Blue Ridge Music Center Concert - Carlene Carter & the Reed Island Rounders Tonight

July 16, 2016   Blue Ridge Music Center Concert - Carlene Carter & the Reed Island Rounders    The Blue Ridge Music Center Summer Concert Series is performed rain or shine. You are welcome to bring your own picnic basket (NO ALCOHOL please) and encouraged to bring a lawn chair. Phone ticket sales through BRPF Office end at Noon on Friday and are available online up to 12 hours before the concert. The Galax Smokehouse serves BBQ, sides and drinks at each concert. Check the website for details about the performers and concerts

Carlene Carter is the daughter of country music legends June Carter and Carl Smith. Carlene’s own career started in the late 1970s when she went to England to record her acclaimed self-titled debut album (with Graham Parker and the Rumour). She has co-written songs for Emmylou Harris (“Easy From Now On”) and The Doobie Brothers (“One Step Closer”). She came home to country in the 1990s with hits like “I Fell in Love,” “Come On Back,” “Every Little Thing,” and her own shows on VH1 and TNN. In 2014, Carlene returned even closer to home with a tribute to the timeless music of her historic family titled Carter Girl.

photos courtesy of Blue Ridge Music Center

The Reed Island Rounders are not your typical string band. Drawing from the lonesome hollers of West Virginia, the lively traditions of Kentucky’s fiddlers, Blue Ridge Mountain styles, and now the North Carolina sounds from Round Peak to the Piedmont, the Rounders weave archaic with sophisticated, soulful with foot-stomping, and romantic with down-to-earth. Since 1993, when Billy Cornette (guitar and vocals) and Betty Vornbrock (fiddle and vocals) teamed up to compete at fiddler’s conventions, the band has been sharing foot-stomping dance tunes, romantic waltzes, chilling ballads and more with audiences. Kirk Sutphin (banjo and fiddle) rounds out the band.

The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at 700 Foothills Road in Galax, VA at Milepost 213 on The Blue Ridge Parkway, Just north of Boone NC

Blue Ridge Music Center Summer Concerts in Full Swing Featuring the Church Sisters this Weekend

July 25, 2015 Blue Ridge Music Center Concert - The Church Sisters and Pike City Bluegrass. Musical phenoms The Church Sisters and Pike City Bluegrass take the stage this Saturday. These young groups have been heavily influenced by the fertile musical heritage of the Galax area (Grayson and Carroll counties), and are carrying forward those living musical traditions while adapting them with unique and youthful spins.

Twin 18-year-old sisters Savannah and Sarah Church of Galax are known for their angelic, tradition-steeped Blue Ridge Mountain harmonies. They are backed by a band featuring some of the region's best instrumentalists, including guitarist Josh Pickett (No Speed Limit), mandolinist Spencer Strickland (Kenny & Amanda Smith Band, Virginia Luthiers Band), and bassist Jacob Eller (No Speed Limit, Sierra Hull).

photo courtesy of the Blue Ridge Music Center

The Church Sisters are featured in great company with Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, and Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers on the recently released double-disc Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited. The albums are a recreation of the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions, often described as the "Big Bang of Country Music," when the Carter Family and Jimmy Rodgers were first discovered. Click here to read about The Church Sisters in Relish entertainment magazine.

Pike City Bluegrass is a group of young adults from Hillsville who love to pick a variety of music from bluegrass to new grass to gospel. The band is comprised of Karissa Hayden on bass and lead vocals, Becca Miller on fiddle, Tony Hicks on guitar, and Zeb Hicks on banjo. Pike City's accomplishments include first place at the Fries Fiddlers Convention and fourth place at the Galax Old Fiddler's Convention. The group has opened for The Travelers at the Blue Ridge Film Festival at the Historic Buchanan Theatre in Virginia and Ralph Stanley 2 at the Historic Rex Theatre in Galax.

The Blue Ridge Music Center Summer Concert Series is performed rain or shine. You are welcome to bring your own picnic basket (NO ALCOHOL (please) and encouraged to bring a lawn chair. Phone ticket sales through BRPF Office end at Noon on Friday and are available online up to 12 hours before the concert. The Galax Smokehouse serves BBQ, sides and drinks at each concert. Check the website for details about the performers and concerts.

