Old Time and Bluegrass at The Blue Ridge Music Center

September 1 at the Blue Ridge Music Center the Old-Time & Bluegrass Breakdowns concert features two great bands. It will be a memorable night of bluegrass hot picking and powerful old-time music that will make you want to dance. Come on out and support local music and musicians at one of BRMC's last mainstage concerts of the season. So this holiday weekend bring your family to the Blue Ridge Music center and enjoy local BBQ while you hear the best, traditional music at sunset!
 

 

Travers Chandler has been turning heads with his singing and mandolin playing in the bands of James King, Dan Paisley and his own band Avery County. Travers Chandler and Avery County came together in 2009 with the intent of preserving the legacies of bluegrass music's lost heroes, while bringing these sounds to new audiences. They have played on the WPAQ Merry-Go-Round, PBS' Song of the Mountains and festivals throughout the Blue Ridge. These hot pickers will prove their merit on the mainstage Saturday night.

The Dry Hill Draggers of Franklin County started with banjo player Jimmy Boyd and his brother Billy Boyd in 1981. Their uncles all played old-time music, including Uncle Charlie Boyd, who was buried with his fiddle. With a solid reputation for hard-driving, flatfooting music, today the band consist of the 2nd generation players who carry on in the unique stringband tradition of the Blue Ridge. In Jimmy's own words:"The old-time music drew me in to play it. Music like that is in your genes. You are what your genes are." To this day, Dry Hill Draggers are widely regarded as Franklin County's best old-time band.

The Old-Time & Bluegrass Breakdowns Concert starts at 7 PM. Concert seating opens at 5:30 PM. Admission $10/$8 students & seniors. Children 12 and under are free. As always, there will be free Mid Day Mountain Music in the BRMC breezeway from 12-4pm and the free Roots of American Music museum will be open 9am-8pm on this concert night. Bring lawn chairs and the whole family. Picnics welcome. Smokehouse BBQ available. No pets or alcohol. For info call (276) 236-5309 x112.

Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, Barr's Fiddle Shop, online and at the gate. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak.

The Blue Ridge Music Center hosts Blues Masters

August 18 -  Blues masters will converge at the Blue Ridge Music Center and explore the blues of the Piedmont, the mountains and beyond at the Country Blues & Songsters concert. Performers include three top bluesmen: Dom Flemmons of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, 84-year-old blues songster Boo Hanks of Virgilina, VA, and North Carolina ace guitarist/singer Lightnin' Wells. There will also be a pre-concert performance talk called, "Talkin' About the Blues," led by folklorist, Gregg Kimball.

 Boo Hanks grew up sharecropping tobacco in Vance County, N.C. His father played blues guitar in the style of Blind Boy Fuller and would entertain those in his small community at local events and all-night tobacco curings. Boo Hanks grew up hearing this music and listened to blues records. He bought his first guitar from Sears-Roebuck for $2 and entertained his local community much like his dad did. In recent years, Boo has gained national recognition and started performing further afield from his home. Boo released a new album this June with Dom Flemons called "Buffalo Junction," named after Boo's hometown. Tim Duffy, Music Maker founder, says, "Boo Hanks is the last remaining beacon of pure Piedmont blues."

Dom Flemons is a grammy award winning artist who has played all over the country with his band the Carolina Chocolate Drops. On stage, Dom, rolls from one instrument to another, (guitar, harmonica, banjo, bones), with a fearless attitude toward tradition and repertoire. He is also a great singer and a deep well of information on all aspects of the tradition of black stringband music in America.

Lightnin' Wells breathes new life into the vintage tunes of the 1920s and depression era America and has been performing for over thirty years at almost every festival, camp and blues venue in the country. He is an avid researcher and accomplished guitar, harmonica, uke and banjo player. With his experience, knowledge and well-honed performance skills, Lightnin' Wells has established himself at the forefront of the traditional blues revival.

The Country Blues & Songsters concert starts at 7pm on Saturday, Aug 18th. Concert seating opens at 5:30pm. Admission $10/ $8 students & seniors. Children 12 and under are free.

A"Talkin' About the Blues" performance-talk will take place in the small theater at 5 PM. Free. Reservations for the talk recommended. As always, there will be free Mid Day Mountain Music in the BRMC breezeway from 12-4pm and the free Roots of American Music museum will be open 9am-8pm on this concert night. Bring lawn chairs and the whole family. Picnics welcome. Smokehouse BBQ available. No pets or alcohol.

