Archive for: Events

You are here: / / Events

It’s Time to Go Down The Road

/in , , , , /by

Pick up your 2022 guide to the best of Western North Carolina’s traditional music scene, breakout musicians, artists, venues, and comprehensive calendar of music events, including concert series, dances, jam sessions, and more.

It is wonderful to hear the music of our North Carolina Mountains and Foothills come alive this year! Through the 4th edition of Down the Road – Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Guide, you can learn about old favorites and new fresh faces on the traditional music scene across our region. An extensive calendar of events will help you plan your journey down the road.

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.

Look for your copy at local visitor centers, area magazine racks or you can request a copy by contacting Cindy Blankenship at Cindy@BlueRidgeHeritage.com. Click to view online now!

The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina was created to guide visitors and fans through the mountains and foothills of WNC to find the best mountain music for themselves.

The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina is a partnership between Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership (BRNHA) and the NC Arts Council.

Jagged Path: the African Diaspora in Western North Carolina in Craft, Music, and Dance Exhibition Opens at BRAHM

/in , , /by

Blowing Rock, NC – BRAHM (Blowing Rock Art & History Museum) is excited to open the exhibition, Jagged Path: the African Diaspora in Western North Carolina in Craft, Music, and Dance. The in-person exhibition is accompanied by a program series, digital exhibit, book, and traveling exhibit.

The Jagged Path seeks to illuminate the obscured history of African contributions to craft, music, and dance in Western North Carolina. Drawing connections across geography and generations, the Jagged Path will demonstrate how African traditions that survived the Middle Passage have helped create the culture of Western North Carolina.

The exhibition is the result of over two years of work by the project manager, Willard Watson, and the curatorial team of Marie T. Cochran (visual arts/craft curator), Laurie Goux (dance curator), Fred J. Hay (music curator), Gabe Wilson (BRAHM executive curator). The exhibit features art and history and we are excited to work with the following artists: The Allen Boys, LaKisha Blount, Marie T. Cochran, Nathan Favors & Mariela de Leew, NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, Theresa Gloster, Cara Hagan, Victoria Casey McDonald, Jim McDowell, Jenny Pickens, Viola Spells, Valeria Watson, Tray Wellington, Todd Wright, & the Junaluska Heritage Association.

Jagged project manager and BRAHM programs and outreach director, Willard Watson said,

“This is an ambitious undertaking for our organization, but it is the type of work that arts and cultural organizations should be doing. We are the only arts organization in our tri-county area known as the High Country and it is our responsibility for all members of our community to see themselves represented in our galleries and programs. Right now in our country there are conversations going on about who is really American, who’s history is American history, and who belongs. Well, many of the traditions that we hold dear in Western North Carolina have roots in the African Diaspora, three examples that many people aren’t familiar with are the banjo, face jugs, and flat foot dancing. For various reasons, not a lot of people know that. If we can illustrate how these familiar traditions have links to the African Diaspora we can encourage larger conversations about what it means to be a North Carolinian, what it means to be Appalachian, and what it means American. The meaning of the exhibition was summed up beautifully in our exhibition invocation written by North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green. We are truly blessed to have partnered with an incredible team of curators and artists.”

The exhibit is accompanied by a calendar of over 20 programs including artist residencies, scholarly lectures, dance performances, concerts, art workshops, and poetry readings. There are too many events to list in this single article but a few notable programs associated with the exhibition are an artist residency with potter Jim McDowell (May 5-7), a concert with virtuoso Banjo player Tray Wellington on August 28, and an evening with North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green on September 22. You can view the full calendar of events at www.blowingrockmuseum.org/see/jagged-path. Accessibility is very important as not everyone is able to make it up to Blowing Rock for all the programs, because of this all programs will be filmed and posted on BRAHM’s YouTube page.

The Jagged Path: the African Diaspora in Western North Carolina through Craft Music and Dance is made possible by support from Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, North Carolina Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. As well as SouthArts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council. As well as financial support from Andrew and Claire Knoblich, Houck and KB Medford, Bill and Judy Watson, and Hellbender Bed & Beverage.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the Jagged Path exhibition, do not necessarily represent those of Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, SouthArts, North Carolina Humanities, North Carolina Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, or the National Endowment for the Arts.