The Blue Ridge Music Center Presents Della Mae Live Concert

June 13, 2015     Blue Ridge Music Center Concert - Della Mae with Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer    The Blue Ridge Music Center Summer Concert Series is performed rain or shine. You are welcome to bring your own picnic basket (NO ALCOHOL please) and encouraged to bring a lawn chair. 

Phone ticket sales through BRPF Office end at Noon on Friday and are available online up to 12 hours before the concert. The Galax Smokehouse serves BBQ, sides and drinks at each concert. Check the website for details about the performers and concerts

The Blue Ridge Music Center was established by the U.S. Congress in 1997, with support from The National Council for the Traditional Arts, The Music Center includes an outdoor amphitheater, an indoor interpretive center/theater, and The Roots of American Music, a FREE interactive, and entertaining, exhibition highlighting the historical significance of the region’s music.

Blue Ridge Music Center Final Concerts for 2014

October 4, 2014 at 4 PM - The Harris Brothers   and  Kitty Amaral and The Stray Cats.  The Harris Brothers are what you might call songsters. They can draw from a vast repertoire of American traditional music - "Americana" is often used to describe their style, but the Harris Brothers just call it music. Their sound is heavily influenced by traditional blues and Appalachian mountain music, jazz, country, and rock n' roll. No matter what the Harris Brothers play, be it originals or old favorites, they have a special way of making the music their own; it's stripped down, intense, and real, with no gimmicks.

Reggie and Ryan Harris were born into a musical family in the foothills of western North Carolina and have been playing and singing since they were children. For the last 17 or so odd years they have honed their skills as a duo, performing everywhere from honkytonks to popular festival stages. They most often perform with just an acoustic guitar, a bass, vocals and an old suitcase used for a kickdrum, with Reggie sometimes switching to fiddle, banjo, or electric guitar.

Kitty Amaral began fiddling at age five in Southwestern Virginia. She formed the band "Kitty & the Stray Cats" with her mentors in Old-Time Music in recent years. She has a unique collection of songs and tunes ranging from Southwestern Virginia and the Carolina Appalachians to Oklahoma, Ozarks, and beyond. The band includes; Donna Correll on bass, Kyle Dean Smith on banjo and Harrol Blevins on guitar with occasional guest artists on the mandolin. The band shares unique songs and tunes which may otherwise be lost from recent repertoire lists, as well as many favorites still popular today.

October 11 at 4 PM - The Steep Canyon Rangers  and  The New Spring Valley Boys.  You won't want to miss The Blue Ridge Music Center's 2014 Concert Season Finale with Grammy Award Winning Bluegrass Group The Steep Canyon Rangers and guests, The New Spring Valley Boys. 

Come early for a special Pre-Show Music and Mingle Artist Reception sponsored by Creek Bottom Brews of Galax. The Pre-Show Reception will be held in the breezeway of the Music Center beginning at 2 PM. Only 100 tickets will be sold for the Pre-Show Reception, so be sure to get yours early.

• Pre-Show Music Mingle Artist Reception will feature beer (provided by Galax VA's own Creek Bottom Brews), wine, and heavy hors d'oeuvres. All included with ticket purchase price. 

• Tickets for the Pre-Show Music-Mingle Artist Reception are $50 (includes a reserve seat at the concert) and are on sale now. For tickets call the offices of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation at # 866-308-2773 x 245. 

• Individual concert tickets are $20. 

• Ticket Package (Concert Ticket + Pre-Show Reception Ticket ) is $50.

• Concert tickets can be purchased through the online website box office www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org/10-11.htm or by calling the offices of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation at # 866-308-2773 x 245.

The Steep Canyon Rangers are an American bluegrass band from Brevard, North Carolina. In 2013 their album Nobody Knows You won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. The previous year, their 2012 collaboration with Steve Martin, Rare Bird Alert, was nominated for the same award.

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awarded Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers Entertainer of the Year in 2011. In 2008, the band received nominations from the IBMA for Album of the Year and Gospel Performance of the Year. The Steep Canyon Rangers have been nominated for the 2014 IBMA Awards, this time in the Instrumental Record Performance of the Year category, for the song "Graveyard Fields," written by mandolin player Mike Guggino, from the bands most recent album release Tell The Ones I Love. The Steep Canyon Rangers recently partnered with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and Bonesteel Films to protect Graveyard Fields, one of the Blue Ridge Parkway's most treasured spots.  

