Bayla Davis and Cary Fridley paired up for the Blue Ridge Music Trails “Fine Tuned” project.
BLUE RIDGE MUSIC TRAILS OF NORTH CAROLINA
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 PROJECT
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.
WRITING · Garret K. Woodward garret@smokymountainnews.com
FROM THE DIRECTOR FROM THE DIRECTOR
Welcome to the fifth edition of Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails magazine!
The roots of American music run deep here in Western North Carolina, and our area continues to be a fertile ground for European, African, Cherokee, and new sounds that are mingling with mountain homegrown music. We have learned many lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic. Folks want to have real, in-person experiences with music, but the challenges of the last three years have resulted in some creative approaches to how it is presented.
Emerging musicians with new ideas are constantly innovating the sounds of the North Carolina Blue Ridge and the Great Smokies. The music continues to grow and evolve, finding new audiences while still honoring the foundations of the past. With the help of some great supporters and donors, the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, through its Blue Ridge Music Trails initiative, has launched a new program called Fine Tuned.
This new offering showcases the breadth and depth of our regional geography and the diversity of musical styles by connecting emerging artists with mentors and collaborators to create professional development and musical growth opportunities.
With participants ranging in ages from 14-53, Fine Tuned seeks to bring musicians together, in ways that have happened for centuries, but by adding 21st century technology and approaches. Not only is it a fresh approach to supporting these artists, but it is a new venture for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area to actively create and produce music. Check out the story (page 14) to learn more about this exciting new project.
The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina was launched more than nine years ago as a partnership between Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership (BRNHA) and the NC Arts Council. Our goal is to guide visi-
tors and fans to where they can hear the music for themselves.
Traditional mountain music features the old-time sounds of string bands and the high energy of bluegrass. Cloggers kick up their heels on mountain stages. You can follow the callers of street dances in our historic small towns. In our mountains, ballads have been passed down from generation to generation, “knee-to-knee” on front porches with haunting verses that date back centuries to Ireland and Scotland. And across the region, you can hear sacred music from shaped note singing, to hymns sung in Cherokee, to African American gospel, to the melancholic timbres of the blues.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership is devoted to preserving our Appalachian culture, from traditional music to arts and crafts, our foodways and our abundant outdoors, and Cherokee traditions across the North Carolina mountains and foothills.
Please join us on this musical journey “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails,” and we look forward to seeing you along the way.
Angie Chandler Executive Director Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
Fine Tuned seeks to bring musicians together, in ways that have happened for centuries, but by adding 21st century technology and approaches.
‘FINE TUNED’: THE COVER
When Kristen Necessary was approached by the Blue Ridge Music Trails to design the cover for the Fine Tuned album, the artist/printmaker felt immediately inspired.
“I was really stuck on the idea of weaving, of the project weaving together the music and culture of Appalachia,” Necessary said. “All of these different styles of music and voices coming together from across the mountains.”
Owner of Starfangled Press in Brevard (Transylvania County), Necessary seamlessly combines traditional and contemporary elements of printmaking.
“One of our missions at Starfangled is to make art more of a part of everyday life,” Necessary said. “So, we focus on art that’s fine and affordable, and print- making is one of those methods we
chose to do.”
A proud member of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, Necessary and Starfangled felt honored to be asked to come up with the album cover art for the “Fine Tuned” project, which brings together musicians from different genres and backgrounds in our region — as mentors and mentees, creators and collaborators.
“The [Music Trails] have always been a supporter of my work,” Necessary said. “So, it meant a lot for them to visit my studio and collaborate on this album cover.”
Within Starfangled, its prized 1907 press is also used in
“I was really stuck on the idea of weaving, of the project weaving together the music and culture of Appalachia. All of these different styles of music and voices coming together from across the mountains.”
— KRISTEN NECESSARY
countless projects. For Necessary, she’s able to use the sturdy antique to bring her ideas to life, many of which originate on her iPad.
“A lot of my artwork is influenced by place,” Necessary said. “And Appalachia has been a constant theme in my work for a long time.”
Now that the inaugural installment of the Fine Tuned project is now completed,
and with the album rolling out across Western North Carolina, greater Southern Appalachia and beyond, Necessary is grateful to see her work displayed for all to embrace and enjoy.
“I’m thrilled about this project,” Necessary said. “I don’t do a lot of custom design, so this was a new adventure for me — I’m excited to hear the album when it comes out.”