For info call (276) 236-5309 x112. Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, Barr's Fiddle Shop, online at www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org and at the gate. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak. Sponsors for this concert include: NCTA, ArtWorks, NPS, BRPF and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.

Last Swannanoa Gathering Public Concerts Feature Banjos, Mandolins and Fiddles

During the final week of the 2012 The Swannanoa Gathering there will be 3 public concerts:
Monday, August 6, 2012: Fiddle/Mando & Banjo Concert I:
Featuring Seamus Egan, Winifred Horan, David Surette, Ryan McKasson, Duncan Wickel, Marla Fibish, Tristan & Tashina Clarridge, Caterina Lichtenberg, Radim Zenkl, in concert at Kittredge Theatre at Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC. Showtime: 7:30 pm.  General admission tickets: $18, under 12 $9. Box Office: (828) 771-3024.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012: Fiddle/Mando & Banjo Concert II:
Featuring Michael Doucet, Joe Craven, David Holt, Adam Tanner, Kevin Kehrberg, Josh Goforth, Lissa Schneckenburger, Rayna Gellert, Emily Schaad, Ken Perlman, Julia Weatherford, in concert at Kittredge Theatre at Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC. Showtime: 7:30 pm.  General admission tickets: $18, under 12 $9. Box Office: (828) 771-3024.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012: Fiddle/Mando & Banjo Concert III:
Featuring Mike Marshall, Tony Trischka, Mike Compton, Byron Berline, Alan Munde, Pete Wernick, Joan Wernick, Jason Anick, Roger Bellow, Don Stiernberg, Jack Lawrence in concert at Kittredge Theatre at Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC. Showtime: 7:30 pm.  General admission tickets: $18, under 12 $9. Box Office: (828) 771-3024.

Music on the Rock Series Continues with Simon and Garfunkel

August 7-9    Music on the Rock Series: Homeward Bound - The Songs of Simon and Garfunkel The 10 concert 2012 series produced by The Flat Rock Theatre offers a celebration of music form country to pop to Sinatra.

The Music on the Rocks Series is held at The Playhouse Downtown A venue for the Flat Rock Playhouse with live performances of staged productions and music revues. Located at 125 South Main Street in historic downtown Hendersonville NC.

Brevard Music Center Final Weekend for 2012 Season

The Brevard Music Center Festival closes the 2012 season with a full weekend of special programs. On Thursday, August 2 at 7:30 PM and Saturday, August 4 at 2:00 PM the Janiec Opera Company closes its 2012 season with two performances of Puccini’s classic La bohème. One of the most frequently performed operas worldwide, this tale of life, young love, and loss in Paris’s Latin Quarter has become not only a beloved opera, but serves as the basis for the hit Broadway musical Rent.

Friday at 7:30 PM BMC Artistic Director Keith Lockhart leads the Transylvania Symphony Orchestra in a rare performance of the complete incidental music from Grieg’s Peer Gynt. Friday’s concert will be the largest performance of the 2012 season with 300 performers on stage as the TSO is joined by the Brevard Festival Chorus and narrator Ray Dooley.

Saturday at 7:30 PM the powerhouse comedy duo Igudesman & Joo present their over-the-top orchestral show BIG Nightmare Music. Appearing on stages and televisions across Europe, the pair has become a YouTube sensation with their unique blend of Classical technique and comedic presentation. This tour stop in Brevard will be Igudesman & Joo’s only appearance in the Southeastern US this year.

Sunday at 3:00 PM BMC Artistic Director Keith Lockhart will conduct the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in the festival’s Season Finale concert featuring Dzubay’s Shadow Dance, Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, and Berlioz’s spectacular Symphonie fantastique. Soloist on the Grieg will be celebrated pianist André Watts. A world-renowned artist, Watts has played before royalty in Europe and heads of government in nations all over the world throughout his over 45 year long career.

Alleghany Fiddler's Convention

July 20 - 21  Alleghany Fiddler's Convention  Traditional mountain music that is sure to get your toes tappin’. 40 to 60 bands and over 200 individual compete each year, The convention is located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the Alleghany County Fairgrounds with sites available for camping. The convention is held every year on the weekend of the third Saturday in July.

