The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County has named the Princess June Band the winner of the 2026 LeRoy White “Soul & Conscience Award,” presented in partnership with the White family.
The $5,000 award, now in its fourth year, honors musicians who embody the character of LeRoy White, the Newport musician who built a distinctive sound he called “Ethnic, Urban, New Age with Soul & Conscience.” White moved to Newport in 1977, performed with local bands and carried his “Soul & Conscience” Tour to every state in the country until his death in 2021, all while remaining deeply connected to the Newport community.
The Princess June Band, a trio of Aquidneck Islanders, describes its music as “mystic folk.” The group features Griffin Keeffe on guitar, Myah Strauser on piano, and Telli Quinn on piano, ukulele and auxiliary percussion, with all three singing in three-part harmony. More information is available at princessjunemusic.com.
The band joins past recipients Chase Ceglie, the inaugural winner in 2023; Greg “Greggy Good” Ferreira in 2024; and Chelley Knight in 2025.
The alliance will celebrate the Princess June Band and other local artists at its annual “Raise Up the Arts” event on Wednesday, June 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Easton’s Pavilion, upstairs at the Wyndham Hotel on Aquidneck Avenue in Middletown. The event is open to all, and tickets are $40, available at newportarts.org. Questions can be directed to info@newportarts.org.
Founded in 1994, the Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County is a nonprofit organization that promotes and advances arts and culture across Newport County through events, networking and support for its artist members.