SUPPORT THE BLUE RIDGE NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
Play your part in preserving the living traditions and Appalachian heritage of the North Carolina mountains and foothills — including the Blue Ridge Music Trails — with a gift today! Here are several ways you can be a part of this important work for current and future generations:
• Donate at blueridgeheritage.com/about/donate.now
• Follow the Blue Ridge Music Trails on Facebook
• Listen to Down the Road Podcasts now featuring four seasons of traditional music profiles and history at blueridgemusicnc.com/listen-and-learn/down-the-road-podcast
• Review our website and learn more about the Blue Ridge Craft Trails Program, explore itineraries that will give you all kinds of trip ideas, support our local businesses by attending events at some of our many venues and breweries, look through our online retail store, etc.
And please reach out to our staff at 828.298.5330. We serve the entire region of Western North Carolina and enjoy connecting with our donors, partners and program participants. Thank you!
ROADTRIP!
Put on your favorite tunes and let our scenic mountain vistas create nature’s playlist. Turn up the volume with mountainous zip lines and whitewater adventures. Or wind down with waterfall hikes and wine tastings. Choose a mountain inn or a log cabin that’s just right. Enjoy the twists and turns around Historic Saluda, Tryon, and Columbusjust 90 minutes west of Charlotte.
‘FINED TUNED’
CONNECTING THE MELODIC DOTS
In an effort to not only bring together artists from different musical realms and backgrounds around Western North Carolina, but also provide a platform for free-flowing, spur-of-the-moment inspiration, the “Fine Tuned” program through the Blue Ridge Music Trails was a resounding success with its inaugural program.
“This project was a true celebration of collaborative creative,” said Sav Sankaran. “Every step of the way —
identifying potential partners, establishing the relationships between mentors and mentees, discussing and preparing repertoire, the process of recording material — was an organically collaborative process that highlighted the strengths that each participant brought to the table.”
Bassist/vocalist for acclaimed Asheville-based Americana/bluegrass act Unspoken Tradition, Sankaran teamed with Josh Jones for “Fine
Tuned.” Studying classical voice at the UNC School for the Arts, Jones is also steeped in bluegrass and mountain music as a vocalist, mandolinist, and fiddler.
“My mentor Sav [and I] truly created a bond during the recording process,” Jones said. “This project was the first time that we met each other in person and — through bluegrass music and the recording project — we learned a lot about each other.”
Bayla Davis and Cary Fridley.
SANDLIN GAITHER PHOTO
Capturing the collaboration in the recording studio was renowned Southern Appalachian musician/producer Josh Goforth. And, throughout the process, Jones was able to pick the minds of Goforth and Sankaran, each being well-known, longtime professionals in the music industry.
“Being mentored by professional bluegrass musicians who have had spectacular careers was truly an honor,” Jones
said. “They made sure I was able to have a hands-on experience, and that I was learning as much as possible with recording — it just really turned into a fun environment producing wonderful bluegrass music.”
“The importance of the relationship between mentor and mentee cannot be overstated. The undercurrent of the entire endeavor was the importance of continuity of culture,” Sankaran added.
“[‘Fine Tuned’] ensures [that] the rich, diverse tapestry of Western North Carolina’s artistic heritage gets reframed, revitalized, and gets carried forward into the uncertain future.”
Other mentor/mentee partnerships included Benjamin Baker and David LaMotte, Bayla Davis and Cary Fridley, and Donna Ray Norton and Josh Goforth. Collaborate partnerships included The Allen Boys w/DaShawn Hickman and Kelley Breiding, Keaw’e Bone and Jarrett Wildcat.
“The biggest takeaway was being able to produce professional music and learning what steps are needed to help me create music in a professional way,” Jones noted. “The lessons I learned from ‘Fine Tuned’ were that there are never wrong answers or ideas to creating the music that is true to you — [this project] will aid you in your musicianship and goals for your entire career.”
The “Fine Tuned” project will culminate with a full-length professionallyproduced album, which will be pressed by Citizen Vinyl in downtown Asheville. The release of the album is scheduled for later this year. There will also be a series of upcoming live concerts showcasing the artists and music created during the collaborations.
“This experience has truly helped me open my mind and musicianship into a more creative and musical space that has inspired me to possibly explore even more ways to create my own version of bluegrass music,” Jones said.
“For me, the most valuable aspect of this experience has been the ability to expand my extended family of artists that motivate and inspire me,” Sankaran added. “The energy and intention [of ‘Fine Tuned’] directed towards creating these pathways for people to connect across divides of generation and cultural diversity was transformative.”