Get a link for the Fiddler's Convention and local information
  on the Sparta NC Visitor's Guide

 

The Shane Pruitt Band Performs Live at The Purple Onion

July 15, 7:00 PM at The Purple Onion, 16 Main Street in historic  Downtown Saluda NC -  the Shane Pruitt Band performs as part of the Purple Onion Sunday Evening Music (POSEM) series. Seating is limited, so reserve your seats early by calling the Purple Onion (828-749-1179) during normal business hours. Admission is $10. Doors open at 6:00 PM with light fare on the patio.

Spartanburg's instrumentalist of the year for the past 8 years, Shane Pruitt is a staple of the local music scene. Touring relentlessly with The Shane Pruitt Band performs as a feature artist with such acts as The Marshall Tucker Band, The Lee Boys, Flannel Church featuring Duane Trucks, Jeff Sipe, Ike Stubblefield, Yonrico Scott and many more.  Shane Pruitt has earned his mark as "THE" up-and-coming guitarist in the southeast in part through his undeniable hard work.

The Shane Pruitt Band has released two studio albums since 2005, which have received such honors as Blue Breaker of the Week on The House of Blues Radio Hour, #3 top Blues release of 2010 as voted by fans on 88.7 WNCW (behind Derek Trucks and Buddy Guy) and #2 Regional release, also voted by fans on 88.7
WNCW. SPB has been seen supporting such acts as Robert Cray, Robert Randolph, Johnny Winter, Gary Hoey and many many more

Get a link for The Purple Onion and other Saluda NC attractions on the 
Saluda NC Visitor Guide

It's Christmas in July this Weekend in West Jefferson

July 6-7  26th Annual Christmas in July Festival  Visit historic downtown West Jefferson in beautiful Ashe County for the 26th Annual Christmas in July Festival. Friday night, July 6, finds live music featuring the best in bluegrass, old time, gospel and country music from The Buck Haggard Band and Wolf Creek Band, street dance and food vendors from 6-10 PM.

Saturday brings the full festival to life with art and crafts, music acts featured all day long, civil war reenactments, food and fun, fun, fun from 9 AM - 7 PM.  Christmas in July is a FREE event featuring the very best in traditional mountain music and handmade crafts from throughout the northwest mountains of North Carolina.

Get a link for Christmas in July and other West Jefferson events and attractions on the West Jefferson NC Visitor Guide.

Hendersonville Music on Main Street

July 6  Music on Main Street   The 14th annual Music On Main Street concert series will be held every Friday evening from June 8 through August 17, 2012. Music On Main Street showcases a diverse lineup of musical talents, from jazz, pop, oldies, rock, to contemporary music. Bring a chair and enjoy the music from 7 PM - 9 PM. Admission is FREE.

Get a link for Music on Main Street and other local events, restaurants and lodging on the Hendersonville NC Visitor Guide

2012 "Overture" Now Available at The Brevard Music Center

The 2012 Overtures have arrived. Be sure to pick up your free copy at the box office at Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium on The Brevard Music Center Campus. Overtures for the opera and chamber concerts will be available at the Porter Center box office beginning Monday, June 25.

Overture has been the name of the official program magazine for Brevard Music Center since 1996, although it has been around much longer than that.

The magazine is full of useful information, stories, ensemble lists, contributors, programs and notes, memoirs, faculty listings, and much more. It's a great way to take a bit of Brevard home with you. It's also a great resource for visitors who are staying in the area, as many of those who advertise in Overture are local businesses! 

There are two versions this year - one for the concerts in Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium and one for the Opera/Chamber programs, which will be available at the Porter Center box office.

Learn more about the Brevard Music Center, local attractions and lodging on the Brevard NC Visitor Guide

Music in the Mountains this Weekend

Date: June 8
NC City: SYLVA
Event: Concerts on the Creek Rafe Hollister (www.rafehollister.com) will be playing. Concerts on the Creek are held at the Bridge Park Pavilion in downtown Sylva from 7:30 - 9:30 PM on Friday nights beginning ...read more   

Date: June 8
NC City: HENDERSONVILLE
Event: Music on Main Street The 14th annual Music On Main Street concert series will be held every Friday evening from June 8 through August 17, 2012. Music On Main Street showcases a diverse lineup of musical talents, from jazz, pop, oldies, rock, to contemporary music. Bring a chair and  ...read more   

