Emmy Award-Winning Actress & NY Times Bestselling Author; Kristen Johnston Supports Mooresville, NC Fundraising Event

MOORESVILLE, N.C. & CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Sept. 4, 2016 - PRLog -- A local non-profit foundation and fundraising event has caught the attention of Emmy Award-Winning Actress, Philanthropist, and NY Times Bestselling Author of GUTS, Kristen Johnston who has passionately expressed her support for Judy Hughes Music Foundation and its upcoming fundraiser "Songs of Freedom".

Judy Hughes Music Foundation will host "Songs of Freedom" on September 10th, 2016 at 2:00PM in the sanctuary of Southside Baptist Church, 525 S. Broad Street, Mooresville, NC 28115.

"Songs of Freedom" will feature world-renowned soprano; Rebecca Cook-Carter, Miss Mecklenburg County 2013 and Miss Central North Carolina 2015; Rachel Gebelein Mulock, critically acclaimed actor and vocalist; Erik D'Esterre, and pianist, choir director and music instructor; Linda Gebelein.

Instructors from Lake Norman Area studios will also perform patriotic and spiritual selections. Jennifer Phelps; Owner of Turning Pointe Music and Dance, Kathryn Reed; Owner of Reed the Music, Mikie Huffman; Owner of Lake Norman Lessons, and Thomas Evans; Instructor at Lake Norman Lessons, will also perform vocal and instrumental selections.

Immediately following the concert, music scholars from Reed the Music, Turning Pointe Music & Dance, Gebelein Piano Studio, and Lake Norman Lessons will perform a student music recital which will also showcase patriotic and spiritually-themed selections.

Mikie Huffman, Founder of Judy Hughes Music Foundation said; "Songs of Freedom will showcase patriotic selections and songs which express spiritual freedom. We wanted to allow music scholars to experience educated, professional musicians performing acoustically, without the distractions of production, lights, smoke, and mirrors while also providing them with a wonderful performance opportunity. This is going to be a new and uniquely enlightening experience. This is something that I believe the community will certainly enjoy."

Mikie also added; "The event's 'Songs Of Freedom' theme is in honor of Labor Day, in memory of the devastating and tragic events fifteen years ago, on September 11, 2001, and, most importantly, to honor [with celebration as well as solemn remembrance] the sacrifices made in order to secure the freedoms that we so often take for granted."

Judy Hughes Music Foundation received praise and support from Emmy Award-Winning Actress and NY Times Bestselling Author, Kristen Johnston, who stated;

"As founder of slamnyc.org, a non-profit dedicated to saving teens from a lifetime of addiction, I've been staggered by the passion and dedication of those involved with Judy Hughes Music Foundation. The fact that essential funding for art and music education is almost unheard of in public High Schools makes supporting programs like this even more urgent because any charity dedicated to inspiring those who need and deserve it the most is an inspiration to us all."

Kristen Johnston; Actress, Author, Exec. Dir. SLAM

There will be fundraising raffles for chances to win gift certificates, gift baskets and other prizes. There will also be a raffle for a chance to win a hand-crafted tray, made and donated by Kristen Johnston, herself.

As a lyric spinto soprano, Rebecca Cook-Carter has sung leading roles in major opera companies in America and Europe, such as Zurich Opera, San Francisco Opera, National Theater Mannheim, Portland Opera, Basel Opera, Hawaii Opera, Hamburg Opera, Miami Opera and many others. She is a native and Distinguished Citizen of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Rachel Gebelein Mulock was crowned Miss Mecklenburg County 2013 and participated as a top ten finalist at the Miss North Carolina Pageant that same year. She was also crowned Miss Central Carolina 2015. Rachel has studied voice with Linda Larsen and Linda Suda and is a graduate of Appalachian State University where she majored in Spanish Education. Rachel currently teaches Spanish at Brogden Middle School in Durham, NC.

Erik D'Esterre is a conservatory trained actor and singer with critically acclaimed experience in musical theatre. He has performed leading roles in musical theater productions such as Aladdin, Sweeny Todd, ‎Les Misérables, A Tale of Two Cities, My Fair Lady, Rocky Horror Show and countless others. He currently teaches drama at Davidson Day School in Davidson, NC.

Linda Gebelein, owner of Gebelein Piano Studio in Huntersville, NC, has a degree in music education with a concentration in piano from Towson University in Towson, MD. She has many years of experience as a church musician and performer. She loves giving her students the ability to appreciate and make music, something which lasts a lifetime.

Jennifer Phelps is the Artistic Director & Founder of Turning Pointe Music & Dance located in Cornelius, NC. Prior to starting Turning Pointe, Ms. Phelps was a working performing artist in New York City and various other cities. She has been cast in many roles including those from Regional Theater to Off-Broadway and has performed with the NY Grand Opera Company and Village Light Opera Company among many others. Jennifer now focuses mainly on running her studio; allowing her to develop the most innovative and creative approaches to teaching and inspiring the next generation of performing artists.

Judy Hughes Music Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All contributions are tax-deductible.

Contributions may be sent through https://www.paypal.me/jhmfinc.