The Asheville-based bluegrass band and the film company have created a public service video to help the foundation with its fundraising efforts to complete an improvement project at Graveyard Fields, located at Parkway Milepost 418 near Asheville and Brevard, as well as other projects along the Parkway. The PSA appears online at www.brpfoundation.org/GraveyardFields.

The band's instrumental, "Graveyard Fields," accompanies scenes of the spot along the parkway. The band's mandolin player, Mike Guggino, wrote the song for the groups' latest album, Tell The Ones I Love.

The Blue Ridge Music Center is operated by The National Park Service, and the Music Center's programming is coordinated through a partnership with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.  The Music Center is located north of Boone NC at Milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, 700 Foothills Road in Galax VA.

Blue RIdge Music Center Presents the Carolina Chocolater Drops

June 20, 2014   Blue Ridge Music Center Concert Carolina Chocolate Drops & The Amigos With their 2010 Nonesuch debut, Genuine Negro Jig, which garnered a Best Traditional Folk Album Grammy the Carolina Chocolate Drops proved that the old-time, fiddle and banjo-based music they’d so scrupulously researched and passionately performed could be a living, breathing, ever-evolving sound.

The Amigos deliver foot-stomping, accordion-infused Americana music blending folk-rock, zydeco/cajun, and jazz. 7 PM. $10 for adults, Children 12 and under free. For info on all shows and tickets call: (276) 236-5309 x112 or purchase online.

The Blue Ridge Music Center is located just north of Boone in Galax VA.

Bluegrass Gospel at The Blue RIdge Music Center

August 24 at The Blue Ridge Music Center - Two bluegrass gospel-bands, the Gospel Plowboys and Travis Frye and Blue Mountain, take the stage at the Center.  

Travis Frye and Blue Mountain is a multi-generational bluegrass band that honors the Appalachian roots of the music while adding a modern twist. With members spanning from North Carolina to South Carolina, the band incorporates spirited fiddle and banjo tunes along with modern selections from country, bluegrass, and gospel traditions, as well as original material.
The band has performed on historic radio and television shows such as The Merry-Go-Round in Mount Airy, North Carolina, the Blueridge Backroads in Galax, Virginia, and PBS's Song of the Mountains in Marion, Virginia. They have also had the honor of playing for the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway at Appalachian State University and the Blue Ridge Music Center. Members include Kernersville's Travelin' Travis Frye, host for The Afternoon Show on WPAQ radio, on guitar, Hunter Motts of Spartanburg, SC, on banjo, Henry Mabe of Walnut Cove, NC, on fiddle, Mount Airy's Tim Frye, host of Mountain Morning and Mountain Midday on WPAQ radio, on mandolin, and Renee Martin of Belews Creek, NC on bass.


The Gospel Plowboys are a bluegrass-gospel group that is dedicated to spreading the gospel through their music. Based out of Safe Harbor Baptist Church, in Salisbury, NC, Pastor Rick Perry has been a guiding mentor since the very conception of the group. The Gospel Plowboys include: David Murph on mandolin, vocals, John Goodson - banjo, Michael Jenkins - guitar, vocals, David Brown - guitar, vocals and Andrew Brown - bass, guitar, vocals.  The band's musicianship and three or four-part harmonies singing stand out but it is their conviction and sincerity that really shines through during their gospel performances.


The Bluegrass Gospel concert starts at 7 PM on Saturday. Gates open at 5:30 PM and tickets are $10 with Children 12 and under free. All ticket sales support the daily free programs and non-profit traditional music concert series. Advance tickets are available at the Blue Ridge Music Center, Barrs Fiddle Shop, the Galax Visitor Center, online or by calling (276) 236-5309 x112.

The Blue Ridge Music Center has mainstage concerts through September 15th in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak. Check the website for a schedule. Also enjoy free Mid Day Mountain Music 12-4 PM daily and the free Roots of American Music museum open 10 AM-5 PM daily.

