Fri 7/31 Bill Noonan at Town Pump Tavern

Friday July 31

Bill Noonan and the Fallen Gentlemen

at Town Pump Tavern

9pm

http://www.myspace.com/billnoonanband
www.myspace.com/townpubtavernllc


Bill Noonan is a veteran of the Carolina music scene, most widely known as leader and chief songwriter of the Rank Outsiders, North Carolina-based roots-rock pioneers who were a popular fixture on the Southeastern music scene from 1990 until 2002.

Now, with the release of his second solo CD, THE MAN THAT I CAN'T BE, Noonan fully asserts himself as a solo artist and front man, with compelling vision as a songwriter, vocalist, and musician. THE MAN THAT I CAN'T BE offers a collection of genre-hopping originals and eclectic covers that ably demonstrate his skill with a full range of essential American musical styles: from bluegrass and honky-tonk to retro-pop, rockabilly, and old-school R&B. The new disc is the result of Noonan’s recent collaboration with producer Mark Lynch (David Childers, Lou Ford).

Lynch’s inventive production touches lend alternative credibility to the artist’s more traditional approach, staying true to Noonan’s roots music reverence while giving him a firm foothold on the edgy musical terrain of the 21st century. THE MAN THAT I CAN'T BE covers an amazing range of musical territory: rockers that draw comparison to the Rolling Stones or Drive By Truckers (Road 99, Down Again, Southern Song); a bluegrassy cover of Gene Clark’s “Tried So Hard” that highlights Noonan’s solid acoustic chops; and retro-pop anthems (Money Girl, Wasn’t Meant To Be) that evoke Del Shannon by way of Tom Petty. Noonan shows his soulful side on two strong R&B cuts: a haunting country soul number with echoes of Dan Penn and Muscle Shoals (Dirty Ragged Blanket) and the Tony Joe White homage “Down at the Biddy Hut”, both featuring top-notch horn arrangements. On the confessional title cut (written by Mark Lynch) and on the eerie “Lonesome Blues” Noonan’s shape-shifting vocals descend into baritone range with overtones of Cash and Cohen. The Man That I Can’t Be establishes Bill Noonan as a notable Southeastern songwriter, and takes the listener on a satisfying ride down the roots music backroads that he clearly knows so well.

Fri 7/31 Chuck Beattie at White Horse Black Mountain

Friday July 31

Chuck Beattie

at White Horse Black Mountain

8pm

http://www.chuckbeattie.com/
http://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com/

Long time blues aficionado and music historian, Chuck Beattie (aka Dr. Blues) fronts a Chicago-Style Blues band based in Western North Carolina. Originally from Rocky Mount, NC, Beattie grew up in a household filled with music. He credits his mother, a piano player and teacher, for the inate talent and musical appreciation that has driven him all his life. As a young man, Beattie was influenced by James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and a host of other important African American musicians performing in the segregated clubs of his hometown. It was Chuck and his beloved brother, Gerald, who played pickup gigs for some aritists while they were off contract in the south such as Mel and Tim, Otis Clay, The Kelly Brothers and many more. This gave him his first chance to play in a real band. Still in high school, Chuck recognized that music was his true calling.

A member of the North Carolina Jazz Ensemble, Chuck utilizes his knowledge of gospel, jazz, and the sounds of the Delta to draw out the best of Chicago Style Blues. The result is music as rich as Muddy Waters, and as down and dirty as Howling Wolf. Backed by some of the best in Blues musicians, Beattie commands the stage with his booming voice and classic old school charm.

Dr. Blues preaches that "the music must come first", and has worked tirelessly to preserve the culture and integrity of true American Blues. Due to his knowledge, background, and talent, Dr. Blues was asked to headline The Bury Blues Festival in England. He has shared the stage with many top musicians, among them the great Blues siren Shamekia Copeland. Some well respected contemporaries and friends include Stanley Baird. Cephus and Wiggins, Nneena Freelon, and numerous others. Beattie is dedicated to educating and inspiring young musicians by hosting Blues jams throughout the area, giving new talent a chance to carve out their own place in the Blues. The Chuck Beattie Band has appeared at private parties, festivals, clubs, and music halls, compelling folks of all ages and backgrounds to get up and dance.

