BROOKE ALDRIDGE: 'FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR'
BROOKE ALDRIDGE: 'FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR'
REEVES THEATER IN MEMORIAM: RAYMOND FAIRCHILD
REEVES THEATER IN MEMORIAM: RAYMOND FAIRCHILD
Frank and Allie Lee, who call Bryson City home, like to find old, interesting songs and record them with their own interpretation. Their new album, ‘Treat a Stranger Right,’ was recorded at Big Creek Music studios in Barnardsville.
TERRI CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY
Traditional music is flourishing across many parts of America, but in the mountains and foothills of North Carolina, more so than elsewhere, the music is part of the fabric of community life.
Music traditions continue to be handed down in families and communities; at the same time, musicians are moving here from other parts of the country to be at the heart of these wonderful traditions.
You’ll find lots of folks making music — from seasoned, master musicians and enormously talented youngsters to exuberant beginners and dedicated back porch pickers.
Most importantly, the music here is to be shared. Opportunities to listen in and to join in are plentiful.
The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina is an initiative led by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the North Carolina Department Natural and Cultural Resources. Many, many partners across Western North Carolina — arts councils, tourism agencies, music venues, event organizers, musicians, and dancers — are participating in the effort.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area’s “Down the Road” magazine is produced in collaboration with The Smoky Mountain News. © 2020/21
SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
PUBLISHER · Scott McLeod info@smokymountainnews.com
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ART DIRECTOR · Micah McClure micah@smokymountainnews.com
WRITING · Garret K. Woodward garret@smokymountainnews.com www.smokymountainnews.com
November 13 - 15, 2020
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You’re invited to listen to the homegrown sounds of traditional music and bluegrass throughout North Carolina’s Blue Ridge mountains and foothills. Travel along the Blue Ridge Music Trails to discover music — and dance — with European, African, and Cherokee origins that have met and mingled for hundreds of years.
Today, these living traditions thrive and continue to shape American music. You’ll hear old-time string bands and high energy bluegrass across the region, from Brasstown to Mount Airy, from Shelby to Sparta and scenic places in between.
Enjoy the lively scene as cloggers kick up their heels on mountain stages and street dances fill our historic small towns. In our mountains,
ballads have been passed down from generation to generation, “knee-toknee,” on front porches with verses that date back centuries to Ireland and Scotland. And across the region, you can hear sacred music from shapenote singing to hymns sung in Cherokee to African-American gospel.
Music traditions continue to be handed down in families and communities. You’ll find lots of folks making music — from seasoned masters and enormously talented young musicians to exuberant beginners and dedicated back porch pickers.
The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina is a vibrant initiative made possible through a partnership between the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and the North Carolina Arts Council. Our goal is to guide visitors
and fans to where they can hear this music for themselves. Our grants program helps create stages, sound systems, and new venues. Plus, we support school programs that pass on traditional music to the next generation. We are devoted to preserving our Appalachian culture, from traditional music to arts and crafts, our abundant outdoors to foodways, and the living legacy of Cherokee traditions.
Please join us on this musical journey “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails,” and we hope to see you along the way.
It has been such an honor for Unspoken Tradition to be featured on the cover of the 2019 issue of Down the Road magazine. The publication and centerfold feature article coincided with the release of our third studio album “Myths We Tell Our Young” (Mountain Home Records).
While touring that album release and playing sold out shows in Asheville, Nashville, festivals in the Northeast, clubs in Washington, D.C., and all points between, we carried copies of Down the Road on our merchandise table. It allowed us to be ambassadors for the music and culture of Western North Carolina by giving free issues to roots music fans all over the East Coast.
Down the Road’s content of all
things music related to our beloved mountains acted as a format for cultural exchange between us and our live audiences, and helped other parts of the country see what a unique, rich and time-honored music culture the dozens of counties of Western North Carolina possess.
Unspoken Tradition was also allowed to be spokespersons within the Western North Carolina counties, like when we traveled to Hayesville to kick off the mountain town’s annual summer music series. We also performed for the Blue Ridge Music Trails annual meeting, which featured the nonprofit’s ongoing community work, and we broadened our regional fan base by partnering with
Blue Ridge Music Trails to promote the legacy of traditional music.
Everywhere we’ve played, more and more folks have recognized us from the cover feature on Down the Road. The article helped give voice to our band’s music philosophy, and what it means to be a part of a rich, well-preserved, yet ever-evolving music scene.
We want to thank all the folks from Blue Ridge Music Trails and Down the Road for the opportunity to be one of the voices among so many worthy Western North Carolina traditional music artists — we’re so grateful to be a part of this community.
— Ty Gilpin, mandolin/vocals Unspoken Tradition
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When she received her third (ina-row) International Bluegrass Music Association “Female Vocalist of the Year” recognition last year at the awards show in Raleigh, Brooke Aldridge was, once again, overcome by sincere emotion.
“When I won it the first time, I was shocked, because I never imagined I’d get it once. The second time, I was overwhelmed and really felt the love from my peers and from people that love music,” Aldridge said. “The third time it was all of those previous things. But, with this one, I realized that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing with my life.”
Raised in the rural mountains of Avery County, Aldridge has spent her life sharing her songbird voice with the world over. At an early age, her talents were evident, something championed by her family, one filled with vocalists and music lovers.
“On Sundays, I remember going to my mamaw and papaw’s house where we’d be singing. My whole family could sing and I would learn the harmonies,” Aldridge said. “And I grew up around so many people that were musically inclined. Besides doing musical things around the community, my parents would take me to all these talent shows. I was always encouraged and embraced for what I was doing.”
Alongside her husband, Brooke fronts the acclaimed bluegrass/gospel
act Darin & Brooke Aldridge, with Darin also picking up the IBMA for “Mentor of the Year” in 2017. The couple is currently based in Cherryville.
“Western North Carolina has always been such an incredible place for singers and pickers,” Brooke said. “There are so many places around the region where people still do gather and play music on a weekly basis.”
And within those storied lines of bluegrass, Brooke has found a deep love for that “high, lonesome sound,” something that resides at the core of the music she creates, records and sings on a nightly basis.
“It’s the connectedness of it that [bluegrass] brings among people. There is just a sense of family and these real-life experiences in bluegrass — it’s real and it’s genuine,” she said.
When she’s standing in front of the microphone, with all those eyes watching and beholding her tone and presence, Brooke enters a zone of pure enjoyment through the string instruments swirling around her.
“It’s about being able to reach somebody in the feeling of a song. It’s definitely about how you sing it and what you feel when you’re singing it while exposed to the audience,” Brooke said. “With any song we sing or record, I’ll listen to it and feel the words for myself before I actually sing it, because I think that emotion — whether I’m happy or sad — is important to relay to
the listener.”
And with this year marking the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment (which granted women the right to vote), the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources had deemed 2020 with the theme “She Changed the World.” It’s a theme that plays deeply into the heartfelt message of influence and support Brooke hopes to share with any and all females looking to make their mark on this earth.
“Just to be able to be a small part in somebody’s life and realize that you can make a difference in that person’s life — there’s no better feeling than that,” she said. “I’ve always just been an uplifting person and an encourager. I’ve always said I would never let the music go to my head, that I would continue to guide people and help them in any way that I could — and through music, I’ve been able to do that.”
With over a decade on the road as Darin & Brooke, the group’s star is rapidly rising. Packed venues and mesmerized audiences are the norm, something the duo has aimed to conjure and radiate since day one.
“It’s connecting with people. I love knowing that we’ve touched somebody and maybe helped better their lives through music,” Brooke said. “And for the generation of singers and musicians coming up behind us, we want them to realize they can do anything they set their minds to.”
“It’s about being able to reach somebody in the feeling of a song.”
— BROOKE ALDRIDGE
Named after the nearby Pacolet River, the Tryon Pacolet Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program in Polk County has become a resounding success since its inception more than seven years ago.
“Beyond being an art form, Appalachian music is disappearing, this way of connecting our communities and children through song and dance,” said Julie Moore, program director for the Pacolet JAM. “And so, JAM provides a support network and structure to keep these traditions alive and flourishing for years to come.”
Held at the Tryon Fine Arts Center,
the Pacolet JAM (aka: PAC-JAM) is home to upwards of 50 participating students. Provided for third- to seventh-graders in Polk and Rutherford counties (and also parts of Upstate South Carolina), JAM offers personal music instruction for a variety of string instruments.
“As a parent myself [of three JAM students], it’s so rewarding to watch them grow, get gigs to play, and see my children’s skills develop,” Moore said. “And the social aspect of JAM is as real and alive as the musical and educational aspects – it’s this sense of really enjoying being with one another.”
On top of guided lessons on the threefinger and clawhammer banjo, guitar, mandolin, singing, dance, ukulele and dulcimer, the program also teaches children about musical folklore and what it means to be part of a band configuration.
“One thing we love is that we feature both old-time and bluegrass music, where we’re sure to teach the children the difference between the two genres of music,” Moore said. “And we make a real point of offering clawhammer banjo, which identifies with old-time as well as bluegrass banjo, where we treat them as separate instruments.”
The program builds not only musical skillsets in each pupil, it also builds lifelong relationships between the young pickers and older musicians. The seasoned players share their techniques and wisdom about bluegrass, traditional and mountain music.
“Over the last seven years, we’ve been able to grow and retain our students through JAM and the upper echelon players we have come in and instruct them,” Moore said. “We’re so grateful for our teachers who are mostly all professional musicians. They’ve spent decades honing their craft and are so willing to generously share what
they’ve learned with our students.”
And as the Pacolet JAM students expand their musical knowledge, they’ve also found themselves onstage and in front of an audience, whether it be at the local farmers’ market or regional competitions for instrumentation and ensembles.
