Festival Barn Concerts

Don Pedi was born into a musical family in Chelsea, Massachusetts. On weekends, his grandfather, who died before Don was born, would close his barber shop for business, and open his home in the back as a gathering place for family and friends to share homemade food, fellowship and live music. Don’s grandfather played guitar, mandolin and banjo. Don’s uncle Frank made his living singing and playing music. Another gifted singer is Don’s dad. He’ll burst into song at the drop of a hat.

Monday, May 26 – Aubrey Atwater & Elwood Donnely, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Award-winning, internationally acclaimed duo, Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly present delightful programs of traditional American and Celtic folk songs and percussive dance. Elwood and Aubrey blend gorgeous harmonies and play an astonishing array of instruments including guitar, Appalachian mountain dulcimer, mandolin, tin whistle, harmonica, banjo, limberjacks, and other surprises including a thrilling interpretation of freestyle Appalachian clog dancing. Their performance is appealing to all ages, and with humor, audience participation, and a relaxed stage presence, Aubrey and Elwood explain song origins to give more relevance to the material. Married since 1989, Aubrey and Elwood perform widely in the United States and abroad and their fourteen recordings receive international airplay and streaming.

Monday, June 2 – Banjo Legend Riley Baugus & Dinner with the Ark Food Truck                                                  Dinner: 6:15 PM, Concert: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Riley Baugus is an acclaimed American old-time musician, singer, and instrument builder from Walkertown, North Carolina. Rooted in the Regular Baptist singing tradition and mentored by old-time legends like Tommy Jarrell, Baugus was deeply influenced by the Round Peak style. After 18 years as a welder and blacksmith, he pursued music full-time, performing internationally and collaborating with artists such as Alison Krauss, Robert Plant, and Willie Nelson. He contributed to the Cold Mountain soundtrack, released several solo and collaborative albums, and teaches widely. In March of 2025, he was inducted into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame.

“Baugus’ vocals sound like they’ve been echoing through the Appalachian Mountains for about 150 years. Quintessential American old-time music”. – Billboard, 2006

Monday, June 16 – Brenna MacMillan, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Originally from Winchester, Kentucky, Brenna MacMillan began playing banjo at the age of nine. Brenna performed frequently in the Lexington area which led to opening for J.D. Crowe and Bobby Osborne. Attending Berea College, Brenna played with the Bluegrass Ensemble under Al White and was awarded the Red Foley Memorial Music Award in 2018. After graduating with a Chemistry degree, concentration in Biochemistry, Brenna moved to Nashville and started Theo & Brenna Band with her brother Theo. Their full bluegrass band toured for several years, releasing two albums and now continue to play private gigs. Brenna plays with a variety of Nashville artists, and can be seen making guest appearances around town and collaborating with musicians on social media. Brenna released her debut full-length solo album in 2024.

Monday, June 23 – Sara Grey, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Sara Grey grew up in rural New Hampshire and lived in Scotland for forty-six years. With her powerful voice and skillful banjo accompaniment, she has sung, taught, and played her way throughout North America, Europe, Britain, Ireland, and Australia. Sara has made numerous recordings in the U.S. and Britain, starting with critically acclaimed albums for Folk Legacy in the 1970s, and is now taken over by the Smithsonian. Having spent the past fifty years studying the migration of old, traditional British songs and ballads across the pond to America, she has an immense repertoire that she loves to share.

Monday, June 30 – Les Gustafson-Zook with special guest Sadie Gustafson-Zook, 7:00 PM– 8:00 PM

Les is known nationally for his expressive and energetic autoharp playing. One of the world’s leading autoharp players, he’s performed and given autoharp workshops at festivals across the country.

Special guest, [www.sadiegustafsonzook.com] Sadie Gustafson-Zook will be joining Les during his set to add her award-winning singer-songwriter and fiddling talents to the mix!

Les is the 2001 and 2018 International Autoharp Champion at Winfield, Kansas and the 1989 National Autoharp Champion. He’s also the 2023 Winner of the prestigious Mountain Laurel Autoharp Championships and was inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame in 2014. Before moving to Indiana, he taught autoharp for five years at Linn Benton Community College in Corvallis, OR and helped found and lead the Willamette Valley Autoharp Gathering during it’s 20 year history.

Monday, July 7 – Jonah Riddle & Carolina Express, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

From the hills of Western North Carolina, two brothers set out to show the world their brand of bluegrass music, as so many brother duets have done before them. Jonah, age 20, and Grayson, age 15, grew up playing gospel bluegrass in their church services. From the very beginning the brothers clung to the roots of the music, something that many young pickers tend to overlook. The love for the music pushed Jonah to start his own band, Jonah Riddle and Carolina Express.

Jonah takes care of banjo duties in the group, playing a style that is quickly fading away in todays business. You can easily hear the Stanley, Scruggs, and Osborne influences in his sound, the sounds of the pioneers! Grayson is on guitar and does all of the groups lead singing. Grayson’s style of guitar playing will take you back to the days of the great Jimmy Martin; strong, steady rhythm, full of all the runs that helps make bluegrass what it is! The Brothers father, Benjie, holds down upright bass duties for the band.

Monday, July 21 – Allie Jean, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Allie Jean Burbrink is a folk musician whose first love is singing. She plays guitar, clawhammer banjo, harmonica, piano, ukulele, old time fiddle, mandolin, piano, upright bass, feet, or whatever other random instruments she finds interesting. She studied banjo with David Brose during her first trip to John C Campbell in 2011. Allie is best known for her work with The Whipstitch Sallies (folk/songwriter/bluegrass – Indiana), Frank & Allie Lee, and The Freight Hoppers (old time – North Carolina). Her children’s folk album, SING & PLAY ALL DAY, was released in 2022. Her new record, BLOOM AGAIN, is a collection of 20 songs and tunes highlighting the contributions of women in old time and folk music.

