Hickory to host Festival on the Field, Sails Original Music Series concert

The City of Hickory will welcome N‑Spire Band to headline a special Sails Original Music Series event on Saturday, Sept. 26.

The community is invited to Samuel William Davis Sr. Multipurpose Field at Taft Broome Park for Festival on the Field, beginning at 4 p.m. and leading into a free Sails Original Music Series concert at 5 p.m. N‑Spire Band will perform an exciting lineup of fan-favorite hits, and festival activities will include vendor booths, on-site food trucks, and cornhole games.

N‑Spire Band is a high-energy, genre-blending ensemble that captivates audiences with a vibrant mix of R&B, pop, jazz, funk, Motown, and inspirational music. Founded by veteran bassist and songwriter Freddie Morrison—whose extensive career includes national and international touring with renowned artists—the band draws on decades of musical experience to deliver polished, electrifying performances.

Evolving from its roots as a gospel and jazz group, N‑Spire has grown into a dynamic seven-piece band featuring powerhouse vocals, a tight rhythm section, and expressive horn arrangements. Their seamless genre-crossing style, paired with a passion for audience connection, has earned them a loyal following and a reputation as a must-see live act. Whether performing at festivals, corporate events, or private engagements, N‑Spire Band brings energy, soul, and inspiration to every stage.

“Wrapping up the 2026 season, N-Spire will bring it with R&B, Jazz, Funk, Pop, Old School, Go-Go, and more. Expect horns, big voices, passion, creativity, and soul,” says Bob Sinclair, coordinator for the Sails Original Music Series.

In addition to outstanding music, art and performance will come together in a fresh way this September. Passions Alive—a project produced by Bob Sinclair Music and supported by a grant from Arts Culture Catawba—will feature local visual artists creating live paintings during each concert. As artists capture the energy of the music in real time, audiences will experience a dynamic fusion of sound and art that adds a new dimension to this year’s series.

The featured artist for the Sept. 26 Sails concert is Jean Cauthen, a Charlotte, North Carolina–based visual artist whose work reflects a vibrant blend of global influence, art historical inspiration, and lifelong curiosity. Working primarily on large canvases, she creates nature-based abstracts and dreamscapes inspired by art history, infusing each piece with a sense of movement, color, and thoughtful exploration. Travel is central to her creative practice, and she returns to Ireland each year for a month-long recharge that fuels her plein air work and deepens her connection to landscape painting. Her career has also taken her to Italy, France, and Ireland for artist residencies, as well as Moscow, Russia, where she worked as a set designer.

Cauthen grew up in Naples, Italy, New Orleans, and the Carolinas, later earning her MFA in Painting and Drawing from James Madison University. She spent much of her career as an educator, serving as head of the Art Department at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute and as a Professor of Art History at UNC Charlotte. Known for her engaging presentations on art history, she also leads international travel workshops that combine creative expression, cultural immersion, and her passion for teaching.

When she’s not painting outdoors, Cauthen creates large‑scale works in her studio at Dilworth Artisan Station in Charlotte. With a focus on the healing arts, her paintings appear in numerous regional hospitals and schools, and her work is collected internationally. Most recently, her art was acquired by the Hickory Museum of Art. Rooted in exploration and shaped by experiences around the world, Cauthen’s work continues to evolve through painting, teaching, traveling, and her enduring commitment to the arts.

Cauthen’s live artwork from the performance will be auctioned at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2, at NoCo Arts in Newton, with proceeds supporting future Bob Sinclair Music art-and-music experiences.

Started in 2012, the City of Hickory’s Sails Original Music Series highlights well‑crafted live music by bringing original artists to The Sails on the Square. The series, a Bob Sinclair Music production, features national and international touring acts and is made possible through generous support from presenting sponsor Protection Products, Inc., as well as Larry’s Music & Sound, Pfahlert Creative Labs, Olde Hickory Brewery, and Crowne Plaza.

Samuel William Davis Sr. Multipurpose Field (730 Third St. SW) sits on the corner of Seventh Avenue SW and Third Street SW in Hickory, across from Brown Penn Recreation Center. Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy the festival and musical entertainment on the ballfield. 

To learn more about the concert series, visit  www.HickoryNC.gov/SailsMusic and follow the Sails Original Music Series Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SailsMusic.