By Brent Johnson, JerseyArts.com
originally published: 02/23/2017
Ask Kam Franklin what kind of music she plays with her band, The Suffers, and she’ll first give you a three-word answer: “Gulf Coast soul.”
Then, if you don’t quite understand what that means, she turns to a trusty food comparison.
“I refer to it as a stew or a soup,” Franklin, the group’s singer, explains. “What’s ‘Gulf Coast soul’? I like to say that traditional soul music would be like your stock — your chicken stock or your beef stock that you start out with. If you have a good foundation, it doesn’t really matter what you add in there. So in our case, jazz would be like your onions, salsa and reggae would be like your garlic and your celery.”
Those ingredients seem to be working. The 10-piece, horn-infused outfit became sensations in their native Houston by melding numerous musical genres heard around their hometown, one of the cities along Texas’ Gulf Coast.
And in recent years, you might have seen them on David Letterman or Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk shows. Or maybe you caught them on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.” New Jerseyans got a glimpse of them last year at WXPN’s XPoNential Music Festival in Camden.
Now, The Suffers — who released their self-titled debut album last year — will return to the Garden State, playing the Luciani Theatre at the Guaracini Performing Arts Center at Cumberland County College in Vineland at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Franklin — who commands attention with her booming voice, energetic presence, curly black hair, and floral print dresses — has a quick response when asked what she likes most about the group’s music.
“How it makes people feel,” the 29-year-old says. “It makes them feel happy, for the most part. There are certain songs that we have that definitely have that force you to kind of reflect on certain things in your life — be that your romantic relationships or your personal relationships with your family or whatever. But more than anything, I think that we do our best to try to remind people to engage in compassion towards others and self-love.”
And is that needed more than ever in today’s political and cultural climate?
“Yeah, I think everybody needs as much love as they can get,” Franklin says with a laugh.
The genesis of the group dates back to 2011, when many of the members were already playing in other Houston-area acts. The Suffers began as a side project, with the simple intent of playing for fun.
“They had the idea to bring together all of these different players that they always wanted to work with,” Franklin recalls. “The idea was just to play once or twice a year. It ended up being where one show led to three shows to touring full time.”
Franklin had known some of the members from high school and had made a name for herself as a singer with other local bands. She also was a backup singer and dancer for other artists, often singing hooks for rappers — something she still does on the side.
The band took their name from a 1978 Jamaican film called Rockers.
“In that movie, ‘the sufferers’ are musicians that are not being rewarded for the music that they create,” Franklin explains. “So originally when we started, we were called The Sufferers. But we found out that it was really hard to say.”
So instead, they shortened it. And yes, they understand it’s grammatically incorrect.
“We do have a lot of grammar nerds that let us know that every time they see us,” Franklin says, laughing. “We are more than aware.”
Franklin’s own name is unusual, too. Her full first name is Kamerra — pronounced like the instrument you use to take a photo.
“My mom is a photographer,” Franklin explains. “She named me and my brother after her hobbies. I’m Kamerra and my brother is Langston, after Langston Hughes. She’s a big poetry fan. “
“But (my name) is phonetically incorrect when people try to pronounce it,” Franklin adds. “It looks like Kamera.”
So she shortened it to “Kam.”
The Suffers will celebrate their sixth anniversary in June, and Franklin says where they are now is “night and day” from where they started.
“It’s something you can compare to working out,” she says. “There are going to be your guys who can run a mile really fast, but if they’re running every day, every day they work out, it’s going to get easier and easier and easier to accomplish that mile. … With us, because we started doing this every day while you’re touring, your level of musicianship just goes through the roof compared to when you’re doing it once or twice a month.”
Up next: Immediately after leaving New Jersey, they’ll spend three-and-a-half-weeks on their first European tour. And after that, they’ll spend two weeks playing Australia. Plus, they’re writing their second record now.
“It’s just non-stop work and creating,” Franklin says. “It’s a really, really, really exciting environment to be in.”
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJThe legendary Rhode Island multi-platinum rock’n’roll group JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND began their career in 1973 and achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with the “Eddie & The Cruisers – Motion Picture Soundtrack”. The hit single “ON THE DARK SIDE” held the “#1” position on the Billboard Rock charts and the MTV video charts for five consecutive weeks.
