The Blue Ridge Roots Revival Series was born out of a need to create opportunities for musicians and music venues. Since Hurricane Helene’s destruction in September 2024, many communities are still working to rebuild physically, economically, and emotionally. The region is widely known for its tourism economy, and visitation is still down.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) is partnering with the Jazz Foundation of America to present this summer and fall concert series. The Blue Ridge Roots Revival series will feature 10 performances throughout Western North Carolina (WNC), bringing local and nationally acclaimed artists to local venues.
Saturday, June 7 – Sourwood Ridge at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, Milepost 384, 2:00 PM
Three string band veterans that make up Sourwood Ridge: Scott Owenby (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Craig Bannerman (bass, vocals) and Troy Harrison (banjo, guitar, mandolin, vocals). These fellas came together to play and enjoy sharing their music. Each member has an extensive musical history and a true love of performing traditional mountain music. Each member also plays with other bands in Western North Carolina and beyond. The desire of Sourwood Ridge is that they play music that makes you smile and tap your foot.
Saturday, June 21 – Cast Iron Bluegrass at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, Milepost 384, 2:00 PM
Since their formation in 2019, Asheville-based Cast Iron Bluegrass has been forging a reputation as one of the region’s most compelling bluegrass outfits. Known for their signature blend of traditional three-part harmonies and modern songwriting sensibilities, the band has quickly become a favorite among fans of both classic and contemporary bluegrass. The band features a powerhouse lineup of seasoned musicians, each bringing a wealth of experience and a deep love for the craft. Andrew Blythe (Bobby Hicks and Blue Wheel Drive), Nick Dauphinais (Mountain Faith, Larry Stephenson, Bobby Hicks, Mark Kuykendall and the Asheville Grass), Rob Sine (Bobby Hicks and Blue Wheel Drive), Celia Millington-Wyckoff (Rustical Quality String Band, Whetstone Run), and Adam Bachman (James Tucker, Wilson Banjo Company) collectively create a sound that is both deeply rooted and forward-thinking.
Saturday, June 28 – Travis Stuart & Clarke Williams at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, Milepost 384, 2:00 PM
A Bethel native and Haywood County resident, Travis Stuart is a banjo player who has been performing old time music rooted in Western North Carolina for over twenty years. The backbone of bluegrass, old time string band music carries a legacy that is inescapable, and from his earliest days growing up, Stuart was steeped in that legacy. Playing his great-uncle Austin Stamley’s banjo, Stuart has mastered a local old time style and shared it around the United States and Europe, touring and recording alongside his twin brother, Trevor. As far as his music takes him, Stuart remembers to bring it on home, working to preserve and pass down Western North Carolina’s old time music to the next generation through teaching and mentoring. He has facilitated workshops and classes for Junior Appalachian Musicians and East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program. Travis Stuart is the recipient of the 2023 North Carolina Arts Council Folklife Apprenticeship as a mentor on Haywood County Old-Time music repertoire to Deb Shebish and was awarded the 2019 South Arts Folk & Traditional Arts Master Artist Fellowship.
Clarke Williams is a multi-instrumentalist based in Asheville, NC. While comfortable in a variety of styles, he has a strong focus on the musical traditions of Western NC. He has won awards and recognition for his fiddle, banjo and guitar playing at festivals and fiddlers conventions across the Southeast. Clarke has performed nationally and internationally, in bands such as Jenny and the Hog Drovers (with Phil Jamison), the Georgia Horseshoes and the French Broadcasters. Clarke graduated from Warren Wilson College, where he studied traditional music. In teaching, Clarke emphasizes developing musical intuition, active listening skills, and group ‘jam’ skills.
BRNHA has helped artists and venues in its 25-county footprint plus the Qualla Boundary through stipends and small grants. The Blue Ridge Music Trails, an initiative of the BRNHA, is an essential resource in identifying and promoting musicians and venues focused on traditional music, a unique and vital part of WNC’s heritage. The Jazz Foundation of America, an influential and nationally known organization, has also been an essential organization in helping to support WNC’s music scene, financially assisting musicians who succumbed to loss of property, instruments, and income.
