About Us:
We are creative visionaries and healers. We believe in the power of music. We are based in downtown Princeton, WV where two of us run The RiffRaff Arts Collective and one of us runs Sacred Ground Mind-Body-Spirit Emporium. We breathe positive, creative energy into a downtown which was once dark and depressed. We burn incense and blow bubbles onto the street. We play didgeridoos on the sidewalk and hold drum circles in the town square. We give light and hope wherever the door is open. We pour our hearts and souls into organizing Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival, which you should attend.
About Our Music:
An eclectic, all original mix of rhythmic grooves and transcendental melodies make for a performance experience that lifts its audiences to higher ground. Dubbed by one listener a “new age jam band,” their flavorful style is flexible, ranging from funky and rhythmic sounds to mellow and melodic, with each member bringing into the equation affinities for world sounds, funk, folk, jamband music, newgrass, trance, reggae and rock. Full-out drum jams send energy bouncing off the walls of any venue. Another listener dubbed the sound “hippie hop,” another “progressive folk.” The only category that truly seems fitting is “Other.”
Based in Princeton, West Virginia, Lori (vocals, djembe, spoken word), Robert (guitar, banjo, hand-drums, didgeridoo), and Albert (guitar, hand-drums) have been writing and playing music together since early 2004. Briddy Morris (percussion) and Clayton Blankenship (bass) recently rounded off the mix. Their songs come fresh from the moment, meaning most of their songs are written from improvisational sessions. Lori's vocals are passionate and captivating and her djembe drumming is funky and steady. Robert's riffs are catchy and danceable and his mad stylings on the didgeridoo and drums get people on their feet. Albert's guitar style is unique and poignant, dancing all over the board. Briddy and Clayton hold down the rhythm section and add fresh flavor to the musical experience. With extensive backgrounds in theatre, performance, healing arts (yoga/meditation), and visual arts, the group comes together with an artistic mind-set and a vision for a better world.
Some of Option 22’s favorite shows in the past have been Culturefest ‘04-'08, Festiv-ALL 2008, Earth day festivals ‘04-’08, Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, WV, and the Purple Fiddle in Thomas, WV. O22 frequents venues in the region like the Vandalia Lounge in Charleston, The Room Upstairs in Princeton and FireCreek Tavern in Fayeteville. With four albums of original material, their second studio release is due out Winter ‘08.
"This music is spirited and unforgettable. Time and time again their melodies flow like water over an audience exciting people to move. Their array of colors swirl in a hypnotic wave, with thoughtful lyrics that speak of life and growing in peace. You will leave with a smile - it is euphoric therapy."
-Dr. Tim Mainland, fine arts chairman, Concord University
Lori McKinney (vocals, djembe, spoken word) has writing and recording since the year 2000. Her years previous were spent gaining a BA in Music Theatre from JMU, performing in scores of productions there, and performing professionally over the summers as a featured singer / dancer at Paramount’s Carowinds in Charlotte, NC and Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN. She spent her senior year in London, UK, where she discovered her alternative sensibilities and emerged as an independent, veering from a life of auditions into a world of her own creation. Lori searched for musical collaborators and hit the jackpot when she found her soul mate, Robert. The two merged in a profound way and have not stopped writing and recording since. Together they founded Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival, and formed the RiffRaff Arts Collective in 2006. They now run the establishment which includes a fine art gallery, performance venue and artist studios.
Robert Blankenship (guitar, banjo, didgeridoo, etc.) found Lori at an open mic in late 2003. They began playing and writing together and never stopped. They formed Option 22 in 2004 and have since made four albums of original material together. WIth an unlimited well of music pouring from his soul, Robert created the perfect bed for Lori’s sweet vocal to dance atop. He is a multi-instrumentalist, quickly grasping any any instrument he puts his hands on. In his current arsenal are the guitar, banjo, Japanese shamisen, hand drums, the didgeridoo and the shakuhachi flute. In addition, Robert is a sound and recording engineer. Also a multifaceted visual artist, Robert is the cofounder and mastermind of The RiffRaff Arts Collective in downtown Princeton, WV, where he displays his photography, paintings and pottery, and where he lives and works with Lori. The two will be married in May 2009. Robert grew up in Summers County, WV.
Albert Perrone (lead guitar, percussion) has been performing with O22 since 2004. With a background in theatre arts, his return to the stage marked a nearly two decade hiatus from performance. He spent those years working with the dying and their families through Hospice, and then gained his certification as a healing arts professional. He is the owner of Sacred Ground, a mind-body-spirit-emporium in downtown Princeton, WV. When he is not playing music with Option 22, he is in his store counseling and offering spiritual support to his numerous clients. Albert is an intensely spirited individual, and his music reflects that. Poignant melodies dance of his classical guitar’s nylon strings, and as he taps the flow, he generously offers up his soul for listeners to experience. Albert was born and raised in New Jersey.
Briddy Morris (percussion) is also a multitalented artist. She began drumming with O22 in summer 2008. Also the led singer/ songwriter for The Spontaneous Combustion Project, at times her original project opens for O22. Briddy excelled in theatre all through her career at Bluefield High School, WV, and in 2007 brought her talents to the RiffRaff Arts Collective where she has found a happy creative home. She is now studying theatre at Concord University and plans to pursue a career in massage and yoga instruction, in addition to performance. Briddy is a deep, introspective writer and captivating performer.
Clayton Blankenship (bass) joined Option 22 in summer 2008. Robert’s younger brother, he shares Robert’s multifaceted artistic nature. Excelling at music and visual arts, he is also now a core player in The RiffRaff Arts Collective. Clayton also plays bass in The Spontaneous Combustion Project and Treasure Maple, a new project which hit the scene fall 2008. Born and raised in Summers County, WV, he graduated from SCHS and is now living in Princeton. He is currently working an original clothing line called Asymmetrical Apparel and creating and showing his artwork in The RiffRaff Gallery.
