Down the Road | 2022 by Smoky Mountain News

BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIME

DOWN ROAD DOWN ROADthe the

WOODY PLATT OF STEEP CANYON RANGERS

JACK OF THE WOOD CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

EARL SCRUGGS

MUSIC FESTIVAL

'BLACK BANJO'

'BLACK

BANJO'

Tray Wellington on new album, a life in bluegrass

BLUE RIDGE MUSIC TRAILS OF NORTH CAROLINA

Traditional music is flourishing across many parts of America, but in the mountains and foothills of North Carolina, more so than elsewhere, the music is part of the fabric of community life.

Music traditions continue to be handed down in families and communities; at the same time, musicians are moving here from other parts of the country to be at the heart of these wonderful traditions.

You’ll find lots of folks making music —from seasoned, master musicians and enormously talented youngsters to exuberant beginners and dedicated back porch pickers.

Most importantly, the music here is to be shared. Opportunities to listen in and to join in are plentiful.

THE PROJECT

The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina is an initiative led by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the North Carolina Department Natural and Cultural Resources. Many, many partners across Western North Carolina — arts councils, tourism agencies, music venues, event organizers, musicians, and dancers — are participating in the effort.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS

PUBLISHER · Scott McLeod info@smokymountainnews.com

GENERAL MANAGER · Greg Boothroyd greg@smokymountainnews.com

ADVERTISING · Lauren Brady lauren@smliv.com

Amanda Bradley c-ads@smokymountainnews.com

Sophia Burleigh sophia.b@smokymountainnews.com

ART DIRECTOR · Micah McClure micah@smokymountainnews.com

DESIGN · Jessica Murray jessica.m@smokymountainnews.com

Travis Bumgardner travis@smokymountainnews.com

WRITING ·

Free Seminar

“MUSIC THAT MATTERS”

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22 • 3PM

BURNSVILLE TOWN CENTER

Robert Jones and his blues brother Matt Watroba will talk about the blues, its origins and inﬂuences on American music. Open to the public.

- James Fraher, photographer & author

Sponsors Include:

Rev. Robert B. Jones Jr. & Matt Watroba

FROM THE DIRECTOR FROM THE DIRECTOR

It is wonderful to hear the music of our North Carolina Mountains and Foothills come alive this year! Through this 4th edition of Down the Road magazine, you can learn about old favorites and new fresh faces on the traditional music scene across our region. The roots of American music run deep here in Western North Carolina, and our area continues to be a fertile ground for European, African American and Cherokee sounds that have met and mingled for hundreds of years. In these mountain coves, among these rolling foothills come the sounds of ﬁddle, banjo, guitar, and mandolin — homegrown sounds that have shaped American music. 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.

Music traditions continue to be handed down in families and communities; at the same time, musicians are moving here from other parts of the country to be at the heart of these wonderful traditions. You’ll ﬁnd lots of folks making music — from seasoned, master musicians and enormously talented youngsters to exuberant beginners and dedicated back porch pickers. The music never stops! Just the way it’s happened throughout history, new musicians with new ideas are constantly innovating the sounds of the Blue Ridge. The music continues to grow and evolve, ﬁnding new audiences while still honoring the foundations of the past.

The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina was launched more than eight years ago as a partnership between Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership (BRNHA) and the NC Arts Council. Our goal is to guide visitors and fans to where they can hear this music for themselves. We have awarded more than 55 grants to create stages, sound systems, new venues as well as support school programs to pass on traditional music to the next generation.

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership is devoted to preserving our Appalachian culture, from traditional music to arts and crafts, our foodways and our abundant outdoors, and we honor the living legacy of Cherokee traditions across our mountains.

Please join us on this musical journey “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails,” and we hope to see you along the way.

Angie Chandler

Executive Director

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

The roots of American music run deep here in Western North Carolina, and our area continues to be a fertile ground for European, African American and Cherokee sounds that have met and mingled for hundreds of years.

N.C.’S RICH CULTURE

This year, the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources celebrates 50 years as a state agency.

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources takes care of the things that people love about North Carolina, literally from A to Z. The Arts to the Zoo, and so much else — parks, aquariums, historic sites, archaeology, African American Heritage Commission, science and history museums, the state Symphony, Library, and Archives, historic preservation, land and water stewardship, and more. These places, and the ideas they represent, create a shared identity among us as North Carolinians. They provide common ground. Everyone is welcome.

In addition to our 50th, all year long we are celebrating our state’s rich his-

tory, diverse arts and culture, and spectacular natural areas.

In 2023, DNCR will help celebrate the Year of the Trail and we invite you to explore our many natural and cultural trails across the state. In North Carolina, we celebrate our traditions in music, craft, art, literature and history through our cultural trails, and our vast network of natural trails connects the mountains to the coast, providing open space for all North Carolinians.

We look forward to sharing North Carolina’s rich outdoors, culture and history with you.

I encourage you to discover the many treasures across our state and create your own path of discovery and awe, wherever you are.

Sincerely, Secretary D. Reid Wilson N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

D. Reid Wilson

SUPPORT THE BLUE RIDGE NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA!

Play your part in preserving the living traditions and Appalachian heritage of the North Carolina mountains and foothills — including the Blue Ridge Music Trails — with a gift today! Here are several ways you can be a part of this important work for current and future generations:

• Donate at blueridgeheritage.com/about/donate.now

• Follow the Blue Ridge Music Trails on Facebook

• Listen to Down the Road Podcasts now featuring four seasons of traditional music profiles and history at blueridgemusicnc.com/listen-and-learn/down-the-road-podcast

• Review our website and learn more about the Blue Ridge Craft Trails Program, explore itineraries that will give you all kinds of trip ideas, support our local businesses by attending events at some of our many venues and breweries, look through our online retail store, etc.

And please reach out to our staff at 828.298.5330. We serve the entire region of Western North Carolina and enjoy connecting with our donors, partners and program participants. Thank you!

BLUE RIDGE MUSIC TRAILS ANNOUNCES THE “FINE TUNED PROJECT!”

This year will see the launch of an exciting NEW project, specifically designed to help emerging musicians develop professional skills and recording experience! These lesser-known artists will be paired with performers who have more experience in sharing their music with live audiences and have developed skills through the making of a recording. These selected pairings of artists will come together over a series of months, forming a musical relationship while also selecting and rehearsing TWO tracks to record. This compilation of songs will result in a most unique vinyl record — available for purchase in spring 2023. Thanks to Come Hear North Carolina for supporting this important project. Join us by following this project, visiting the Blue Ridge Music Trails website regularly, and if you don’t already receive the In Tune e-newsletter, please sign up now at blueridgemusictrailsnc.com.

Growing up in the mountains of Ashe County, North Carolina, Tray Wellington started playing music in middle school. Initially, it was the electric guitar and a little bit of trombone.

“But, it was in eighth grade when I ﬁrst heard the banjo,” Wellington said. “Our school had a mountain music program and there were actual classes you could take. To this day, I remember that ﬁrst time hearing the banjo — it was such a beautiful sound, something I’d never heard before.”

‘BLACK BANJO’ TRAY WELLINGTON ON NEW ALBUM, A LIFE IN BLUEGRASS

DAN BONER PHOTO

“We’re all just musicians making music together.”

—

Being a Black student in the predominantly white academic and social environment that is Ashe County, Wellington stood out when he picked up the banjo, soon joining local jam circles and other musical gatherings.

“I listen to country, rock and rap, but there was something about bluegrass that really pulled me in,” Wellington said. “And I always wanted to be different than anybody around me, I always wanted to do something different that nobody else I knew was doing.”

And part of that mission of being a unique individual includes bringing more attention to the impact of Black musicians and artists on the creation and development of bluegrass and oldtime music, something sadly lost underneath the sands of time.

“Most people don’t even realize that the banjo is an African instrument. And one thing that needs to change is learning the actual history of the instrument. It needs to be brought out and cele-

brated,” Wellington said. “But, at the end of the day, I try not to pay so much attention to being the only Black musician at a lot of these jams — we’re all just musicians making music together.”