“We’ve even had students invited to the International Bluegrass Music Association festival in Raleigh each year — it’s fantastic to see them up and perform, and really witness their growing proficiency in the music,” Moore said.
And as the Pacolet JAM spreads its message further and farther out into the
Blue Ridge Mountains, its students are a testament to a program that was started with the best of intentions. With its continued evolution, it is proof positive in the power of music and how it can bring people together from all walks of life, with the future of this storied tradition now in good hands.
“This music is one of the remaining strands of participatory music, where the music is more of a social skill and not necessarily about being a cerebral skill,” Moore said. “It’s about having fun, meeting new people, and learning about the traditions of where you came from.”
About a mile from downtown Bryson City, on a dirt road alongside the swift moving Deep Creek, sits a bungalow. Inside the tranquil home of Frank and Allie Lee, there are several instruments hanging on the wall. And there’s also a stack of the duo’s latest album atop a nearby desk.
“It’s like finding this great piece of china in an antique shop, something beautiful but forgotten.”
— ALLIE LEE
“We’re just trying to accumulate all of these old-time songs, many of which a lot of people aren’t aware of or have disregarded or are totally obsolete as far as anybody seeking the tunes out to listen to them,” Frank said.
Titled “Treat a Stranger Right,” the album is a collection of traditional melodies that mixes Appalachian ballads and old-time blues selections.
Within each number resides not only the timeless nature and historical importance of the songs, but also the sincere passion the couple has for this music and its place in our modern society.
“It’s community music, always a fiddle and a banjo on the porch. It was entertainment, something to do for fun — it brought people together,” Allie said. “And we’re also really interested in the history of the people. There are so many [musicians] that were playing [back then] and they didn’t get to record. So, there’s a lot that’s been lost, and that’s a shame, you know?”
“Nowadays, if someone doesn’t hear music on commercial radio, then [anything outside of that] really doesn’t exist to the masses,” Frank added. “And we have this attitude that if this traditional music was good at one time long ago, then it’s still good now.”
One-half of The Freight Hoppers, a longtime and beloved Swain County string band, the Lees each found their way to the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of Western North Carolina in their own time — Frank from Atlanta, with Allie hailing from Indiana.
“My [initial] exposure to folk music started with church camp [as a kid], just being around people singing outside with acoustic guitars,” Allie said. “People would pass down these camp songs through the generations, [which is] the same with these Appalachian ballads
and old-time melodies.”
“Being from Atlanta, I love the fact some of the very first music recorded was right in downtown where I was born — there’s something special about that to me,” Frank noted. “And my grandfather was around Atlanta then and played banjo. When I play this music, I imagine a time when he might have been able to hang out with some
maybe give us a bed and feed us.”
The album is filled with uplifting, swirling tones that are showcased from the couple’s musical talents that radiate from the banjo, fiddle, acoustic guitar and harmonica. It also showcases the intricate splendor of the songs, with the Lees being another vital interpretation of traditional ballads, where each musician throughout the years may have a different take on a particular tune.
of those old-time musicians.”
Recorded last summer at Big Creek Music studios in Barnardsville, “Treat a Stranger Right” (taken from Blind Willie Johnson’s “Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right”) showcases the Lees’ craft through precise instrumentation on each carefully selected tune.
“‘Treat a Stranger Right’ is a great message for any time, but it’s particularly important for right now — it’s something that’s been heavy on our minds,” Allie said. “And it made us think about all these kind people we meet when we’re touring [around the country], who invite us into their home,
“Each region of this country has a unique way of presenting a traditional song. The uniqueness is as varied as dialects in our language and culture — that’s important and worth cherishing,” Frank said.
With the album now out, Frank & Allie are currently preparing for an upcoming performance run through Florida. Though the route is haphazard, it purposely touches upon the key locations where fans (and soon to be fans) of old-time and traditional music reside. For the Lees, it’s about seeking out and preserving the past, but also perpetuating the history, lore and melodic beauty for generations to come.
“We do what we do, I guess, because we’re both rebels. We’re a little bit counterculture because what drives us is finding and playing the oldest, most interesting music,” Allie said. “It’s like finding this great piece of china in an antique shop, something beautiful but forgotten. We see that same beauty in this music, and we want to share it with anyone who will listen.”
Tuning up his guitar backstage at the Reeves Theater in downtown Elkin, Town Mountain’s Robert Greer relaxed into his chair and gazed around the room at the rest of his bandmates just before the group took the stage to a raucous audience.
“There are so many great bluegrass
players that have come out of Western North Carolina — it’s impossible to forget the rich musical history from this region,” Greer said. “All of those folks who made that great music continue to inspire our band and what we ultimately want to do and achieve in music.”
Formed in Asheville in 2005 by Greer
and banjoist Jesse Langlais, Town Mountain has rapidly risen in recent years. In 2013, the band won the International Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Award for “Band of the Year.” From there, it’s been about seemingly endless tours around the country, all in hopes of breaking through
and finding stability in the music industry.
“We’re just trying to carry that legacy of great music from Western North Carolina, and there’s a great responsibility that comes with that,” Langlais said. “And for us, we’re really trying to take the foundation of bluegrass, country and string band music, and put our own twist on it — we’re trying to take this music to the next generation.”
Nowadays, the band members find themselves headlining festivals around the Southeast and beyond. With its latest acclaimed album, “New Freedom Blues,” the group collaborated with close friend and country sensation Tyler Childers for the popular song “Down Low.” That friendship soon parlayed itself into an opening slot for the sold-out Childers and Robert Earl Keen performance last year at the storied Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.
“Playing Red Rocks felt like when we first played the Grand Ole Opry. It had
that kind of significance, where the people in the crowd were really into bluegrass,” Langlais said. “That Red Rocks audience was wild — they know all about bluegrass music. But, to have the stage lights go on and see that place filled up, it was pretty encouraging for the long road we’ve been on.”
Straddling the fine line between bluegrass and country music, Town Mountain is an ensemble that’s just as comfortable playing the neon lights of some back-alley dive bar in some city as they are standing in front of the microphones at a rural community gathering.
“The drive of bluegrass music is always appealing. It can swing like Flatt & Scruggs, but it can also really drive on top of the beat,” Langlais said. “And it’s unique in that it doesn’t have any drums, so the string instruments have to provide that rhythmic foundation, where what it ends up doing is making the whole band kind of like its own drum kit.”
With Town Mountain, it’s about the music, and about finding a way to connect with the listener on deep emotional levels and intricate musicianship.
“It’s amazing how the music resonates with people,” Greer said. “They come to see and hear bluegrass, they kind of know what to expect, and they know a lot of the traditions — it’s all about the energy between the band and the audience.”
And as Town Mountain’s star continues to ascend, the bandmates are continually inspired and awe-struck by the music of the past, this “high, lonesome sound” that the group aims to preserve and perpetuate in the 21st century.
“There’s something really honest and soulful about this music — what you see is what you get,” Greer said. “And it also ties into the whole traditional country aspect of Hank Williams, too, where he sang the stories he lived. We’re singing about what they lived, and how we’re living today, too.”
Driving down West Main Street in Elkin, the bright lights of the Reeves Theater & Café marquee are a beacon of culture and community in the small downtown. The lights also signal a rebirth of the building and continued history of this beloved property.
“Reopening the theater was always something in your head when you’d drive by this place,” said Erik Dahlager, co-owner/operator of the theater. “And when my business partners and I found out it was for sale, we purchased it in 2013 — it was a dream come true.”
Opened in 1941, the theater was initially a 700-seat movie house that was fully operational until 1973. The space was then split into two movie screens, as was the case for many theaters at the time. But, in the 1990s, the theater fell on
hard times and was dormant from 1994 through 2007. Within that closure period, there were several attempts to revive the structure, but to no avail.
“There were hopes in the community for many years to renovate it into an event space, but nobody was able to come up with the large amount of money needed to do it,” Dahlager said.
But Dahlager and his partners, Chris Groner and Debbie Carson, took it upon themselves to revitalize the theater by investing every penny they had in equity from previous careers and endeavors. That investment was also complemented by a generous grant from the North Carolina Main Street Solutions Fund.
The official reopening came in December 2017, and the stage now hosts
notable regional and national acts — from Elizabeth Cook to Rising Appalachia, Town Mountain to Darrell Scott. With a completely remodeled stage and seating area, the room is equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system, and the venue is now regarded as one of the finest sounding rooms in North Carolina.
“It’s always great to see a full house, but it’s also great to see all of these new faces that come here from out of town to catch a show,” Dahlager said. “Our goal was to make this place a home for local and regional bluegrass and Americana music, and we’ve already far exceeded that with the big-name acts coming through here — a lot of people in Elkin once again look at this theater with a sense of pride.”
At only 23 years old, fiddler/singer Carley Arrowood has already had quite the musical career in the realms of bluegrass and string music.
“I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to play fiddle,” Arrowood said. “Being in 4-H as a kid, I remember watching the fiddle competitions. And I looked at my mom and said, ‘That’s what I want to do.’”
Raised in Rutherford County, Arrowood has been performing onstage since she was 10. Initially taught the Suzuki classical style of fiddle, Arrowood soon shifted towards learning the instrument by ear, something that parlayed itself into her passion and drive within bluegrass, traditional and mountain music.
“With playing by ear, it was about playing what I wanted to play, and not worrying about doing ‘this right’ or ‘that right,’” Arrowood said. “And I’ve been able to play by ear, where I can just hear pitches and know when I’m out of tune.”
So, why the fiddle?
