Mountain Dance and Folk Festival
".... Since 1928, mountain fiddlers, banjo pickers, dulcimer sweepers, dancers, balladeers and others have come to enjoy themselves “along about sundown” the first weekend in August at the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival...." CLICK HERE for info
Bluegrass Roots "It was back in 1964. New York City filmmaker, David Hoffman, age 22, was headed down with his new 16mm hand help camera (weight 49 lbs!) to spend three weeks driving the backcountry around Madison County, North Carolina, in the center of Appalachia, with the 82 year old founder of the pioneer Asheville Mountain Music and Dance Festival, Bascom Lamar Lunsford. The resulting film, "Bluegrass Roots" lets you hear and experience the hard scrabbling, dirt road real people sounds that dominated the back country of the southern mountains 40 years ago. It presents a string of the most extraordinary singers, players and dancers the BlueGrass Mountains had to offer. Many later became famous. Some were never heard from again. Most of the songs are classics, including Lunsford's own tune, "Mountain Dew....."
Avery County
"....a new touring band of seasoned professional musicians playing in the style of pioneers like Charlie Moore, Red Allen, Buzz Busby, Walter Hensley and Dee Gunter and bringing back the entertainment factor in bluegrass music. And the spirit of Baltimore Bar room bluegrass where good women and better music was king. They were raised on the diet of bluegrass. They are from the heart of bluegrass country, but they are young and energetic with a bit of a wild streak and wanting to take the REAL lonesome sound to a new and younger audience. Avery County Bluegrass members sing and play with a honky tonk bar room edge..."
Bobby and Blue Ridge Tradition
"... is an exciting five-piece bluegrass band that plays a unique mix of traditional and not-so-traditional bluegrass music. The band’s style is clearly not your standard run-of-the-mill bluegrass. The band has a knack for developing some great original songs that are built around the group’s sound.....The band is fearless when it comes to crossover material... a wide range of options and is well-suited for many different types of performances.... the bulk of their schedule consists of private parties, weddings, receptions, and corporate events.... If you're planning an event in Western North Carolina that requires some great live music, give Bobby and Blue Ridge Tradition a call. Our level of talent, fun and professionalism is guaranteed to make your event a success...."
Cary Fridley and Down South
".... is as grounded in the tradition of Southern music as Fridley’s music has ever been. But by combining her new songs with the old time, blues and classic-country recipes, she’s serving up a swinging plate of something new. In her new band Fridley’s powerful vocal styles soar on an all-star group featuring honky-tonk guitar and country rhythms, spiced with bluesy pedal-steel and hot Appalachian fiddle stylings...."
County Farm
"...We're a 4-piece string band whose sound ranges from the ridiculous to the sublime, from '20s blues to traditional bluegrass, newgrass and beyond. In our travels, we've had the privilege of sharing stages with kindred spirits including Art Stamper, Jimmy Martin, Del McCoury, IIIrd Tyme Out, Larry Keel, and Sam Bush..."
Slight Departure
"...Music that no one can pigeonhole. Is it Old Time? Is it Bluegrass? Folk? C & W? Western Swing? About all we can say is, no matter what it is, it is filtered through the traditional acoustic instruments indigenous to western North Carolina.... Contemporary acoustic quartet consisting of Alan Darveaux on dulcimer and autoharp, Sherrill Keever on guitar, bass, bowed psaltry, melodica, Jeff Haslam on mandolin, Jon Dana on bass...."
The Biscuit Burners'
".... refreshing yet reminiscent sound continues to flourish. Continuing to cultivate their nationally acclaimed Fiery Mountain Music, the band offers their second release, A Mountain Apart...."
The Sons of Ralph
".... (featuring Ralph) is a band that plays music ranging from bluegrass to cajun, to rock and back!...."
Shannon Whitworth
".... currently lives in the mountains of western North Carolina, where she has spent the last ten years focusing on mountain, bluegrass and country music. Her talent as a singer and songwriter enabled her to spend the last 4 years touring the United States with a band she co-founded, The Biscuit Burners...."
Tom Dudley of Hoot 'n Holler Music label
""Walkin' to the Bridge" features the collaborative talents of nine North Carolina pickers and singers....Tom Dudley, sole guitarist, also plays mandolin and sings lead on three of the selections. The tunes on this release, six vocals and five instrumentals, are Tom's original compositions. Although the instrumentation is that of a bluegrass band — guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin and bass — the music itself reveals bluegrass, jazz, blues and Celtic influences, a mix as free-wheeling as its creator...."