Eventually, Wellington started to push out into the world amid his curiosity and quest to dive deep into the “high, lonesome sound,” with Western North Carolina the epicenter of bluegrass banjo, and the pinnacle of the instrument, the late Earl Scruggs, hailing from down the highway in Shelby.

“And even before I started to play music, I knew a couple of professional musicians from my church, which were Zack Arnold and Jacob Greer of Sideline,” Wellington said. “So, they were some of my ﬁrst introductions into the bluegrass world, where they would have little jams and invite me to come and play.”

Now 22 years old, Wellington is already making a name for himself in the bluegrass, old-time and roots music

realms. In 2019, he was awarded “Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).

And to that, he’s now a featured artist with the Mountain Home Music Company based out of Arden, North Carolina. Wellington’s highly-anticipated debut album for the record label, “Black Banjo,” will be released this spring — a title aimed at one foot in the storied musical past, the other in the progression of the sound itself.

“There is technically a pre-defined ‘black banjo,’ which is more in the oldtime realm. It’s definitely something I’ve researched a lot and looked into,” Wellington said. “But, the idea behind the album is that I’m trying to do something new. My sound is my sound, and I don’t want to ever be put in a box, feeling like I have to play a specific style because it’s historically accurate — the thing about music is that it needs to be new and rejuvenating.”

TRAY WELLINGTON

ROB LAUGHTER PHOTO

185 KING STREET

A PLACE FOR MUSICIANS AND AUDIENCES

It was just a couple years ago when Madeline Magin and her ﬁancé, Cody Noble, decided to take the plunge on a longtime dream by opening Noblebrau Brewing in Brevard. The endeavor also included taking over the storied 185 King Street music venue/restaurant housed in the building.

“We began construction of the brewery in November 2019 and worked on the build-out through the early months of the pandemic,” Magin said. “We’d al-

ready bought all the equipment and all of our plans were in the works. So, we had our ﬁngers crossed about reopening in the fall of 2020 when live music and gatherings would be allowed again.”

When the COVID mandates were lifted and folks were once again able to congregate and see live music, 185 King Street and the brewery quickly became a highly sought-after beacon of music, culinary delights and genuine connec-

tivity dearly missed during the shutdown.

“Our goal is to provide an amazing experience to people — to come and play, and to come and listen,” Magin said. “We want everyone to enjoy the beautiful music of our local artists and national touring groups. We’re constantly doing our best to uphold those two goals and continue to grow in the process.”

Established in 2009 by Jackson

Wine, 185 King Street came to fruition in an area of Brevard that was once abandoned and silent. Just outside of downtown, the district was formerly a large lumberyard and railroad depot. The music venue became an anchor business, with several other companies soon calling King Street home, ultimately creating this beehive of commerce and culture.

Though the music venue is wellknown for its cozy, intimate feel inside, Magin and Noble wanted to also make everyone feel safe during the ongoing pandemic. With that, they started opening up the garage door behind the stage for patrons who wanted to sit outside and still be able to enjoy the live performances.

“And it’s the local people who really appreciate having that option to either be inside or outside for a show — it’s they who keep coming and supporting us, who ensure our survival as a business,” Magin said.

The move proved very popular, especially with the ﬁre pit in the backyard and the night sky above. And as live music slowly crept back onto the once blank calendar, one of the ﬁrst acts was (and remains) the “Travis Book Happy Hour,” a livestreamed weekly musical showcase (with limited seating) hosted by Book, a Brevard resident and Grammy-winning bassist for The Infamous Stringdusters.

“Having Travis here every week during the shutdown was a big deal for us,” Magin said. “And he’d bring in all these world-class musicians each time, where we’d have some of the ﬁnest bluegrass, Americana and folk musicians on the scene coming to play our small stage — it’s been such an honor to present.”

Now that live music is back in full swing at 185 King Street, Magin and Noble are seemingly running on all cylinders, whether it’s booking nightly bands, brewing batches of craft ales or running a busy kitchen.

“It been a whirlwind couple of years for us,” Magin said. “And to see the tables full and the backyard full, we’re just incredibly grateful to be able to provide this place for our community to come back together.”

Madeline Magin and Cody Noble.

When Kathleen Burnett is performing, she can’t help but feel this genuine sense of gratitude for being onstage, in front of a live audience she hopes to uplift with her music.

“It’s deﬁnitely this feeling of being able to inspire,” Burnett said. “Sometimes after a show, we’ll have children come up to us and ask us about our instruments. And that’s the best feeling — when you can inspire a child to want to play music.”

Kathleen is part of rising bluegrass act The Burnett Sisters Band & Colin Ray, which is based out of Watauga

County. Aside from Kathleen (guitar), there’s also Anissa (ﬁddle), Sophia (bass) and Anneli (mandolin), alongside Ray (guitar) and Jason Alexander (banjo).

“To be honest, it’s never really been difﬁcult to be part of a band with your sisters,” Kathleen said. “We all know our place in the group and we all take suggestions from each other because we want to sound the best that we can. The family dynamic is that we love each other and want to help each other out.”

A budding bluegrass star in his own right, Ray came into the fold of the band

a couple of years ago. After crossing paths with Kathleen while both were enrolled in East Tennessee State University, the couple soon started dating and were married just last year.

“After Colin and I got married, we decided to merge our two groups,” Kathleen said. “And now, he’s become such a big part of the show.”

“For me, it’s such a thrilling experience to play music and have that ability to potentially inspire another person,” Ray added. “My hope is that people come in feeling one way and they leave feeling better than they did when

The Burnett Sisters.

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION

THE BURNETT SISTERS BAND & COLIN RAY

Colin Ray.

they arrived. And, if we can do that, then that’s a success for us as a group.”

Growing up in Boone, the sisters were handed instruments at a very young age. Eventually, their father signed them up for the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program in the community.

“We’ve always loved bluegrass and old-time music,” Kathleen said. “With JAM, we learned many instruments and started several different groups throughout that time. As we got older, my sisters and I realized that we wanted our own group. So, together we

started playing churches and festivals around the area.”

For Ray, he picked up the guitar when he was six years old, which soon led to him taking personal lessons from bluegrass superstars Darin & Brooke Aldridge.

“And it was those lessons that really pushed me into the bluegrass and folk scene,” Ray noted. “From there, I just started working on playing the guitar and the banjo, going around to local jam sessions and meeting up with people to play music.”

So, just what is it about the “high,

lonesome” sound that calls to these young musicians, this next generation of bluegrass singers and performers?

“I think it’s about being able to put feeling into what you’re singing — that ability to channel anything you’re feeling through this unique style of music,” Ray said.

“For my sisters and I, this music is part of our history” Kathleen said. “We grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We’re proud of that and we want to keep this music alive. We want to pass the music along to as many people as we can each time we hit the stage.”

JACK OF THE WOOD

WHERE KINDRED SPIRITS GATHER

Sitting at a table in the depths of the cavernous Jack of the Wood on Patton Avenue in downtown Asheville, Joan and Joe Eckert shake their heads in awe when asked about the 25th anniversary of the beloved pub and music venue.

“It just seemed like the natural thing to do in this city, to open a Celtic-style pub, but to also have it be sort of an Appalachian tavern, too,” Joan said. “And live music has always been part of this business and what we want to put forth

— Celtic, Americana roots, bluegrass, old-time, folk and mountain music.”

When the Eckerts arrived in Western North Carolina from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, back in the 1980s, the couple was looking to raise their family on a farm in the mountains. That soon morphed into Joan operating a small lunch counter at the local YMCA specializing in vegetarian cuisine.

And with the encouragement and backing of the late Julian Price, a storied Asheville entrepreneur and philan-

thropist, Joan eventually opened The Laughing Seed on Wall Street — a pillar of the city’s bustling culinary scene to this day.

Initially, the basement of the restaurant (which faces Patton Avenue) was used as a root cellar, but the Eckerts had another idea in mind for the space — a British Isles inspired pub.

