Mountain Music: Live Concerts in the Mountains this Weekend

Date:       August 18, 2016
NC City:  HENDERSONVILLE
Event:     Rhythm & Brews Concert Series   Held in the Azalea Parking Lot along King Street the music starts at 5 PM with headline acts from 7 PM - 9 PM.  FREE event but seating space is limited.  Beer, wine and food will be available.

Date:       August 18 - 20, 2016
NC City:   MARION
Event:      41st Annual NC State Bluegrass Festival   Featuring dozens of bluegrass musicians.. Tickets are available at the gate or in advance by calling 706-864-7203. The event is held  "rain or shine" with performances under covered pavilion. The cafe will be serving breakfast and lunch, with hot food and other concessions also available. Bring your lawn chairs - no alcohol, smoking or pets in the performance area.

Date:      August 19, 2016
NC City:  BREVARD
Event:     Brevard Music Center Presents:  An Evening with Gillian Welch. Gillian Welch, along with partner and collaborator Dave Rawlings, blends bluegrass, Americana, and Appalachian roots music to create a singular and unforgettable sound. Produced in collaboration with Mountain Song Productions.

Date:      August 19, 2016
NC City:  CASHIERS 
Event:     Groovin' On The Green   This concert features " Julie Gribble " .  Live summer music concert with great music in a stunning venue in the beautiful weather. The summer concert series is held on Friday at 6:30 pm at the Village Commons. (Frank Allen Road – Next to the Post Office). FREE event, but tips appreciated. 

Date:      August 19 and 20, 2016
NC City:  CHEROKEE
Event:     Music on the River   Open-air musical performances by the river Friday and Saturday evenings in downtown Cherokee. Performances include rock n’ roll, blues, jazz, gospel and country, and are staged near local eateries, shopping, and downtown water features with room to dance along.

Date:      August 19, 2016
NC City:  ASHEVILLE
Event:     Downtown After Five   Free live music entertainment in downtown Asheville.  The celebration is every third Friday, May through September, with the goal of encouraging locals and visitors to enjoy downtown Asheville and support local businesses and entertainers.  The event is located on North Lexington Avenue (between Hiawassee and the I-240 overpass). Food and beer vendors will be available

Date:      August 19, 2016
NC City:  WEST JEFFERSON  
Event:     Backstreet Park Summer Concert Series in West Jefferson   Free annual summer concert series held every 3rd and 4th Friday at the Ashe County Farmers Market. The best homegrown, homemade and handmade items in the High Country can be found at the Market, open every Saturday from 8:00 AM until 2:00 PM  May through October.  

Date:      August 19, 2016
NC City:  CASHIERS 
Event:     Groovin' On The Green   This concert features " Porch 40 "   Live summer music concert with great music in a stunning venue in the beautiful weather. The summer concert series is held on Friday at 6:30 pm at the Village Commons. (Frank Allen Road – Next to the Post Office). FREE event, but tips appreciated. 

Date:      August 19 - 20, 2016
NC City:  LAKE LURE
Event:    Dirty Dancing Festival  A dance and music festival for all ages celebrating the classic American movie filmed in Lake Lure, NC. Fans can relive their favorite "Dirty Dancing" moments with a film screening, live music, dance performances and lessons, special guests, games and more. Fans from more than 24 states and two foreign countries have attended previous festivals.

Date:      August 20, 2016
NC City:  TODD
Event:     Todd's Free Summer Music Concert Series   6 - 8 PM The Tiller performs. A FREE summer music series in historic Todd, NC. The series has become a tradition in Todd over the last decade and features some of the best known musicians in the region and a range of musical genres from blues to bluegrass to country. Bring a blanket, a chair and your family and friends.

Date:      August 20, 2016
NC City:  Just north of Boone in Galax VA
Event:     Blue Ridge Music Center Concert - The Church Sisters & Larry Sigmon & Martha Spencer    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 Church Sisters & Larry Sigmon & Martha Spencer

 Date:      August 20, 2016
NC City:  ROBBINSVILLE
Event:     An Appalachian Evening - Jeff Little Trio    This annual summer concert series offers an ever-changing schedule of bluegrass, folk and old-time mountain music by award-winning artists — quality entertainment for the entire family. Rich in cultural heritage, An Appalachian Evening continues to be a favorite with locals and visitors alike. All concerts at 7:30 pm in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium.  