“[‘Fine Tuned’] ensures [that] the rich, diverse tapestry of Western North Carolina’s artistic heritage gets reframed, revitalized, and gets carried forward into the uncertain future.”
Sav Sankaran and Josh Jones.
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BY KELLEY BREIDING
Iinitially received a phone call from the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, who explained the Fine Tuned project was pairing artists for a recording project, and asked if I would be interested in working with The Allen Boys (Surry County).
Having very little idea what Sacred Steel music was, and having an equally limited amount of understanding of what The Allen Boys do, I was all in.
It sounded like a musical adventure, and I was ready to try something new. The idea that we were both steeped in traditions from the same area, but didn’t really overlap before, was interesting, and I thought it could yield some interesting stuff.
My first move was to go to the church where they grew up playing and became who they are as musicians. I went down on a Sunday to the House of God Church (Mount Airy) and it was awesome from start to finish.
The band played music the entire time, whether someone was singing or just speaking, and the congregation was full of singers and people filled with joy who didn’t stay still or seated. It was really a great way to get to know the band better and get ready for the collaboration.
DaShawn Hickman of The Allen Boys.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
PAIRING
ARTISTS
PROJECT IN THEIR OWN WORDS PAIRING ARTISTS
FOR A RECORDING
FOR A RECORDING
PROJECT
“I think I got to explore different parts of my abilities and apply them in new ways through the collaboration.”
— KELLEY BREIDING
After that, we started meeting in the church to work on the music for the project. We had fun straight away. Our personalities were a great fit for enjoying the process together and we made fast friends. They were helpful to me about how to approach the music in their way, and I was also able to share my perspective with them and we all got a lot out of each other’s knowledge base.
In the end, we both played roots based, traditional music and could get things together easily, even though our genres didn’t really seem as similar as they ended up proving to be. We ended up with some great music for the recording session.
One was an original song, “Lord, I Need Your Help,” written by bassist Mitchell Fonville, which we took through many versions and tried a lot of ideas to get to the product. The song is a
very emotional and solemn one, which required DaShawn Hickman and myself to really get connected into our feelings to make it what it needed to become.
In contrast, the “Walkin’ in Jerusalem” was a joy-filled number where I played banjo and sang on my own. The fun part of that one was that they had a different approach than I was used to in the bluegrass gospel versions I had heard, and we mashed that all together into something that represents of all of us.
We were collaborators and we learned about multiple things in this experience from each other. I think I got to explore different parts of my abilities and apply them in new ways through the collaboration.
As an artist, trying new things with other artists is really an amazing opportunity — and can be a scary one to take — but I am happy to say it has
made me better as a performer and more confident about trying new things again in the future.
The project hasn’t really ended because we now have shows together and may find ourselves working more in the future. We certainly have come out of it as friends and ongoing collaborators. I would say to someone considering the Fine Tuned project to go for it — you will learn things about music and yourself that are invaluable.
Multi-instrumentalist and singer Kelley Breiding has developed a deep relationship and understanding with the old-time music of northwestern North Carolina and the communities that surround those musical traditions. Kelley is particularly noted for her clawhammer banjo playing in the famed Surry County Round Peak style and her strong singing, and she showcases these skills in several regional bands.
Kelley Breiding.
BRNHA CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPARKING THE FIRE
It was over two decades ago when Becky Anderson was walking across the bustling Pack Square in downtown Asheville, only to be approached by the late Gary Everhardt, who, at the time, was the superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
“He stopped me and said, ‘Hey, there’s this new thing the National Park Service is starting, these National Heritage Areas. And I want you to get us one,’ and then he just walked off,” Anderson recalled with a chuckle.
Back then, Anderson was transition-
ing from her position as the director of economic development for the Asheville Chamber of Commerce to a new role as the founding director for Handmade in America, and also helping develop projects for The Creative Economy.
And what Anderson and several other key leaders went to work on was the creation and implementation of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA), which celebrates 20 years in 2023. This new layer of federal designation for the 25 counties that comprise
the North Carolina mountains and foothills was added to the already robust Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail.
The BRNHA nonprofit organization preserves, cultivates and promotes the natural and cultural heritage of 25 Western North Carolina counties to benefit current and future generations. With five main areas of focus – agriculture, Cherokee, craft, music and natural heritage – BRNHA is now one of the marquee heritage entities in all of
Sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains. BILL LEA PHOTO
Western North Carolina and greater Southern Appalachia.