Concerts are made possible with the support of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Service. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway only 10 miles from Galax, Virginia and 20 miles from Mount Airy, North Carolina. Music Center hours: 10 AM-5 PM everyday. Bring a picnic, folding chairs, your friends and the whole family! No alcohol or pets. Smokehouse BBQ available on concert nights. 

Glorious Gospel this Weekend at The Blue Ridge Music Center

June 29      Blue Ridge Music Center: GLORIOUS GOSPEL - The Primitive Quartet / The Easter Brothers & The Easter Family. This afternoon concert provides a rare opportunity to hear two of the most renowned and respected gospel groups singing songs of soul-stirring praise together on the same stage.

Both the Primitive Quartet and the Easter Brothers have been singing for over forty years. Plus the younger generation of the Easter Family will prove they too are blessed with extraordinary musical gifts. Gospel singing workshop (mainstage) with the Primitive Quartet 2pm.

Learn how they write songs, create harmonies and sing with them. Free with concert ticket. Bring the whole family to this special all-gospel event. 3 PM - 7 PM.  $15 for adults, Children 12 and under free. For info on all shows and tickets call: (276) 236-5309 x112 or purchase online.

Blue Ridge Music Center Presents The Kruger Brothers and Buckstankle Boys

June 22  - Back by popular demand at the Blue Ridge Music Center: The Kruger Brothers and Buckstankle Boys.  Raised in Switzerland, but with a large, loyal following of fans in the United States, the Kruger Brothers will bring their all-star group to perform the Hot Pickers Concert at the Blue Ridge Music Center this Saturday.

The concert also includes the award-winning Mt. Airy stringband the Buckstankle Boys. Jens and Uwe Kruger have performed as an acoustic group worldwide for more than 30 years on guitar and banjo, embracing a wide range of styles. About a decade ago they were joined by bassist Joel Landsberg to form the acoustic trio known as the Kruger Brothers.

Their virtuoso playing and warm stage presence makes their music uniquely special which is why the Kruger Brothers are one of the most popular, acoustic performing groups in the nation. Their musical makeup is diverse and comprises individual tastes, classical European musical influences, and a love of the American spirit. Combined, the result is what can only be described as new American music.

The Buckstankle Boys are steeped in rich, local bluegrass and old-time traditions. On this night the group will feature Andy Edmonds on fiddle/vocals, Seth Boyd on banjo/vocals, Todd Hiatt on guitar and Chloe Mylet on bass. The Buckstankle Boys learned their bluegrass/old-time music from some of the best older generation players in the Blue Ridge. This band's powerful sound will show their musical mountain heritage is in good hands.

The Hot Pickers concert starts at 7 PM and doors open at 5:30 PM. Tickets: $15. Children 12 and under are free. All ticket sales support the daily free programs and non-profit traditional music concert series. Advance tickets are available at the Blue Ridge Music Center, Barrs Fiddle Shop, the Galax Visitor Center, online at www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org or by calling (276) 236-5309 x112.

Memorial Day Weekend Events: The Blue Ridge Music Center opens for the 2013 Season

May 25 - The Blue Ridge Music Center will kick-off the 2013 Summer Concert Series on Memorial Day Weekend in Galax, just north of Mount Airy and Boone NC.

"For centuries, music-making has been a big part of family life in the Blue Ridge and these traditions passed down from one generation to the next," says Erynn Marshall Program manager for the Blue Ridge Music Center. Family music, along with support from local music teachers and programs like JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) that provide after school music programs, have fostered a vibrant music scene in Galax and other nearby communities. Many local children and teens are very accomplished players, compete in fiddlers conventions and win many awards for their musical gifts. The Blue Ridge Music Center will be celebrating this cultural heritage on May 25th, when many of the region's remarkable young musicians will be showcased in special events at TradFest.

Enjoy a fun-filled afternoon of events including an instrument petting zoo (please touch the instruments), a kids' singing and art workshop, jamming and a 3 PM concert featuring some of the best youth bands and musicians in the Blue Ridge including: the New Spring Valley Boys, Old-Grass, Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) and other guests. "We'll even teach you how to square dance so bring the whole family for this exciting day of music and show your support for these wonderful young artists who are the next generation of great mountain musicians. You might even be inspired to take up playing an instrument yourself." states Erynn.