Date:      August 20, 2016
NC City:  ASHEVILLE
Event:    Shindig on the Green   Held outdoors at Pack Square Park in the heart of downtown Asheville, this FREE event  was voted the #1 Local Outdoor Concert in the Mountain Xpress "Best of WNC" survey for four years. Bring your instruments, your lawn chair or blanket, family and friends and join the fun eight summer Saturdays. Performances include Long-standing house band The Stoney Creek Boys Bluegrass and Old-Time String Bands, Big Circle Mountain Dancers, Clog Dancers, Smooth Dancers, Ballad Singers and Storytellers. If you love old time Mountain music and Bluegrass this is the place to be

  

Melange in the Mountains Event: The Classic Wineseller Music and WIne

The Classic Wineseller, 20 Church Street in downtown Waynesville NC, will be participating in the 2014 Melange in the Mountains with the following events:


DAILY WINE TASTINGS

April 10 - The Dupont Brothers perform beginning at 7 PM. Enjoy Vermont-made folk, rock Americana.

April 11, 7 PM enjoy Ben Wilson vocals and guitar with hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

April 12 at 7 PM Joe Cruz performs vocals and piano hits from the Beatles and Elton John.

April 13 from 11:30 to 2 PM Gospel Sunday Brunch will fill your tummy and your soul. Rockwell Scot performs with vocals and piano. $18.99 per person.

$10 minimum purchase per person either retail or restaurant.

Get a link for the Classic Wineseller and Melange in the Mountains on the Waynesville NC Visitor Guide.

Live Music at the Classic WIne Seller

Get details at http://classicwineseller.com/

Get links for complete local visitor information
on the Waynesville NC Guide.

Live Concert Tonight in Asheville's Pritchard Park

June 27   Homegrown in Pritchard Park - John Wilkes Booth and the Black Toothe. Free performances by local singer/songwriters each Thursday between Memorial Day and Labor Day at Pritchard Park in downtown Asheville. Held from 6 PM - 8 PM and sponsored by 98.1 The River radio station.

An 80's Buick Rolls into Sylva's Concert on Creek

SYLVA, N.C. - Classic Southern rockers Buick MacKane roll into Sylva on Friday, June 28, for a retro 80's performance at the Concerts on the Creek series.

The four-man band from Morganton will showcase its versatility by playing the first all-eighties set in the history of Concerts on the Creek. Lead singer Donnie Basham says folks attending the show, which runs from 7:30-9:30 PM. at the Bridge Park Pavilion beside Scott Creek, will hear an enjoyable mix of
hits from the new wave decade.

The set list ranges from REO Speedwagon to Tommy Tutone, from Motley Crue to Morris Day and the Time. "It's the main stream 80's stuff, with a few hair bands mixed in," Basham explains. "We play the Flock of Seagulls, we do a Bon Jovi montage, and some John Cougar Mellencamp. A taste of everything, and some dance music too."

In addition to lead vocals, Basham plays keyboard and acoustic guitar. Jody Isaacs is on drums, Chris Singleton plays bass, and Wes Cullars handles lead guitar. "Wes is the youngest member of our band, at 24, and a great guitar player who can play anything from the 1980s, especially Eddie Van Halen," says Basham.

The performance by Buick MacKane is the fifth in a 14-week series of free concerts held Friday evenings from 7:30-9:30 PM in the downtown Sylva park. "We just recently played our hometown Friday evening concert series and there were a lot of people there to hear us," says Basham. "These type shows are probably our favorite."

Concerts on the Creek are produced by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Town of Sylva, and Jackson County Parks and Recreation.  For info about the concerts, call (800) 962-1911, or go to: MountainLovers.com.

Get local visitor information the Sylva NC Visitor Guide.

Maggie Valley Concert Series opens the 2013 Season this Sunday

May 19, 6:30 PM    Maggie Valley Concert Series     Live outdoor concert by the Haywood Community Band. Bring a blanket or a chair, picnic supper and enjoy the beautiful Maggie Valley sunset. The theme for this concert will be, "From the Library," and will feature memorable music from the past, including Over the Rainbow, Strike Up the Band, and All Shook up. The event is FREE and open to the public.

The concerts are performed on the third Sunday of the month from May through October at the Maggie Valley Pavilion next to the Maggie Valley Town Hall.

