Trenton Music Experience (TME), a recently formed nonprofit whose goal is to celebrate the many significant music innovators and influencers who have graced New Jersey’s capital city over the decades, will host its first ever event in January featuring Sarah Dash, one of the city’s best known music influencers.

Dash, a singer with Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles, who also performed with the Rolling Stones and many other music greats, will be the focus of a three-day pop-up gallery exhibit at Mercer County Community College (MCCC) James Kerney Campus, 102 North Broad Street in downtown Trenton from Thursday January 9 to Saturday, January 11.

An opening reception will be held on Friday, January 10 from 5 to 8 p.m. Exhibit hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 12 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

“Sarah Dash served as the city’s music ambassador until her death in 2021, and we believe her renown and popularity will generate interest in Trenton’s musical heritage,” said Paul Zych, founder and president of TME. He noted that the goal of the nonprofit is to manifest pride in Trenton’s musical heritage.

“Through words, music, memorabilia, photos, and video, our event will underscore that while Dash is unique, her story is not. By celebrating Sarah Dash, TME will demonstrate that Trenton is home to many music influencers whose stories deserve to be told,” said Zych.

Dash, who died three years ago, will be remembered by her niece, Danielle Miller-Winrow, headmaster of Sprout U School of the Arts in Trenton, who will share how Sarah’s upbringing in Trenton influenced her career. As a youngster, Dash sang in the Trenton Church of Christ choir, and later launched a girls’ singing group as a young teen with fellow Trentonian Nona Hendryx, and the Bluebelles with Patti Labelle. Her biggest smash single was “Lady Marmalade.”

“My Aunt Sarah Dash was a visionary who believed in the transformative power of the arts and that everyone deserved the opportunity to experience their magic,” said Miller-Winrow.

“This event is a tribute to her legacy and a reflection of her unwavering passion, which inspired me to integrate academia and the arts at Sprout U — creating a space where creativity and education come together to empower lives, just as she empowered mine.”

Miller-Winrow and her husband, the late Joseph Winrow, founded Sprout U School of the Arts at 27 East Paul Street, Trenton, and she remains the school’s headmaster.

“Aunt Sarah was a profound inspiration and an enthusiastic supporter of our vision. She contributed significantly by serving as a private voice instructor, spearheading fundraising efforts, and passionately advocating for the arts within our community,” said Miller-Winrow.

More than a museum or a concert hall, TME hosts events featuring interactive displays that tell the stories of Trenton music influencers through personal memorabilia, career keepsakes, and photographs. For questions, email becky@btaylorpa.com.