BRNHA began under the tutelage of AdvantageWest, an economic development organization serving Western NC. In those early years, BRNHA established a major focus on heritage tourism development and promotion for the 25-county region. In 2007, the organization became a fully functioning nonprofit and then started a partnership with the Blue Ridge Parkway at its flagship visitor center in Asheville, providing information to travelers who wanted to explore the outdoors and cultural treasures of Western NC’s small towns and communities.
Another key entity involved in the BRNHA’s development was the North Carolina Arts Council. In the late 1990s into the early 2000s, the NCAC Director of Folklife was Wayne Martin, who was also the executive director of the NCAC from 2012 to 2021. Now the executive director of the North Carolina Arts Foundation, Martin was pivotal in the early days and the continued history of the BRNHA.
“In addition to the ‘Craft Trails,’ we decided to also create the ‘Music Trails’ and ‘Cherokee Trails,’” Martin said. “These trails are a way for people visiting the area to really dig deep and find their way around this incredible cultural place that is Western North Carolina.”
Martin noted that the underlying foundation of the success of the BRNHA and its cultural trails was the sincere connection between the nonprofit organization and the local communities it serves. Input as to what was available, what was needed, and what could potentially be offered, was sought after at every turn in the ongoing process and continued growth of the BRNHA.
“The main thing was the local leadership, that desire among the people in this region to see attention brought to these cultural assets,” Martin said. “We looked at what the communities had already chosen, and there are so many venues of cultural importance — they wanted to make sure these places were preserved and perpetuated, with the [Blue Ridge National] Heritage Area a good vehicle to make that happen.”
Aside from the emphasis on the natural environment, the arts and culture of Western North Carolina, another important corner of the BRNHA is its numerous programs aimed at informing and educating the younger generations. Especially through its grants to communities program, BRNHA has supported efforts like Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) which have been enormously successful in keeping mountain music alive in the 21st Century.
“And then, we also have the ‘Fine Tuned’ program, where we’re providing seasoned mentors to emerging musicians, teaming them up and recording the work they’ve created together — we’re mentoring, we’re teaching, we’re capturing their hard work,” Anderson said.
With 20 years now in the rearview mirror, the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area stands tall and proud, and always with new projects on the horizon — one foot in tradition and a storied past, the
other in the promise and progress of tomorrow.
“The Museum of the Cherokee Indian was an early supporter of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area,” stated its Executive Director Shana Bushyhead Condill. “BRNHA’s latest cultural initiative, the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, gives us a new opportunity to amplify the Cherokee craft story in an authentic and innovative way through media coverage, networking, and training. Through intentional partnerships like ours with BRNHA, we center Cherokee voices, showcase our community of artists who are perpetuating and disrupting craft traditions, and share them with a growing audience.”
“The [Blue Ridge National] Heritage Area reminds us of our legacy, our heritage, and our role as citizens in this region,” Anderson said. “[In the last 20 years], we’ve gained respect not only in our region and our state, but nationally — [the BRNHA] got to the heart of who we are, and we keep it authentic.”
Balsam Range preforming at MerleFest. JEFF SMITH PHOTO
Doc Watson would have turned 100 in 2023.
‘HEARING A MASTER’
DOC WATSON AT 100
On March 3, 2023, the late Doc Watson would have turned 100 years young. A dazzling genius on the acoustic guitar, Watson remains an American musical institution and pillar of North Carolina culture and heritage.
“The first thing that comes to mind [about Doc Watson] is his innate soulfulness that reached out and touched people — you knew you were hearing a master,” said David Holt.
An iconic musician and storyteller in his own right, Holt befriended Watson many decades ago, ultimately perform-
ing alongside the six-string maestro from 1998 until Watson’s passing in 2012.
“Doc was in touch with his emotions and could put those feelings into his music,” Holt said. “Like any great singer, he imagined the story of the words.”
Born in Deep Gap (Watauga County) in 1923, Watson was raised in a small house in the rural countryside, the sixth of nine children. As a toddler, Watson lost his sight due to an eye infection.
“You have to remember he grew up blind and poor — it is amazing what he
accomplished,” Holt said. “Doc was one of America’s great musicians. For musicality, soulfulness, and instrumental technique, I would put him at the top of the list with other virtuosos.”
Aside from the vast accomplishments Watson achieved throughout his long and bountiful career, perhaps none was more meaningful than his creation of MerleFest in 1988. The gathering is dedicated to Watson’s son, Merle, who tragically passed away in an untimely accident.