Detailed Schedule of  TRADFEST! Events:

Youth Jam (breezeway) 12-2:30 PM.  All welcome, including the young at heart. Free
 
Instrument Petting Zoo - 12-5 PM.Try out a variety of stringed instruments for fun and get tips on how to play from musicians from the Blue Ridge Music Makers Guild. Free.

Crankie Ballad Workshop

Elizabeth LaPrelle

(classroom) 1:30-2:30pm. Crankies are artwork on scrolls that you can wind to tell the story of a song or tune. Kids will have great fun with this creative art project and get to sing at the same time with Anna Roberts-Gevalt and Elizabeth LaPrelle. Free. Reserve in advance.

Trad-is-Rad Youth Concert and Squaredance: New Spring Valley Boys / Old Grass / Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM). (mainstage) 3 pm. Children 12 and under are free. Tickets $5.

 
Concerts are made possible with the support of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Service. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway only 10 miles from Galax, Virginia and 20 miles from Mount Airy, North Carolina. Music Center hours: 10am-5pm open everyday after May 23rd. Bring a picnic, folding chairs, your friends and the whole family! No alcohol or pets. Smokehouse BBQ available on concert nights. The Blue Ridge Music Center has mainstage concerts every weekend through August in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak. Also enjoy free Mid Day Mountain Music 12-4 PM daily and the free Roots of American Music museum.

 

James King Homecoming at the Blue Ridge Music Center

August 5 - Bluegrass fans will be glad to hear of the James King Homecoming at the Blue Ridge Music Center, featuring the James King Band and the Cana Ramblers. This Sunday evening concert at the Music Center will kick off a great week of music at the Old Fiddler's Convention in Galax.

 Virginia native, James King, grew up in Carroll County -- one of the most fertile breeding grounds for bluegrass and old-time musicians. Known for singing such bluegrass and country classics as "30 Years of Farming," "Saginaw Michigan," and "Carroll County Accident," King has gained national recognition.

As a young man James began to take the music seriously, particularly the music of his fellow Virginians, the Stanley Brothers and banjoist, Ted Lundy, whose raw and heartfelt brand of bluegrass exerted a particularly strong influence on his music. King went on to perform and record with many bluegrass musicians of note including: T.J. & Bobby Lundy, Dudley Connell, Don Rigsby, Joe Mullins, Glen Duncan and others. King now resides in Danville, Virginia with his wife Julie but this special concert at the Blue Ridge Music Center on Sunday, August 5th, will bring him home to Carroll County.

Local, family-band favorite, the Cana Ramblers, will kick of the show. The Cana Ramblers include: flatpicking guitar phenom, Will Jones, talented sisters Laura Leigh and Ashley on vocals, mando and bass along with father/songwriter, Phillip on vocals and guitar. Rick Allred rounds out the group on mandolin and dobro.

Your whole family will enjoy this concert that will honor and celebrate the music from Cana, Virginia.

The James King Homecoming Concert starts at 7pm on Sunday, August 5th. Concert seating opens at 5:30pm. Admission $10/ $8 students & seniors. Children 12 and under are free.

Bring lawn chairs and the whole family. Picnics welcome. Smokehouse BBQ available. No pets or alcohol.

For info call (276) 236-5309 x112. Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, Barr's Fiddle Shop, online,  and at the gate.

As always, there will also be free Mid Day Mountain Music in the BRMC breezeway from 12-4pm and the free Roots of American Music museum will be open 9am-8pm on this concert night.

The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak.

A Musical Tribute to Patrick County at The Blue Ridge Music Center

July 28 at The Blue Ridge Music Center: Patrick County, Virginia, is famous for its deep-rooted musical traditions. You'll understand why when you hear these two outstanding bands: The Slate Mountain Ramblers and the Country Boys.

 

As always, there will also be free Mid Day Mountain Music in the BRMC breezeway from 12-4 PM and the free Roots of American Music museum will be open 9 AM-8 PM on this concert night.

  Decades of playing music together creates a special sound that is evident when you hear this Patrick County family band, The Slate Mountain Ramblers. The popular stringband, featuring fiddler, Richard Bowman, has long been a staple both at fiddlers' conventions and dances in the northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia area.

