National Musician Academy Recognizes St. Louisan “Lady J” Huston

Huston recently named a cohort for the academy, which is the only incubator of its kind for musicians.

(St. Louis, Mo., July 3, 2024) Joyce “Lady J” Huston, a seasoned entertainer and musician, has been selected as one of only 10 cohorts for the 2024 Musician Changemaker Accelerator (MCA) Academy by Music to Life. This prestigious program is designed to help musicians from across the U.S. make a transformational impact in their communities through their art.

The MCA Academy is the only incubator of its kind for musicians looking to create social change with their music. The Academy combines entrepreneurship and social design instruction with one-on-one coaching and strategic community engagement activities so its cohorts can develop a roadmap to turn their concepts into fundable realities, addressing critical issues such as cultural diversity integration, racial justice, and activism.

The MCA Academy provides participants with a stipend, funding to engage with nonprofit collaborators, and matching grant opportunities supported by The Mellon Foundation, The Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, and Music to Life’s individual contributors. Music to Life was founded by Noel Paul Stookey of the folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary along with his daughter Liz Stookey.

Huston is a multi-award-winning vocalist, trumpeter, and songwriter who has performed with notable artists such as B.B. King, Etta James, and Robert Cray while touring with Albert King as his Music Director. She was a featured headliner at St. Louis’ Intersection Festival alongside Erykah Badu, Gary Clark, Jr., Buddy Guy, and Booker T. Jones. Her accolades include recent honors from the 2024 Global Music Awards, as well as an invitation to join the 2024 New Member Class for the Recording Academy, the organization behind the annual GRAMMY Awards.

This cohort recognition highlights Huston’s potential to create meaningful social change through her music and community engagement, aligning with her role as Community Arts Program Coordinator for A Red Circle. Founded in 2017, A Red Circle is a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of racial equity in North St. Louis County, Mo. The organization creates economic and community betterment solutions through education, employment, and empowerment. For more information, call (314) 328-2286 or visit www.aredcircle.org.