Linda Tillery (Music Director) makes her MTC debut in Seven Guitars. She is a veteran vocalist, percussionist, Grammy-nominated producer and cultural historian whose career has spanned 43 years. She became a central figure in the emerging genre of women's music in the 1970s and 80s as staff producer, vocalist and drummer for Olivia Records. In the 1990s, Tillery studied vocal improvisation with Bobby McFerrin and later became a founding member of McFerrin's vocal ensemble, Vociestra. In 1992 she formed the Cultural Heritage Choir to perform and preserve African-American roots music. Their repertoire includes work songs, spirituals, field hollers, children's play songs, moans and ring shouts. Tillery has performed as the lead singer of the Loading Zone, the Coke Escovedo band, the house band at Slim's nightclub in San Francisco, and as a member of the Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra. She has recorded four solo albums and appeared on over 90 recordings by such artists as Santana, Boz Scaggs, Holly Near, Huey Lewis and The News, Vicki Randle, Pete Escovedo, The Whispers, John Santos, Maria Muldaur, Taj Mahal and Eric Bibb. Tillery has taught classes and residencies at Stanford University, Williams College, University of Utah, Pacific School of Religion, University of Maryland and Spelman College in Atlanta, California Institute of Integral Studies and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Her second solo recording Linda Tillery won a Bammy (Bay Area Music Award) for Best Independently Produced Album and was twice named Outstanding Female Vocalist at the Bay Area Jazz Awards.