“We’ve spent a lot of time over there and always loved those pubs, where everyone is singing and dancing, just having a great time together in

“And live music has always been part of this business and what we want to put forth — Celtic, Americana roots, bluegrass, old-time, folk and mountain music.”

— JOAN ECKERT

the spirit of simply being together,” Joan said.

With a sincere bond and admiration for the natural world, the name Jack of the Wood came about as an ode to Mother Nature and our place in the grand scheme of things in this universe.

As soon as the pub opened its doors in 1997, stage performances became a signature facet of the business, something at the heart of the burgeoning live music scene in Asheville at the time, which is now world-renowned.

“Back then, the stage was just the ﬂoor of the corner near the front door. The musicians would set up in that corner and jam out at all hours of the day,” Joe reminisced. “And when we took over the basement of the next building, we built a stage across the room where it still stands today.”

Since the earliest days of its existence, the weekly jams at the Jack of the Wood have taken on legendary status over the last quarter-century.

There’s the Wednesday folk jam, the Thursday bluegrass jam, and the Sunday Celtic jam — all of which attract some of the ﬁnest pickers and singers in Southern Appalachia and beyond.

And in those days between the jam sessions, touring bands from around the world have stood in front of the microphone at the Jack of the Wood. Wellknown national acts like Shovels & Rope, Town Mountain, The Infamous Stringdusters, Balsam Range, and Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band have all graced the stage, with thousands of upand-coming acts continuing to roll through.

“There’s a lot of professional musicians who call Asheville and Western North Carolina home,” Joan said. “And many of which come here to jam with each other when they aren’t on tour — it’s a pretty special thing to see and hear.”

“I think what we’re most proud of is that our intentions have remained the same,” Joe added. “We want to nurture the smaller bands and also the fun times, to present the traditional and acoustic music of whoever wants to come and play our stage — all of this is the culture of who we are, who we’ve always been.”

Joan and Joe Eckert.

MUSICAL WATERS

WOODY

PLATT OF STEEP CANYON RANGERS

When he’s not traveling across the country and performing onstage with his renowned Grammy Award-winning Americana act Steep Canyon Rangers, singer/guitarist Woody Platt finds himself flyfishing in the ancient rivers and streams near his home in Western North Carolina.

“Fly ﬁshermen tend to really respect the environment and respect the game they catch. When you catch a ﬁsh, it’s

often ﬁnd themselves traversing the picturesque landscape and immersing themselves in the nearby waters.

“We ﬁnally found this place on the river, but the riverbanks were massively eroded from big pasture farming practices in the past, where people would actually shift the river and destroy its natural ﬂow,” Platt said. “So, all of these switch backs and channels were created that ultimately affected the riverbanks and disrupted the

almost always a catch-and-release situation,” Platt said. “And you learn as a fly fisherman to be in tune with the way a river moves and flows — where the water stacks up and slows down, how the fish orient themselves in the water.”

With his home situated in the East Fork Valley at the headwaters of the French Broad River, Platt and his family

ecosystem with these large sediment deposits.”

Feeling a deep sense of urgency and social responsibility, Platt teamed up with Conserving Carolina, a nonproﬁt organization based in Hendersonville, which aims to protect land and water sources in Southern Appalachia.

“With the help of Conserving Carolina,

we were able to apply for and receive a grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management fund,” Platt said. “We used the grant to return that portion of the French Broad back to its natural state, where we can once again provide a good habitat and stable riverbanks for native ﬁsh, hellbenders and other species that live and thrive in these waters.”

Alongside Conserving Carolina, Platt and his family are continuing their work on other regional river projects with the help of private donations and other local organizations. Though the work to conserve our local land and waters is seemingly never-ending, each project completed and volunteer added is another step towards the protection and preservation of our natural resources here in Western North Carolina.

“We’ve learned a lot and we really enjoy being part of these projects,” Platt said. “Once you put a decent amount of money and effort into a project, it makes sense to continue to work in that area — it makes me really happy to see the positive impact we can have on these precious ecosystems.”

And each time Platt ﬁnds himself thigh-deep in a river or stream somewhere, he can’t help but be truly grateful for the experience of complete immersion in the splendor of Mother Nature.

“As a touring musician, I’m typically ‘on the go’ all the time. I don’t get to relax a whole lot and I don’t slow down, at least not until I get into a stream,” Platt said. “The river is a good place for me to slow down, to stand in the moving waters and simply listen to the sound of the stream pushing over the rocks — it’s the sound of beautiful music being made.”

Steep Canyon Rangers.

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA DISTINCTIONS IN TRADITIONAL MUSIC

NO OTHER PLACE HAS had more influence on the development of the banjo in America. Musicians from the western Piedmont and mountain region, including Earl Scruggs, Charlie Poole, and Snuffy Jenkins, among many, are recognized as the creators and popularizers of modern banjo styles.

THE FIDDLE AND BANJO ENSEMBLE tradition that developed in Surry County’s Round Peak community is embraced and emulated by young musicians around the world. The Mount Airy Fiddlers’ Convention is now an annual gathering place for thousands of young musicians influenced by Round Peak musicians.

TRADITIONAL DANCE EVOLVED over generations with music traditions and flat-footing. Clogging in Western North Carolina is recognized as one of the most highly-developed vernacular dance traditions in the country. Haywood County is where team square dancing first originated in the 1930s.

ONE OF THE LONGEST, unbroken ballad singing traditions in America is found in Madison County where singers were first documented by English folk song collector Cecil Sharp prior to World War I. The current generation of singers continues to perform a wide range of ballads, including some brought from the British Isles by early settlers.

THE MOUNTAIN DANCE AND FOLK FESTIVAL, started in Asheville by Bascom Lamar Lunsford in 1928, is the oldest continuous folk festival in the United States and is the model for the National Folk Festival.

MERLEFEST, presented at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro on the last weekend in April, is one of the nation’s largest and most influential “Americana” music events. It was founded in 1988 by Doc Watson in memory of his son Merle.

KEEP IN MIND

As you begin your journey, keep in mind that even though all the events listed occur on a regular basis, it is always best to verify the information before heading out. For the most up-to-date information on venues and events, please visit BlueRidgeMusicNC.com. Happy Trails!

WPAQ AM 740 IN MOUNT AIRY is the oldest live radio show that continues to program regional music from the Blue Ridge. The Merry Go Round program, which is broadcast live from the Downtown Cinema Theatre every Saturday, first signed on in 1948 and presents local old-time, bluegrass and gospel performers.

BLUE RIDGE MUSIC TRAILS PODCAST

The “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina” podcast highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, venues, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina.

The podcast is hosted by Laura Boosinger, a celebrated musician, folklorist, and storyteller, and produced by Corrie Askew of WNCW-FM.

Beginning with short and sweet three-minute episodes in seasons one and two, the popularity of the podcast warranted more content.

Episodes for seasons three and four run around nineminutes long and feature multiple musical tracks.

These tracks have been assembled in a Spotify playlist called “Music from Down the Road Podcast.”

“Down the Road” airs on WNCW-FM (88.7) at 8:50 am on Tuesday mornings (during NPR’s Morning Edition).

Recent episodes include: Lots of Great Ways to Learn Music in WNC, Traditional Artist Spotlight: David Holt, Train Songs, and Marshall’s Historic Depot.

You can find and listen to all the episodes at blueridgemusicnc.com/listen-and-learn/down-the-roadpodcast

BILLY EDD WHEELER

APPALACHIAN RENAISSANCE MAN

Sitting at a large desk in a garage studio at his home in Swannanoa, Billy Edd Wheeler is surrounded by his life’s work — photos of family and friends, musical instruments, handmade paintings, published novels and plays, and wall after wall of gold and platinum records.

“Things happen in your life where you hardly realize at the time that something is happening,” the 89-yearold marveled. “I’ve just always been in-

terested in creative people and running with anything that inspires me — always pursuing any idea that pops into my head.”

