Barbara Higbie

Called "a bolt of bright sunlight" by the L.A.Times, a “classy talent” by the Boston Globe and “the most exciting musician we’ve heard” by the S.F. Chronicle, Barbara Higbie brings joy and virtuosity to every performance. She is a Grammy-nominated, Bammy and Glama award winning composer, singer-songwriter and fiddler, appearing on over 100 albums, including 18 of her own and 12 compilations that have sold in the millions. She has recorded with Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Cris Williamson, Ferron, Linda Tillery, Holly Near, Teresa Trull and many others. “Unexpected,” a duo album with singer-songwriter, Teresa Trull (on Olivia/Second Wave Records) made Higbie/Trull one of the most popular acts in Women’s Music. At the same time, Barbara was the first woman to be signed to the famed instrumental label, Windham Hill Records, where she co-led a group that recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, touring internationally for 15 years.  

The youngest of six children from a midwestern musical family, Higbie started piano at age four. At age 13, her family moved from small town Indiana to Ghana, West Africa. She attended Mills College and the Sorbonne in Paris. At 21, she was awarded the prestigious Watson Fellowship to collect traditional music in West Africa. At 22, she placed 6th in the National Women’s Fiddle Contest. At 23, she released her first original album on Windham Hill, the critically acclaimed “Tideline” on the Windham Hill label. 

 Barbara’s first solo CD on Sony Records, a singer-songwriter album in 1990, was named “Top Ten of the Year” by the Washington Post. In 2011, Higbie was named the first “Artist in Residence” for the famed west coast jazz club, Yoshi’s. There, she founded the group “Hills to Hollers” with gospel/blues singer and original Olivia collective member, Linda Tillery and bluegrass star, Laurie Lewis. Recently, Higbie’s composing and recording has harkened back to her Windham Hill roots, with a popular 3-part, all women “Chillogy” series, produced by Lisa Vogel, featuring the brilliant Jami Sieber, cello, Vicki Randle, guitar and Michaelle Goerlitz, percussion. December 2023 marks the release of her new “Solstice” album. In addition to composing, recording, playing festivals and touring, Barbara loves playing for Olivia audiences. She has performed on over 35 Olivia trips and counts them among the best experiences of her life.  

Jennie McNulty

The New England Blade named Jennie McNulty “one of the premiere comedians in the country.” The Examiner called her an “infectiously energetic, remarkably deft comic with a warm disarming style and some of the best improv skills in the business.”  Curve magazine rates her among the “Top 10 lesbian comics.”  Her playfully sarcastic style wins over every crowd the moment she takes the stage. 
Jennie’s comedy career has taken her all over the world, from entertaining troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe to the beautiful beaches and serene sea ports of the LGBT travel world with Olivia and Atlantis” travel companies.  You may have also seen her on NBC, Logo TV and in the independent Sci Fi film, "Lights.” Jennie is also featured in the upcoming feature length film "Freelancers Anonymous," by acclaimed Spanish director, Sonia Sebastian.   
For over 20 years, Jennie has headlined Comedy Clubs and Pride festivals all over North America and spent 6 summer seasons performing nightly in Provincetown, MA.  McNulty is also a contributor to Lesbian.com magazine and, for fun, Jennie played 15 seasons on a professional women’s tackle football team and is now their game day announcer. 

McNulty, who has a Master's degree in Exercise Science, is currently producing and hosting a revamped version of her popular AfterEllen web series, "Walking Funny," a show designed to get people moving and feeling better. It's an interview show, conducted live on Facebook, where Jennie and her guest take a walk and the viewers can interact and (hopefully) walk along!