Town Mountain Boys
"... Original bluegrass and roots country...Imagine the band that occupies the common ground between traditional bluegrass, outlaw country, and pure old time mountain music. A group that harnesses the frantic energy of the modern punk string band, yet still remains respectfully rooted in the tradition of Bill Monroe. Imagine a band with one foot proudly planted in the path of traditional bluegrass, and one foot stepping out into the unknown forefront of American string music.This is Town Mountain, the exciting new sound from Asheville, NC. Born out of the all night jam sessions and fertile picking scene of Western North Carolina, Town Mountain has emerged as one of the premiere young American bluegrass bands. Great original songwriting, tight vocal harmonies, a charismatic stage presence, and instrumental expertise place this group in the upper tier of contemporary acoustic bands...."
Click on each of the dozens of categories to the left to uncover what makes the Asheville area so vital, so intriguing and so, well, UTTERLY BLISSFUL!
Blue Grass First Class - Asheville
"... This two-day event will feature ... well known bluegrass performers ... a "Gospel Hour" ... Fiddle Workshop... banjo workshop... Banjo Setup Workshop... Many of the finest local musicians from the area's hot bluegrass scene will join us for an incredible weekend. In addition to the stage shows, local & regional artists will spend some "unplugged" time in the cozy hotel sunken lobby, in a friendly intimate setting...." Takes place the last weekend in February at the Crowne Plaza Resort Hotel in downtown Asheville.
Mountain Dance and Folk Festival
"... Since 1928, mountain fiddlers, banjo pickers, dulcimer sweepers, dancers, balladeers and others have come to enjoy themselves “along about sundown” the first weekend in August at the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival.... Bascom Lamar Lunsford founded the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival as a means for people to share and understand the beauty and dignity of the Southern Appalachian music and dance traditions that have been handed down through generations in western North Carolina. He saw the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival grow to be the oldest gathering of its kind in the nation and it continues in this way, a platform for the talented of the high country lying between the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge Mountains...." Takes place the first weekend in August at the Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Square, downtown Asheville.
Blue Grass, Clogging, Story-Telling, Circle Dancing Bring your instruments, families, friends, lawn chairs
and blankets for good times at the 42nd. summer season of Shindig on the Green -- at our temporary location: Martin Luther King, Jr. Park on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. just around the corner from where we usually are on Pack Square. Our permanent home at Pack Square Park is undergoing a wonderful renovation, to include the building
of a brand new stage for Shindig - which will be named for Mountain Dance and Folk Festival founder - Bascom Lamar Lunsford.
This mountain tradition features an always-enjoyable variety of
Big Circle Mountain Dancers
Clog Dancers
Bluegrass and Old Time String Bands
Shi· Ballad Singers
Storytellers
Shindig on the Green gets underway “along about sundown,” or for those using a watch- 7:00 p.m., and usually runs until 10:00 p.m. Concessions are available. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the beautiful music and dance traditions of Southern Appalachia on a summer evening in the mountains.
Directories and Guides to Blue Grass, Folk and Traditionall Mountain Music
Blue Ridge Music Trails
"...
makes it easy for the traveler to find authentic regional folk music, to meet musicians who have grown up with that music, to visit settings in which Blue Ridge folk music thrives, to see traditional dancing, and in many cases, to take part in the festivities. When using the Blue Ridge Music Trails website, keep in mind:
• All events listed here are open to the public.
• A few events include "jams" in which visiting musicians are welcome to participate.
• Hours and dates for music events sometimes change. When in doubt, confirm
details with the contact person listed for the event.
• Local Chambers of Commerce are often good sources for event, lodging,
and dining information.
• Internet maps, particularly those of rural areas, vary in accuracy.
Browse AshevilleBliss.com's Bookstore
Discover the Bliss of Blue Grass Music in Southern Appalachia
The roots of Bluegrass music developed for hundreds of years with dulcimers, fiddles, banjos, jew harps, and mouth bows from the Appalachian mountain region of America. Here is the illustrated story of each instrument and their use in the isolated hills to create a truly American style of music .
"This is the single best history of Bluegrass."
"...Fascinating details alternate with a comprehensive picture of how Bluegrass fits into the wider context of American popular music...."
"... If you appreciate true country music, of which bluegrass is the truest, this book will both delight and enlighten you..."