Chuck resides in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, NC, where he continues to keep the Blues alive.

Fri 7/31 Vertigo Jazz Project at Pisgah Brewing

Friday July 31

Vertigo Jazz Project

at Pisgah Brewing

8pm

http://www.pisgahbrewing.com/
www.myspace.com/vertigojazzproject

With the rock solid foundation of Pajamas (bass) and the "brontosaurus sized backbeat" of Sean Mason (drums); Preston Cate (guitar) and Justin W. Powell (keyboards) are free to explore the many combinations of colors that are used to improvise and compose VJP's unique sound.



With an improvisational approach, as well as frequent guest soloists, VJP plays a new show, every show. Vertigo Jazz Project is known for their compositions and performances through the jazz idiom. But people often ask “Is this Jazz?” VJP has taken on the task of bridging the gap b/w multiple genres of music such as Jazz, Funk, Latin, Rock, Jam, Avant, Classical, World, Country, but always maintaining a distinctively recognizable element of jazz. VJP takes their varied experience and creates original compositions of their easily recognizable form of music; paying homage to the aforementioned styles, with heavy emphasis on the jazz, soul jazz and world elements.

Thu 7/30 Johnson's Crossroad at Town Pump Tavern

Thursday July 30

Johnson's Crossroad

at Town Pump Tavern

9pm

http://www.myspace.com/johnsonscrossroad

www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc

Johnson's Crossroad has taken their love of old time mountain music, bluegrass, and the Texas singer/songwriters of the 1970s and 1980s to create a sound that they have coined "bent acoustic country". The band's original material is steeped in the traditional country themes of lost love, lost fortune, lost time, and overcoming hardships. Vintage style mics are used for their live performances to create intimacy between both the band members and their audience.


Johnson's Crossroad now resides in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina but all originate from different parts of the country. The band consists of Paul Johnson (from West Virginia) on guitar and lead vocals, Keith Minguez (from New Jersey) on mandolin and vocals, Moses Atwood (from Maine) on dobro and vocals, and Justin Eisenman (from Wisconsin) on bass.


Keith Minguez—Mandolin, Harmonies. “The deader, the better” that’s the country and old time music that drives this New Jersey native. A successful, working glass blower, Keith’s Life is dedicated to music and art. Keith has made a career of bringing practical and passion together and marrying his enviable talent with equally enviable drive and ethic.


Justin Eisenman-Bass Fiddle, Harmonies If you knew that this Wisconsin native was an excelsior flatpicker on the guitar and the mandolin, not to mention a writer of original bluegrass music, then you may begin to appreciate the subtlety and restraint he’s bringing to the songs back there on the stand up.


Moses Atwood-Dobro, Harmonies If you don’t know, you better ask somebody. Stick around for a whole Johnson’s Crossroad set, stay for their break and if you’re lucky, Moses will play solo. This Mainer’s career stands out in it’s own right. Presence, proficiency, performance, Power.

Paul Johnson-Rhythm, Vocals, Songs “West Virginia movin’ slow” there is so much stimulation in our life today that one can easily miss a national treasure when he’s right in front of you. Paul Johnson is a powerhouse songwriter. Lyrics tough and tender, a visceral growl to his voice that calls up and reminds us of the broken majesty inside us all.


And they’re all friends. And if you think that’s irrelevant, then you haven’t seen a live show. You haven’t gotten a whiff of the chemistry between these four formidable individuals when they are doing their thing onstage.

Maybe it’s the Blue Ridge Mountains down in Asheville, North Carolina where they all met and now reside. Maybe it’s timing. They’re not wasting a moment of it, though. If they’re not on tour as you read this then they will be in a few weeks, and that’s a bankable fact.