BRAHM is a 501-c3 non-profit arts and history museum nestled in the village of Blowing Rock, North Carolina. BRAHM’s mission is to provide cultural enrichment to the High Country communities by promoting the arts, and Southern Appalachian heritage and history, through educational programs, exhibitions, activities, and permanent collections. The museum offers FREE ADMISSION and is open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00AM – 5:00PM.

 

Visit https://www.blowingrockmuseum.org/  or follow us on Facebook and Instagram @BRMUSEUM for updates.

Global Roots of Appalachian Mountain Dance

/in , /by

The Center for Appalachian Studies is excited to present a three day symposium, The Global Roots of Appalachian Mountain Dance, March 31-April 2, 2022, which is a free to attend and enjoy.

On campus and in the community Thursday, March 31–Saturday, April 2, 2022. The symposium will include performances, workshops, jams, film screenings and discussion, a keynote panel, and social dances of the diverse traditions that make up the global roots of Appalachian dance. These include West African, Afro-Caribbean, Cherokee, and Irish dance traditions. Additionally, Appalachian dance traditions, such as flatfooting and buckdancing, and their close “cousins,” such as tapping, will be featured to highlight the diversity of contemporary traditions. (Click to visit website)

Tentative Schedule (subject to change)
Thursday, March 31
5-6:30pm: Appalachian Square Dance (in collaboration with the Banff Mountain Film Festival and University Recreation) on Sanford Mall
Jeff Atkins and John Turner calling, music by the Heel Raisers

Friday, April 1
9am, Sign-In, Registration, Outside the Linville Falls Ballroom, PSU
10am, Beginning Flatfoot, Linville Falls, PSU with Rodney Sutton (W)
10:30am, Irish Dance Tunes, Beacon Heights, PSU, with Justin Bridges and Jeremy Wade (W)
11am, From the Archives: Dance Halls in Western North Carolina, Blue Ridge Ballroom, PSU, with John Turner and Arvill Scott (FS)
12-1pm, Lunch Break
1pm, Intermediate Flatfoot Dance, Linville Falls, PSU, with Phil Jamison (W)
1:30pm, Square Dances for Parties, Blue Ridge Ballroom, PSU, with John Turner (W)
2pm, Beginning Sean Nós Dance, Linville Falls, PSU, with Allison Duvall (W)
3pm, Sound and Sole, Greenbriar Theater, PSU, with filmmaker Cara Hagan (joining virtually) (FS)
4-5:30pm, Keynote Panel: The Global Roots of Appalachian Mountain Dance, Blue Ridge Ballroom, PSU, with Bernice Bottchenbaugh, Tommy DeFrantz, Allison Duvall, Phil Jamison, Sherone Price, Aaron Ratcliffe, Khalid Saleem (KP)
5:30pm-7pm, Supper Break
7-9pm, Performance: Dancing through Our Mountains: The Global Roots and Contemporary Traditions of Appalachian Dance, I.G. Greer Auditorium, featuring live music and dancing by Tommy DeFrantz, Allison Duvall, Phil Jamison, Sherone Price, Aaron Ratcliffe, Raven Rock Dancers, Green Grass Cloggers, and more (P)
*Dance jams throughout the day in PSU*

Saturday, April 2
9am, Sign-In/Registration, Outside the Parkway Ballroom, PSU
10am, Early African-American Dance, Parkway Ballroom, PSU, with Tommy DeFrantz (LD)
10am, excerpts from Hoppin’ Possums: Steps from the Green Grass Cloggers (a film in progress by Leanne E. Smith and M. Chad Smith), Greenbrier Theatre, PSU, with filmmaker Leanne E. Smith (FS)
11am, Intermediate Sean Nós Dance, Parkway Ballroom, PSU, with Allison Duvall (W)
11am, Flatfoot Dance, Florence Thomas Art School, West Jefferson, with Linda Block (W)
11am, North Carolina Appalachian Folklife Apprenticeship, The Jones House Community Center in Boone, with Rodney Sutton and Willard Watson III (LD)
11:30am, Old Time Music for Dancing, Beacon Heights, PSU, with Alex Hooker and Steve Kruger (W)
12:30-1pm, Lunch Break
1pm, Cole Mountain Cloggers, Parkway Ballroom, PSU (LD)
1:30pm, Afro-Caribbean Dance, Beacon Heights, PSU, with Emily Daughtridge (W)
1:30pm, History of Appalachian Dance, Jones House Community Center in Boone, with Phil Jamison (LD)
2pm, Raven Rock Dancers, Parkway Ballroom, PSU (LD)
2pm, Flatfoot Dance, Florence Thomas Art School in West Jefferson, with Madison Shepherd (W)
2:30pm, African Dance, Varsity Gym 208, with Sherone Price (W)
3pm, Green Grass Cloggers, Parkway Ballroom, PSU (LD)
3:30pm, African Drumming, Varsity Gym 208, with Khalid Saleem (W)
4pm, Clogging (Footwork with Square Dance Figures), Parkway Ballroom, PSU, with Aaron Ratcliffe (W)
4:30pm, Irish Music for Dancing, Beacon Heights, PSU, with Justin Wade and Jeremy Bridges (W)
5:30pm-7pm, Supper Break
7pm-9pm, Social Dance, featuring Square, Two-Step, Waltzes, Afro-Caribbean, and Céilí dances, Parkway Ballroom, PSU, called by Phil Jamison, Rodney Sutton, John Turner, Aaron Ratcliffe, Allison Duvall, and others (SD)
*Dance jams throughout the day in PSU*