Date: June 8-9
NC City: LENOIR
Event: Pop Fergeson Blues Festival IV A two day Blues Festival featuring Pop Ferguson and Blues Legends Mac Arnold, Drink Small, Boo Hanks and Beverly "Guitar" Watkins. The Festival starts on Friday at 7:00 PM with workshops for Slide Guitar, Country Style Pickin' Guitar and Blues Harmonica followed by a jam session at 8:30 PM on the outdoor Hogwaller Stage. The Festival continues Saturday with ...read more   

Date: June 8-9
NC City: TRYON
Event: 19th Annual Blue Ridge Barbeque and Music Festival The Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival is one of the area's biggest annual events with fantastic Barbecue, phenomenal music and incredible arts and crafts. Bring the kids, friends, family and more.  ...read more   

Date: June 8-10
NC City: ASHEVILLE
Event: Asheville Percussion FestivalThe first annual Asheville Percussion Festival will take place at the Creative Technology and Arts Center, the Odyssey School, 90 Zillicoa in Asheville, NC. The mission is to provide a creative environment where percussionists of all traditions gather to explore, create and innovate. The festival will be hosted by Asheville's  ...read more   

Date: June 9
NC City: CHEROKEE
Event: Cherokee Voices Festival Celebrate thousands of years of tradition in the southern Appalachians with Cherokee people from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina’s only federally recognized tribe. Experience traditional music and dance, gospel singing, Cherokee flute playing and storytelling. Talk with Cherokee people in living history encampments and see demonstrations of basketmaking, pottery, carving, beadwork, mask making, blowgun making and more. Traditional food will be available. A unique opportunity to meet  ...read more   

Date: June 9
NC City: Just north of Boone in Galax VA
Event: Blazing Blue Ridge Bands at the Blue Ridge Music Center Country Bluegrass with Don Rigsby / Whitetop Mountain Band -­ Acclaimed singer/instrumentalist, Don Rigsby joins local supergroup Big Country Bluegrass for an unforgettable night of music. Jump-starting the evening and the flatfoot dancing is a favorite old-time group, the Whitetop Mountain Band ...read more   

Date: June 9
NC City: WAYNESVILLE
Event: Appalachian Lifestlye Celebration A full day celebration of mountain heritage, music, dance, craft, and Appalachian life skills. Educational and entertaining, the event features craft demonstrations such as basketry, wood carving, quilting, along with storytelling, traditional mountain music, clogging, and  ...read more   

Date: June 9
NC City: DILLSBORO
Event: Dillsboro Art and Music Festival Rafters and Crafters - Celebrate traditional mountain crafts and enjoy lively regional musicians, dancers and storytellers at this historic Dillsboro’s Annual event. In addition to Dillsboro’s unique shops and studios, Front Street is lined with tents featuring all kinds of art and fine crafts including basketry, pottery, weaving, quilting, woodworking, jewelry ...read more   

Date: June 9
NC City: HOT SPRINGS
Event: Bluff Mountain Festival Music all day featuring some of the region’s best Traditional Old-Time and Bluegrass Music, ballad singing and clogging followed by an evening Square Dance until dark. Bring the family and the lawn chairs to enjoy a day full of music under the shade trees. Food will be available from vendors and the event includes a local arts and  ...read more   

Date: June 9
NC City: ASHEVILLE
Event: A Taste of Opera The Diana Wortham Theatre hosts an evening of food, wine and music ofr a "grand feast of the world". Cuisine from from an array of Asheville restaurants with wine are paired with an exclusive on stage concert at Diana Wortham Theatre featuring performances of opera’s past, present  ...read more   

ate: June 9
NC City: ASHEVILLE
Event: Ooh La La Curiosity Market An outdoor market in Pritchard Park featuring works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters ,up-cycled crafters, and other curious delights, all beneath the colored canopies of large market umbrellas. In addition to the artists, the market will also feature live local music with up three musical acts performing each Saturday and will include everything from a solo saxophonist to folk, blues, acoustic.  ...read more         

Brevard Community Band Concert Features Steve Cohen

June 3    Brevard Community Band Concert   Clarinet soloist Steve Cohen will perform works by Rossini and Kovacs; music by Arthur Sullivan, Vaughn Williams, and others will also be on the program.

The Brevard Community Band is a summer band composed of 85+ volunteer musicians (professional and amateurs) ages 16-80+ from Brevard and surrounding areas. The band is under the direction of Jamie Hafner, Durector of Bands at Brevard College and Director Emeritus of Education of the Brevard Music Center.

