Preview: Watershed Voice Artist Showcase returns Saturday in Three Rivers

Come join us at The Huss Project this Saturday for Watershed Voice’s sixth annual artist showcase featuring local musicians, spoken word artists, and journalism.

This Saturday, July 25 beginning at 6 p.m. Watershed Voice will showcase artists from Southwest Michigan and beyond at the Huss Project’s Imaginarium, located at 1008 8th St. in Three Rivers. 

For a $5 entry fee — that goes straight to supporting local journalism — guests will get front row seats to our full lineup of artists. All proceeds benefit the work of Watershed Voice, telling the stories of southwest Michigan. 

So, without further adieu, here are this year’s artists and what they’re all about, we hope to see you Saturday!

Musicians

Just Mikel.

Mikel James Wakins, also known as Just Mikel., is a prominent and upcoming artist from the midwest, with production and writing placements all over the U.S. His unique style of hip-hop and pop is something to be considered with a fan base expanding over 67 countries. He continues to build a name for himself off his own personal brand of human.

Courtney Moore

Courtney Moore is a 31-year-old R&B singer and songwriter whose music blends heartfelt storytelling with soulful vocals. A mother and graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Courtney brings real-life experience and emotional depth into every song she creates. 

She has been singing for as long as she can remember, but began her professional music journey in 2019 with the release of her debut album, Senful. Known for making relatable music centered on love, heartbreak, and personal growth, Courtney connects deeply with listeners through honesty and vulnerability. 

In the summer of 2024, she released her most recent EP, Hello Summer, continuing to showcase her growth as an artist and storyteller. With new music planned for release this year, Courtney Moore is committed to creating soulful R&B that feels real, healing, and timeless.

Sabrina Banks

Sabrina Banks is a mother of four and grandmother of 19, who loves to cook and spend time with her family and friends. Sabrina’s greatest dream as a child was to become a professional singer. One of her biggest accomplishments was performing at a convention with thousands of people. In addition to bringing her through some difficult times, music has also brought her joy. Musicians like Lauren Hill, Monica, and Jasmine Sullivan are among some of her favorite singers. It’s impossible to travel back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. The more you fight for your dreams, the more your dreams will fight for you.

Eddie Leboeuf

Eddie is chair Watershed Voice’s board of directors, and President of IBEW local 131 in Kalamazoo. He was formerly in a cover band named Jam Sandwich, where he was the lead singer. He has played the lead role in two Sturgis Civic Players productions, “Little Shop of Horrors” (Seymour), and “Escanaba in da Moonlight” (Reuben). As of late, when he is not working his ass off as an electrician, Union representative, or WSV board member, he uses what’s left of his ass to go fishing every chance he gets.

Mitchie Moore 

Mitchie Moore is an independent  recording artist from Three Rivers, Michigan. He has released projects including Dreamz, Mitchie’s World, Mitchie’s Vault, Pt. I, and the M’s Tha Ace series. As well as many single releases.

*cino family band 

The *cino Family Band is a loose collaboration of folks working at the Huss Project at any given moment, who occasionally exchange shovels, hammers, and other assorted garden and construction tools for musical instruments, and play a few songs together for special occasions. They insist on referring to their sole performance of the year as a world tour, when, in fact, it wouldn’t even qualify as a residency. Despite this curmudgeonliness, fans have been known to travel from near and far — as far away as Lakes Pleasant, Corey, and Long — to catch a glimpse of musical mediocrity in action. You won’t want to miss it!

Zachary “Lucky” Fultz 

After putting out two solo albums, Riverside Drive and Old Habits last year, and currently working on a third album, Lucky Fultz will be returning to this year’s Watershed Voice showcase for his third year in a row providing his deeply personal lyrics over intimate guitar playing.

Spoken word artists

Alek Haak-Frost 

Alek Haak-Frost is the executive editor, publisher, and founder of Watershed Voice. While he’s been writing and communicating professionally for more than 15 years, composing poetry and performing spoken word is more of a recent development. A lifelong lover of hip-hop and words in general, Alek has a great appreciation for the scribes, performers, and truth tellers who elevate words scribbled on loose sleeves of paper into living, breathing art. In addition to his set, Alek will once again act as host and MC of the Showcase.

Mister Aubs 

Aubrey K. Barnes, known professionally as Mister Aubs., is an award-winning poet, educator, and founder of Rocky Lions Publishing, a nonprofit organization that uses poetry and literary arts to foster creativity, literacy, and mental wellness among youth. His work has been featured by Button Poetry, Voices in Power, Watershed Voice, and Cary Grant Died Here. Barnes has served as a Writer-in-Residence at the Château d’Orquevaux in France and the United Kingdom Poetry Business Conference. Through performances, workshops, and community engagement, he has inspired audiences across schools, colleges, museums, and nonprofit organizations throughout the United States and internationally.

Debbie Allen 

Debbie M. Allen is a Philadelphia native who has been a resident of Three Rivers since 2015.  She is a poet and author who has been writing since her early youth. She is the author of three poetry books inspired by her life experiences. 

Torrey Brown

Torrey Brown was born and raised on the south side of Chicago until the age of 13. His family relocated to Three Rivers in 1990 where he attended Three Rivers High School. There he was a standout athlete and is now a Hall of Fame inductee. He then attended Saginaw Valley State University on a football scholarship. Torrey now resides in Three Rivers with his wife and 2 children. Torrey is a community leader and organizer, a community activist who is passionate about social justice, an at- large city commissioner, a Constantine school district wood shop teacher and basketball coach, and a poet.