NOTES:
Workshops and lecture-demonstrations in italics are located off campus
All workshops and lecture-demonstrations and workshops are one hour

KEY:
FS: Film Screening
LD: Lecture Demonstration
P: Performance
PSU: Plemmons Student Union
SD: Social Dance
W: Workshop
Maps and information about locations for events:
Events are located on campus: Sanford Mall, I.G. Greer Auditorium, Varsity Gym, and Plemmons Student Union (PSU); in Boone: the Jones House Community Center; in West Jefferson: Florence Thomas Art School

Campus Map (including Sanford Mall, I.G. Greer Auditorium, Plemmons Student Union, and Varsity Gym): https://maps.appstate.edu/_documents/campus-map-11×8.5-october2019.pdf
Plemmons Student Union Building Map: https://studentunion.appstate.edu/plemmons-student-union-building-map
Downtown Boone http://downtownboonenc.com/ (scroll down for map)
Jones House Community Center website: https://www.joneshouse.org/
Florence Thomas Art School website: https://www.florenceartschool.org/
Information about Parking on Campus: https://parking.appstate.edu/visitors-events

Earl Scruggs Music Festival Announces Initial Artist Lineup

/in /by

Mill Spring, NC (December 1, 2021) – Earl Scruggs Music Festival is proud to announce its first round of artists for its inaugural event, taking place September 2-4, 2022 at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina. Following two back-to-back COVID-related cancellations, festival organizers look forward to launching the newly minted event alongside host outfits Jerry Douglas and The Earls of Leicester. The long-awaited reveal features several distinguished artists covering the gamut of bluegrass, Americana, Piedmont blues, and old-time music including Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sam Bush Band, Alison Brown, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Dom Flemons, and more. A full list of performers is below.

Established in partnership with WNCW 88.7 at Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC and the Earl Scruggs Center located in Shelby, NC, Earl Scruggs Music Festival will celebrate the legacy of an American music legend who pioneered a unique style of banjo picking, coined “Scruggs style.” His collaborations with Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, as well as Lester Flatt and the Foggy Mountain Boys helped to christen the bluegrass genre in the late 1940s. With a standout lineup featuring the best in traditional roots music and progressive fusions, Earl Scruggs Music Festival will illuminate the profound impact that Scruggs had on American culture, while uplifting fresh and noteworthy voices in the genre. A portion of proceeds will support the festival’s beneficiaries, the Earl Scruggs Center and Isothermal Community College, who serve Earl Scruggs’ home region of the Carolina Foothills with cultural programming through multiple channels.

New for 2022, Earl Scruggs Music Festival has opted to expand its formerly two-day long event into a full weekend celebration, kicking off on Friday afternoon and running through Sunday afternoon. Tryon International Equestrian Center will host the event at its pristine outdoor property, which is known for its roster of rotating events including world class equestrian competitions, festive holiday celebrations, concerts, and more. The immaculate campus will serve as a quintessential backdrop for the festival, which promises on-site lodging, dining, and comfortable amenities throughout the event weekend.

Earl Scruggs Music Festival debuts September 2-4, 2022 in Mill Spring, NC. Advance price tickets are currently on sale, with a variety of General Admission and VIP packages available.