Born and raised in the mining town of Whitesville, West Virginia, Wheeler was surrounded by bluegrass, folk, blues and mountain music. And it wasn’t long before Wheeler himself picked up a guitar and started writing his own songs, all with hopes of someday recording and performing the material.

Wheeler was also a burgeoning playwright, but just barely scratching the surface of his many lyrical and literary talents in those early years. After graduating from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa in 1953 and Berea College (Kentucky) in 1955, he then served in the Navy and started working at Berea. And yet, it was a chance encounter around this time with legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright/novelist Thornton Wilder

Billy Edd Wheeler and Chet Atkins.

“While at Yale, I would often wander down to Greenwich Village in New York City and immerse myself in the folk music scene — it was there where I really felt inspired to write songs.”

—

BILLY EDD WHEELER

which ultimately shifted the trajectory of Wheeler’s life and aspirations.

“I told him I wanted to write plays and he told me to go to Yale School of Drama in New Haven, Connecticut, and that they gave out scholarships. So, I did just that in the early 1960s,” Wheeler said. “While at Yale, I would often wander down to Greenwich Village in New York City and immerse myself in the folk music scene — it was there where I really felt inspired to write songs.”

By 1961, Wheeler had made his ﬁrst album. His 1964 release, “Memories of America,” hit number six on the nationwide country charts and included the number three country hit “Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back.”

In 1967, Wheeler’s melody “Jackson” rose to number two on the Billboard Country chart when it was covered by Johnny & June Carter Cash. The song would go on to take home the Grammy Award for “Best Country & Western Per-

formance Duet, Trio or Group” in 1968.

“My mind is constantly working, always thinking and being inspired by something, whether in my daily life or from a dream I had — and I have such insane dreams,” Wheeler chuckled.

“And you just never know where an idea for a song or a play will come from, but there’s always these little pieces of information here and there that will spark something for me to write down and work on.”

As time went along, Wheeler returned to Western North Carolina, where he met and married the love of his life, Mary, who’s still by his side to this day. In 2001, Wheeler was inducted in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, with a recognition from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame coming in 2011.

In his decades as a successful songwriter, Wheeler’s work has been recorded by dozens and dozens of

acclaimed artists, including Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, Neil Young, Florence and the Machine, Nancy Sinatra, Judy Collins, Jefferson Airplane, and Bobby Darin.

Wheeler has also written and published eight plays/musicals, several dramas and numerous acclaimed books of prose and poetry. He is also an abstract painter. In 2018, he ﬁnally penned his highly-anticipated memoir, “Hotter Than a Pepper Sprout: A Hillbilly Poet’s Journey from Appalachia to Yale to Writing Hits for Elvis, Johnny Cash & More.” His latest novel, “The Boston Cowgirl,” was released in 2021.

“Everything that has happened in my life has led to something else wonderful happening,” Wheeler marveled. “There are lots of things that happen in life that you think may happen and they don’t, and vice versa — the beauty of life is that you never know what’s going to happen.”

CELEBRATING AN ICONIC INNOVATOR

EARL

SCRUGGS MUSIC FESTIVAL

musical legend in his own right, Grammy Award-winning dobro player Jerry Douglas can sum up the late banjo great Earl Scruggs in one word.

“Originator,” Douglas said. “I don’t think there would be bluegrass music as we know it if it hadn’t been for Earl Scruggs. If he hadn’t been there in the beginning, bluegrass would have never gotten off the ground — Earl was the catalyst, he was the one that made it all work, made people want to see and hear it.”

With the inaugural Earl Scruggs Music Festival coming to the massive Tryon International Equestrian Center on Sept. 2-4, Douglas will be the master of cere-

monies in honoring the banjo giant in Scruggs’ native Western North Carolina.

“Earl is to bluegrass musicians the same way Django Reinhardt is to jazz,” Douglas said. “There’s just so much foundational information about this music in what Earl played, whether it was when he was with Bill Monroe or with Flatt & Scruggs.”

Scruggs was born in 1924 in Cleveland County, and after spending his youth there his professional career took ﬂight when, at age 21, he was hired by

the “Father of Bluegrass” Bill Monroe to join his band, the Blue Grass Boys. In December 1945, the group made its debut on the Grand Ole Opry — a groundbreaking moment that forever changed American music.

“He was in total command of his instrument — Earl knew it, and so did the audience,” Douglas noted. “And he found out how to get the best tone out of his instrument, by not slamming on the banjo, where it’s not too hard and not too soft — this place where you’re

Earl Scruggs (left) and Doc Watson.

A concert at the Earl Scruggs Center in downtown Shelby.

A young Earl Scruggs.

sailing along smoothly in the midst of performance.”

The festival will also feature performances by Douglas and his storied group The Earl of Leicester, Balsam Range, Acoustic Syndicate, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sam Bush, Dom Flemons, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, and many more.

“We couldn’t think of a better way to honor Earl, his legacy and continued inﬂuence, than to launch a music festival in his memory,” said Mary Beth Martin, executive director of the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby.

The idea for the event was hatched as a partnership between the center, Isothermal Community College, WNCW radio and the equestrian center. The initial plans were put on hold for the last two years due to the pandemic and shutdown of the live music industry. But, for 2022, the show will ﬁnally hit the stage in Tryon.

“And this festival will ideally complement our museum in Shelby. The Earl Scruggs Center has attracted visitors from all 50 states and 20 countries, with thousands of people coming in each year wanting to learn more about this musical legend,” Martin said. “Earl was a wonderful person, a very humble person who was this incredible artist and innovator. He was always willing to embrace change and embrace creativity — something that still resonates deeply with today’s musicians.”

That attitude of inclusivity and breaking down musical barriers harbored by Scruggs is something of a kindred spirit to Douglas, another iconic musician always down to try something new or jump into another genre of music — all for the pure and simple sake of making a melodic connection with another human being.

“I mean, there Earl was [in the early 1970s] playing Bob Dylan songs with The Byrds,” Douglas marveled. “He was always trying new things, always opening his mind to different types of music — he wanted to meet all of these people, and they all wanted to meet him.”

Jerry Douglas.

BLUE RIDGE MUSIC TRAILS OF NORTH CAROLINA PODCAST DOWN THE ROAD

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area has launched Season 4 of the Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails podcast on WNCW-FM (88.7). This podcast highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, venues, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina. These traditions and stories are the soul and spirit of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina.

Coming up in Season 4, we’ll spend time with ballad singers, historic venues, musical communities, legendary instruments, and more!

The podcasts are hosted by Laura

Boosinger, musician, folklorist, and storyteller; scripted by Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Program Manager, musician, and luthier Brandon Johnson; and produced by Corrie Askew and Joe Kendrick of WNCW-FM.

Episodes from Seasons 1 and 2 ran approximately three minutes. Starting with Season 3, episodes were expanded to 9 minutes to feature more content and music highlighting the musicians and stories being told. The episodes from Season 3 covered a wide range of topics including Dinner on the Grounds, the NC Musician Murals Project, the legend of Tom Dula, music camps across Western North Carolina, and more. The

last two episodes of Season 3, focused on Arvil Freeman, a legendary ﬁddler and teacher who passed away in 2021 and celebrated David Holt, who received the North Carolina Award in 2021. Another episode explored the history of the song “The Cuckoo,” which dates from 12th Century England but gained prominence in old-time music through the recording of Clarence Ashely. You can listen-in to the podcast every other week on WNCW-FM (88.7) at about 8:50 a.m. on Tuesday mornings (at the end of NPR’s Morning Edition). Episodes from all four seasons can be found at blueridgemusicnc.com/listenand-learn/down-the-road-podcast.

The mural of Nina Simone in Tryon.

FLOWING FROM YOUR FINGERTIPS MANGUM POTTERY

When Beth Mangum reﬂects on the 25 years that Mangum Pottery has been in downtown Weaverville, she can’t help but feel a deep sense of pride — at not only the artistic beehive at the heart of the community, but also the sincere importance of this collective in her backyard.