Thu 7/30 Dave Desmelik at Pisgah Brewing

Thursday July 30

Dave Desmelik

at Pisgah Brewing

8:30pm

http://www.davedesmelik.com/index.html
http://www.pisgahbrewing.com/

"Desmelik reminds me of the reasons I got into bed with Americana on the first date. An unpretentious approach to songwriting and performance, gritty and generic without being predictable, his songs show an excellent range."-www.americana-uk.com



"Dave Desmelik's brand of Americana is the kind that makes you neither cry in your beer nor suck it down at a grim pace. His is the kind that makes you stop drinking for just a moment to acknowledge it with an emotional nod, a shiver of recognition that touches your own experience."-Joe Sample(Focus Newspaper)



Dave Desmelik has established himself as an accomplished and rising singer/songwriter whose music might best be described as Americana or Alt/Country. Drawing upon influences from country to bluegrass to blues to rock n' roll, Desmelik writes and performs a unique blend of songs.



Growing up in Alpharetta, GA, music affected Dave early. He started playing bass guitar in his high school jazz band, as well as cello in his high school orchestra, while also learning the guitar. Playing guitar, writing music, and singing songs became a part of Dave's life, but it wasn't until he moved west to Flagstaff, AZ that his songwriting would really take hold. During his time in AZ, Dave played and wrote songs with such acts as The John Treitor Band, Big Jim and the Twins, and Onus B. Johnson.



Dave returned to his southeastern roots in 2003, and is currently living in Asheville, NC, where he has been performing regionally as a solo artist and with his band "the HillBilly Cadavers". At the present time, Dave Desmelik continues to write songs and play music that is consistent and identifiable to all of his growing fanbase.

Sat 7/25 Kate Campbell at White Horse Black Mtn

Saturday July 25

Kate Campbell

with Sally Van Meter

at White Horse Black Mountain

8pm

http://www.katecampbell.com/
http://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com/

As the daughter of a Baptist preacher from Sledge, Mississippi, Kate's formative yearswere spent in the very core of the civil rights movement of the 1960's, and the indelibleexperiences of those years have shaped her heart, character and convictions eversince. As a child of the South, her musical tastes were forged in the dampered, smokyfires of soul, R&B, Southern rock, country, and folk music.

Her endearing, clear-water vocal delivery, eloquent gift for storytelling (which has drawnrepeated comparisons to such bastions of the Southern writing tradition as FlanneryO'Connor, Eudora Welty and William Faulkner) and easy command of a full-range ofAmerican music styles, have combined to earn Campbell recognition as a formidabletalent by critics, musicians and a discerning public.

Kate Campbell’s music continues to inspire and enthuse a growing audience. BalletMemphis featured songs from each of Campbell’s six CDs as well as a live performanceby Kate and band at a ballet entitled South Of Everywhere. Campbell continues toimpress audiences across the US and overseas and tours extensively in support of herCDs including tours to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.

Sally Van Meter

Over the last twenty years, Sally Van Meter has gone on to include musical collaborations with well-known artists that include performances and recordings with David Grisman and the late great Jerry Garcia, Tony Rice, Chris Hillman, Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan and the Rowan Brothers, Laurie Lewis, Russ Barenberg, Kathy Kallick, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Maura O'Connell and the inimitable Leftover Salmon. Sally's many years as a performer, session player and music teacher have gained her a reputation of rock-solid musicianship that has earned her such praise as "...capabilities far more than skin deep", ... "tasteful player with great chops", ...Sally's playing is noted for her rich tone, expressiveness and her attention to back-up."

More on Kate Campbell

Since making her recording debut in 1995 with the heart-rending Songs From TheLevee, singer/songwriter Kate Campbell has since put together a body of work matchedonly (perhaps) by Emmylou in consistency, Lucinda Williams in terms of pure,wrenching, honest self-examination and self-revelation and no one for its sheer displayof broad-based, intimate artfulness. While doing so, she has managed to include thelikes of Guy Clark, Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, Maura O’Connell, Buddy Miller andthe heart of the Muscle Shoals classic soul and R&B hit-making machine as bothadmirers and collaborators in her distinctly literate musical vision.