The renowned annual gather-
(From right) David Holt and Doc Watson.
“[Doc] spent a great deal of time thinking about the words and building a story around them. Then, he would add music to complement the message of the song with his instrument and voice — it was always tasteful.”
— DAVID HOLT
ing takes place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro (Wilkes County). Each spring, MerleFest plays host to an array of marquee bluegrass, Americana, folk and country acts in front an audience of tens of thousands — and all with the memory of Doc at the heart of the event.
“Doc will be a touchstone for future generations. They’re responding to that deep soul that he delivered so naturally and powerfully,” Holt said. “There’s so much to appreciate and learn from Doc
Watson. He had it all — technique, taste, tone, and touch.”
A four-time Grammy Award winner, Holt took home the 2002 honor for “Best Traditional Folk Album” for his collaboration with Watson on the record “Legacy.” Watson himself garnered eight Grammys, including the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2004.
“[Doc] spent a great deal of time thinking about the words and building a story around them,” Holt said. “Then, he would add music to complement the
message of the song with his instrument and voice — it was always tasteful.”
Those sentiments about Watson are also shared by another guitar legend, Bryan Sutton. Hailing from Asheville and greater Buncombe County, Sutton is one of the most intricately talented players of the modern era.
A 10-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) “Guitar Player of the Year,” Sutton also took home the Grammy for “Best Coun-
Merle Watson, David Holt and Doc Watson.
try Instrumental Performance” for “Whiskey Before Breakfast” with Watson in 2007.
“Doc was this perfect blend of clear articulation and discipline, but also a very casual kind of front porch fun and ease, ultimately,” Sutton said. “And anytime I was around him, he was always extremely generous with his time, with his words to me, and always treated me like a professional — he was just a real guy, he had it all.”
While still in high school, Holt first heard Watson in 1964 on his debut album, “Doc Watson,” which was released that same year. In 1971, the two finally crossed paths at the Lavonia Bluegrass Festival in Georgia.
“His music was so authentic, heartfelt, and real,” Holt said. “I liked the way he took old traditional tunes and made them sound modern and universal — he bent traditional songs, but he never broke them.”
Touring and performing coast-tocoast with Watson, Holt got to see first-hand the legend and lore of the late great guitar hero.
“We played a festival in Golden Gate Park [in San Francisco, California] for 500,000 people — the audience stretched as far as I could see,” Holt recalled. “And yet, the two of us were able to create a rhythm that brought people in, and with an intimacy that held them.”
For Holt and Sutton, and countless other guitar players and music lovers, the life and legacy of Doc Watson will carry on far into the 21st Century and beyond — his music as timeless, influential, poignant, nurturing, and vital today as ever before.
"If you're a singer-songwriter, you can get a lot from Doc Watson. If you're a flat-picker, you can get a lot from Doc Watson,” Sutton said. “His legacy, much like with [the ‘Father of Bluegrass’] Bill Monroe, is how you can be your own artist, and how you can kind of stay true to the traditions that inform you and define you stylistically, but also be your own sound as you interpret a lot of other things, as well."
David Holt.
Bryan Sutton.
With their upcoming fifth album, “Songs of Our Grandfathers,” rising Asheville Americana/folk duo Zoe & Cloyd decided to take a different approach to this latest musical endeavor.
“For the past eight years, we’ve been focusing primarily on original songwriting, kind of our own music and interpretations,” said fiddler/vocalist Natalya Zoe Weinstein. “And, with this project, we’re going back to our musical lineages of our grandfathers.”
Those lineages at the core of the couple’s album are the klezmer and jazz stylings of Weinstein’s ancestors, and the traditional bluegrass tones of John Cloyd Miller’s grandfather, Jim Shumate, a pioneering fiddler in his own right.
“[Jim] was from Wilkes County and lived in Hickory,” Miller said. “So, we’re pulling from pieces that he recorded with Flatt & Scruggs, stuff he played with Bill Monroe, and songs that he
POPULAR DUO PAY HOMAGE TO FAMILY ROOTS ZOE & CLOYD
wrote — it’s become much more than just a heritage project.”
“[My grandfather] immigrated from Russia in 1923, and then came [to America] via Argentina because he couldn’t initially get into the United States,” Weinstein added. “And though we don’t have any recordings of my grandfather, we have all of these handwritten music notebooks of his — it’s been so fun to go through them.”
Geographically, Weinstein hails from Massachusetts, with her husband, Miller, a 12th generation North Carolinian. And as Miller was surrounded by bluegrass and mountain music as a youth raised in Southern Appalachia, Weinstein grew up playing classical violin, with her father a jazz pianist.