The purpose of the band is to promote band music and provide an outlet for instrumentalists to express their musical talents. The band is also a philanthropic organization by providing music scholarships to local students and grants to schools to promote music education.  The concerts are performed at the Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium on the campus of the Brevard Music Center, 400 North Broad Street in Brevard NC.

June Live Music at The Purple Onion

June's schedule of live music at the Purple Onion, 16 Main Street in Saluda NC:|

June 2 - Kyle Carey Trio - Unique combination of Celtic, gospel, and Appalachian music full of stories.

June 3 -  Sol Driven Train See more below.

June 7 - Johnson's Crossroads  - Roots, blues, soul, bluegrass from this Asheville group here for the first time.

June 9 - Roy Schneider Duo  - We could not wait to get them back after their debut with us last year.

June 14 - Peggy Ratusz & The Swing Dad  - Dance-friendly acoustic swing band plays most every style of music you know.

June 16 - The Zealots - Bringing us songs from their newly-released CD from Asheville.

June 21 - Bruce Piephoff  - We can't get through a year without having this singer/songwriter join us again.

June 23 - Lauren St. Jane And The Dead Westerns - Country swagger and Americana rock from Georgia here for the first time.

June 28 - Dana Cooper - Nationally-known singer/songwriter returns with his new recording "Road Show."

June 30 - The Honeycutters - They were terrific at the recent Art Festival so you need to hear them now if you missed them then.

Every Friday Night - Fred Whiskin at the piano.

June 3, 7 PM - POSEM Concert Series presents SOL DRIVEN TRAIN   The Purple Onion Sunday Evening Music (POSEM) series continues with the energetic  Sol Driven Train.  Sol Driven Train's music weaves through genres like images in a Tom Robbins paragraph. The band's sonic schizophrenia absorbs songwriting influences like Jon Prine and Paul Simon, and afro-caribbean rhythmic explorations, into honest songs of life, love, loss, and long johns. The 5-piece band, based in Charleston, SC, features rotating lead vocalists, and multi-instrumental talent spread across horns, strings, and percussion. The band members share a musical history dating back to childhood, and their music and live shows are filled with a spirit of positivity and joy, even while traversing subjects of suffering and death.

Admission to the 7 o'clock show is $15 per person and seating will be limited. The doors open at 6 PM and light fare will be available on the patio prior to the concert.  Reservations can be made by calling the Purple Onion Café at 828-749-1179.

The North Carolina Symphony Performs at Mars Hill College

April 25  - North Carolina Symphony in Concert in Mars Hill  For the first time in more than 30 years the North Carolina Symphony, founded in 1932 by Mars Hill College alumnus Lamar Stringfield, will perform at the college. The concert is a fund raiser for the college’s fine arts programs.

N.C. Symphony Music Director Grant Llewellyn, often praised for his “graceful and expressive direction,” will lead the Mars Hill event. Among the pieces to be included in the concert will be Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. $25 for General Admission and $100 for Patron Ticket which includes a concert reception with maestro & soloists and Reserved Patron parking

Flat Rock Playhouse Opens Season with My Favorite Things

March 28 - April 22   My Favorite Things: The Songs of Rogers and Hammerstein   The season opener for the Flat Rock Playhouse, celebrating its 60th year in 2012. Four singers and a forty-member chorus put a new spin on the music of America's greatest songwriting tandem. Enjoy favorites such as The King and I, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music and many more. Get a link and more information on the Flat Rock Visitor Guide.

The Cleveland Institute of Music Performs this Sunday in Asheville

March  25   The Cleveland Institute of Music performs at the Thomas Wolf Auditorium.  Hosted by the Asheville Symphony Orchestra the program will featuring Edward Elgar's Cockaigne Overture, Alberto Ginastera's Concerto for Harp, Op. 25. and Igor Stravinsky's Petrushka. (BOGO price for BMC patrons)

The Thomas Wolf Auditorium is located in the Asheville Civic Center in downtown Asheville NC.