Kate's sublime Moonpie Dreams(1997) and Visions Of Plenty (1998) each garnered "Folk Album Of The Year"nominations from the Nashville Music Awards (as well as enthusiastic airplay by Triple-A, folk and Americana stations), while the southern-folk tinged Rosaryville (1999) andthe gospel flavored Wandering Strange (2001) extended the upward-bound arc.

On Monuments, Kate’s musical vision combined and extended these influences into asound that is both rootsy and contemporary. Twang On A Wire followed close behindand paid homage to the 1970's Nashville female country singer-songwriters whoinspired Kate as a teenager when she began writing songs and playing the guitar. ThePortable Kate Campbell and Sing Me Out offered new renditions of Kate’s earlier songsalbeit with fresh and innovative arrangements. Kate’s latest CD, Blues AndLamentations, encapsulates the musical under-story heard in all of Kate’s music – aform of blues that mines the veins of country, folk, gospel and pop. Each of Kate'salbums is a singular, distinctive and incomparable slice of music from one of the mostunique artists recording today.


Campbell has played - and wowed - the prestigious Cambridge Folk Festival (England),Merlefest, Philadelphia Folk Festival, and Port Fairy Folk Festival (Australia), beenfeatured on National Public Radio's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Live FromMountain Stage, and had her story (and haunting song "When Panthers Roamed InArkansas") included in the debut issue of The Oxford American's ultra-hip SouthernMusic series. An interview with Kate (along with Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Shawn Colvin,Nanci Griffith and others) also appeared in the fascinating book Solo: Women Singer-Songwriters In Their Own Words.

Sat 7/25 Locomotive Pie at Town Pump Tavern

Saturday July 25

Locomotive Pie

at Town Pump Tavern

8:30pm

www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc.
http://www.myspace.com/locomotivepie

Locomotive Pie is a four-piece group that's been playing bluesy, rockin' Americana music in the Western North Carolina area since 2005. Band members include Mark Appleford on harmonica, rhythm guitar and vocals, Seth Shumaker on lead guitar, mandolin & vocals, Casey Dean on the drums, and Dave Erickson on bass. This new lineup is currently recording a new CD, "Long Time Between Drinks", the follow-up to 2008's "Hiding In Plain Sight". "Long Time Between Drinks" will showcase Locomotive Pie's new, more powerful 4-piece electric side, but will still contain some great acoustic overtones'

Fri 7/24 Chalwa at Pisgah Brewing

Friday July 24

Chalwa

at Pisgah Brewing

8pm

www.myspace.com/chalwa
http://www.pisgahbrewing.com/

With the release of their new self tiled album Asheville, NC Reggae collective Chalwa takes a step to further the boundaries of the genre. A fusion of music blending high energy improvisation with roots, rock and reggae the release reaches deep into Jamaica to build an identity. Along with a fresh batch of material the release features an intimate look into the actual Jamaica experience offering field recordings made during the band's frequent trips tothe island. The album leaves the listener captivated by the hooks and melodies and transported by the dreamy interludes to a Jamaica that feels very present yet distant at the same time.

Chalwa has been located in the western North Carolina mountain town of Asheville since 2006. Their sound is heavily influenced by roots they have established through years of family ties to Jamaica. Despite cultural boundaries, Chalwa finds a way to create music that is both progressive and steeped in tradition. Perhaps this is what links Chalwa so closely to the spirit of reggae music in Jamaica; it is the comfort of and understanding of self that allows one to transcend sufferation and stereotypes and create something truly original and powerful. Chalwa brings to the stage"a fusion of sounds all wrapped up in a roots reggae beat that will make all ages dance and have a truly positive experience (Black Mountain News)."

Fri 7/24 Jazz the Ripper at White Horse Black Mtn

Friday July 24

Jazz the Ripper

at White Horse Black Mountain

8pm

http://www.myspace.com/jazztheripper

Jazz The Ripper has a unique sound that can't be summed up by the boundaries of genre. It is only limited to the creative juices running through the brains of these young musicians. Jazz The Ripper never shows their age in their playing, only their energy.