“We have so much local support here for artists, and that’s really a wonderful thing — this is a community that comes together,” Beth said. “Even through the obstacles and challenges we’ve faced over the years, it’s been such a rewarding lifestyle to be a working artist in this town.”

Alongside her husband and fellow potter, Rob, the couple have made a name for themselves in the rich, vibrant artistic realm at the heart of the creativity and culture of Western North

Carolina.

Both Beth and Rob have a lifelong love of pottery, each with a different road to what ultimately became their passion and career. For Beth, it was playing in the clay of her backyard in Virginia as a young kid, digging out chunks of earth and pretending to make pots. On the other hand, Rob was raised in a pottery household, with his parents’ artisan crafters at their home studio outside of Sparta.

Meeting at the North Carolina State University School of Design, Beth was studying ﬁbers and surface design, while Rob was working in graphics and illustration.

“He was pursuing other ideas and thinking about being an illustrator,” Beth said. “But, he then began to think about becoming a potter. It was some-

thing he had done all of his life and enjoyed doing. And while we were dating, I sort of jumped in and helped cut out pieces of clay for him, mixing glazes. Next thing I knew, I was actually making pots.”

The Mangums eventually found themselves in these mountains in the mid-1980s, which included Beth taking pottery and ﬁber classes at the storied Penland School of Craft.

“And I began to realize this area is where I wanted to live. People thought I was crazy when I said I was moving here, saying there was nothing here for me,” Beth reminisced with a laugh. “Downtown Asheville was pretty quiet at the time, and I had other artist friends moving here to open studios in the rundown buildings in the city. There really was a lot of opportu-

nity here, and it’s crazy to see how much everything has changed.”

By 1997, the Mangums opened the pottery studio in Weaverville, a small town just north of Asheville, a place where they could create and nurture their own respective creative environment.

“We like being on Main Street because it makes us easy to ﬁnd,” Beth said. “And now, there’s so many other studios and artists in our community, all of these festivals and craft markets where we gather and support each other.”

Aside from pottery, Rob is also an acclaimed luthier who specializes in constructing banjos made of wire, wood and pottery. To that point, the Mangums are longtime musicians around the area, with Rob a member of oldtime/folk group The Barsters.

“And every now and again, we’ll get an amazing banjo player coming into the studio, who’ll sit and play one of Rob’s clay banjos,” Beth said.

Now a pillar of the artist community in Weaverville and Western North Carolina, the Mangums are grateful for the life they’ve created for themselves, especially the interactions with the countless people who have stepped inside their studio over the years and for all those they’ve befriended.

“Pottery is our life’s work,” Beth said. “It means everything to us to be able to make a living from clay, to be doing something we love to do. We both continue to grow as artists and still ﬁnd creative fulﬁllment each time we sit at the wheel with a fresh chunk of clay.”

BLUE RIDGE CRAFT TRAILS

After several years of development, the highly-anticipated launch of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails is now a reality, with over 325 locations covering 25 counties and the Qualla Boundary in Western North Carolina.

"While the American Craft Council defines craft by five media — clay, fiber, wood, metal, and glass — at the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, we take a broader view,” said Anna Fariello, curator of the BRCT. “We focus on the handmade experience and appreciate WNC craft makers for their innovative approaches to materials and technique, while sharing in their tactile experience."

The BRCT will further complement the already large success of the Blue Ridge Music Trails, which are both part of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Federally designated as a National Heritage Area in 2003, the BRNHA is one of 55 heritage areas across the United States.

"I see the Blue Ridge Craft Trails and the Blue Ridge Music Trails as two sides of the same coin. Music and craft have been central pieces of the fabric of life in the Blue Ridge Mountains for centuries,” said Brandon Johnson, project manager for the BRNHA. “Today, these two trails help people find and experience authentic traditional music and handmade craft and help direct audiences and customers to musicians and makers.”

As long as human beings have inhabited the mountains of Western North Carolina and greater Southern Appalachia, there has been the sacred art and practice of passing down these ancient techniques of craft mediums in the vast, vibrant culture of this region.

"Western North Carolina in particular is rich in craft, having a long history of appreciation for the handmade,” Fariello said. “Today’s makers have the advantage of building on a legacy that produced a wealth of heritage objects and a number of longlasting educational institutions that have helped sustain these traditions.”

With an array of storied institutions preserving and perpetuating craft skillsets and knowledge through the generations, these places include the John C. Campbell Folk School, Penland School of Craft, Southern Highland Craft Guild, and Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual.

"There is such a wide variety of quality work and artists to be found on the Blue Ridge Craft Trail, from young artists just opening their first studio to celebrated veterans in the craft field,” said Robin Johnston, a weaver and the coordinator for the BRCT, who has also been an “Artist-in-Residence” at Penland School of Craft. “Every artist has a fascinating story. Experiencing where they work, hearing about their lives and what inspires them, seeing the raw materials and how things are made, will resonate with each visitor — and may even light a spark for future makers.”

For more information about the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, visit BlueRidgeCraftTrails.com.

Beth and Rob Mangum.

HAPPENINGS HAPPENINGS

FESTIVALS, CONCERT SERIES, JAM SESSIONS, MUSIC CAMPS, EXHIBITS AND MORE

YEAR

ROUND 6

Alleghany Jubilee

SPARTA

alleghanyjubilee.com

Monday 6-8 pm, Tuesdays 7-9:30pm, Saturdays 7-10 pm

Blue Ridge & Beyond Concert Series

MOUNT AIRY

surryarts.org

Concerts year round, visit website

Bluegrass & Old-Time at Jack of the Wood ASHEVILLE jackofthewood.com

Wednesdays 7 pm Old-Time Jam, Thursdays 7 pm Bluegrass Jam, Friday-Saturday evening bands (visit website), Sunday 12-3 pm Bluegrass Brunch

Bluegrass & Old-Time Community Jam

BANNER ELK blueridgemusicnc.com

Monthly, 3rd Monday 6:30 - 8:30pm

Cherokee Homestead Exhibit HAYESVILLE

cccra-nc.org

Daily, sunrise to sunset

Concerts & Events at Blowing

Rock Art & History Museum

BLOWING ROCK blowingrockmuseum.org

Concerts, lectures, and installations, visit website

Concerts Ashe Civic Center

WEST JEFFERSON

ashecivic.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at 185 King Street

BREVARD

185kingst.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at Asheville Music Hall

ASHEVILLE ashevillemusichall.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at Black Mountain Center for the Arts

BLACK MOUNTAIN blackmountainarts.org

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at Burnsville Town Center BURNSVILLE burnsvilletowncenter.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at City of Morganton

Municipal Auditorium

MORGANTON CoMMAOnline.org

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at Highland Brewing Company ASHEVILLE highlandbrewing.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at Isis Music Hall & Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions

ASHEVILLE isisasheville.com

Concerts year round, visit website, Bluegrass Tuesdays 7:30-9:30 pm

Concerts at J.E. Broyhill Civic Center

LENOIR

broyhillcenter.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at Muddy Creek Café & Music Hall

SPARTA

muddycreekcafeandmusichall.com

Concerts year round, visit website

PLEASE CHECK

The Down the Road events calendar was published when some venues and events were closed or canceled because of COVID-19. Please check with event organizers and venue contacts to confirm details prior to attending.