Final Hendersonville Street Dance of the Season

August 13  7 PM - 9 PM   Street Dances in historic downtown  Hendersonville.  The Street Dances, featuring a mountain heritage music and dance on Monday evening during the summer,  come to a close this week. Bring a chair and sit back, relax and enjoy mountain heritage music and dancing beginning at 7:00 PM with seating area open after 5:30PM.

The sounds of fiddles and banjos playing at the Street Dance have been a part of Henderson County's heritage for over 90 years. People of all ages journey to downtown Hendersonville to enjoy live mountain heritage music and dancing. Put on your dancing shoes and make use of the  dance area in front of the stage or just sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of traditional mountain music.

The dances are held at the Hendersonville Visitors Information Center, 201 South Main Street. Get a link for the Street dances and other Hendersonville events and attractions on the Hendersonville NC Visitor Guide.

Sourwood Festival this Weekend in Black Mountain

August 11 - 12    35th Annual Sourwood Festival  Great music and lots of fun for all ages fills downtown Black Mountain. Held each year in August, it's a time for good food, good fun and good friends. Music, dancing, arts and crafts, super food, kid's rides and games, face painting and more in a no alcohol environment - fun for the entire family.

Symphony by the Lake at Chetola in Blowing Rock

July 27. 7 PM   Symphony by the Lake at Chetola  Experience a moving performance by the Symphony of the Mountains, surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Take your seat on the grass by Chetola Lake, under the evening sky. Bring a picnic to enjoy with friends and family, or purchase meals from caterers at the event.

The performance ends with a spectacular fireworks show over the Lake. Admission is charged.

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.

Summer Tracks Concert Series this Weekend in Tryon

June 29, 7 PM - 10 PM  Summer Tracks Concert Series at Rogers Park.   This concert features the Russ Wilson Swing Orchestra. The annual concert series offers amazing performers under beautiful, starry skies.  The concert is free, however, a voluntary donation at the gate is encouraged. The donations combined with generous sponsorships provided by local businesses make the shows possible. Food and beverage are sold at the event.

Rus Wilson and the Orchestra entertain with big band music from the 30s and 40s including popular pieces by  Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman.

Rodgers Park features a 250-seat amphitheater made of stone and a reception/gathering area. A small creek and short trails meander through the park and there are rock walls and beautiful landscaping. Local events and performances are held at the Park including the popular Summer Concert series. The two acre facility is located on West Howard Street behind Tryon NC Town Hall and can also be reserved for private functions.

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).

Music in the Mountains this Weekend 6-22-12

June 22
NC City: WEST JEFFERSON
Event: Backstreet Park Summer Concert Series Free summer concert series held every 3rd and 4th Friday nights from May-August, 5:30pm - 7:00pm. Bring your chair, blanket or picnic and enjoy the sounds of traditional, old time, and bluegrass music for ages. Rain locations: the Farmer's Market or the Ashe Arts Center.  Get a link for details HERE

June 22
NC City: HENDERSONVILLE
Event: Music on Main Street The 14th annual Music On Main Street concert series will be held every Friday evening from June 8 through August 17, 2012. Music On Main Street showcases a diverse lineup of musical talents, from jazz, pop, oldies, rock, to contemporary music. Bring a chair and enjoy the music from 7 PM - 9 PM. Admission is FREE.  Get a link for details HERE

June 22
NC City: SYLVA
Event: Concerts on the Creek Mountain Faith (www.mountainfaith.bandzoogle.com) will be in concert. Concerts on the Creek are held at the Bridge Park Pavilion in downtown Sylva from 7:30 - 9:30 PM on Friday nights beginning Memorial Day weekend and continuing through the end of July.  Get a link for details HERE

June 22
NC City: WAYNESVILLE
Event: Mountain Street Dance Put on your cloggin' & square dancin' shoes and enjoy an old-fashioned mountain hoedown. Live mountain music, demonstrations and instruction by local clogging teams. Refreshments are available for purchase. Limited bleacher seating available so feel free to bring a chair or blanket for the Courthouse lawn.  Get a link for details HERE

June 22
NC City: BREVARD
Event:    Opening Night at Brevard Music Center Brevard Music Center Orchestra with JoAnn Falletta, conductor, and Norman Krieger, piano. Works by Berlioz, Beethoven, Schmidt and Strauss.  Get a link for details HERE

