The Members

 Kevin Bennear was born in Elk Garden, a small coal mining town in West Virginia. Bennear’s musical inspiration was his father, who while serving in an artillery unit in the United States Army, volunteered his spare time and musical talents to entertain the troops. As a young man, Kevin’s first solos were sung at the local Baptist church. Raised in an economically depressed region, the scholarship he received at a small local college enabled him to study music. From there he moved to West Virginia University where he attended under a full voice scholarship and after graduating W.V.U. with honors Bennear then performed with several theatres including the Christian based theatre Sight and Sound as well as Theatre West Virginia.  He was then offered an assistantship at the University of Tennessee where he performed with the Knoxville Opera Company.  After receiving his master’s degree from U.T., he assumed the position of Baritone vocal Soloist with the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band.  In this capacity Bennear has sung for four U.S Presidents at both public and intimate events, he is a regular performer at White House State dinners and performs for dignitaries and heads of state from all around the world. He has performed the National anthem for a worldwide audience while singing on the balcony of the White House with the President on several occasions. He has performed for the State Funerals of Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. He has appeared as a soloist along with Toby Keith and Larry Gatlin on a PBS national production of “In Performance at the White House”. He has sung for two Super Bowls, several nationally televised NASCAR events, Major League Baseball Games and in addition sang for the opening of Audi Field for the inaugural game of DC United. Kevin had the honor of performing the National Anthem on September 11th, 2002, one year after the attack on America as President Bush unfurled the flag over the restored Pentagon and Kevin describes this as his most memorable moment in performing. He has won several awards including Concerto Competition Winner while at the University of Tennessee. Full Voice Award, Peabody Conservatory of Music… The Young Alumni Award by his alma mater West Virginia University to name a few. He has also had the honor of performing for events such as the rededication of the Lincoln Memorial and the Abraham Lincoln Awards. Bennear continues to perform at Presidential events such as the most recent inauguration where he sang for the first dance of the President and First Lady. 

Kat Bennear has been a professional violinist, singer, and stage performer for over 20 years in a broad variety of musical arenas.  She started learning violin at the age of 12 and later studied classical violin under famed violinist Mischa Lefkowitz.  Her first professional work was as a violinist in Tehachapi, CA Symphony Orchestra at the age of 16. Through high school, she performed simultaneously as a member of both Bakersfield CA Symphony Orchestra and Antelope College Symphony Orchestra. During her college career, she performed classical violin as a member of Washington State University Orchestra (go Cougars!) and later with West Chester University Orchestra in Pennsylvania. After college, she turned to power-rock style music and joined the Trans-Siberian Orchestra-inspired group Wizards of Winter as lead violinist. She transitioned her style in 2012 to Irish fiddle and joined the Trad-Celtic group Burning Bridget Cleary. Kat toured with the band across the entire north-eastern seaboard performing both traditional Celtic as well as bluegrass style fiddle. As both a violinist and vocalist, she is credited for her performance on the band’s popular studio album, ‘Pressed For Time.’ Over the years, Kat has fronted multiple bands including M-80, Kat and the Mad Dogz, The Reflex, Vertigo Red, Kat Atomic and Jagged Edge. Kat has headlined at MGM Grand in National Harbor for New Year’s Eve. There, Kat performed a duet of the hit 80’s song ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ side by side with the song’s original artist, Tiffany. In addition to her full-time work with The Reflex, Kat was a guest-performer on both electric violin and vocals with a Tampa-based band at Sloppy Joe's and the Ringling Brothers Mansion. From the winter of 2020 until March of 2025, Kat was the lead singer and fiddler for The Devil's Brigade- Formerly The American Rogues, a Celtic Rock group based out of Maryland and Canada. They performed for the Annual Navy SEAL's Muster in Ft. Pierce, FL, Crieff and Cowal Highland Gatherings in Scotland, Festival Des Traditions Du Monde in Quebec, at the Al Udeid AFB for St. Patrick's Day, and countless other Highland games across the United States and Canada. Kat is now performing full time with 2BennearU across the region, for multiple churches and other venues, as well as with Notes of Heritage.

On top of her musical endeavors, Kat is a full-time Elementary School Music Teacher. She is happily married to Kevin, and they have a beautiful 4-year-old son, and three older children that keeps them on their toes.

Russell Wilson of College Park, MD began piano lessons at age 7, and by age 12 began playing hymns for his church each Sunday. He earned a Bachelor's degree in classical piano performance and a Masters degree in jazz, both from the University of Maryland in College Park.  

In 2002, while a junior in college, he joined the President's Own US Marine Band where he plays all kinds of music styles on the piano, harpsichord, keyboard, and accordion, in public concerts and private events at the White House and all around Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.  He has performed with the Marine Band piano concerti by Mozart, Prokofiev, and Grieg.  He is the winner of the 2013 and 2025 World Championship Old Time Piano Playing Contest.

Russell is a freelance musician, playing all kinds of gigs, including swing bands, wedding bands, polka bands, orchestras, and his church worship team.  He is married to Elizabeth, who teaches their four children, Barnabas, Naomi, Mary, and Lydia at their home in College Park, MD.