Concerts at Silverados

BLACK MOUNTAIN silveradoswnc.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts

FRANKLIN greatmountainmusic.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country BOONE apptheatre.org

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at The Arts Place of Stokes

DANBURY artsplaceofstokes.org

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at the Don Gibson Theatre

SHELBY dongibsontheater.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at The Foundation Performing Arts Center

SPINDALE

foundationshows.org

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at The Gem at Boojum Taproom

WAYNESVILLE boojumbrewing.com

Friday & Saturday evenings, visit website

Concerts at The Grey Eagle ASHEVILLE thegreyeagle.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at The Orange Peel ASHEVILLE theorangepeel.net

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at the Reeves Theater ELKIN ReevesTheater.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Concerts at White Horse Black Mountain

BLACK MOUNTAIN whitehorseblackmountain.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Crouse House Pickers (Jam Session)

SPARTA townofsparta.org

Mondays 6 pm

Earl Scruggs Center: Music & Stories from the American South SHELBY earlscruggscenter.org

Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm

Feed & Seed

FLETCHER feedandseednc.com

Friday-Saturday 7:30-9:30 pm

Jackson Arts Market

SYLVA

jacksonartsmarket.com

Saturday & Sunday 1 pm-5 pm

Jam Sessions at the Barber Shop

DREXEL

blueridgemusicnc.com

Saturdays 11 am

Jimmy's Pick n Grin

ANDREWS

blueridgemusicnc.com

Saturdays 7-11 pm

Jones House - Weekly Jam Session

BOONE joneshouse.org

Thursday 7:30-10 pm

Madison County Arts Council Concerts Series

MARSHALL madisoncountyarts.com

Concerts year round, visit website

Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center Concerts & Events

MAGGIE VALLEY

meadowlarkmotel.com

Events year round, visit website

Micaville Music Jam

MICAVILLE ooakartgallery.com

Saturdays 10 am-12 noon

Mount Airy Museum of Regional History

MOUNT AIRY northcarolinamuseum.org

Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm, visit website

Mountain Gateway Museum and Sunday Afternoon Jam

OLD FORT mgmnc.org

Tuesday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday 2 pm-5 pm, Sunday Jam Session 2 pm

Mountain Music Jam at Oklawaha Brewing Company

HENDERSONVILLE oklawahabrewing.com

Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 pm

Mountain Music Monday’s at the Tasty Weasel Taproom

BREVARD oskarblues.com

Mondays, June-September 6-8 pm, October-May 5:30-7:30 pm

Music & History at Wilkes Heritage Museum

WILKESBORO

wilkesheritagemuseum.com

Monday-Friday 10 am-4 pm

Music at the Depot

MARSHALL visitmadisoncounty.com

Fridays 7 pm

Music N'All at the Barn

EDEN

exploreedennc.com/item/music-nallat-the-barn/ Tuesdays 7-9 pm

Old-Time Jam at the Reeves ELKIN

ReevesTheater.com

Fourth Thursdays, except major holidays, 5:30 pm

Old-Time Music Heritage Hall

MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org

Monday-Friday 11 am-3 pm, Saturday 1:30 pm-3:30 pm, Sunday 1-3:30 pm

Open Mic Night at the Reeves ELKIN

ReevesTheater.com

Tuesdays 6:30 pm, except major holidays

Phipps General Store Jam

LANSING blueridgemusicnc.com

Fridays 7-11 pm

Sandy Ridge Music Association

Bluegrass & Gospel Concerts

SANDY RIDGE blueridgemusicnc.com

2nd Saturday monthly 6-8 pm

Saturday Bluegrass Jam – Weekly at the Earl Scruggs Center

MILL SPRING earlscruggsmusicfestival.com

Friday 2 pm-1am, Saturday 10:15 am-midnight

Saturday Jam at the Todd Mercantile

TODD toddmercantile.com

Saturdays 1-3 pm

Saturday Morning Gospel Jam

MARION blueridgemusicnc.com

Saturdays 10 am-12 noon

SEBA 3rd Saturday Jam

FRANKLIN coweeschool.org

3rd Saturday monthly, 12-3 pm

Sims Country Bar-B-Que - Food, Music & Dancing

GRANITE FALLS

simscountrybbq.com

Friday and Saturday 5-9 pm

Thursday Night Jam at the Silvermont Mansion

BREVARD silvermont.org

Thursday 7 pm

Tom Dooley Museum

FERGUSON

whippoorwillacademy.com

Tours Wednesday & Saturday, 1-5 pm or by appointment

Tuesday Casual Collaborations

BREVARD

185kingst.com Tuesdays 6pm

WPAQ Saturday Morning MerryGo Round

MOUNT AIRY wpaq740.com

Saturdays 11 am-1:30pm

Yadkin Cultural Arts Center Concert Series

YADKINVILLE yadkinarts.org

Concerts year round, visit website

Zuma Coffee Bluegrass Jam Session

MARSHALL zumascoffee.com

Thursdays 7-9 pm

SEASONAL

Red, White & Bluegrass Jam Session

BOONE

blueridgemusicnc.com

April-November, 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 7 pm

Music at the Mills

UNION MILLS

blueridgemusicnc.com

April - December, first friday of each month

Brasstown Community Civic Center Summer Concerts

BRASSTOWN

brasstowncommunitycenter.org

May-August, 2nd & 4th Saturdays 7 pm

Backstreet Park Summer Concerts

WEST JEFFERSON

visitwestjefferson.org

May-August. Fridays 5:30 pm

Fridays in the Park

JEFFERSON

ashecountyarts.org

May 20, June 17, August 19, Fridays 7pm

Summer Concert Series On the Historic Hayesville Square

HAYESVILLE cccra-nc.org

May 24-September 2, most Fridays 7 pm

RADIO SHOWS

Enjoy the sounds of mountain music from the comfort of your home, cabin, or car by dialing in (or streaming) a radio show. Here’s a sampling:

• BLUEGRASS REVIEW, 3-5 pm Sundays, WSQL 102.1 FM

• CLOSE TO HOME (old-time music), 8-10 pm Saturdays, WCQS 88.1 FM

• COUNTRY ROOTS, 7-9 pm Sundays, WCQS 88.1 FM

• GOIN’ ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN (bluegrass), 11am-7 pm Saturdays, WNCW 88.7 FM

• GOSPEL TRUTH (bluegrass gospel), 7-9 am Sundays, WNCW 88.7 FM

• MOUNTAIN MORNINGS (bluegrass), Sunday through Friday, 6-7 am, WNCW 88.7 FM

• THE TALL GRASS (bluegrass and roots music), 6-7 pm Sundays, WNCW 88.7 FM

• THIS OLD PORCH (old-time music), 3-6 pm Sundays, WNCW 88.7 FM

• WPAQ 740 AM – bluegrass and old-time music

Check out our Down the Road Magazine 2022 Spotify Playlist to enjoy music from the stories you’re reading.

Concerts on the Creek at Bridge Park

SYLVA mountainlovers.com

May 27-September 2, Fridays, and July 4th, 7 pm

Music on Main in Sparta

SPARTA

blueridgemusicnc.com

May-September, 1st Fridays 8 pm

Concerts at Museum of Ashe County History

WEST JEFFERSON ashehistory.org

May-September, Sundays 3 pm, visit website

Micaville Music Concert Series

MICAVILLE ooakartgallery.com

May-September, Thursdays 6:30 pm

Songwriter Showcase

HAYESVILLE thepeacocknc.org

May 7, June 11, July 16, August 27, September 10, October 22, 7 pm

Tucker's Barn Singer & Songwriters Series

LENOIR

blueridgemusicnc.com

May-October, 1st Thursday 7-9 pm

Mid-Day Mountain Muisc at the Blue Ridge Music Center

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY MILEPOST 213 BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org

May-October, daily 12 noon-4 pm

Friday Night Live

HIGHLANDS

highlandschamber.org

Mid-May through mid-October, Fridays 6 pm

Music & Dance at the Stompin' Ground

MAGGIE VALLEY blueridgemusicnc.com

May-October, Saturdays 8 pm-10:30 pm

Live Mountain Music at the Orchard at Altapass

SPRUCE PINE altapassorchard.org

May-October, Thursday-Sunday 1-5 pm, visit website

Concerts at the Blue Ridge Music Center

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY MILEPOST 213 blueridgemusiccenter.org

May-October, visit website

Blue Ridge Music Center Roots of American Music Exhibition

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY MILEPOST 213 blueridgemusiccenter.org