June 22

NC City:  OLD FORT
Event:    Old Time Mountain Music - for more than a decade, folks have gathered to hear and play bluegrass and traditional mountain music. Nobody’s paid, everyone’s welcome and coffee and sodas are still just a quarter!  Get a link for details HERE

June 23

NC City:  BRYSON CITY

Event:     Music in the Mountains  7 PM - Regional talent is showcased in a relaxed, outdoor venue located in the heart of historic downtown. Bring a chair or blanket and settle in for an evening of great music.  Get a link for details HERE

June 23-24
NC City: LINVILLE
Event: Singing on the Mountain Now in its 88th year, the "Singing" is a day-long country gospel convention held out-of-doors in a meadow at the base of Grandfather Mountain. The music begins at 8:30 AM and continues throughout the day, with a break at midday for the sermon. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and picnics and make a day of friends, family and enjoying performances by top Southern Gospel groups.  Get a link for details HERE

June 24
NC City: BREVARD
Event: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 at Brevard Music Center JoAnn Falletta conducts the Brevad Music Center Orchestra performing Shostakovich's The Gadfly Suite, Glazunov's Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra in E flat major, and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor. Joseph Lulloff, saxophone. Pre-concert talk at 2:00 PM in Thomas Hall behind the auditorium.  Get a link for details HERE

FREE Live Music on the Creek in Sylva NC

June 1   Concerts on the Creek   The Vinyl Brothers Big Band (www.thevinylbrothers.com) plays classic rock and soulful hits, The Asheville based ensemble of 10 friends features a five member brass section. Sylva native and trumpet player, Tim Gillespie says the group performs songs people are used to hearing.

Their female vocalist is Terri Lynn Queen, also a native of Sylva. Queen sings the hits of such legends as Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner and Gloria Gainer. Concerts on the Creek are held at the Bridge Park Pavilion in downtown Sylva from 7:30 - 9:30 PM on Friday nights beginning Memorial Day weekend and continuing through the end of July.

Get a link for the Concerts on the Creek and other Sylva NC visitor information HERE

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.

FREE Concert Tonight in Maggie Valley

May 20   Maggie Valley Concert Series  Live outdoor concert by the Haywood Community Band. Bring a blanket or a chair, picnic supper and enjoy the beautiful Maggie Valley sunset. Free and open to the public.

The concert begins at 6:30 PM at the pavilion adjacent to the Maggie Valley Town Hall. The theme for this concert will be"Our Favorites," and will include music from Phantom of the Opera, Falling in Love with Love, and Symphonic Beatles.

Find local information on the Maggie Valley NC Visitor Guide

February Music and Events at The Purple Onion

February 2 - Nikki Talley  - a voice that harkens back to the Appalachian roots from which she was born, and shores up on the edgesof contemporary southern rock, country, blues, and jazz

February 4 - Taylor Moore Band  - singer with guitar pyrotechnics, original songwriting Ray LaMontagne-meets-Rod Stewart vocal stylings

February 9 - Calico Moon - their sound is a seamless blend of roots, country and pure mountain soul

February 11 - Lonesome Road Band - fabulous bluegrass as this Hendersonville-based band returns

February 16 - Alan Barrington - The Charlotte Observer says:"Barrington offers nicely crafted folk-pop along the linesof David Wilcox or Pierce Pettis."

February 18 - Gigi Dover & The Big Love - her many fans here know to expect a musical, magical evening under her spell

February 23 - Chuck Brodsky  - "With insight and good humor, he has taken these life experiences and distilled them into old fashioned story songs brimming with wit and compassion." -New York Times

February 25 - The Bad Popes - original material as well as choice covers ranging from Graham Parsons and Willie Nelson to The Beatles and The Ramones

Monday and Tuesday Nights (excluding 2-7-12)  through the Winter enjoy a variety of board games.  It's evolving. It's casual. It's impromptu and it's fun. Play one of the Onion's games or bring your own. Whether you are a scrabble aficionado or a chess master or just looking for entertainment and camaraderie, there will be a fire in the wood stove, something hearty in the soup pot, weekly slider specials, oysters on the half shell, and beer and wine specials.

The Purple Onion is located at 16 Main Street in historic downtown Saluda NC. GEt a link for the Purple Onion and other Saluda restaurants, shops and information HERE