“Music was always around, and I was always passionate about it,” Weinstein said. “I did classical music for about 15 years, but got bored with it in college, reading notes on a page and so on. I wanted to do something different, only to fall in with folks who played bluegrass and old-time music.”
After college, Weinstein relocated to Asheville in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since finding herself in Western North Carolina.
“I fell in love with bluegrass,” Weinstein said. “The more you listen to it, the more you hear the subtleties and the power in that music.”
For Miller, as a member of Gen X, he found himself more interested in the heavier sounds of 1990s grunge and popular music early on. But it was a deep love for The Grateful Dead that led him down the rabbit hole to iconic 1970s jam-grass group Old & In The Way, featuring Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia on banjo.
“That ‘bridge moment’ came when I was home from college and hanging out with my grandfather,” Cloyd recalled. “I asked him, ‘Have you ever played ‘Pig In A Pen’? And he played it, he could [play?] everything on that record. He says, ‘Vassar Clements plays on that record, he’s a good friend of mine.’ I knew my grandfather was cool, but I didn’t know he knew all of these [music legends].”
Initially, Weinstein and Cloyd were part of Americana/roots group Red June. But, after the arrival of their daughter, they decided to venture out on their own, ultimately forming Zoe & Cloyd in 2015. From humble beginnings, the duo has toured extensively around the greater Southeast and beyond, gracing the stages of numerous legendary stages and festivals.
In 2021, Zoe & Cloyd were featured on the acclaimed PBS program “David Holt’s State of Music.” And the 2023 release of “Songs of Our Grandfathers” (Organic Records) will also signal Zoe & Cloyd’s first international gig, taking place in Northern Ireland later this year.
“Whereas I come from classical music theory and a formal background, John comes from the folk tradition of learning music by ear,” Weinstein said. “And I think because we come from different musical backgrounds, we complement each other with our skillsets and sensibilities.”
“We feel fortunate that we’re able to play music together, and to make stuff that people enjoy,” Miller added. “My grandfather didn’t have any kind of formal training on his instrument at all. And he always said to me that playing music is a gift, and he was right — it is a gift.”
Natalya Zoe Weinstein and John Cloyd Miller.
ORGANIC RECORDS PHOTOS
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA DISTINCTIONS IN TRADITIONAL MUSIC
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.
KEEP IN MIND
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.
BLUE RIDGE MUSIC TRAILS PODCAST
The “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina” podcast highlights bluegrass, old time, and other traditional music stories, performers, and venues 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 Corrie Askew of WNCW-FM.
Beginning with short and sweet three-minute episodes in seasons one and two, the popularity of the podcast warranted more content. From seasons three on, episodes have expanded to around nine-minutes long and often feature multiple musical tracks. These tracks have been assembled in a Spotify playlist called Music from Down the Road Podcast.
“Down the Road” airs biweekly on WNCW-FM (88.7) at 8:50 am on Tuesday mornings (during NPR’s Morning Edition).
Episode topics include: interviews with musicians taking part in the Fine Tuned project, behind-the-scenes recordings of influential WNC instruments, a deep dive into the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, and much more.
You can find and listen to all the episodes at blueridgemusicnc.com/listen-and-learn/down-the-roadpodcast.
COMMUNITY CONNECTOR COWEE SCHOOL
COMMUNITY CONNECTOR COWEE
SCHOOL
ARTS & HERITAGE CENTER
ARTS & HERITAGE CENTER
The better part of a century ago, a building was constructed by the federal government on a desolate stretch of road outside of Franklin. And what was ini-
“We want this place to be a hub for artists in the community, for live music, and for all kinds of programming that’s offered.”
tially a facility for the Civilian Conservation Corp is now regarded as a cultural crossroads for Macon County, in the far western corner of North Carolina.
“This is a commercial enterprise run by the local community,” said Laura Brooks, executive director of Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center. “We want this place to be a hub for artists in the community, for live music, and for all kinds of programming that’s offered.”
“It’s a community center, cultural cen-
ter, and heritage center all in one location,” added Barry Clinton, board chair/treasurer for Cowee School.
“When we started, we wanted to attract artisans that represent the culture and history of this region, and we’ve been able to evolve into where we are today.”
Once the CCC vacated the property and the structure, known as the Cowee School, it became the education epicenter for the rural mountain communities of Macon County in 1943. By the early 2000s, the school was consolidated and closed, only to be preserved and repur-
posed as the Arts & Heritage Center in 2012.
