Xpress Faith Columbia Artists

Local artists will appear throughout Columbia several days prior to Xpress Faith Columbia. These local artists will also be featured as pre-program musicians each night of Xpress Faith Columbia.

• Emily McCollum/CiCi's Pizza at the Village at Sandhills/Sunday, April 18 from 6:00-8:00 PM
• Gloria Wright/Desserts-n-More/Publix Shopping Center on Hardscrabble/Monday, April 19 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
• Ashley Fleshman/Books A Million at the Village Sandhills/Tuesday, April 20 from 6:00-8:00 Pm
• Hampton Cobb/Spring Valley Rotary Club at NE Presbyterian Church on Polo Road/Thursday, April 22 at 1:15pm
• Shannon Scruggs/Sparkleberry County Fair on Clemson Road, Saturday, April 24 Time TBA

	Hampton McSwain Cobb, Sr., earned a BA in Education and a Master of Music Education at the University of South Carolina. He began playing trumpet, his major instrument, in the 5th grade. Hampton is a former educator and high school band director. While Director of Bands at Spring Valley High School, his bands won four consecutive AAAA SC State Marching Band Championships and numerous national awards. During his ten years of teaching, he was named Teacher of the Year for Spring Valley High School and for Richland School District Two. For the past 23 years he has been President of Cobb Enterprises, Inc., a statewide fundraising company. Hampton has played in many local bands, conducted a church choir, sang in church ensembles, and continues to play solo trumpet. Hampton and is wife, Judy, are members of Spring Valley Baptist Church and are proud parents of Emily Cobb Johnson, who is married to Brad, and Hampton Cobb, Jr., who is married to Lory. They have three grandsons Ford, Jacob and Kip.
	Ashley Fleshman performs with the Dick Goodwin Big Band, Dem Bones, the Palmetto Concert Band, The Bones of Intention, the Spring Valley Instrumental Ensemble, and the New Century Salon Orchestra. Ashley has backed up recording stars such as Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles when they have appeared in Columbia. He enjoys retirement but continues his musical interests. Ashley and his wife Ann have three grandchildren Mason, Mitchell and Marett Loudermilk.
	Emily McCollum grew up in a very musical family and began playing guitar at age 11. Now 16, she leads the Revolution Band, plays in the Spring Valley Baptist Church Praise Orchestra and teaches guitar. Emily attends Spring Valley High School where she is on the yearbook staff. Those who know Emily compare her guitar playing and singing style to that of Taylor Swift. She loves just hanging out with her friends and rooting for her Tigers.
	Shannon Willis Scruggs loves to perform and sing. By day, she is the Executive Director of the South Carolina Bar Foundation. She can also be found at Town Theatre either performing or directing. She is a graduate of Wofford College and received her MBA from the University of South Carolina. At Spring Valley Baptist Church, she sings in the choir, participates in a small praise ensemble and assists with the annual musical celebrations. Though she has played many roles on the stage, her favorite role is that of wife to Thomas and mommy to Megan, Drew, Michael and Kendall.
	Gloria Wright has been a Columbia resident all of her life and is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Music. Her life is full of musical activities including teaching in her private piano studio, serving as the pianist at Spring Valley Baptist Church, serving as keyboard consultant for the SC Baptist Convention, and accompanying local choral and instrumental groups. She is married to her childhood sweetheart, James, and they have two married sons. When she is not playing the piano, she enjoys running, biking, reading, going to the beach, and playing golf.