“It’s the closest thing to an actual human voice,” Arrowood said. “It’s the only bowed instrument in bluegrass, and so you have the possibility to produce longer bows and add vibrato as you pull the notes out of the fiddle. It
sounds like an emotional vocalist, but with no words, which helps with backing a vocalist — it’s almost like a conversation between the fiddler and the vocalist.”
Aside from performing in the Hendersonville Youth Orchestra (part of the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra), Arrowood began seeking out any and all bluegrass musicians within earshot. She wanted to play, with each new collaboration and partnership an opportunity to acquire knowledge about her emerging craft and talents.
“It’s all about connecting with other musicians. It’s like when you get in a jam session and there’s certain songs that everybody knows,” Arrowood said. “And in that jam, you might have someone you’ve never met, but you all know a particular song, so you’re able to immediately improvise and connect on that level — bluegrass is just one big family.”
A member of the International Bluegrass Music Association “Kids on Bluegrass” program (2012-2014), Arrowood also received the IBMA “Momentum Award” in 2017. And within that time, she also was honored with a first place in competitions at the North Carolina Mountain State Fair, Union Grove Fiddlers Convention and Ellen-
boro Fiddlers Convention.
For the better part of the last five years, she’s been a member of Darin & Brooke Aldridge’s group, with Brooke receiving the IBMA award for “Female Vocalist of the Year” in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
“Playing and touring with Brooke, I’ve seen her character and her humility,” Arrowood said. “Everybody knows her from the awards, but they also know her sweet heart and the way she presents herself. And that really goes a long way — I want to be known as somebody like that, too.”
Coming into 2020, Arrowood has since departed Darin & Brooke Aldridge and is now a recording artist with Mountain Home Music Company in Arden. Her latest single, “Dear Juliana,” marks a new and exciting chapter in her promising career. A full album will be released later this year.
“In a way, bluegrass music has always been part of me,” Arrowood said. “I wasn’t around when my grandparents were. My dad and pawpaw tell me about my grandparents sitting on the porch and singing. This music has been around for years and years — it means a lot to carry on that mountain tradition of the music and performing.”
“This music has been around for years and years — it means a lot to carry on that mountain tradition of the music and performing.”
— CARLEY ARROWOOD
NO OTHER PLACE HAS had more influence on the development of the banjo in America. Musicians from the western Piedmont and mountain region, including Earl Scruggs, Charlie Poole, and Snuffy Jenkins, among many, are recognized as the creators and popularizers of modern banjo styles.
THE FIDDLE AND BANJO ENSEMBLE tradition that developed in Surry County’s Round Peak community is embraced and emulated by young musicians around the world. The Mount Airy Fiddlers’ Convention is now an annual gathering place for thousands of young musicians influenced by Round Peak musicians.
TRADITIONAL DANCE EVOLVED over generations with music traditions and flat-footing. Clogging in Western North Carolina is recognized as one of the most highly-developed vernacular dance traditions in the country. Haywood County is where team square dancing first originated in the 1930s.
ONE OF THE LONGEST, unbroken ballad singing traditions in America is found in Madison County where singers were first documented by English folk song collector Cecil Sharp prior to World War I. The current generation of singers continues to perform a wide range of ballads, including some brought from the British Isles by early settlers.
THE MOUNTAIN DANCE AND FOLK FESTIVAL, started in Asheville by Bascom Lamar Lunsford in 1928, is the oldest continuous folk festival in the United States and is the model for the National Folk Festival.
MERLEFEST, presented at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro on the last weekend in April, is one of the nation’s largest and most influential “Americana” music events. It was founded in 1988 by Doc Watson in memory of his son Merle.
As you begin your journey, keep in mind that even though all the events listed occur on a regular basis, it is always best to verify the information before heading out. For the most up-to-date information on venues and events, please visit BlueRidgeMusicNC.com. Happy Trails!
WPAQ AM 740 IN MOUNT AIRY is the oldest live radio show that continues to program regional music from the Blue Ridge. The Merry Go Round program, which is broadcast live from the Downtown Cinema Theatre every Saturday, first signed on in 1948 and presents local old-time, bluegrass and gospel performers.
The “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina” podcast highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina.
The podcast is hosted by Laura Boosinger, a celebrated musician, folklorist, and storyteller, and produced by Kim Clark of WNCW-FM.
Short and sweet, the three-minute episodes air weekly on WNCW-FM (88.7) at 8:50 am on Tuesday mornings (during NPR’s Morning Edition) and around 4:30 pm on Sunday afternoons (during the show This Old Porch).
Recent episodes include: rising stars of Appalachian music, the murder ballad “Tom Dooley,” the Appalachian dulcimer, and the legend of the Brown Mountain Lights.
You can find and listen to all the episodes at blueridgemusicnc.com/listen-and-learn/down-the-road
Keeping traditional music alive
Way out in the small mountain community of Brasstown, in the rural depths of greater Clay and Cherokee counties, is a sibling duo aiming to preserve and perpetuate traditional and old-time music in the 21st century.
“We come from a musical family. As
children, we were exposed to music often and early,” said Corie Pressley. “It all started with our grandfather Jerry Wilson, ‘Pap,’ who has since passed away. He played guitar while singing harmony with his brother Ray, who sang lead and played guitar and mandolin. They had a band called The Wil-
son Brothers that toured the Southeast, won many awards, recorded music, and had a large following for over 40 years.”
“We feel like we have a duty to preserve traditional and Appalachian music,” Katie Pressley said. “Some of our fondest memories [growing up] was Pap, Ray and the rest of the band
“I specifically love the importance of lyrical meaning that traditional music holds. It feels so deep and relatable.”
— CORIE PRESSLEY
practicing in our basement. We would hop out of bed and press our ears to the floor to listen to the music drifting through the rafters.”
With the musical tradition and heritage of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains running through their blood and live performances, guitarist Corie and her fiddling sister, Katie, have been making a name for themselves as The Pressley Girls.
“We’ve been singing since we could talk and have been evolving as a band for 10 or 11 years,” Corie said. “As we’ve gotten older, we truly see the value of playing and keeping traditional music alive. We’re so proud and thankful that our family has passed this wonderful talent down to us.”
“And we’re received well in our own old-time community, but we’ve have been amazed by the welcoming we have received by the global community,” Katie said. “It’s been so interesting to connect with people all over the world via Instagram or YouTube, whether they write and play oldtime music or just listen to it.”
Since the band’s inception, The Pressley Girls have been invited to the legendary Mountain Folk & Dance Festival in Asheville, as well as having their family story featured on the “Come Hear NC” campaign put forth last year by the North Carolina Arts Council.
From back porch gatherings to community get-togethers, the act rolls through Western North Carolina and across state lines with its unique brand of melodies — one foot in the past, one in the here and now.
“I was raised with this kind of music, so it’s near and dear to my heart — it’s a part of me just as much as a tree’s roots are a part of it,” Corie said. “Personally, I specifically love the importance of lyrical meaning that traditional music holds. It feels so deep and relatable. You can really feel the emotion in an old ballad about a man mourning his wife, or the sheer happiness of an old Louvin Brothers song singing praises about Jesus.”
“I think this music is the common man’s music. Everyone can relate to it in some way or form. It has not been overproduced. It’s a person and their instrument, and is humble,” Katie said. “It’s important because it tells the story and heritage of the people who live in Appalachia. It’s a part of history and is therefore important that we keep it alive.”
Born and raised in Canton, banjoist Marc Pruett has ventured across the country and the around the world with his trusty five-string acoustic instrument. Learning his craft from some of the finest musicians in Western North Carolina and beyond, he’s considered the cream of the crop within a rich scene where giants of the genre have last names like Fleck, Brown, Vestal, Trischka, Scott-Benson, Pikelny, Munford, and so forth.
At 68, Pruett recently released a memoir. Titled Rascally Mountain Boy, the book is constructed in three parts: Pruett’s extensive musical career, a section of personal stories and tall tales, and a wide array of his own song lyrics.
Pieced together steadily over the last decade, the work showcases Pruett’s early days holding court at the legendary Bill Stanley’s Barbecue bluegrass joint in Asheville, his time performing onstage with some of the pillars of bluegrass music (Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, among countless others), and his tenure with Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, which yielded a Grammy Award in 1998 for “Best Bluegrass Album” (for Skaggs’ record “Bluegrass Rules!”).
The memoir is an ode to days long gone but not forgotten in Southern Appalachia. It’s not meant to look back with rose-colored glasses, but to perhaps pull wisdom and life lessons from for future generations.
More so, it’s about remembering great souls who once walked this earth, and
never forgetting where one came from, even if the distance — whether physical or emotional — seems too wide to bridge amid a modern era of fast technology and inconsequential priorities.
And even though Rascally Mountain Boy focuses on Pruett’s life and times in Haywood County and Western North Carolina (and other ramblings), it also brings to light his current musical endeavor — the acclaimed, marquee bluegrass act that is Balsam Range.
In recent years, the Haywood Countybased act has received the industry’s highest honor, taking home the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award for “Entertainer of the Year” in 2014 and 2018. The quintet has also received “Album of the Year” (twice), “Song of the Year” (twice) “Vocal Group of the Year” (twice), “Male Vocalist of the Year” (Buddy Melton, twice) and “Bass Player of the Year” (Tim Surrett, twice).
Do you remember the first time you ever heard bluegrass music?
MP: I do. I was about 10 years old. I would come home from school and WHCC in Waynesville was the radio station. They had a program called “The Cornbread Matinee.” And I would get home from school about 3:30 in the afternoon and listen to the show until four o’clock. Then, I would have a snack and then at four o’clock I would have to do my homework.
One day, the program featured Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and The Foggy
“When I heard that sound and that music and that banjo, it was a perfection that I’ve never really heard equaled, you know. It was one of those things in life — it was perfect.”