Fueled by Richard's energetic, traditional fiddling, and backed up by daughter Marcia's rock-solid, clawhammer banjo and wife Barbara's driving bass, the Slate Mountain Ramblers provide the perfect elements for a square dance; good rhythm and great old-time tunes. They've won their share of blue ribbons too - as a group, on their instruments and for flatfoot dancing. They even call square dances while they perform! The Slate Mountain Ramblers formed 30 years ago.

Members have changed over time, but for the last 20 years the band formation has been primarily the Bowman family with additional musical support from guitarist, Ted Ashe. This stringband has performed in England, Austria, and across the US but they are best known as a mainstay of the dance and festival culture locally here within the region. Dance boards will be out for the dancers!
 
The Country Boys are one the best kept secrets from Patrick County. The group has been playing bluegrass and gospel for over 35 years at fiddlers' conventions, festivals, churches and porches along the Virginia/North Carolina line. Great vocal harmonies and fine musicianship are their trademark. The Country Boys consist of Johnny Joyce on guitar, Tim Bowman on banjo, J.A. Midkiff on fiddle, Kevin Easter on mandolin and Donald Clifton on bass. Come hear why local folks think this group is one of the best in the Blue Ridge.

The Patrick County Tribute concert starts at 7 PM. Concert seating opens at 5:30 PM. Admission $8/ $5 students and seniors. Children 12 and under are free. Bring lawn chairs and the whole family. Picnics welcome. Smokehouse BBQ available. No pets or alcohol.

For info call (276) 236-5309 x112. Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, Barr's Fiddle Shop, online at www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org and at the gate. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak.

Family Gospel Picnic at The Blue Ridge Music Center

July 22  the Blue Ridge Music Center will celebrate faith and sacred music at the Family Gospel Picnic from 2pm-5pm.

This special all-gospel event will feature three of the best gospel groups from the Blue Ridge including Virginia groups: The Good Shepherd Quartet from Pennington Gap, and The Church Sisters (7 member band), from Danville. The Moose Family from Lowgap, North Carolina will provide song-sheets and lead the audience in a gospel sing-a-long at 2pm. Plus, there will also be free Mid Day Mountain Music in the Blue Ridge Music Center breezeway from 12-4pm and the free Roots of American Music museum will be open 9am-5pm.

The Good Shepherd Quartet began as an a cappella  group in the early 80's. They sing an older Appalachian Style of gospel music including rich, four-part harmony and complex vocal arrangements. Although some members have changed, the Good Shepherd Quartet has kept sacred music alive for thirty years as they traveled over much of the eastern United States to deliver their "old" style of music. They have performed in many churches, festivals and other venues including two performances at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. The Good Shepherd Quartet have been featured in several magazine articles including "Precious Memories" and "BlueGrass Unlimited", and books such as "The Crooked Road", a history of music.

Originally from the coal mining area of Dickenson County, Virginia, the Church Sisters, twins Sarah and Savannah Church, along with their brother/guitarist, Seth Church, formed a band in 2007 after the sisters won a WAKG talent competition. Since that time, the group has recorded two CDs and has been busy performing in churches, theaters and festivals across the US. The Church Sisters have performed with Rhonda Vincent, the Isaacs, Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Tony Rice and others. Their brand new album, There's You (July 2012), features seasoned pickers, Josh Pickett, Adam Steffey and Jenee Fleenor. Once you hear the Church Sisters powerful and beautiful vocals on gospel songs you will want to hear them again and again.
 
 The Moose Family is an old-time gospel family singing group from Lowgap, NC. The family learned to sing from their father, David Moose, who was a singer and instrument maker. Sometimes the group sings with guitar accompaniment but they also sing a cappella. The Moose family has performed across Virginia and have made many recordings.
 
The Family Gospel Picnic concert starts at 3 PM and concert seating opens at 12:30 PM. There will be a 2 PM gospel sing-a-long with the Moose Family (free with concert ticket). Admission $10/ $5 students and seniors. Children 12 and under are free. Bring lawn chairs and the whole family. Picnics welcome. Smokehouse BBQ available

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No pets or alcohol. For info call (276) 236-5309 x112. Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, Barr's Fiddle Shop, online at www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org and at the gate. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak.