Griffin House
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ“If you are looking to be blown away by raw talent, then look no further than Griffin House.” —American Songwriter
Floyd Pink - Celebrating The Music Of Pink Floyd
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJFLOYD PINK is a Pink Floyd tribute band from the New York metro area, celebrating the music of Pink Floyd.
Geoff Tate’s Operation: Mindcrime
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJMulti-platinum selling, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Geoff Tate is best known for his 30-plus years as the creative and driving force behind the progressive metal band Queensryche. Since its inception with Geoff at the helm, Queensryche has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and has performed in upwards of fifty countries. Geoff is regarded as one of the most skilled vocalists in the genre with hundreds of modern, popular artists citing him and his former band as a major influence. Combining social consciousness and expertly crafted lyrics with high-energy, melodically complex music, Queensryche with Geoff Tate at the forefront became internationally recognized as the thinking man’s rock band. The band’s first three albums — their self-titled EP (1983), The Warning (1984) and Rage for Order (1986) — all hit gold status selling over 500,000 units each.
Jesse Cook
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 8:00pm
NJPAC - Victoria Theater
1 Center Street, Newark, NJA global artist in every sense of the term, Jesse Cook redefines music’s power to connect people across cultures and continents. The Paris-born, Toronto-raised master of the Spanish guitar weaves together flamenco, samba, jazz and world folk traditions into something spellbinding and uniquely his own. On stage, Cook radiates infectious energy — collaborating with his band to craft immersive experiences celebrated for their warmth, precision and emotional depth. With over a billion streams and views across platforms, his sound remains as relevant as it is revered.
EVENT PREVIEWS
NJPAC presents Gregory Porter with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell
(NEWARK, NJ) -- With a voice that can fill a concert hall and make every listener feel personally embraced, Gregory Porter has become one of the most beloved artists in contemporary jazz. On Friday, November 13, 2026 at 8:00pm, the two-time GRAMMY® winner returns to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell for an evening of soulful expression, exquisite storytelling and remarkable vocal artistry, presented as part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival.
Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7:30pm. Griffin House is an American singer-songwriter and storyteller who has been making records for over 20 years.
KANSAS to perform at Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday
(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) -- One of classic rock's most iconic bands, KANSAS, will perform at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 8:00pm. This "garage band" from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide. A limited number of tickets remain.
NJPAC presents Jesse Cook on Saturday
(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Jesse Cook on Saturday, November 14, 2026 in the Victoria Theater at 8:00pm. A global artist in every sense of the term, Jesse Cook redefines music's power to connect people across cultures and continents.
Forte Piano Music Company presents Exquisite Contrasts: Haydn & Schubert Piano Trios
(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Forte Piano Music Company presents a Piano Trio Concert - "Exquisite Contrasts" - Haydn & Schubert on Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30pm. This program brings together two landmarks of the piano trio repertoire, revealing the evolution of the genre from the Classical era to early Romanticism.
Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki
(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Come to the Mahwah Museum on Sunday, November 15, 2026 for a discussion of a 29-year friendship, rare memorabilia, and the story behind Les Paul's home with Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki from his nearly three-decade friendship with legendary musician and inventor Les Paul. The event begins at 2:00pm.
Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- You can get your holiday shopping done on Sunday, November 15, 2026 when Anchor Rock Club hosts the Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition. The event runs from noon to 6:00pm.
Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell
(HOPEWELL, NJ) -- Song of the Meadowlark takes place Sunday, November 15, 2026 at Highland Design Farm. This is a meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry, and live painting. Doors are at 2:00pm, showtime is 2:30pm.
Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither
(AVENEL, NJ) -- Chris Smither will perform at the Avenel Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother's ukulele.
Rufus Wainwright to Perform with Princeton "Super-Orchestra" at McCarter Theatre
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- On Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 7:30pm, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright takes the McCarter stage for one night only with the Princeton Playhouse Sinfonia, a dynamic new collaborative ensemble created specifically for this concert.
