Juanita Richards was seven years old the first time she stood on a stage with a guitar in her hands. It was her daddy who put it there — a great singer and guitarist himself — and the lesson he gave her that day has stayed with her ever since: make people feel important, and never let it go to your head.

More than four decades later, Juanita still lives by those words. Playing roughly 75 shows a year with The Band Silver, she brings a warmth and authenticity to every performance that audiences feel the moment she steps to the mic. She handles both acoustic guitar and bass, and her vocals cut through with the kind of clarity that only comes from someone who's been doing this her whole life.

Ask Juanita what she loves most about being in a band, and she'll tell you it's the learning — that every musician she's ever shared a stage with has taught her something. She's remarkably hard on herself (her words), always pushing to be better. The crowd, however, has no complaints.