UMOJA Festival Headliners August 13 & 14, 2010

The S.O.S Band will take to the stage during the annual festival.

By Ford Mauldin

The Umoja Unity Festival will be held in downtown Johnson City, Tennessee, August 13 and 14. Umoja, a Swahili word meaning unity, puts a special emphasis on celebrating African American and Latino cultures, creating the most diverse festival in the area. Along with live music, there will be more than 70 arts and crafts vendors and 30 to 40 food vendors.

The S.O.S Band
The band, fronted by Mary Davis, was initially famous for the hit
“Take Your Time (Do It Right)” in 1980. In 1983, they joined forces with
then new production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who went on to
craft a string of R&B hits for the group, including “Just Be Good to
Me,” “Tell Me If You Still Care,” “Borrowed Love,” “No One’s Gonna Love
You,” “Just the Way You Like It,” and “The Finest.”
Plunky & Oneness

Plunky will perform in Johnson City during the UMOJA Festival.

Saxophonist Plunky Branch is an experienced performer, songwriter
and music and film producer, and he is president of N.A.M.E. Brand
Records, through which he has released 21 albums. At one time Plunky was
a studio musician for television’s top-rated sitcom, “The Cosby Show.”

With his group, Plunky & Oneness, he has opened shows for
Patti Labelle, Ray Charles, Earth Wind & Fire, Yellow Jackets,
Frankie Beverly & Maze, and more. During his 1987 West African tour,
critics proclaimed Plunky “one of the greatest living saxophonists!” In
a context where rhythm, ritual, power and emotion reign supreme, he
just might be!