Annette (Annie B.) Bzdawka is the Producer & host of Milwaukee Artbeat, and guest co-hosts will occasionally join her on stage at Artbeat shows. Nick Ramsey is a founding member of Milwaukee Artbeat, who serves as co-host for many of the shows.
Milwaukee native Annie B. left the area in 1992 to pursue a degree in psychology, but found her heart was in a different place. She worked with her first band in the mid 90s to find her sound as an artist, while also working with SNCAT (Sierra Nevada Cable Access Television) to gain experience as a television producer. She won a W.A.V.E. (Western Access Video Excellence) Award in the late 90s for a piece educating young people about dating and domestic violence, but music remained her number one passion. She found her way to Los Angeles in 1999 to pursue her musical career, and her alternative rock band landed on radio airplay charts in the early 2000s. Annie has appeared on MTV, she’s hosted various shows and events in southern California and throughout the U.S., and has traveled the country as a singer/songwriter. Shortly after her move in 2007 to Austin, Texas, a family situation brought her back to her hometown in early 2008, and she’s never been happier. “I’ve found Wisconsin to be one of those best kept secrets…truly a great place for artists. It allows us to breathe without the pressure and competition of a place like L.A. or even Austin. And the support for artists around here is refreshingly genuine.” Visit www.AnnieBMusic.com/about to learn more about her and about Annie B & the Vagabond Company, her new band which formed in 2011.
The ability to freestyle skillfully and truly improvise is a rare occurrence in today’s hip hop scene. Nick Ramsey uses this lost art form as his foundation. Born and raised in Racine, WI, Nick began freestyle rapping at the age of fifteen. Assembling an extensive vocabulary through his education in healthcare, he branched out to writing and honing his craft at local open mics.
Over the years, Ramsey has grown in all directions as an emcee with show hosting experience and
crowd controlling capabilities. In 2006, Ramsey took over as host of Carthage College’s Open Mic Night
in Kenosha, WI. During his time there, he organized and hosted more than twenty shows, including
two very well-attended poetry slams. Until his graduation in 2008, he helped provide a platform for
musicians, singers, poets, dancers, and many others to showcase their talents in front of a live audience.
Between 2008 and 2009, Ramsey, and a dedicated board of directors, began the planning of the
annual “Dan Jam” Music Festival. The event is in honor of Nick’s dear friend, Dan Conner, who tragically
passed away on June 27, 2008. In memory of his life, his love for music, and the gifts he shared with the
community, this annual event was created. The festival collects monetary and food donations for the
Racine County Food Bank. Contributions have totaled over $10,000.00 and 750 pounds of food.
In February of 2009, Ramsey was recruited to co-host Milwaukee Artbeat, a one-of-a-kind visual and
performance arts showcase. To date he has helped organize a number of these productions, including
two outdoor music and arts festivals. Sculptors, musicians, dancers, painters, and videographers are
among a few of the many artists who’ve had a chance to display their work. As an integral part of the
planning committee, he continues to broaden his understanding of arts management.
In February of 2010, Ramsey co-founded Family Power Music, a local independent production company
and record label. The first project they took on was to create a welcoming open mic and artist showcase
for all ages and all genres. As a result, Grassroots Wednesdays was born. Primarily held at the Historic
Miramar Theatre in Milwaukee, the group has also hosted the show at a multitude of other venues. In
total, the organization has provided a nourishing environment for over 100 shows.
On October 8, 2011, Ramsey released his first recordings on a six-track EP entitled Introducing: Nick
Ramsey. To demonstrate his artistic diversity, Nick blends positive hip hop cuts with poetry and
freestyle to create a linguistic sampler his audience can enjoy with every listen. The production’s
originality is that of Racine’s own C-The Realness and PIZ. Playing a brief thirteen minutes, the EP is
powerfully packed with upbeat messages and vivid imagery into the inspired life of Nick Ramsey.