Stories of Mountain Folk Podcast 2-25-12

February 25, 2012  Stories of Mountain Folk from Catch the Spirit of Appalachia  - Amy begins the show with a story called "My Uncle Ray," along with the song "Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar," by Jim Greer; Doreyl's interview is with Dot Conner from Sylva… they discuss Dot's mother Mary Jane Queen, and the upcoming CSA Scholarships for Appalachian Studies. Amy then talks with Bonnie Ensley from Tuckasegee, who tells the story of her father, Dave Coggins, who was an old time mail carrier on Cullowhee Mountain. The show ends with "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," by 17-year old Jacob Jones from Sylva.   LISTEN HERE

Brevard Music Center First Monday Concert Series - Nov 7

November 7, 1:30 PM, First United Methodist Church of Brevard, 325 Broad Street, Brevard NC. To share music with the community throughout the year, the Brevard Music Center presents free concerts to the public on the first Mondays of each month, October through May (except January). The Music Center's partners in this activity are sponsor, First Citizens Bank, and host, the First United Methodist Church of Brevard.

November's event: The Low Tech Gamelan Ensemble of Western Carolina University
Program:  Repertory will include customary Javanese and Malaysian melodies, in addition to contemporary compositions and arrangements of popular Western tunes.

Gamelan Kyai Tatit Ratri - A gamelan is an orchestra of tuned metal percussion instruments characteristic of Java, Bali, Malaysia and other island cultures off the coast of Southeast Asia. Each gamelan has its own name, its own tuning system, and its own distinctive "personality." Our gamelan's name means "Venerable Night Lightning," reflecting its original purpose: it was built in 1984 for use at KUSC, the campus radio station of the University of Santa Cruz in California. The gongs and keys were made in Yogyakarta (Central Java) but the stands and resonators were made by its California owner. It is not as decorative as traditional gamelans, since radio is an aural rather than a visual medium. In residence at WCU since March 1999, Gamelan Kyai Tatit Ratri is one of about 150 gamelans in active performance in the United States. There are fewer than a dozen in the Southeast (in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia).

Gamelan Kyai Tatit Ratri reflects the Central Javanese court tradition. It is tuned to the traditional slendro (equidistant 5-tone) scale—roughly corresponding to the Western pitches "do re mi sol la." The repertory ranges from short repetitive compositions to very long and complex works that may take hours to perform. Our repertory includes traditional Javanese and Malaysian tunes, along with contemporary compositions.

The Ensemble will also be playing on a set of tuned bamboo rattles known as angklung, popular throughout Indonesia, but particularly so in Western Java (Sunda). The tuning is related to the Javanese pelog (seven-tone) scale, but has been modernized to correspond more closely to the Western European diatonic scale. In addition to traditional tunes, angklung ensembles often perform arrangements of Asian and Western popular tunes.

Get a link for Brevard Music Center's First Monday Concert Series and other
Brevard NC events, Lodging and information HERE

Music in the Mountains this Weekend - September 23-25

Sept 23 WEST JEFFERSON Back Street Park Summer Concerts  Free summer concert series held every 3rd & 4th Friday nights May - September, 5:30pm - 7:30pm. Bring your chair, blanket or picnic and enjoy the sounds of traditional local bluegrass, folk and country music. Rain location is the Farmer's Market or the Arts Center.

Sept 24 BRYSON CITY Music in the Mountains - Free Concerts  Rye Holler Boys Every Saturday night from June through Oct, enjoy a FREE concert in Bryson City at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Train Depot from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Sit in one of the old church pews on the covered depot deck or bring a lawn chair to enjoy the show.

Sept 25 OLD FORT Informal Jam on the Porch  Bring an instrument or bring an ear! Happening each Sunday on the porch of Mountain Gateway Museum from 2-4pm.

Sept 25 BLOWING ROCK Balsam Range Concert at Grandfather Mountain   The award-winning bluegrass band Balsam Range will appear at the Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum in a rare acoustic performance on Sunday, September 25 at 2 p.m.

Balsam Range, named after the Haywood County, NC mountains where the members of the group call home, have been nominated for Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Emerging Artist awards by the International Bluegrass Music Association. This “up close and personal” concert by the Western North Carolina tradition-bearers at Grandfather Mountain is a can’t-miss opportunity.

Free Labor Day Concerts

MARION - Marion Labor Day Concert  Annual Concert at the Historic Marion Depot on the lawn. Bring chair or a blanket and enjoy. In case of rain, the concert will be inside the depot.

ASHEVILLE - - FREE Labor Day Concert in Pack Square - Asheville Symphony Orchestra performs a fee concert from 7 PM - 10 PM. Bring a lawn chair for free lawn seating or VIP and reserved seating available for purchase. Pack Square is in the center of downtown Asheville.

Four AIR restaurants will be preparing gourmet fare available to purchase in the park, as well as wine and Highland Brewery beer after 5:00 PM. Asheville NC.