VIP ticket packages include reserved seating in VIP-exclusive indoor and outdoor spaces, exclusive merchandise items, complimentary refreshments, plus artist meet-and-greet opportunities. On-site camping and cabin rentals are also available for reservation via the festival website.

Earl Scruggs Music Festival Initial 2022 Lineup

  • Jerry Douglas (Festival Host)
  • The Earls of Leicester
  • Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
  • Sam Bush Band
  • Alison Brown
  • Acoustic Syndicate
  • Balsam Range
  • Darin & Brooke Aldridge
  • Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
  • Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
  • Chatham County Line
  • The Becky Buller Band
  • Dom Flemons
  • Unspoken Tradition
    + more to be announced soon!

For more tickets, details and to stay up-to-date on all things Earl Scruggs Music Festival, visit earlscruggsmusicfest.com.

About Earl Scruggs Center

The Earl Scruggs Center combines the life story of legendary five-string banjo master and Cleveland County native, Earl Scruggs, with the unique and engaging story of the history and cultural traditions of the region in which Scruggs was born and raised. It was in the nearby Flint Hill community where Scruggs learned to play banjo and began the three-finger playing style that has come to be known around the world as “Scruggs Style.” The Earl Scruggs Center explores Scruggs’ innovative career and the community that gave it shape while celebrating how he crossed musical boundaries and defined the voice of the banjo to the world. Mr. Scruggs embraced tradition while also adapting to the changing times and looking toward the future – themes which resonate throughout the Center. Engaging exhibits, special event space and rich programming provide a uniquely rich experience for visitors.

About Tryon International Equestrian Center

Tryon International Equestrian Center at Tryon Resort is the ultimate international destination for all who love horses, outdoor living and an active lifestyle. As host of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, Tryon International Equestrian Center offers first-class facilities for all FEI disciplines in addition to showcasing hunter/jumper, equitation, steeplechase, polo, and multi discipline events in Mill Spring, NC. From carousel to competition, the mission of Tryon Resort is to celebrate the magic of the horse, grow equestrian sport, and increase access to this majestic animal. A haven for equestrian competitors and enthusiasts alike, Tryon Resort is an iconic, year-round destination for connoisseurs of diverse cuisine and shopping, lodging getaways, and family entertainment.

About WNCW 88.7, Isothermal Community College

WNCW is a listener-supported public media service of Isothermal Community College, which serves the community through advancing new musical discoveries, showcasing local and regional talent, and preserving and promoting the traditions of Appalachian and roots music in our area and beyond. The station’s eclectic mix includes Americana, Triple-A rock/acoustic, bluegrass, blues, jazz, reggae, world, and other roots music styles, in addition to weekly spotlights on jam bands, Frank Zappa, and more. Live artist interviews and performances are broadcast frequently from WNCW’s professional recording studio, “Studio B”. As the flagship bluegrass station, WNCW broadcasts contemporary, traditional, and historical bluegrass music for eight hours each Saturday. Listeners can find WNCW at 88.7 FM throughout most of its listening area, which includes Western NC, Upstate SC and Eastern Tennessee. Translators rebroadcast the signal at 101.3 in Charlotte, 97.3 in Greenville, 92.9 in Boone and 90.9 WSIF in Wilkesboro. The station also has a worldwide audience through its livestream at wncw.org.

Grit & Grace: A Flood Relief Benefit for Haywood County

/in , /by

Presented by Balsam Range, United Way of Haywood County, Town of Canton and The Smoky Mountain News, “Grit & Grace: A Flood Relief Benefit for Haywood County” will take place from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Saturday, October 2, at Sorrells Street Park in downtown Canton.

Hitting the stage will be acclaimed bluegrass group Balsam Range, with Americana sensation Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters opening the show.

The event is to not only raise funds for those in need following the devastating flood waters in August in the communities of Canton, Cruso and Bethel, but also to provide a moment to gather together as neighbors and friends, and enjoy some live music.

Balsam Range is a fiery quintet hailing from Haywood County. The highly-popular act has become the stuff of legend in recent years, as seen by the band’s numerous number one radio hits, chart-topping albums and International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, including “Entertainer of the Year” (2014, 2018) and “Album of the Year” (2013, 2017), amid several other honors.