“Between the pottery school, Summer Concert Series, artisan gallery, Franklin Area Folk Festival, Cowee Christmas, and other offerings, we’re continuing the mission we set out to do — become a destination for all types of activities,” Clinton said.
Aside from the several avenues of creative pursuits mentioned, the Cowee School is also home to a shared use kitchen, farmers’ market, community garden, event space, venue for
Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center.
mountain heritage and Cherokee preservation, and recreational/fitness facilities for local residents and visitors alike.
“It’s a little isolated out here, so there’s so much that we provide to this area of the county that nobody else does,” Brooks noted. “There are no public parks up this way, so we’re the only outdoor space for a lot of people. And we hold onto that rich history of this area, too — there’s nowhere else like it.”
“And we’ve had phenomenal support, both within the county and regionally,” Clinton added. “People from all over Southern Appalachia and the Southeast come here for the classes, exhibits, and our Summer Concert Series.”
Showcasing some of the finest Americana, bluegrass and indie-folk acts on the scene today, the 2023 Summer Concert Series will host Mountain Heart, Slocan Ramblers, Chatham Rabbits, The BorderCollies, and Unspoken Tradition, and the Blue Ridge Music Trails’ Fine Tuned Concert Series.
“We’ve been able to make a name for ourselves as a viable venue for quality live music,” Clinton said. “[Haywood County bluegrass stars] Balsam Range was our first act in 2012. From there, we’ve brought in national and international touring groups, and always sprinkling in up-andcoming performers.”
Currently celebrating over a decade of successful programming and hard-forged bonds within the communities it serves, the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center continues to push ahead in its original mission of bringing people together in the name of art, history, culture, and fellowship.
“Seeing this place come alive with people and activities makes it all worth it,” Brooks said. “It’s a lot of work, and we’re always on a small budget with a lot of volunteer hours. And to see people get excited about what we’ve put all that time into? It’s really rewarding.”
BOBBY HICKS
LEGENDARY FIDDLER SAYS HE’D DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN
Atop a small mountain in a holler, in the depths of rural Madison County, is an unassuming house. A winding dirt driveway leads to the front door. Entering the mud room, there are a handful of Grammy awards glistening on a shelf in the afternoon sunshine.
“One of my Grammys is on the desk of the [Madison County] sheriff,” 89-yearold Bobby Hicks chuckled in his livingroom recliner. “He’s always treated me well, and is only a phone call away.”
Aside from the Grammys garnered
throughout his incendiary career as a renowned bluegrass and country music fiddler, Hicks’ stairwell is lined with International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and Country Music Association (CMA) honors. There are also gold and platinum record plaques acquired during his tenure with the Bluegrass Album Band, and with Ricky Skaggs.
“If I was a young man, I’d do it all over again,” Hicks said about his whirlwind life and astounding career.
Born in Newtown (Catawba County)
in 1933, Hicks was raised in a musical family. His mother played banjo. One brother took on mandolin, while two others played guitar. The four brothers eventually formed a band, with Hicks picking up fiddle to round-out the group.
“When I was nine years old, my dad brought a three-quarter sized fiddle home one night. He’d bought it from somebody for $12.50,” Hicks noted of his first acquired instrument. “So, I started messing with it, trying to learn how to play it. There were a lot of people
Bobby Hicks and Bill Monroe.
Bobby Hicks at his home in Madison County.
GARRET K. WOODWARD PHOTO
who wanted to play in town, and I’d join in the jam with them.”
By the early 1950s, Hicks had made a name for himself around the Piedmont area of North Carolina. Then, in 1954, Hicks was hired as the bass player for Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys. Known as the “Father of Bluegrass,” Monroe was in need of a bassist while
touring the Greensboro region. Hicks got the gig and became a full-time member, soon switching back to fiddle for Monroe.
“I was 21 when I went to work for [Bill Monroe]. He treated me like a son, and he always looked after me,” Hicks said. “I lived and breathed the fiddle. And I learned a lot after I went to Nashville
[with Monroe] — there were so many good fiddle players there.”
Hicks played for Monroe from 1954 to 1956 before entering the military. Two years later, in 1958, Hicks was honorably discharged and joined back up with Monroe until 1960. From there, Hicks worked with country legend Porter Wagoner. After that, there
Bobby Hicks. PAT FRANKLIN PHOTO
were a handful of stints playing around the Midwest and Montana.
