2024 TALENT LINEUP
DAN WILSON
Dan Wilson is a singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and occasional cartoonist. He is best known as the lead singer of the band Semisonic,for which he wrote the smash hit “Closing Time” as well as other international hits including “Secret Smile” and “Chemistry.” He has also become a highly sought-after songwriting collaborator to a diverse group of artists including Adele, The Chicks, John Legend, Taylor Swift, Pink, Dierks Bentley, Nas, Weezer, and many others. In February 2024, he won the Grammy for Best Country Song for “White Horse,” which he co-wrote with Chris Stapleton. He previously won the 2011 Album of the Year for “21” with Adele and earned the 2007 Song of the Year for “Not Ready to Make Nice” with The Chicks.
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Often called “a reporter’s reporter,” Nicholas Kristof is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times and subject of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival documentary, Reporter. He has lived on four continents, reported on six, and traveled to 140 countries, all 50 states, every Chinese province, and every main Japanese island in order to offer a compassionate glimpse into global health, poverty, and gender inequality in the developing world. Nicholas and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, were the first husband-wife team to win a Pulitzer Prize forjournalism. Together, they have written four best-selling books: Half the Sky, A Path Appears, China Wakes and Thunder from the East. A Path Appears and Half the Sky both inspired major PBS documentary series.
C PAM ZHANG
C Pam Zhang is a bold, new literary voice whose debut novel, How Much of These Hills is Gold, published to wide acclaim. Hailed as a Notable Book of 2020 by The New York Times and The Washington Post, longlisted for the Booker Prize, and named one of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2020, Zhang’s debut novel is an immersive, affecting piece of historical fiction that retells the often homogenized story of the American West from a fresh perspective. Her latest work, Land of Milk and Honey, lays provocatively bare the ethics of seeking pleasure in a dying world. Zhang speaks to audience about how she reimagined history in herpowerful book, the art of eschewing normalized ideals of productivity, and the ways grief can fuel and shape one’s writing.
THE CURTIS FAMILY C-NOTES
The Curtis Family C-notes is a family band where music is more than just a family affair, it's a way of life. Members include Mama C, Papa C, and their five children: Zahara, Nile, Isis, Kiki and Phoenix. The family consists of multi-instrumentalists, vocalists, dancers, composers, and producers. Papa C aka Maestro Curtis, a seasoned veteran in the music industry has produced and performed with icons like Maurice White (Earth, Wind and Fire), played with the Count Basie and Duke Ellington orchestra, to name a few. His wife, Nola Curtis aka Mama C, has made her mark as a vocalist and professional figure skater. Along with their five children, they have become known as a multitalented gifted band of seven.
OAKLAND SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS
We are excited to welcome back our favorite resident performers, the Oakland School for the Arts, who always bring a soulful stage presence to Notes & Words. Since 2002, OSA, a diverse and inclusive 6-12 public charter school, has empowered youth from across the Bay Area to excel in the arts. The school’s award-winning choir has wowed audiences time and again and around the country. We’re honored to engage these young local talents in supporting their community by joining us to give back to the hospital. Prepare to be amazed!