Blue Ridge Music Center Features Appalachian Songsmiths

July 14 - For the first time, the Blue Ridge Music Center will host a special concert to feature renowned southern songwriters.

Larry Cordle

Larry Cordle was born and raised on a small family farm in eastern Kentucky. While a young child he was introduced to bluegrass, country, and gospel music, by his great-grandfather who played banjo, fiddle and danced. "It was our escape into another world, something we grew up with and looked so forward to, " says Cordle. Likely it is these early years that helped shape the great musician and songwriter that was to come who grew up in the same neighborhood as friend and multi-instrumentalist, Ricky Skaggs.

Most well-known for his hit song "Murder on Music Row," about the death of traditional country music, Larry Cordle knows how to masterfully weave his mountain upbringing and the virtues and vices of the common man into a song. Larry's songs have a raw sincerity and represent down-to-earth mountain people, their values and way of life in the South. His deep voice and relaxed presence on stage combined with an all-star group of pickers, (nominated twice for grammy's), has made this band very popular.

Cordle's songs have also been appreciated and recorded by well known bluegrass & country artists including Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Diamond Rio, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins and many others.

Also a part of the Appalachian Songsmiths concert is "Lady of Tradition," Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road whose songs keep climbing the bluegrass charts but are even better live.

 The band's distinct sound and old time flair can be attributed to bluegrass-rich area of North Carolina from which they hail and borrow their name. Carolina Road's performance is a hard driving traditional sound with invigorating instrumentals and smooth blending vocals. The band recently released their second album,Back to My Roots, on Rural Rhythm Records.

Prior to the concert will be a special performance-talk on the "Craft of Songwriting" (small theater) featuring both bands. Limited seating. $5 or Free with concert ticket. 5pm. Call (276) 236-5309 x112 to reserve seating.

The Appalachian Songsmiths concert starts at 7 PM. Concert seating opens at 5:30 PM. Admission $12/ $10 students & seniors. Children 12 and under are free. Bring lawn chairs. Picnics welcome. Smokehouse BBQ will be available.

For info call (276) 236-5309 x112. Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, Barr's Fiddle Shop, online at  and at the gate.

Come early and enjoy the free, new museum, the Roots of American Music. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak.

Blue Ridge DanceFest­ at the Blue Ridge Music Center

 July 7  : Blue Ridge DanceFest­   Celebrate the holiday weekend with two great old-time stringbands and some of the best flatfoot dancers from Virginia and North Carolina!  Whether you love to dance or just prefer to watch, you won't want to miss the Independence holiday weekend concert on July 7th. This show, dedicated to mountain dance traditions, is perfect for the whole family with quality entertainment and music for both the young and young at heart.

Award winning flatfoot dancers: Eddie Bond, C.T. Janning, Phil Jamison, Williette Hinton and Anna Roberts-Gevalt from Virginia and North Carolina will converge at the Blue Ridge Music Center to show their best moves along with two of the most popular old-time stringbands: The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters and Mountain Park Old-Time Band - providing the best traditional dance music a dancer can dream of.

Come early and enjoy the free 5 PM dance showcase in the BRMC small theater (phone to reserve seating) and learn some dance steps yourself at Phil Jamison's 6pm flatfoot dance workshop, (free with concert ticket-all levels welcome).

The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters are well known for their high-energy dance tunes and fiddler, Eddie Bond's soaring vocals. The NBBB have won the prestigious first place old-time band prize at the Old Fiddlers' Convention in Galax several times, have played across the US and appeared as special guests at numerous festivals including the Smithsonian Folk-Life Festival at the Library of Congress. Mountain Park Old-Time Band always pleases the crowd with their driving fiddle and banjo tunes. This local group can often be found at Fiddlers' Conventions and rural dancehalls throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Blue Ridge Dance Traditions concert starts at 7 PM on Saturday, July 7th. Seating opens at 5:30 PM. Admission $5. Children 12 and under are free. Bring your lawn chairs and Picnics welcome, with Smokehouse BBQ available as usual. What better way is there to celebrate the holiday than to be with your friends and family at the foot of beautiful Fishers Peak enjoying and supporting traditional music and dance?  