— MARC PRUETT
Mountain Boys. They played “Dim Lights, Thick Smoke,” “Flint Hill Special” and “Earl’s Breakdown.” And it just flew all over me. I get chills thinking about it because when I heard that sound and that music and that banjo, it was a perfection that I’ve never really heard equaled, you know. It was one of those things in life — it was perfect.
And I asked my mother, “What’s that instrument that man’s playing?” She said, “Honey, that’s a banjo.” I said I’d love to have one for Christmas. So, they got me one for Christmas in 1962.
I had some really great Haywood County people that helped me learn how to play the banjo. French Kirkpatrick [in Iron Duff] was one of them, he was very helpful. My dad had a 1952 Plymouth and we’d go over there to French’s on Friday nights, make a pot of coffee, listen to records and play a little bit.
And you spent a lot of years playing [the now defunct] Bill Stanley’s Barbeque in Asheville with The Marc Pruett Band, right?
A lot [of years]. I played music there until I was 41 years old. After I got my college degree, my brother and I opened a music store in Asheville that I stayed
with about 12 years. And I also taught students the banjo two nights a week, where I had 96 students [each] week, half of which were at a Southwestern Community College [in Sylva].
You always hear such crazy stories about Bill Stanley’s and how incredible of a space it was for bluegrass music
It’s all true. I’ll tell you, it’s all true. [Laughs]. It was magic. Everything about it came together — the band, the food, the place, the dancers. People came from over the world. It was a destination. Once it became known, we had the same five guys in [The Marc Pruett Band] for about nine years. We did five nights a week, and then there were times when we had catering jobs and different things. We would play sometimes seven nights a week. Other times, we played Bill Stanley’s at lunch for an hour for four days a week. It was music to the wall for me then.
Then you were with Ricky Skaggs for a period in the 1990s, which led to a Grammy Award. But, after you left Ricky, did you think you might slow down from playing and touring?
Being able to play at that level [with Ricky], it was a pinnacle for me. And I
was working full-time [for Haywood County, too]. I used all my company time, sick time, vacation time and weekend days to play with Ricky Skaggs all over the world.
And you then played with Whitewater Bluegrass Co for a while Your wife, Anita, was a banjoist in that band at one point, right?
My wife was with them for over nine years. She was kind of their original banjo player. She’s a great banjo and guitar player. And a great singer, too. We’ve been married since 1986. She’s the best person I know. She’s honest to a fault and totally dependable.
When I left Ricky Skaggs, I really didn’t know what to do. I did work with Whitewater Bluegrass Co. for about nine years until Balsam Range formed in 2007.
With Balsam Range, it just kind of happened very organic. I was with Whitewater and they made a personnel change. They needed a fiddle player. So, I helped bring [Balsam Range singer/fiddler] Buddy Melton into [Whitewater]. Buddy and I rode together to all the shows for a long time, and we would talk sometimes coming back from the shows about what it
would be like to have a band at the Ricky Skaggs quality of musicians.
And this was right around the time that [Balsam Range’s] Caleb Smith, Tim Surrett and Darren Nicholson are all serendipitously back in Haywood County from their separate careers on the road with other bands, all now looking to play some music. We got together and jammed about three different times as I recall, right there in Darren’s kitchen. At the end of the third night [jamming], I had a show booked for $1,000 and didn’t even have a band. We didn’t even have a name for the band. I said, “Hey, do you guys want to go do this show?” Then, I figured maybe we might ought to book some dates. [Laughs].
“You can write a song about anything, but it needs to be specific in a universal way that touches people.”
— MARC PRUETT
You’ve been playing the banjo about 57 years. What are you learning about the instrument these days?
Tone and how to set up a banjo. You never quit learning. And anybody that’s a Cub Scout parent will understand what I’m fixing to say about this when you say, “How do you make the perfect pinewood derby car?” I mean, it’s a study in physics. With four little nails, four little plastic wheels in a wooden block. Now buddy, I’ll tell you what, that itself will send you deep into some study.
Well, that’s any art form. Sheila Davis said in her book about songwriting to make sure the idea is worth writing. You can write a song about anything, but it needs to be specific in a universal way that touches people.
What does bluegrass mean to you these days?
Well, the act of playing music is its own self-gratification. The better tools you have, the more it interests you. It’s like any discipline — where your love ends is where your progress ends. And I don’t know if I know where that is with this yet [in my life], which is great. I’m still learning things.
What bluegrass means to me is appreciating the old, recreating the old, finding the new, appreciating the new things, and giving credit to people who are creating at fabulous levels today.
And encouraging people. Everybody hears [Earl] Scruggs a different way. And I don’t know that I hear it all the way to the end of it, of what he did. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to figure it out. But, if I could help somebody to hear the music, with a fresh approach, with great tone and touch, and the right feeling, then I’ve carried that old feeling through into a new creative space.
Straddling the line between neotraditional and progressive bluegrass, Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road are a young force to be reckoned with on the Western North Carolina live music scene.
“I think a lot of it has to do with the amount of expression that acoustic string instruments possess. There’s so much you can do with a four-piece bluegrass group and so many different
sounds you can get out of it,” Purcell said. “I find myself thinking less and less about genre, but I also like the bluegrass and Americana world because of the community around it.”
Formed in Deep Gap, which is also the home turf of the late guitar icon Doc Watson, the band has been rapidly rising through the ranks with an appearance last year on “David Holt’s State of Music” series on PBS and several nomi-
nations from the International Bluegrass Music Association (including “Momentum Band of the Year” and “Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year” nods).
“I started Cane Mill Road out of my love for music and the desire to perform onstage,” Purcell said. “I first put the group together in 2014 and we’ve been playing consistently ever since. Over the first couple years we played
“I think a lot of it has to do with the amount of expression that acoustic string instruments possess. There’s so much you can do with a four-piece bluegrass group and so many different sounds you can get out of it.”
— LIAM PURCELL
locally, then regionally, then started to gig nationally.”
With Cane Mill Road’s 2016 release, “Five Speed,” the album debuted at #9 on the Billboard Bluegrass Album Chart, an impressive feat for such a new group.
“As far as the steps and decisions that led us to where we are, I think original material was a large part of it. There are so many bands rehashing the same traditional material that we wanted to stand out and express ourselves through writing,” Purcell said. “There were also a couple years where we just hammered the touring schedule, taking almost every gig that came in so we could build our fan base and develop a reputation. It was really hard to do all that since we were all also full-time college students, but it really has helped us now.”
In 2019, Cane Mill Road released a live album, “Let’s All Do Some Living,” atop hitting the stage at legendary festivals like MerleFest and Grey Fox. Currently, Purcell & Co. are working on the ensemble’s fourth album, which will soon see the light of day.
“Bluegrass and other traditional music is going through another big resurgence in interest,” Purcell said. “It’s still very hard to make a living on the professional level, but there’s a much broader audience for it now than 10 years ago. I think this is thanks to the innovation of modern bands, which is bringing new fans to the style.”
But, even with the melodic lines blurred by Cane Mill Road, whether consciously or subconsciously, the music radiating from the group is something to behold. It’s a sound that has echoes of the past, but also of what lies ahead — the future of string music seemingly now in good hands.
“The biggest thing that bluegrass has going for it right now is that almost every band is playing their music because they love it. It isn’t like pop music where an artist gets handed lyrics and a backing track,” Purcell said. “Some bands are playing traditional styles really well and people love it. And some bands are taking progressive to the limit and people love that, too. Bluegrass is a genre where live performance still matters most — and that’s a wonderful thing.”
Built in 1938, the Appalachian Theatre was a bastion of arts and culture for downtown Boone and greater Watauga County. Constructed as a largescale cinema, the stage also played host to legendary musicians like Doc Watson, Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe.
“We’re a very small town and the historic theatres play such a pivotal role in the lifeblood of little downtowns like Boone,” said Laura
Kratt, executive director of the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country. “This theatre brings people from around the region. It brings people out of the mountains and the hills, and that’s what it’s always done historically.”
Located on King Street in the heart of Boone, the building was a popular destination for decades until its closure in 2007. In recent years, there has been a massive community effort to not only resur-
rect the property, but also once again turn on the lights of the picturesque marquee with the names of upcoming acts soon to take the stage.
After years of fundraising (some $10 million necessary for renovations), the theatre officially reopened in October 2019 to a packed house for bluegrass legend John McEuen, co-founder of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who performed a tribute to the landmark 1972
NGDB album, “Will the Circle be Unbroken.” That recording featured the late iconic guitarist Doc Watson (originally from just down the road in Deep Gap), whose legacy is immortalized with a statue in downtown Boone.
“John is a such a die-hard fan and supporter of Doc Watson. That opening night was all about honoring the past history of the building and all of those people who were influenced by Doc,” Kratt said. “And during the reopening, we were also able to include new musicians, including Liam Purcell of Cane Mill Road, which is another bluegrass act from Deep Gap.”
The theatre has hit the ground running and its lineup is filled to the brim with beloved string acts and bluegrass giants. Live music is once again ringing from the stage of the 600-seat venue and into the surrounding ancient mountains.
“This proves that there’s a real demand for a venue of our size in Boone and Watauga County, one that is reflective of the unique and distinctive cultural history of our region — it celebrates that in an important way,” Kratt said. “So, that means in our small Appalachian town we’ve not only created a cultural and historical resource for the community, we’ve also created an economic engine for our downtown to help make it more vibrant, more livable.”
And though the inside of the Appalachian Theatre is once again buzzing with activity, Kratt also noted the beauty and awe of seeing the marquee lit up at night — this beacon of light and hope for a mountain community rich with artistic history.
