Dwight + Nicole, based in Burlington, Vermont, traces its musical roots through the blues, soul, and R&B traditions by exploring the spaces between these genres, connecting them with themes found in dream pop and alternative rock. Dwight Ritscher’s warm, soulful tenor would be the envy of many bands, but it is Nicole Nelson’s four-octave vocal range that wowed a national audience during season three of NBC’s “The Voice.”

 

Dwight, the band’s principal songwriter and guitarist, first started performing live as a child with his grandfather, and it wasn’t long before players were sneaking him into blues clubs around Monmouth Park, New Jersey to man the tubs. Nicole, also a major songwriter for the band, plays bass, her first love was the musical theater, but she also explored musical expression through flute and violin.

 

Dwight started his first bands while in college in Burlington, and, after graduation, he relocated to Boston where he further developed his craft on stages throughout New England. Meanwhile, Nicole was being recognized as a standout jazz vocalist throughout Boston. Their paths crossed around town, and they discovered they shared an obsession with the soul and blues greats like the Staple Singers, Albert King, and Etta James. As a result, it wasn’t long before Ritscher and Nelson formed a duo.

 

Dwight + Nicole, the duo, began with Dwight on electric guitar and Nicole on tambourine, with both stomping their feet for the beat and singing in harmony. The couple later moved to Vermont, where they met and joined forces with powerhouse drummer Ezra Oklan and keyboard wizard Leon Campos, thus completing the band. They have toured throughout North America with Mavis Staples, Melissa Etheridge, and Norah Jones, among others, as well as performing as headliners.

 

The band’s live shows have become legendary, with fans expressing that they find comfort in the performances, and the band members’ chemistry has been described as intoxicating. Dwight + Nicole is the recipient of accolades and many awards over the past decade. The band and its members have been named “Band of the Year,” “Vocalist of the Year,” “Best Blues/R&B Band,” “Female Vocalist of the Year,” “Blues Act of the Year,” and also won “Video of the Year” at the Boston Music Awards, as well as earning Daysies Awards from the Burlington, Vermont weekly paper, Seven Days.

 

With numerous releases in prior years under their belts, Dwight + Nicole released “The Jaguar, The Raven, and The Snake” in 2024, featuring the single, “Saying Goodbye.” Produced by acclaimed producer Joel Hamilton and recorded at his Studio G in Brooklyn and Ocean Sound in Giske, Norway throughout 2022, the album features musical guests the Daptone Horns and Arkai Strings, among others. The band rejoined Hamilton at Studio G in January 2025 to record some new material, which will see release in early 2026.

 

Accolades:

 

“Dwight + Nicole are my favorite new band!” – Mavis Staples

 

“Dwight + Nicole are absolutely the real deal. They are carrying the torch.” – Melissa Etheridge

 

“A retro soul band, contemporary blues act, roots rock...R&B dynamo all at once...hypnotic.” – Boston Herald

 

Reviews for “The Jaguar, The Raven, and The Snake”:

 

“Sometimes musicians who write and record together have a chemistry that is undeniable and authentic, and the resulting music has that extra something special that makes listeners sit up and take notice. Husband-and-wife-led band Dwight + Nicole is the perfect example of this type of kismet – when they create music together, something marvelous and magnetic happens. Their new album, 'The Jaguar, The Raven & The Snake,' displays this full force, and the group just gave the album the deluxe edition treatment. They’re a little bit bluesy, a little bit R&B/soul driven, with sprinkles of Americana and roots on top and a classic/vintage vibe with rock and even pop touches, making for a genre-bending listening experience of the best sort.” – Amplify Music Magazine

 

“The best music doesn’t just sound great, but it also gives you an emotional lift, hitting in just the right place to soothe, comfort, or inspire. That is exactly what the music of Burlington, VT-based band Dwight + Nicole does. Listening to their latest release, 'The Jaguar, The Raven & The Snake Deluxe Edition,' is an aural ride of a wonderful kind – their exploration of emotions is a beautiful thing to behold, with moving, lyrical stories. The music itself is top-notch and borrows from many genres, creating a mix that incorporates Americana, vintage rock, blues, R&B, soul, and more.” – Vents Magazine