For info call (276) 236-5309 x112. Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, online at  and at the gate. Come early and enjoy the free, new museum, the Roots of American Music.  The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak.

The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of Boone in Galax VA.

Larry Sparks and The Lonesome Ramblers at the Blue Ridge Music Center

Larry Sparks

June 30, 7 PM - Renowned bluegrass singer  and guitar player, Larry Sparks & the Lonesome Ramblers, return to Galax for a concert at the Blue Ridge Music Center on Saturday.

Sparks has been at the forefront of the bluegrass scene for over 50 years, since he joined the Stanley Brothers in 1964. He was the first to sing with Ralph Stanley after Carter Stanley's death in 1966. During his time with Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, Sparks performed on the original versions of now bluegrass-standards: Sharecroppers Son, Going Home to Live in Green Pastures and other notable songs.

A few years later, Larry Sparks went on to create his own band the Lonesome Ramblers. Well known as a great songwriter, as well as an award winning vocalist/musician, Larry Sparks penned many hit songs over the decades including: John Deere Tractor, Blue Virginia Blue, I Want to Thank You Lord, A Face in the Crowd and others.  Sparks has received several IBMA awards including Male Vocalist of the Year (twice), and Album of the Year / Recorded Event of the Year with his album "Larry Sparks 40," featuring several artists such as Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs, Tom T. Hall.

His brand new release "Almost Home," on Rounder records, is currently nominated for Album of the Year. Sparks has also been honored with an induction into the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame. In Alison Krauss' words, "Larry Sparks is bluegrass music's Ray Charles, no one can touch him. He is an absolute original."
 

The Buckstankle Boys

Opening up the concert will be the Buckstankle Boys from Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Featuring Andy Edmonds on fiddle, Wes Clifton on guitar/vocals, Seth Boyd on banjo and Todd Hiatt on mandolin, the Buckstankle Boys are a vibrant traditional stringband who learned their bluegrass/old-time music from some of the best older generation players in the Blue Ridge.
 
 The concert starts at 7pm, Saturday June 30. Seating opens at 5:30pm. Tickets are $12 or $10 for students and seniors. Children 12 and under are free. For info call (276) 236-5309 x112. Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, online at www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org and at the gate.

Come early and enjoy the free, new museum, the Roots of American Music. Bring lawn chairs. Picnics welcome. Smokehouse BBQ available. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. north of Boone NC. The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak (only 10 miles from Galax).

The Blue Ridge Music Center - Bluegrass Music for 6-9-12

June 9   Blazing Blue Ridge Bands at the Blue Ridge Music Center Country Bluegrass with Don Rigsby / Whitetop Mountain Band -­ Acclaimed singer/instrumentalist, Don Rigsby joins local supergroup Big Country Bluegrass for an unforgettable night of music. Jump-starting the evening and the flatfoot dancing is favorite old-time group, the Whitetop Mountain Band. 7pm. $12/$10 students & seniors Children 12 & under free. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located Just north of Boone in Galax VA.

Two of the most popular bluegrass and old-time bands in the Blue Ridge will deliver one of the hottest shows of the season this Saturday. Big Country Bluegrass is renowned for their traditional bluegrass sound, old country songs, barn-burner instrumentals and powerful stage presence. They have a strong following of fans everywhere they go as a result. They have joined forces with the legendary Kentucky singer and multi-instrumentalist, Don Rigsby, from the band Midnight Call. Back by popular demand on the same show, is Whitetop Mountain Band. Dancers of all ages will not be able to resist the driving rhythm of this renowned stringband. And Emily and Martha Spencer’s soaring vocals on bluesy and traditional old-time songs will fill you with mountain spirit.

Blue Ridge Music Center Opens its 2012 Season

Harold Mitchell

June 1   WBOB "Afternoon Jamboree" Reunion at the Blue Ridge Music Center - Radio host Harold Mitchell and musical friends reprise this popular live radio show on the BRMC stage. “Afternoon Jamboree” featured some of the man time, bluegrass, and gospel musicians during its 30+ year run on Galax’s WBOB AM. 3pm.

$10 admission, $5 students and seniors, children 12 and under free. The Blue Ridge Music Center in located Just north of Boone NC in Galax VA.