“What’s really touching is to see how people react to the marquee,” Kratt said. “It generates all of this excitement and it’s something special to see that people care so much about it — the people that visit and reside here, and also the students of Appalachian State University.”
First and foremost, Raymond Fairchild was one of the finest banjo players who ever walked the face of the earth. He had a storied reputation for incredibly strong and powerful pickin’ on the five-string instrument — a sentiment also said about his moonshine from behind closed doors.
On Oct. 13, 2019, Fairchild passed away unexpectedly at the age of 80. Though his music and influence will live on for generations, the bluegrass industry and Western North Carolina have lost a true original, one of the last of his kind in rural Southern Appalachia.
He was proud of his Cherokee blood and of being a mountain man. He was a native of Haywood County and the Great Smoky Mountains, forged from the strength of humble beginnings, and always figuring out ways to survive not just life, but simply another day in a sometimes-cruel world.
Fairchild was a man of few words, and yet it only took a few words to truly understand quite possibly the most misunderstood figure in bluegrass.
In remembering the essence of Raymond Fairchild, you must never forget where you came from, the roots at the foundation of your life, personal
growth, and journey in whatever time you may have on this planet.
“I just count myself another mountain picker. I don’t think I’m no better than anybody else, but I think I’m as good as any of ’em — that’s the legacy,” Fairchild said. “When they ask me when I’m going to retire, I say when somebody comes along and beats me at picking the banjo — and they said, ‘you’ll never retire.’”
Aside from the unique dexterity in Fairchild’s fingertips, what’s just as awe-inspiring is the lightning-fast speed by which he played such intricate and complicated melodies.
“I just count myself another mountain picker. I don’t think I’m no better than anybody else, but I think I’m as good as any of ’em — that’s the legacy.”
— RAYMOND FAIRCHILD
“It just comes from the way I learned, I guess — I always liked to play fast. Of course, I can’t play that fast now,” Fairchild modestly stated. “And another thing, it all depends on who’s behind you. If the backup men can’t get it, you can’t either — they’ll drag you down.”
Many of the photographs and posters on the walls of Fairchild’s Maggie Valley Opry House are yellowed and dusty. The faces are of bluegrass and country music legends — friends of Fairchild’s, most long gone from this earth.
“There are ones I really miss — The Lewis Family, Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe,” Fairchild solemnly said. “It just brings back old memories. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, according to the mood you’re in. Sometimes you want to see them memories, sometimes
you don’t. And a lot [of those faces] have done went on.”
Within the 65 years he’s played professionally, one moment sticks out more than the rest — the first time Fairchild took the stage at the Grand Ole Opry, held at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Fairchild reckoned that initial appearance was somewhere around 1977 or 1978. No matter though, because it led to several other pickin’-n-grinnin’ sessions onstage at “The Mother Church of Country Music.”
“It was me and The Crowe Brothers — the greatest [three-piece] band that’s ever been together,” Fairchild reminisced. “A lot of people say their knees are shaking and they were nervous [being onstage at the Grand Ole Opry]. It didn’t bother me more than stepping
out here [at the Maggie Valley Opry House]. But, I knew it was the highest you were going to go in this type of music — when you stand in front of them WSM microphones.”
As he sat back down in his chair in front of the Maggie Valley Opry House, Fairchild placed his cane beside him and reached for his banjo case. He unbuckled the latches and pulled out his old friend, those five strings that provided him with a life well-lived, one of musical glory and lore.
“Every time I pick up the banjo, I learn something. I still love a banjo. I just love what I call mountain music,” Fairchild said. “What kind of future do you think I’ve got? Probably a short one. But, you just look back on it all, the music and the memories — if I had to do it over, I’d do it again.”
Travel along the new Blue Ridge Craft Trails in Western North Carolina to discover talented artists and the small, vibrant towns where they live. Experience first-hand the scenic beauty that inspires the artists’ handcrafted work. You can craft your adventure by perusing more than 100 artist studios, galleries and hands-on craft experiences on this drivable trail throughout the North Carolina mountains and foothills.
Over the next 18 months, this new emerging experience will evolve to highlight more than 200 craft artisans
and cultural sites across the region. Travelers will also get tips on rounding out their journey with nearby craft foods, breweries, music, outdoor activities, and scenic views.
The Blue Ridge Craft Trails is a new Blue Ridge National Heritage Area program created to celebrate Western North Carolina as a vital center for traditional and contemporary handmade crafts. The initiative is underway to promote craft artisans, arts organiza-
tions and heritage tourism through BlueRidgeCraftTrails.com, visitor brochures, curated itineraries and exhibits. The website offers ready-made itineraries as well as a custom Plan Your Trip tool that helps you create your own trail.
“We want to make it easy for those traveling to our area to take home a crafted piece of Western North Carolina and meet the artist who created it,” explained Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Executive Director Angie Chandler. “The Blue Ridge Craft Trails offer the perfect getaway where all
ages can experience craft inspired by the rich traditions forged in the region for generations.”
One must-see stop that’s steeped in craft tradition is the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual in Cherokee. It’s the oldest Native American Cooperative in the United States. It features the works of more than 250 members with a vast selection of baskets, pottery, wood and stone carvings, beadwork, and more.
The trails are anchored with renowned sites such as John C. Campbell Folk School, Penland School of Craft, and the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Each place offers hands-on experiences in traditional and presentday craft.
Plus, there are boundless opportunities to connect with artisans in their studios and workshops along the trails. For example, Woody’s Chair Shop in Spruce Pine is where the family’s tradition of crafting wooden chairs from local hardwoods started in 1800 and continues
today. Their craftsmanship is so revered that you’ll find their chairs in the American Craft Collection of the Smithsonian.
Tucked into hamlets and coves are galleries filled with original pieces from blown glass to pottery and handmade quilts.
One such place is Pam Parrish’s Morning Song Gallery in Hayesville where the work of more than 70 artists is on display. There’s a full spectrum of original pieces in wood, clay, stained glass, basketry and woven goods.
Plenty of unique sites beckon throughout the region. Head to the “High Country” of the region for a complimentary visit at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM). Or, venture to the scenic foothill town of Wilkesboro to experience the Blue Ridge Artisan Center, a new marketplace for arts and craft, along with a farmto-table restaurant.
As the weather warms up and thoughts turn to getting away to the NC mountains and foothills, the new Blue Ridge Craft Trails offer a wide range of craft experiences to round out an unforgettable vacation.
Discover more at BlueRidgeCraftTrails.com
The Down the Road events calendar was published when some venues and events were closed or canceled because of COVID-19. Please check with event organizers and venue contacts to confirm details prior to attending.
Alleghany Jubilee
SPARTA alleghanyjubilee.com
Monday 6-8 pm, Tuesdays 7-9:30pm, Saturdays 7-10 pm
Baywood Boy's Barbecue Bluegrass Jam
SPARTA blueridgemusicnc.com Thursdays 6-9 pm
Blue Ridge & Beyond Concert Series
MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org
Concerts year round, visit website
Bluegrass & Mountain Music Jam
BANNER ELK blueridgemusicnc.com
3rd Monday monthly 6:15-8:15 pm
Bluegrass & Old-Time at Jack of the Wood ASHEVILLE jackofthewood.com
Wednesdays 5 pm Old-Time Jam, Thursdays 7 pm Bluegrass Jam, Friday-Saturday evening bands, visit website