JTR started out in the fall of 2006 as a jam band. We played together a few months and wrote a song or two. A few band members came and went, but we got serious when Will and James joined the band. We wrote some songs, learned some covers, and played a few gigs around Asheville, trying out our "style". As we wrote more of our own material, each one of us contributing to every song, we began to realize our potential, and that with our combined efforts, we could create a new and unique jazz/funk fusion sound. Recently, our original bass player has rejoined the band.



All of us seniors are college bound to schools of music: Joe Hamilton and Julian Samal, our Sax players, are both headed to UNC-G to the School of Music Jazz Performance program. Our Drummer, Jordan Arnold, is headed to NorthWestern University School of Music Percusion program. Our Bassist, Ted Marks, is headed for Berklee School of Music.

Fri 7/24 Justin Jones at Town Pump Tavern

Friday July 24
Justin Jones and the Driving Rain
at Town Pump Tavern
8:30pm

http://www.justin-jones.com/
www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc

Within the songs of Justin Jones are stories from a life lived long enough to know heartache, loneliness, addiction, and lost love. But the 29-year-old Virginia native has not lost touch with a youthful spirit that imbues his music: raw excitement, romance, and optimism.
"Even the sad songs," he says, "have a sort of romantic hope in them."


None of it is out of character for a man who’s blazing a path for himself in a business where a passable road is hard to come by. Justin Jones’ career began with the musical gifts he inherited from his parents growing up in Rawley Springs, Va. His mother was a singer and actress, and his stepfather was leader of the acclaimed local blues band Tough Luck. By 14, Jones was writing his own songs on acoustic guitar. After a few years playing for drunks in dive bars of North Carolina, Jones migrated to Washington, D.C., in 2002, where he began playing small clubs with just a guitar and a harmonica. At one such show, he dazzled local producer Larry Packer, who invited Jones to record at his studio for free because he so impressed with the songs. Jones released "Blue Dreams," the result of that one-day, stripped-down session, in 2004. Its first pressing was financed by $1,000 from good friend Jackie Grimmer, who, like Larry Packer, also firmly believed in Jones’ talent.

As Jones played around Washington and other East Coast cities on the I-95 circuit, he graduated to bigger and bigger venues, and his following grew. Listeners who heard Jones’ music were touched on a deeper level. Jones tells of one very special moment in 2005 when a young woman approached him after a show to tell him about a phone call she'd just made after hearing him sing "You Ain't Around," a song about his deceased stepfather. Through tears, she explained she hadn't spoken to her own father in six years but decided to break the silence that night because she'd been so moved by Jones' song. It's Jones' favorite story from his 15 years in music and the sort of revelation that keeps him going.


"Anytime you connect emotionally with someone through a song, that's what it's all about," he says. "That's the thing that's greatest about music. "
As Jones became more known in Washington music circles, he hooked up with other talented musicians and by 2006 eventually had enough cohorts to field a full band, complete with a drums, bass, a horn section, keyboards, a female vocalist, and occasionally banjo.





Justin Jones & the Driving Rain was fully introduced through his 2006 album, “Love Versus Heroin.” The project increased Jones’ fan base exponentially and enabled the frontman to stretch out in new ways musically. A follow-up in 2008, “… And I Am the Song of the Drunkards,” cemented the band’s reputation. Critics were wowed, and the band was nominated for two Washington Area Music Awards.



While most of Jones’ style is rooted in traditional country, some songs veer toward folk, bluegrass, rock, and hillbilly soul. Influences range from George Jones and Townes Van Zandt to Van Morrison and D’Angelo. Critics are eager to liken him to contemporaries like Ryan Adams, Jakob Dylan, and early Wilco

Thu 7/23 Rooster Blues at Beacon Pub

Thursday July 23

Rooster Blues

at Beacon Pub

9pm

http://www.myspace.com/theroosterblues
http://www.beaconpub.info/

These boys are straight from the roots of the rock and roll south bearing bluegrass harmonies and pure southern hospitality. A brother-duo explosion of rock/blues-and-grass, from the birthplace of blues, Elvis, and rock and roll, mixed with a bit of improv and groove, that delivers a wide variety of traditional sounds while adding a unique, yet fresh, interpretation. This "neo-blues" is certainly groundbreaking