The show is free and open to the public, with a $20 suggested donation at the entrance. All proceeds from the evening will go to the United Way of Haywood County, which will provide disaster relief for flood victims.

Food trucks and craft beer will also be sold onsite. Bring your lawn chairs and your good attitudes for an unforgettable night of Appalachian music under the stars.

Donations from businesses, organizations and private citizens are currently being accepted at:

United Way of Haywood County, Flood Recovery Donations, PO Box 1139, Waynesville, NC 28786. Or make a gift online at the Flood Recovery Donations page.

For more information, you can contact Garret K. Woodward, arts/music editor for The Smoky Mountain News at garret@smokymountainnews.com.

Doors Open at T.M. Rickman General Store

/in , /by

The arrival of spring marks a new season of weekly festive gatherings at the Rickman Store.  Mainspring Conservation Trust and the Friends of the Rickman Store (FORS) invite the community and visitors to the region to visit this historic building every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting May 8.

 

This year Rickman Store proudly joins eight other sites in Macon County that have been selected for inclusion in the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, an initiative of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area that promotes the must-see destinations for traditional and contemporary art.  Our local artists, writers and craftsmen exhibit their work and creations in this friendly venue.

 

Volunteers and Mainspring staff have invested a great part of the winter restoring and making necessary repairs to this beloved building.  Many friends and donors have made valuable additions to the collection of antiques and artifacts that allow visitors to step back in time to enjoy the experience of the traditional general store that Tom Rickman ran for 69 years since 1925.

 

As part of the Blue Ridge Music Trails, the Rickman Store will continue welcoming musicians for its weekly afternoon jams.  Masks are required indoors but the option of playing outdoors on the porch is available. Jam Session details.

 

The Rickman Store is located seven miles north of Franklin by Hwy. NC 28, in the heart of the Cowee-West Mill Historic District, next to the Old Cowee School on 259 Cowee Creek Road. For more information call (828) 369-5595 or visit Friends of the Rickman Store on Facebook.

We Are: Appalachia – Video Series Premiers February 9

/in /by

This five-part video series encapsulates the music, traditions, and events that would have normally taken place at Appalachian States Fiddler's Convention. The Appalachian Heritage Council has collaborated with Frank X Walker, who discusses the history of Affrilachia and the community's current stories. The series also includes perspectives from Tom Hansell and Dr. Julie Shepherd-Powell from the Center for Appalachian Studies. Tom discusses the history of labor unions and connects them to current issues of environmental justice within the region. Dr. Shepherd-Powell discusses and demonstrates the diverse history of Appalachian percussive dance. Lastly, Cane Mill Road wraps up the series with a performance. The Appalachian Heritage Council invites you to join in exploring the many facets of Appalachia. Learn more…

Visit the We Are: Appalachia Event on Facebook 

Watch streaming on the YouTube channel. 

Jones House Offers Mini Music Lessons

/in , /by

The Jones House, located within and operated by the Town of Boone, is a cultural center that hosts community celebrations, music, and artistic activities throughout the year. In September the Jones House launched online Mini Music Lessons and encouraged folks to dust off those banjos, tune those guitars, and pull those ukuleles out from under the bed! As a free offering, local musicians and instructors host mini music tutorials with playing tips for various folk and old-time instruments.

Check out the full series of lessons on the Jones House YouTube Channel.

Help for Music Trails Artists

/in , , /by

As the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic and its economic disruptions, many organizations are stepping up to provide resources to artists whose livelihoods may be harmed. Here’s a short list of resources and resource directories to help you weather the coronavirus storm.

Resource Lists/Directories

Relief Funds for Artists

How Fans Can Support Artists

Staying Up to Date on COVID-19

Stay Tuned: Western North Carolina Musicians are Live Streaming Concerts

/in , , /by

Stay Tuned: Western North Carolina Musicians are Live Streaming Concerts

Artists across the world are turning to livestreamed performances for their fans and supporters as public concerts and festivals are cancelled due to coronavirus. The artists and venues of the Blue Ridge Music Trails are committed to the traditions of the mountains of foothills of Western North Carolina and want to stay connected to their community and fans. Please browse the list below and give livestreaming a try. We'll continue to add new events as artists and venues create more on-line concerts and performances.

Upcoming Live Streaming Events & Music

Ongoing Streaming Concerts

Our Supporters