Bluegrass Jam at Elevated Mountain
MAGGIE VALLEY elevatedmountain.com
4th Saturday monthly 6-9pm
Bluegrass Jam at the Reeves ELKIN reevestheater.com
Second Thursday each month, except major holidays, 6pm Celebration of Mountain Music (Jam Session)
FRANKLIN BlueRidgeMusicNC.com Tuesdays 6-8 pm
Cherokee Heritage Days CHEROKEE cherokeemuseum.org
2nd Saturday each month 11 am-5 pm
Cherokee Homestead Exhibit
HAYESVILLE cccra-nc.org
Daily, sunrise to sunset
CommUnity Old Time Dance at the Todd Mercantile
TODD toddmercantile.com
One dance monthly 6 pm, visit website
Concerts at Blowing Rock Art & History Museum
BLOWING ROCK blowingrockmuseum.org
Concerts, lectures, and installations, visit website
Concerts at 185 King Street
BREVARD 185kingst.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at Ashe Civic Center
WEST JEFFERSON ashecivic.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at Asheville
Music Hall
ASHEVILLE ashevillemusichall.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at Black Mountain Center for the Arts
BLACK MOUNTAIN blackmountainarts.org
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at Burnsville Town Center
BURNSVILLE burnsvilletowncenter.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at CCC & TI
HUDSON cccti.edu
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium
MORGANTON commaonline.org
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at Green Heron Ale House
DANBURY greenheronclub.com
Music year round, visit website
Concerts at Highland Brewing Company
ASHEVILLE highlandbrewing.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at Isis Music Hall & Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions
ASHEVILLE isisasheville.com
Concerts year round, visit website, Bluegrass Tuesdays 7:30-9:30 pm
Concerts at J.E. Broyhill Civic Center
LENOIR broyhillcenter.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at Muddy Creek Café & Music Hall & Open Mic SPARTA muddycreekcafeandmusichall.com Thursdays 7-10:30 pm, Friday-Saturday 8-10 pm
Concerts at Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts FRANKLIN greatmountainmusic.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country BOONE apptheatre.org
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at The Arts Place of Stokes
DANBURY artsplaceofstokes.org
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at The Don Gibson Theatre
SHELBY dongibsontheater.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at The Foundation Performing Arts Center
SPINDALE foundationshows.org
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at The Grey Eagle ASHEVILLE thegreyeagle.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at The Orange Peel ASHEVILLE theorangepeel.net
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at the Reeves Theater
ELKIN reevestheater.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at White Horse Black Mountain
BLACK MOUNTAIN
whitehorseblackmountain.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Crouse House Pickers (Jam Session)
SPARTA sparta-nc.com
Mondays 6 pm
Earl Scruggs Center: Music & Stories from the American South SHELBY
earlscruggscenter.org
Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm
Feed & Seed
FLETCHER feedandseednc.com
Friday-Saturday 7:30-9:30 pm
Jam Sessions at the Barber Shop
DREXEL
BlueRidgeMusicNC.com
Saturdays 11 am
Jimmy's Pick n Grin
ANDREWS blueridgemusicnc.com
Saturdays 7-11 pm
John C. Campbell Folk School Concert Series
BRASSTOWN folkschool.org
Fridays and some Thursdays 7 pm, visit website
John C. Campbell Folk School
Contra & Square Dances
BRASSTOWN folkschool.org
Tuesdays 7-8 pm, Saturdays 8-11 pm, visit website
John C. Campbell Traditional Music & Dance Classes
BRASSTOWN folkschool.org
Weeklong and weekend classes, visit website
Jones House Weekly Jam Session BOONE joneshouse.org
Thursday 7:30-11 pm
Live Music at Woodlands Barbeque
BLOWING ROCK
woodlandsbbq.com
Nightly 6-8 pm, visit website
Madison County Arts Council Concerts Series
MARSHALL madisoncountyarts.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Micaville Music Jam
MICAVILLE ooakartgallery.com
Saturdays 10 am-12 noon
Mount Airy Museum of Regional History
MOUNT AIRY northcarolinamuseum.org
Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm, visit website
Mountain Gateway Museum and Sunday Afternoon Jam
OLD FORT mgmnc.org
Tuesday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday 12 noon-5 pm, Sunday Jam Session 2 pm
Mountain Music Jam at Sanctuary Brewing HENDERSONVILLE sanctuarybrewco.com
Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 pm
Mountain Music Mondays at the Tasty Weasel Taproom BREVARD oskarblues.com
Mondays, June-September 6-8 pm, October-May 5:30-7:30 pm
Music & History at Wilkes Heritage Museum WILKESBORO wilkesheritagemuseum.com
Monday-Friday 10 am-4 pm
Music at the Depot MARSHALL blueridgemusicnc.com Fridays 6:30 pm
Music N'All at the Barn EDEN exploreedennc.com Tuesdays 7-9 pm
Oconaluftee Old-Time Music Jam
CHEROKEE nps.gov/grsm
3rd Saturday year round, May-October add 1st Saturday 1-3 pm
Old-Time Community Jam
BANNER ELK blueridgemusicnc.com 2nd Saturdays 12 noon-2 pm
Old-Time Jam at the Reeves ELKIN reevestheater.com
Fourth Thursdays, except major holidays, 5:30 pm
Old-Time Jam Session at the Earle Theater
MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org Saturdays 9-11 am
Old-Time Music Heritage Hall
MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org
Monday-Friday 11 am-3 pm, Saturday 11 am-3:30 pm, Sunday 1-3:30 pm
Open Mic Night at the Reeves ELKIN reevestheater.com Tuesdays 6:30 pm, except major holidays
Phipps General Store Jam
LANSING
blueridgemusicnc.com
Fridays 7-11 pm
Sandy Ridge Music Association Bluegrass & Gospel Concerts SANDY RIDGE
blueridgemusicnc.com
2nd Saturday monthly 6-8 pm
Saturday Jam at the Todd Mercantile
TODD
toddmercantile.com Saturdays 1-3 pm
Saturday Morning Gospel Jam
MARION blueridgemusicnc.com Saturdays 10 am-12 noon
SEBA 3rd Saturday Jam FRANKLIN coweeschool.org Saturdays 12-3 pm
Sims Country Bar-B-Que - Food, Music & Dancing GRANITE FALLS simscountrybbq.com
Friday and Saturday 5-9 pm
The Saylor Brothers at the Funkatorium ASHEVILLE wickedweedbrewing.com
Most Fridays 6:30-9:30 pm
Thursday Night Jam Session at the Earle Theater MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org Thursdays 7 pm-9 pm
Tom Dooley Museum FERGUSON
whippoorwillacademy.com
Exhibit 3rd Saturday, monthly 1-5 pm or by appointment
Wednesday Night Bluegrass HIGHLANDS theuglydogpub.com Wednesdays 7-9 pm
WPAQ Saturday Morning Merry-Go Round MOUNT AIRY
wpaq740.com
Saturdays 11 am-1:30 pm
Yadkin Cultural Arts Center Concert Series
YADKINVILLE yadkinarts.org
Concerts year round, visit website Zuma Coffee Bluegrass Jam Session
MARSHALL zumascoffee.com
Thursdays 7-9 pm
Enjoy the sounds of mountain music from the comfort of your home, cabin, or car by dialing in (or streaming) a radio show. Here’s a sampling:
• BLUEGRASS REVIEW, 3-5 pm Sundays, WSQL 102.1 FM
• CLOSE TO HOME (old-time music), 8-10 pm Saturdays, WCQS 88.1 FM
• COUNTRY ROOTS, 7-9 pm Sundays, WCQS 88.1 FM
• GOIN' ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN (bluegrass), 11 am-7 pm Saturdays, WNCW 88.7 FM
• GOSPEL TRUTH (bluegrass gospel), 7-9 am Sundays, WNCW 88.7 FM
• MOUNTAIN MORNINGS (bluegrass), Sunday through Friday, 6-7 am, WNCW 88.7 FM
• THE TALL GRASS (bluegrass and roots music), 6-7 pm Sundays, WNCW 88.7 FM
• THIS OLD PORCH (old-time music), 3-6 pm Sundays, WNCW 88.7 FM
• WPAQ 740 AM – bluegrass and old-time music
First Thursday Concert & Jam
CULLOWHEE wcu.edu
April-October, 1st Thursday 7 pm
Red, White & Bluegrass Jam Session
BOONE blueridgemusicnc.com
April-November, 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 7 pm
Micaville Music Concert Series
MICAVILLE ooakartgallery.com
April-December, Thursdays 7 pm
Backstreet Park Summer Concerts
WEST JEFFERSON visitwestjefferson.org
May-August. Fridays 5:30 pm
Brasstown Community Civic Center Summer Concerts
BRASSTOWN brasstowncommunitycenter.org
May-August, 2nd & 4th Saturdays 7 pm
Concerts at Museum of Ashe County History
WEST JEFFERSON ashehistory.org
May-September, Sundays 3 pm, visit website
Music on Main in Sparta SPARTA
blueridgemusicnc.com
May-September, 1st Fridays 8 pm
Blue Ridge Music Center Roots of American Music Exhibition
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY MILEPOST 213 blueridgemusiccenter.org
May (Thursday-Monday), June-October (daily), 10 am-5 pm
Concerts at the Blue Ridge Music Center
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY MILEPOST 213 blueridgemusiccenter.org
May-October, visit website
Mid-Day Mountain Music at the Blue Ridge Music Center
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY MILEPOST 213 blueridgemusiccenter.org