May (Thursday-Monday), June-October (daily), 10 am-5 pm

Pickin' on the Square FRANKLIN franklinnc.com

May 28-October 22, Saturdays 7-9 pm

Jam Sessions at the T.M. Rickman Store FRANKLIN rickmanstore.com

May 4-December 14, Saturdays 12 noon-4 pm

And the Beat Goes On Music Series

SPARTA alleghanyartscouncil.org

May, June, July, August, September, November, December, one concert a month, 8 pm

Shindig on the Green ASHEVILLE folkheritage.org

Jun 25, Jul 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. Aug 13 2022, Saturdays 7 pm

Hendersonville Street Dances HENDERSONVILLE visithendersonvillenc.org

June 13, 27, July 18, August 1, 15, Mondays 7pm

Waynesville Street Dance WAYNESVILLE downtownwaynesville.com

June 24, July 8 and 22, August 5, 6:30-9 pm

An Appalachian Evening Summer Concert Series

ROBBINSVILLE stecoahvalleycenter.com

June 29-August 31, Saturdays 7:30

Summer Concerts at the Jones House BOONE joneshouse.org

June-August, Fridays 5:30 pm

Unto These Hills

CHEROKEE cherokeehistorical.org

June-August, Monday-Saturday, 8 pm

Todd Summer Concert Series TODD toddnc.org

June-August, Saturdays 6 pm

Summer Tracks Concert Series

TRYON summertracks.com

June-August, two concerts a month, visit website

Music on the Courthouse Square in Robbinsville

ROBBINSVILLE townofrobbinsville.com

June through mid-September, Fridays 810:30 pm

Historic Cowee School Concert Series FRANKLIN coweeschool.org

June-September, 3rd Saturday 7 pm

Saturdays in the Park SPARTA alleghanyartscouncil.org

June-September, 4th Saturday each month 6 pm-9 pm

BMC Presents at Brevard Music Center Festival BREVARD brevardmusic.org

June-September, multiple concerts, visit website

Songcatchers Music Series BREVARD

cradleofforestry.com

July Sundays, 2-5 pm

Summer Concerts in the Park BANNER ELK bannerelk.org

July 1 - August 26, Thursday 6:30 pm

Brevard's Old-Time Street Dance BREVARD brevardnc.org

July-August, 1st Tuesday, 6:30pm

Joe Shannon's Mountain Home Music Concert Series

BOONE & BLOWING ROCK mountainhomemusic.com

July-December, multiple concerts, visit website

Saturday Bluegrass Jam Weekly at the Earl Scruggs Center.

Indoor Concerts at the Jones House BOONE joneshouse.org

September-May 7:30 pm, one to three concerts each month, visit website Sacred Harp Singing SWANNANOA christianharmony.org

September-May, 3rd Sunday each month, 1 pm-3 pm

Concerts at the Rock VALDESE townofvaldese.com

October 2022-March 2023, one Saturday a month 7 pm

The Original Pickin at Priddy's DANBURY priddysgeneralstore.com

October, 1st Saturday plus the next four, 3-5 pm

APRIL

APRIL 8-10

Ola Belle Reed: A Songwriting Retreat WEST JEFFERSON ashecountyarts.org

Friday-Sunday, visit website

APRIL 28-MAY 1

The Way of the Dulcimer Spring & Fall Retreat LITTLE SWITZERLAND donpedi.com

Thursday 3-9 pm, Friday & Saturday 8 am10 pm, Sunday 8-11 am

APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2021 MerleFest WILKESBORO merlefest.org

Thursday 2:30-11 pm, Friday & Saturday 9 am-11 pm, Sunday 9 am-7 pm

MAY

MAY 27-28

Swain County Heritage Festival BRYSON CITY greatsmokies.com

Friday 5-10 pm, Saturday 9 am-9 pm, visit website

MAY 30

Carl Sandburg Folk Music Festival FLAT ROCK nps.gov/carl Monday 10 am-4 pm

JUNE

JUNE 3-4

Mount Airy Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention MOUNT AIRY mountairyfiddlersconvention.com

Friday 2:00-11:00 pm, Saturday 9:30 am11:00 pm

JUNE 4

Cold Mountain Music Festival CANTON coldmountainmusic.org

Friday 1-10 pm, Saturday 12 noon-11 pm

JUNE 5-11

Blue Ridge Old-Time Music Week

MARS HILL mhu.edu/conferences

Sunday-Saturday, week-long session

JUNE 9-11

Cherokee Bluegrass Festival CHEROKEE evansmediasource.com

Thursday 12 noon-Saturday 10 pm

JUNE 11

Bluff Mountain Festival HOT SPRINGS madisoncountyarts.com Saturday 10 am-5 pm

JUNE 17

Annual Doc Watson Day Celebration Friday BOONE joneshouse.org Friday 4 pm

JUNE 18-19

Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend WAYNESVILLE sheltonhouse.org

Saturday 9:30 am-4 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm

JUNE 24-25

Backwoods Beat Music & Art Festival

SPARTA alleghanyartscouncil.org

Friday-Saturday evening concerts, Saturday Festival 10 am-5 pm

JUNE 25

Art of Sound Festival

SHELBY ccartscouncil.org

Saturday 10 am-10 pm

JUNE 26

Singing on the Mountain at MacRae Meadows LINVILLE singingonthemountain.org

Sunday 9 am-2 pm

JUNE 26-JULY 2

Swannanoa Gathering Mando & Banjo Week ASHEVILLE swangathering.com

Sunday-Saturday, week-long session

JUNE 26-JULY 2

Swannanoa Gathering Fiddle Week ASHEVILLE swangathering.com

Sunday-Saturday, week-long session

JUNE 27

Annual Heritage Day and Wood Kiln Opening LENOIR traditionspottery.com

Saturday 9 am-4 pm

JULY

JULY 1-2

Christmas in July Festival WEST JEFFERSON ChristmasinJuly.info

Friday 3-10 pm, Saturday 9 am-7 pm

JULY 1-2

Graham County Heritage Festival ROBBINSVILLE grahamcountytravel.com

Friday 510:30 pm, Saturday 9 am11:30 pm

JULY 3-9

Swannanoa Gathering Traditional Song Week ASHEVILLE swangathering.com

Sunday-Saturday, week-long session

JULY 9

Coon Dog Day

SALUDA cityofsaludanc.com

Saturday 9 am-11 pm

Mountain Heritage Day.

FIND Outdoors has provided visitors with exceptional outdoor experiences and forest-related information throughout North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana and Kentucky. We’re proud to encourage everyone to go FIND Outdoors and look forward to seeing visitors this season!

828.883.FIND (3463)

ROADTRIP! Put on your favorite tunes and let our scenic mountain vistas create nature’s playlist. Turn up the volume with mountainous zip lines and whitewater adventures. Or wind down with waterfall hikes and wine tastings. Choose a mountain inn or a log cabin that’s just right. Enjoy the twists and turns around Historic Saluda, Tryon, and Columbusjust 90 minutes west of Charlotte.

