NCFI and PineCone's Raleigh Wide Open Gospel Performer Audiograms

Collage of photos all five gospel performers. From left to right, top to bottom: Chris Johnson and Freedom, Jalessa Cade, Jared Payton, The Gospel Jubilators, Kingdom Voices United.

PineCone and the North Carolina Folklife Institute (NCFI) have partnered to present a powerful lineup of gospel music performances and dynamic panel discussions as part of the Raleigh Wide Open Festival, taking place October 3–4, 2025 in downtown Raleigh.

The gospel programming at Raleigh Wide Open has been developed under the artistic curation of Jared Payton, a Fayetteville-based musician, educator, and founder/director of The Legacy Chorale.

We are excited to share sneak peaks from each of the Raleigh Wide Open gospel performing artists! Click through each of the audiograms below to learn a little about each performer’s experience and approach to their craft.

Visit Raleigh Wide Open’s website to view the full schedule and lineup and to see the performance times and locations for each of these gospel ensembles!

Speakers from left to right, top to bottom:

Jared Payton of the Legacy Chorale

Jalessa Cade

Danny Massenburg of the Gospel Jubilators

Chris Johnson of Chris Johnson and Freedom

Kingdom Voices United

Jared Payton on how his family upbringing shaped his expression of gospel music.

Jalessa Cade shares on the experiences starting early in life that helped her shape her voice.

Danny Massenburg of the Gospel Jubilators remembers singing with his nephews while working in tobacco fields.

Chris Johnson shares about how he experiences gospel’s power to connect people.

Kingdom Voices United shares about the purpose and origin of their gospel choir.

The gospel artists and panel sessions are presented by the North Carolina Folklife Institute in partnership with PineCone with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council, with additional support from the City of Raleigh Museum.