May-October, daily 12 noon-4 pm
Live Mountain Music at the Orchard at Altapass SPRUCE PINE altapassorchard.org
May-October, Thursday-Sunday 1-5 pm, visit website
Music & Dance at the Stompin' Ground
MAGGIE VALLEY blueridgemusicnc.com
May-October, Saturdays 8 pm-10:30 pm
Tucker's Barn Singer & Songwriters Series
LENOIR blueridgemusicnc.com
May-October, 1st Thursday 7-9 pm
Jam Sessions at the T.M. Rickman Store
FRANKLIN rickmanstore.com
May 4-December 14, Saturdays 12 noon-4 pm
Friday Night Live
HIGHLANDS highlandschamber.org
Mid-May through mid-October, Fridays 6 pm
Pickin' on the Square FRANKLIN franklinnc.com
May 16-October 17, Saturdays 7-9 pm
Concerts on the Creek at Bridge Park SYLVA mountainlovers.com
May 22-September 4, Fridays, and July 4th, 7 pm
Groovin' on the Green Summer Concert Series CASHIERS villagegreencashiersnc.com
Memorial Day-Labor Day, Fridays 6:30 pm
Summer Concert Series On the Historic Hayesville Square
HAYESVILLE cccra-nc.org
May 29-September 4, most Fridays 6 pm
Outdoor Concerts at the Jones House
BOONE joneshouse.org
June-August, Fridays 5 pm
Pickin on the Porch Jammin in the Shade
BURNSVILLE blueridgemusicnc.com
June-August, Sundays 2-4 pm
Sing-Alongs at Carl Sandburg Home FLAT ROCK nps.gov/carl
June-August, once monthly, visit website
Summer Tracks
Concert Series
TRYON summertracks.com
June-August, two concerts a month, visit website
Todd Summer Concert Series
TODD toddnc.org
June-August, Saturdays 6 pm
Music on the Courthouse Square in Robbinsville
ROBBINSVILLE townofrobbinsville.com
June through mid-September, Fridays 810:30 pm
Historic Cowee School Concert Series
FRANKLIN coweeschool.org
June-September, 3rd Saturday 7 pm
Open Mic & Jam Sessions at Orchard at Altapass SPRUCE PINE altapassorchard.org
June-October, Wednesdays 1:45 pm
Tunes on the Tuck BRYSON CITY greatsmokies.com
June-October, Saturdays 7-9 pm
Songwriter Showcase HAYESVILLE thepeacocknc.org
June 6, July 11, September 19, October 24, 7 pm
Hendersonville Street Dances
HENDERSONVILLE visithendersonvillenc.org
June 15, 29, July 13, 27, August 10, Mondays 7 pm
Waynesville Street Dance WAYNESVILLE downtownwaynesville.com
June 26, July 3, 24, August 7, September 25, 6:30-9 pm
An Appalachian Evening Summer Concert Series
ROBBINSVILLE stecoahvalleycenter.com
June 29-August 31, Saturdays 7:30 pm
Brevard's Old-Time Street Dance BREVARD brevardnc.org
Last Tuesday of June through 1st Tuesday of August, 6:30 pm
Songcatchers Music Series BREVARD cradleofforestry.com
July Sundays, 2-5 pm
Shindig on the Green ASHEVILLE folkheritage.org
July 11-August 1 & August 15-September 5, Saturdays 7 pm
Joe Shannon's Mountain Home Music Concert Series
BOONE & BLOWING ROCK mountainhomemusic.com
July-December, multiple concerts, visit website
Indoor Concerts at the Jones House BOONE joneshouse.org
September-May 7:30 pm, one to three concerts each month, visit website
The Original Pickin at Priddy's DANBURY priddysgeneralstore.com
October, 1st Saturday plus the next four, 3-5 pm
Concerts at the Rock VALDESE townofvaldese.com
October 2020-March 2021, one Saturday a month 7 pm
And the Beat Goes On Music Series SPARTA alleghanyartscouncil.org
January, Febrary, March, and May, one concert a month, 8 pm
Traditional Concert Series at Davidson College
DAVIDSON davidson.edu/the-arts
January-April, once monthly, visit website
John C. Campbell Folk School English Country Dances BRASSTOWN folkschool.org
January-November, one or two Saturdays a month, 7:30, visit website
Pickin at Priddy's in February
DANBURY
priddysgeneralstore.com
February, Fridays 7-9 pm
JUNE 3-6
Mount Airy Old-Time Retreat
MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org
Wednesday-Saturday all day
JUNE 5-6
Cold Mountain Music Festival
CANTON coldmountainmusic.org
Friday 1-10 pm, Saturday 12 noon-11 pm
JUNE 5-6
Mount Airy Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention MOUNT AIRY
mountairyfiddlersconvention.com
Friday 2:30-11 pm, Saturday 9:30 am-11 pm
JUNE 6
Dulcimer Day at the Folk Art Center ASHEVILLE southernhighlandguild.org
Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 12 noon-4 pm
JUNE 7-13
Blue Ridge Old-Time Music Week
MARS HILL
mhu.edu/conferences
Sunday-Saturday, week-long session
JUNE 7-13
Roots of American Music Week
MARS HILL
mhu.edu/conferences
Sunday-Saturday, week-long session
JUNE 11-13
Cherokee Bluegrass Festival
CHEROKEE
evansmediasource.com
Thursday 12 noon-Saturday 10 pm
JUNE 13
Cherokee Voices Festival
CHEROKEE
cherokeemuseum.org
Saturday 10 am-5 pm
JUNE 13
Bluff Mountain Festival
HOT SPRINGS madisoncountyarts.com
Saturday 10 am-5 pm
JUNE 19
Annual Doc Watson Day
Celebration BOONE joneshouse.org
Friday 4 pm
JUNE 20
RiddleFest
BURNSVILLE
TraditionalVoicesGroup.com
Saturday, 3-4 pm (seminar), 7-9 pm (concert)
JUNE 20-21
Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend
WAYNESVILLE sheltonhouse.org
Saturday 9:30 am-4 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
JUNE 25-27
Elkin Roots Music Fest
ELKIN elkinrootsmusicfest.com
Thursday-Saturday evenings
JUNE 26-27
Backwoods Beat Music & Art Festival
SPARTA alleghanyartscouncil.org
Friday-Saturday evening
JUNE 27
Annual Heritage Day and Wood Kiln Opening LENOIR traditionspottery.com
Saturday 9 am-4 pm
JUNE 28
Singing on the Mountain at MacRae Meadows
LINVILLE grandfather.com
Sunday 9 am-2 pm
JUNE 28-JULY 4
Swannanoa Gathering Fiddle Week
ASHEVILLE swangathering.com
Sunday-Saturday, week-long session
JUNE 28-JULY 4
Swannanoa Gathering Mando & Banjo Week ASHEVILLE swangathering.com
Sunday-Saturday, week-long session
JULY 3-4
Heritage Festival - Music, Moonshiners, Motors & Mountaineers
ROBBINSVILLE townofrobbinsville.com
Friday 5-10:30 pm, Saturday 9 am-11:30 pm
JULY 3-4
Christmas in July Festival
WEST JEFFERSON christmasinjuly.info
Friday 3-10 pm, Saturday 9 am-7 pm
JULY 5-11
Swannanoa Gathering Traditional
Song Week
ASHEVILLE swangathering.com
Sunday-Saturday, week-long session
JULY 9-11
Annual NC Blackberry Festival LENOIR ncblackberryfestival.com
Thursday 6-9 pm, Friday 5-9 pm, Saturday 9 am-9 pm
JULY 11
John C. Campbell Annual Shaped-Note Singing & Picnic on the Grounds BRASSTOWN folkschool.org
Saturday 10 am-3 pm
JULY 11
Coon Dog Day SALUDA cityofsaludanc.com
Saturday 9 am-11 pm
JULY 13-17
Sounds of Appalachian Music Camp NEWLAND mayland.edu
Monday-Friday 10 am-6 pm
JULY 17-18
Alleghany County Fiddlers Convention SPARTA alleghanyfiddlersconvention.com
Friday 5-10 pm, Saturday 11 am-11 pm
JULY 18
Doc & Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest 'N Sugar Grove SUGAR GROVE covecreek.net
Saturday morning-evening, visit website
JULY 18
Spruce Pine BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival SPRUCE PINE sprucepinebbqbluegrass.org
Saturday 10 am-10 pm
JULY 19-25
Swannanoa Gathering Old-Time Week ASHEVILLE swangathering.com
Sunday-Saturday week-long session
JULY 23-25
Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention WEST JEFFERSON ashefiddlersconvention.org
Thursday 7-9 pm, Friday-Saturday 10 am10 pm
JULY 25
Annual Swannanoa
Shaped Note Singing ASHEVILLE christianharmony.org
Saturday 10 am-3 pm
JULY 26-AUGUST 1
Swannanoa Gathering Guitar Week ASHEVILLE swangathering.com
Sunday-Saturday, week-long session
6
AUGUST 6-8
Mountain Dance and Folk Festival ASHEVILLE folkheritage.org
Thursday-Saturday 6:30-9:30 pm
AUGUST 15
Franklin Area Folk Festival FRANKLIN FranklinFolkFestival.com
Saturday 10 am-4 pm
AUGUST 13-15
Annual North Carolina State Bluegrass Festival MARION evansmediasource.com
Thursday 12 noon-Saturday 10 pm
AUGUST 20-23
The Way of the Dulcimer Spring & Fall Retreat
LITTLE SWITZERLAND donpedi.com
Thursday 4-10 pm, Friday & Saturday 8 am-10 pm, Sunday 8-11 am
AUGUST 28-30
Happy Valley Fiddlers Convention LENOIR happyvalleyfiddlers.org
Friday 7-11 pm, Saturday 11 am-11 pm, Sunday 10 am-6 pm
6
SEPTEMBER 4-5
The Smoky Mountain Folk Festival
LAKE JUNALUSKA lakejunaluska.com
Friday & Saturday 6:30 pm
SEPTEMBER 4-5
Earl Scruggs Music Festival
MILL SPRING earlscruggsmusicfestival.com
Friday 2 pm-1am, Saturday 10:15 am-midnight
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SEPTEMBER 5
Labor Day Extravaganza at Groovin' on the Green CASHIERS
villagegreencashiersnc.com
Saturday 6:30 pm
SEPTEMBER 5
Fall Etowah Christian Harmony
Singing ETOWAH etowahshapenote.org
Saturday 10 am-3 pm
SEPTEMBER 6
New River Blues Festival
GRASSY CREEK newriverbluesfestival.info
Sunday 2-5 pm
SEPTEMBER 11-13
Mountain Song Festival BREVARD mountainsongfestival.com
Friday 4-10 pm, Saturday 12 noon-10 pm, Sunday 12 noon-6 pm
SEPTEMBER 11-20
Mountain Music Festival at the Mountain State Fair FLETCHER wncagcenter.org
Performances throughout the 10-day event
SEPTEMBER 12
Blowing Rock Music Festival BLOWING ROCK theblowingrock.com
Saturday 10 am-sunset