“Then, I left Montana and went to Las Vegas. I walked into the Golden Nugget [casino] looking for a job,” Hicks said. “I had an empty gas tank in my car and $2 in my pocket — that was all the money I had. Walking into the Golden Nugget, [country star] Judy Lynn was in there, and she was looking for me [to play her Vegas residency].”
Lynn hired Hicks right on the spot. With another gig in his hands, Hicks and his trusty fiddle took on Las Vegas from 1963 through the early 1970s. By 1981, Skaggs asked Hicks to join his band, an invitation that led to an incredible 22-year run in the band, and all while Skaggs became a country music icon throughout the 1980s and beyond.
It was also during this time with Skaggs where Hicks was invited to be part of the immortal Bluegrass Album Band. Created as a murderers’ row of bluegrass masters, the initial group consisted of Hicks, guitarist Tony Rice, banjoist J.D. Crowe, mandolinist Doyle Lawson, and bassist Todd Phillips.
Nowadays, Hicks doesn’t venture too far from his mountaintop home. But, he will — like clockwork for the better part of the last 15 years — find himself down in nearby Marshall, a small county seat mountain town, to perform during the monthly bluegrass jam at Zuma Coffee.
“We’ve had people come to jam from all over the country,” Hicks said. “There’s even been folks from Japan, England, Italy, all over Europe — it’s a pretty special thing.”
Relaxing back into his recliner, with a slight glance over at all those glistening trophies and recognitions adorning his humble abode, Hicks can’t help but be grateful for the life he’s lived, and continues to wander — fiddle in-hand, always ready at the drop of a hat to bust out his beloved instrument for an impromptu jam.
“All I feel really good about is creating a style [of fiddle playing] that everybody likes,” Hicks said in a modest tone. “I just try to be nice to people and treat them like I would expect them to treat me. And I enjoy teaching the younger people that want to learn to play what I do.”
HAPPENINGS HAPPENINGS
FESTIVALS, CONCERT SERIES, JAM SESSIONS, MUSIC CAMPS, EXHIBITS AND MORE
Second Thursday each month, except major holidays, 6pm
Cherokee Homestead Exhibit HAYESVILLE
cccra-nc.org Daily, sunrise to sunset
Concerts
MARS HILL mhu.edu/event
Events year round, visit website
Concerts & Events at Blowing Rock Art & History Museum
BLOWING ROCK
blowingrockmuseum.org
Concerts, lectures, and installations, visit website
Concerts Ashe Civic Center WEST JEFFERSON ashecivic.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at 185 King Street BREVARD 185kingst.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 Highland Brewing Company ASHEVILLE highlandbrewing.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at J.E. Broyhill Civic Center
LENOIR broyhillcenter.com
Concerts year round, visit website
PLEASE CHECK
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.
Concerts at Muddy Creek Café & Music Hall
SPARTA muddycreekcafeandmusichall.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Concerts at Silverados
BLACK MOUNTAIN silveradoswnc.com
Concerts year round, visit website
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 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 Gem at Boojum Taproom WAYNESVILLE boojumbrewing.com
Friday & Saturday evenings, 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 townofsparta.org
Mondays 6 pm
Earl Scruggs Center: Music & Stories from the American South SHELBY earlscruggscenter.org
Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm
Fading Voices Festival ROBBINSVILLE grahamcountytravel.com/event/fading-voices
Saturday,10:00am - 4:00pm
Feed & Seed
FLETCHER
feedandseednc.com
Friday-Saturday 7:30-9:30 pm
Fiddling on the Hill Traditional Jam Session
MARS HILL
mhu.edu/event
Monthly, Tuesdays 5-7 pm
Jackson Arts Market
SYLVA
jacksonartsmarket.com
Saturday & Sunday 1 pm-5 pm
Jam Sessions at the Barber Shop
DREXEL
BlueRidgeMusicNC.com
Saturdays 10:30 am
Jimmy's Pick n Grin
ANDREWS
BlueRidgeMusicNC.com
Saturdays 7-11 pm
Jones House - Weekly Jam Session
BOONE joneshouse.org
Thursday 7:30-10 pm
Madison County Arts Council Concerts Series
MARSHALL madisoncountyarts.com
Concerts year round, visit website
Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center Concerts & Events
MAGGIE VALLEY
meadowlarkmotel.com
Events year round, visit website
Mount Airy Museum of Regional History
MOUNT AIRY northcarolinamuseum.org
Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm, visit website, May 29 - October 30 add Monday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 1 pm-5 pm
