songwriting. With relentless touring and a string of critically acclaimed releases, Fish has built an international audience, with multiple albums reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart. A commanding live performer, she has toured extensively around the world, appeared at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, shared stages with artists including The Rolling Stones and Slash, and performed at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. Her latest release, Paper Doll Live, captures the energy and intensity of her acclaimed live show, recorded at the historic Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee. Whether on record or onstage, Fish continues to redefine the possibilities of modern blues, combining virtuosic musicianship with fearless performances that resonate with audiences around the world.