SEPTEMBER 12
Stokes Stomp: Festival on the Dan DANBURY stokesarts.org
Saturday 9 am-7 pm
SEPTEMBER 12
Robbinsville Fall Arts & Craft Festival
ROBBINSVILLE townofrobbinsville.com
Saturday 10 am-8 pm
SEPTEMBER 12
Music at the Mill
WAYNESVILLE francismill.org
Saturday 10 am-4 pm
SEPTEMBER 13
Annual Old Folks Day ShapedNote Singing
CANTON qssingingschool.org
Sunday 12 noon-3 pm
SEPTEMBER 19
Music in the Mountains Folk Festival BURNSVILLE toeriverarts.org
Saturday 5:30-8:30 pm
Mountain Heritage Day in Cullowhee
SEPTEMBER 19
Cherokee Heritage Festival in Hayesville HAYESVILLE
cccra-nc.org
Saturday 10 am-3 pm
SEPTEMBER 19
Mountain Heritage Festival SPARTA sparta-nc.com
Saturday 10 am-4:30 pm
SEPTEMBER 19
Yadkin Valley Harvest Festival
YADKINVILLE yadkinarts.org
Saturday, 10 am-4 pm
SEPTEMBER 19
North Carolina Ceramic Arts Festival
ASHEVILLE northcarolinaceramicartsfestival.com
Saturday 11 am-5 pm
SEPTEMBER 19-20
Heritage Weekend at the Folk Art Center
ASHEVILLE southernhighlandguild.org
Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 12 noon-5 pm
SEPTEMBER 25-26
Art of Sound Festival
SHELBY ccartscouncil.org
Friday 7-11 pm, Saturday 10 am-10 pm
SEPTEMBER 25-26
Carolina in the Fall Music & Food Festival
WILKESBORO carolinainthefall.org
Friday-Saturday 10 am-10 pm
SEPTEMBER 26
Old Timey Fall Festival
BURNSVILLE oldtimeyfallfestival.com
Saturday 10 am-4 pm
SEPTEMBER 26
Mountain Heritage Day CULLOWHEE mountainheritageday.com
Saturday 10 am-5 pm
OCTOBER 2
BBQ for Books with a Side of Bluegrass KING stokespfc.com
Friday 5 pm-9-pm
OCTOBER 3
Bascom Lamar Lunsford "Minstrel of Appalachia" Festival
MARS HILL lunsfordfestival.com
Saturday 10 am-7 pm
OCTOBER 3-4
John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival
BRASSTOWN folkschool.org
Saturday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm
OCTOBER 9-11
Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival
CASHIERS
villagegreencashiersnc.com
Friday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm
OCTOBER 9-11
Autumn Leaves Festival
MOUNT AIRY autumnleavesfestival.com
Friday-Saturday 9 am-9 pm, Sunday 12 noon-6 pm
OCTOBER 10
Sims Country Bar-B-Que Molasses Festival
GRANITE FALLS simscountrybbq.com
Saturday 9 am-4 pm
OCTOBER 10
Annual Church Street Art & Craft Show
WAYNESVILLE downtownwaynesville.com
Saturday 10 am-5 pm
OCTOBER 10
3b Music Festival
UNION GROVE 3bmusicfestival.com
Saturdy 12 noon-7pm
OCTOBER 17
Aldersgate Apple Butter Festival
SHELBY aldersgateshelby.com
Saturday 9 am-3 pm
OCTOBER 17
The Official Fall Liver Mush Festival of North Carolina, Mush, Music and Mutts
SHELBY tourclevelandcounty.com
Saturday 10 am-4 pm
OCTOBER 17
Valle Country Fair
VALLE CRUCIS vallecountryfair.org
Saturday 9 am-4 pm
OCTOBER 17
Apple Harvest Festival
WAYNESVILLE haywoodchamber.com
Saturday 10 am-5 pm
OCTOBER 17
Appalachian Folk Festival
WEAVERVILLE nchistoricsites.org/vance/ Saturday 10 am-3 pm
OCTOBER 16-17
Stecoah's Harvest Festival
ROBBINSVILLE stecoahvalleycenter.com
Friday 5-8 pm, Saturday 11 am-9 pm
OCTOBER 16-18
Punkin' Chunkin' Festival HAYESVILLE claychambernc.com
Friday 6-9 pm, Saturday-Sunday 10 am-6 pm
OCTOBER 17-18
Woolly Worm Festival BANNER ELK WoollyWorm.com
Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday 9 am-4 pm
OCTOBER 22-25
Fall LEAF Festival BLACK MOUNTAIN theleaf.org
Thursday 4:30-10 pm, Friday-Saturday 9 am-11 pm, Sunday 9 am-3 pm
OCTOBER 23-25
Mount Airy Ukulele Festival
MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org
Friday-Sunday, visit website for registration
OCTOBER 23-25
Mountain Acoustics Luthier Invitational BURNSVILLE mountainacoustics.com
Friday 7 pm-9 pm, Saturday 9 am-9:30 pm, Sunday 10 am-3 pm
NOVEMBER 7
Swannanoa Valley Shape Note Singing
BLACK MOUNTAIN christianharmony.org
Saturday 10 am-3 pm
NOVEMBER 7-9
North Carolina Banjo Clinic
BLACK MOUNTAIN vpmusic.org Friday-Sunday weekend session
NOVEMBER 8
Sunday at the Opry CANTON haywoodarts.org
Sunday 3-4:45 pm
NOVEMBER 21
Ellenboro Fiddlers and Bluegrass Convention ELLENBORO ellenboronc.info
Saturday 6:30 pm-10 pm
NOVEMBER 28
Annual Thanksgiving Kiln Opening LENOIR traditionspottery.com
Saturday 10 am-4 pm
DECEMBER 3-5
Balsam Range Art of Music Festival
LAKE JUNALUSKA balsamrangeartofmusicfestival.com
Thursday 6-11:30 pm, Friday-Saturday 12 noon-11:30 pm
DECEMBER 5
Pickin' at Priddy's Christmas DANBURY priddysgeneralstore.com
Saturday 7-9 pm
DECEMBER 5
Annual Singing on the French Broad River MARSHALL madisoncountyarts.com
Saturday 9:30 am-3 pm
DECEMBER 12-13
Christian Harmony Singing at Saint John's Historic Church RUTHERFORDTON christianharmony.org
Saturday-Sunday 10 am-3 pm
DECEMBER 26 & JANUARY 2, 2021 Breaking Up Christmas Dance MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org
Saturday 7-9:30pm 6 2021 6
FEBRUARY 2021
Bluegrass First Class ASHEVILLE bluegrassfirstclass.com
Friday-Sunday, visit website for 2021 dates
FEBRUARY 2021
Appalachian State Old-Time
Fiddler’s Convention BOONE fiddle.appstate.edu
Friday-Saturday, visit website for 2021 dates
FEBRUARY 2021
Mount Airy Old-Time Retreat
MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org
Thursday-Saturday session, visit website for 2021 dates
FEBRUARY 2021
Tommy Jarrell Festival
MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org
Last Thursday-Saturday
MARCH 6, 2021
Caldwell Traditional Musicians Showcase
LENOIR broyhillcenter.com
Saturday evening
MARCH 20, 2021
Annual Sandy Ridge School Bluegrass Show
SANDY RIDGE BlueRidgeMusicNC.com Sarurday evening
MARCH 2021
The Fiddlers of Madison County MARSHALL madisoncountyarts.com
Saturday, visit website for 2021 date
MARCH 2021
NC Thumbpickers Convention STATESVILLE nctaf.com
Visit website for 2021 dates
APRIL 10, 2021
Quay Smathers Memorial Singing School
CLYDE qssingingschool.org
Saturday, 9 am-4:30 pm
APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2021 MerleFest
WILKESBORO merlefest.org
Thursday 2:30-11 pm, Friday & Saturday 9 am-11 pm, Sunday 9 am-7 pm
APRIL 2021
Surry Old Time Fiddlers Convention
DOBSON surryoldtime.com
Friday 7-10 pm, Saturday 10 am-11 pm, visit website for 2021 dates
APRIL 2021
Yadkin Valley Bluegrass & Old Time Convention
YADKINVILLE yadkinarts.org
Saturday 1-10 pm, visit website for 2021 dates
APRIL 2021
Ola Belle Reed: A Songwriting Retreat WEST JEFFERSON ashecountyarts.org
Friday-Sunday, visit website for 2021 dates
MAY 1, 2021
Spring Etowah Christian Harmony Singing & School
ETOWAH etowahshapenote.org
Saturday 9:15 am (lesson), 10 am-3 pm (singing)
MAY 13-16, 2021
Spring LEAF Festival
BLACK MOUNTAIN theleaf.org
Thursday 4:30-10 pm, Friday & Saturday 9 am-11 pm, Sunday 9 am-3 pm
MAY 29, 2021
Red, White & Blue at Priddy's DANBURY priddysgeneralstore.com
Saturday 6-8 pm
MAY 31, 2021
Tom Dooley & Southern Culture Day
FERGUSON whippoorwillacademy.com
Saturday 10 am-5 pm, visit website for 2021 date
MAY 2021
Swain County Heritage Festival BRYSON CITY greatsmokies.com
Friday 5-10 pm, Saturday 9 am-9 pm, visit website for 2021 dates
MAY 2021
Carl Sandburg Folk Music Festival FLAT ROCK nps.gov/carl Monday 10 am-4 pm
MAY 2021
Fiddlers Grove Ole Time Fiddler’s & Bluegrass Festival UNION GROVE fiddlersgrove.com
Friday 5-8 pm, Saturday 10 am-8 pm, Sunday 10 am-2 pm
JULY 2021: Folkmoot
WAYNESVILLE & WNC folkmootusa.org
Daily performances and events, visit website for 2021 dates
Built of local stone in 1943 on the site of a former Civilian Conservation Corps camp, the Cowee School educated area youth for nearly seven decades. The historic structure, in the heart of the Cowee-Wests Mills Historic District, is now an arts and heritage center serving Western North Carolina residents and visitors.
Within a half mile of thousands of years of history, from the ancient Cowee Mound to the Rickman Store, the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center is the hub of the Nikwasi-Cherokee Cultural Corridor. The center offers classes in the arts, pottery, weaving, shape-note singing, clogging, and mountain music among others. Rental space offers families and groups a place for weddings, reunions, and meetings.
Cowee School is known for its events. The Annual Franklin Area Folk Festival, held on the third Saturday in August and organized through a partnership with the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County, draws thousands of visitors from all over to enjoy cultural arts,
music, folk demonstrations, and food. The Cowee School Summer Concert Series, beginning in May and running through October, offers high quality entertainment from several genres of music, with an emphasis on traditional styles such as bluegrass, Americana, and folk. Except for one up-and-coming band each year, the series includes award-winning nationally and internationally touring bands and musicians.