In addition to performing, Allie is a community music educator with a passion for personalized and collaborative music instruction. She has taught individuals and groups at Blue Ridge Old Time Music Week, IBMA, Indiana Fiddlers’ Gathering, Hindman Settlement School, local libraries, music stores, festivals, camps, her home, and the Indiana Fiddle Frolic where she serves as program director.

Monday, August 4 – Mick Kinney & Friends, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Mick Kinney is a versatile musician and educator, equally comfortable on many styles of fiddle, country lap steel, swing guitar, old time banjo, Cajun accordion, or ragtime piano. His teaching experience includes several years at Swannanoa Gathering Old Time and Swing weeks, a decade at Mars Hill University’s Blue Ridge Old Time and Roots of America, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Alabama Folk School, and many other residencies. In addition to collecting and preserving Georgia traditional music he continues to record and perform with his sons as the Griddle Lickers and Hickhoppers, and is on staff of the Frank Hamilton Folk School in his local Atlanta area.

Monday, August 11 – Newfound Gap, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Newfound Gap is a rising band of young musicians who have already garnered several national accolades for their prodigious playing of Appalachian music.  The 4-piece band consists of clawhammer banjoist and vocalist Bayla (16) fiddler Sylvie (14), guitarist Judah (14) and bassist/mandolinist Emme (11).

Newfound Gap has performed at Merlefest, The Art of Music Festival, Woodsongs, The Earl Scruggs Festival, The Blue Ridge Opry, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, and FloydFest, just to name a few.  Bayla is a ’23-’24 fellow in From the  Top’s learning and media lab, only the second traditional musician to ever be chosen for the program, and she is the youngest musician to be endorsed by Gold Tone Music Group.

Monday, August 25 – Tina & Her Pony, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Indie Appalachian Folk band Tina and Her Pony began in Asheville, North Carolina, USA in 2010.  Shortly thereafter, they spent two years holed up in the high desert mountain town of Taos, New Mexico becoming one of the iconic artist colony’s most beloved performing acts.

In a soundscape rich in folk and americana offerings Tina and Her Pony stands out with clarity and freshness. Harmonies, arrangements, lyrics and captivating vocals combine to create something greater than the sum of the pieces which, taken individually, are deceptively straightforward. The music chronicles complex emotional landscapes with the kind of wisdom and honesty required from roots music in its most distilled and cherished forms.  The pandemic brought much change and loss to Tina’s world, and this is reflected in her fresh material, a collection of songs that comprises her newest record, “Marigolds” (2023).

Monday, September 8 – The Blue Ridge Rounders, 7:00 PM– 8:00 PM

Bob and Amy Buckingham are The Blue Ridge Rounders! The Blue Ridge Rounders Upstate South Carolina are a string band that plays acoustic music including anything from high-energy dance music to blues to introspective Americana. They have been playing together since 2002. Their music reflects the history, values and lifestyle that were so dominant in days gone by. With an edge from bluegrass and a deep respect for the musical traditions of the mountains, the Rounders play a hard driving, fun loving music with the depth of an ancient knowledge.

They are the 2006 and 2007 Mountain Music Champions and winners at the 2006 North Carolina State Fair Old Time band contest. The band plays throughout the region ranging from Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Georgia, even playing as far north as Pennsylvania. They are featured at festivals and concerts through the summer months and also teach at workshops and week long music camps like Blue Ridge Music Week at Mars Hill College.

Monday, September 22 – The Lone Mountain Band, 7:00 PM– 8:00 PM

The group has established itself as one of the top Bluegrass bands in the Tennessee Valley since it was formed in the late 90’s by former high school classmates Bobby Burns and Diana Phillips. Bobby Burns was born into a musical family. He plays many instruments, but with the band, he mostly plays the mandolin, sometimes the fiddle, or the guitar. Bobby has played in professional bands since his teenage years. He is a full-time luthier and repairman. Bobby sings lead and harmony vocals and does most of the MC work for the band. Diana Phillips was trained as a classical pianist. While in college in Virginia she was exposed to Bluegrass music and fell in love with it. After she moved back to Chattanooga, she teamed up with Bobby Burns. Diana is also an excellent singer and songwriter.

Monday, September 29 – Resonant Rogues (Festival Barn Finale), 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

The stage belongs to Resonant Rogues from Asheville. “Sparrow and Keith share a passion for movement and sound. Both traveled extensively throughout the U.S. — Keith by hopping freight trains, Sparrow with a circus troupe. When the two met by chance in Asheville 10 years ago, they combined their talents, and the band was born. While they have explored styles genres around the globe, current influences are classic country, Appalachian old-time, and vintage soul.

The Folk School features some of the finest regional and national acts performing eclectic roots music. We’ll have standard seating available, first come first serve. We also have a family-focused social area of picnic tables in the back. You’re welcome to bring your dinner, card games, carving, sewing project, or set up on the grass and let your kids play.
A donation of $5-15 per adult is suggested, but all are welcome regardless of contribution. Folk School Students and Staff are not asked to donate. Any funds raised support traditional arts and help us strive for equitable pay for performers.

*Lineup, schedule, and venue are subject to change, for the most up to date details check the schedule at www.folkschool.org…