JULY 15-16

Alleghany County Fiddlers Convention

SPARTA blueridgemusicnc.com

Friday 5-10 pm, Saturday 11 am-11 pm

JULY 15-16

Annual NC Blackberry Festival LENOIR ncblackberryfestival.com

Thursday 6-9 pm, Friday 5-9 pm, Saturday 9 am-9 pm

JULY 17-23

Swannanoa Gathering Old-Time Week

ASHEVILLE swangathering.com

Sunday-Saturday week-long session

JULY 22-23

Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention WEST JEFFERSON ashefiddlersconvention.org

Thursday 7-9 pm, Friday-Saturday 10 am10 pm

JULY 23

Annual Swannanoa Shaped Note Singing

ASHEVILLE christianharmony.org

Saturday 10 am-3 pm

JULY 24-30

Swannanoa Gathering Guitar Week

ASHEVILLE swangathering.com

Sunday-Saturday, week-long session

JULY 28-31

Folkmoot Summerfest 2022

WAYNESVILLE & WNC folkmootusa.org

Daily performances and events, visit website

AUGUST 19-20

LEAF Downtown

ASHEVILLE theleaf.org

Friday-Saturday 12 pm-11 pm

AUGUST 20

Franklin Area Folk Festival FRANKLIN FranklinFolkFestival.com

Saturday 10 am-4 pm

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 2-4

Happy Valley Fiddlers Convention LENOIR happyvalleyfiddlers.org

Friday 7-11 pm, Saturday 11 am-11 pm, Sunday 10 am-6 pm

SEPTEMBER 2-4

Earl Scruggs Music Festival TRYON

earlscruggsmusicfestival.com

Friday & Saturday, All Day

SEPTEMBER 3

Fall Etowah Christian Harmony Singing ETOWAH etowahshapenote.org

Saturday 10 am-3 pm

SEPTEMBER 4

New River Blues Festival GRASSY CREEK NewRiverBluesFestival.info

Sunday 2-5 pm

SEPTEMBER 9-10

Mountain Song Festival BREVARD mountainsongfestival.com

Friday 4-10 pm, Saturday 12 noon-10 pm

SEPTEMBER 9-18

Mountain Music Festival at the Mountain State Fair FLETCHER wncagcenter.org

Performances throughout the 10-day event

SEPTEMBER 17

Mountain Heritage Festival

SPARTA alleghanycountychamber.com

Saturday 10 am-4:30 pm

SEPTEMBER 17

Cherokee Heritage Festival in Hayesville HAYESVILLE cccra-nc.org

Saturday 10 am-3 pm

SEPTEMBER 17

Heritage Weekend at the Folk Art Center ASHEVILLE southernhighlandguild.org

Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 12 noon-5 pm

SEPTEMBER 17

Music in the Mountains Folk Festival BURNSVILLE toeriverarts.org

Saturday 5:30-8:30 pm

SEPTEMBER 17

Yadkin Valley Harvest Festival YADKINVILLE yadkinarts.org

Saturday, 10 am-3:30 pm

SEPTEMBER 23-24

Carolina in the Fall Music & Food Festival

WILKESBORO carolinainthefall.org

Friday-Saturday 10 am-10 pm

SEPTEMBER 24

Mountain Heritage Day CULLOWHEE mountainheritageday.com

Saturday 10 am-5 pm

OCTOBER

AUGUST 4-6

Mountain Dance and Folk Festival

ASHEVILLE folkheritage.org

Thursday-Saturday 6:30-9:30 pm

AUGUST 18-20

Annual North Carolina State Bluegrass Festival MARION evansmediasource.com

Thursday 12 noon-Saturday 10 pm

SEPTEMBER 10

Music at the Mill WAYNESVILLE francismill.org

Saturday 10 am-4 pm

SEPTEMBER 11

Annual Old Folks Day ShapedNote Singing CANTON qssingingschool.org

Sunday 12 noon-3 pm

OCTOBER 1

Spruce Pine BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival

SPRUCE PINE sprucepinebbqbluegrass.org

Saturday 10 am-10 pm

OCTOBER 1

Bascom Lamar Lunsford "Minstrel of Appalachia" Festival MARS HILL lunsfordfestival.com

Saturday 10 am-7 pm

LEAF Festival.

OCTOBER 1-2

John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival

BRASSTOWN folkschool.org

Saturday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm

OCTOBER 7-9

Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival

CASHIERS

villagegreencashiersnc.com

Friday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, Sunday 10 am-3 pm

OCTOBER 8

Annual Church Street

Art & Craft Show

WAYNESVILLE downtownwaynesville.com

Saturday 10 am-5 pm

OCTOBER 14-15

Stecoah's Harvest Festival

ROBBINSVILLE stecoahvalleycenter.com

Friday 6-8 pm, Saturday 11 am-5 pm

OCTOBER 14-16

Autumn Leaves Festival

MOUNT AIRY autumnleavesfestival.com

Friday-Saturday 9 am-9 pm, Sunday 12 noon-6 pm

OCTOBER 15

The Official Fall Liver Mush Festival of North Carolina, Mush, Music and Mutts

SHELBY

tourclevelandcounty.com

Saturday 10 am-4 pm

OCTOBER 15

Apple Harvest Festival

WAYNESVILLE

haywoodchamber.com

Saturday 10 am-5 pm

OCTOBER 15

Valle Country Fair

VALLE CRUCIS vallecountryfair.org

Saturday 9 am-4 pm

OCTOBER 15-16

Woolly Worm Festival

BANNER ELK WoollyWorm.com

Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday 9 am-4 pm

OCTOBER 15-16

Punkin' Chunkin' Festival HAYESVILLE claychambernc.com

Friday 6-9 pm, Saturday-Sunday 10 am-5 pm

OCTOBER 20-23

LEAF Festival

BLACK MOUNTAIN theleaf.org

Thursday 4:30-10 pm, Friday-Saturday 9 am-11 pm, Sunday 9 am-3 pm

OCTOBER 22

North Carolina Ceramic Arts Festival

ASHEVILLE northcarolinaceramicartsfestival.com

Saturday 10 am-5 pm

DECEMBER

DECEMBER 3

Annual Singing on the French Broad River MARSHALL madisoncountyarts.com

Saturday 9:30 am-3 pm

DECEMBER 31 & JANUARY 7, 2023

Breaking Up Christmas Dance

MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org

Saturday 7-9:30pm

OCTOBER 22

Riddlefest BURNSVILLE TraditionalVoicesGroup.com

Saturday 3-4 pm (seminar), 7-9 pm (concert)

OCTOBER 29

Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival

MAGGIE VALLEY Haywoodarts.org

Saturday 1-6 pm

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER 12

Swannanoa Valley Shape Note Singing

BLACK MOUNTAIN christianharmony.org

Saturday 10 am-3 pm

NOVEMBER 19

Ellenboro Fiddlers and Bluegrass Convention

ELLENBORO blueridgemusicnc.com

Saturday 6:30 pm-10 pm

NOVEMBER 26

Annual Thanksgiving Kiln Opening LENOIR traditionspottery.com

Saturday 10 am-4 pm

FEBRUARY 2023

Appalachian State Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention BOONE fiddle.appstate.edu

Friday-Saturday, visit website for 2023 dates

FEBRUARY 2023

Bluegrass First Class ASHEVILLE bluegrassfirstclass.com

Friday-Sunday, visit website for 2023 dates

FEBRUARY 2023

Mount Airy Old-Time Retreat MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org

Thursday - Saturday session, visit website for 2023 dates

FEBRUARY 2023

Tommy Jarrell Festival MOUNT AIRY surryarts.org

Last Thursday-Saturday, visit website for 2023 dates

MARCH 2023

Caldwell Traditional Musicians Showcase

LENOIR broyhillcenter.com

Visit website for 2023 dates

MARCH 2023

Annual Sandy Ridge School Bluegrass Show

SANDY RIDGE blueridgemusicnc.com

Visit website for 2023 dates

Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center

Built of local stone in 1943 on the site of a former Civilian Conservation Corps camp, the Cowee School educated area youth for nearly seven decades. The historic structure, in the heart of the Cowee-Wests Mills Historic District, is now an arts and heritage center serving Western North Carolina residents and visitors.

Within a half mile of thousands of years of history, from the ancient Cowee Mound to the Rickman Store, the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center is the hub of the Nikwasi-Cherokee Cultural Corridor. The center oﬀers classes in the arts, pottery, weaving, shape-note singing, clogging, and mountain music among others. Rental space oﬀers families and groups a place for weddings, reunions, and meetings.

Cowee School is known for its events. The Annual Franklin Area Folk Festival, held on the third Saturday in August and organized through a partnership with the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County, draws thousands of visitors from all over to enjoy cultural arts,

Cowee School

Center

music, folk demonstrations, and food. The Cowee School Summer Concert Series, beginning in May and running through October, oﬀers high quality entertainment from several genres of music, with an emphasis on traditional styles such as bluegrass, Americana, and folk. Except for one up-and-coming band each year, the series includes award-winning nationally and internationally touring bands and musicians.