The Rooster Blues are a Brother-duo from Tupelo, MS, now residing in hattiesburg, MS. The two formed in 2003 and have been rocking ever since. They combine the hilltop steppin' blues with the delta sound that dominates the blues sounds of yesterday. With the incorporation of a modern improv effort and grooves spattered throughout, Rooster Blues have created a sound effort along the lines of a Jimi Hendrix aspiration; in that the blues should be made personal and reinvented. Jimi called it an Electric Church and Rooster Blues are in attendance.





Judson Vance, a.k.a "Redbone" is the oldest of the two and is classically trained in piano. Learning the guitar by ear after becoming engulfed in the history of Robert Johnson, "Redbone" has become a fiery guitar bender. Joel Vance, a.k.a Tela Fone, began learning the drums in 2001. Studying jazz improv, rock and roll, and JB's funk, he has develped into a well-rounded, forceful drummer that enjoys a few solos within the Rooster Blues Live show.





The brothers-duo have two albums to date. "Rooster Blues", as seen here, and "Rehab", an underground release kept secret except for inner circles, inner organizations, family, and anyone who specifically asks for it."Rehab" was recorded in Hattiesburg, MS, in the winter of 2004, by Steve Stubblefield. The absence of a bluegrass effort caused Rooster Blues to keep the record as a learning tool and it has been accepted by longstanding fans and still circulates. "Rooster Blues" was recorded in Austin, TX by Brett Orrison, a recording and sound tech who has worked with The Juke Joint Duo, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and countless other bands and musicians.

Thu 7/23 Woody Pines at Pisgah Brewing

Thursday July 23

Woody Pines

at Pisgah Brewing

7pm

http://www.myspace.com/woodypines
http://www.pisgahbrewing.com/

Woody Pines has been playing and singing since he can remember. He left home with his guitar on his back and made it thru 49 states before he was 19. Landing on the west coast, he co-founded a ragtime jug band, The Kitchen Syncopators, selling over a thousand of their self-released recordings. They performed everywhere from the streets of New Orleans to Seattle’s Folklife Festival to the Oregon Country Fair. After cutting his teeth in New Orleans, Woody headed for the Mountains of North Carolina, playing old time music for dances, busking for tourists in Asheville, and releasing his first solo c.d., “Rags to Riches”.


Traveling all over the south, including a stop in Nashville for a guest appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, Woody continued searching for remnants of that great old American music. Today, Woody is finding ways to reshape the old music. Weaving new stories from timeless threads, he combines freak realism and vaudeville showmanship with the sincerity and grace of the rich, traditional landscape of roots music. Woody plays with foot stomping high-energy gusto, strong enough to register on the Richter scale, but he can also croon a lazy mountain ballad.


from High Country Press, Boone, N. Carolina"
In a pinch, Pines and his pair of cohorts might be described as a group that makes the type of American roots music that sounds good coming out of a busted AM radio speaker. "


From: -Alli Marshall, Mountain Xpress:
Pines’ elegantly-disheveled fedora and vintage resonator guitar don’t set the mood (both are strongly suggestive of the musician’s mix of ragtime, country blues and lightning-speed folk), the backing band does the trick.


Crackerjack musicianship goes a long way toward a band’s greatness, but showmanship seals the deal. Pines, on stage, is an old soul and natural performer, unabashed on kazoo, easily engaging the audience ("Let us be the first band to play you your first Halloween song of the year,” he said—this was a January concert—before launching into spooky Appalachian tune “Red Rocking Chair"), and even managing to pull off a sing-along. A feat for any band; monumental for an opener. "

Thu 7/23 Riyen Roots at Town Pump Tavern

Thursday July 23
Riyen Roots
at Town Pump Tavern
8:30pm

www.myspace.com/riyenroots
www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc

“From pre-war blues tunes, to soul, funk, hip hop and reggae, Riyen Roots plays a wide variety of musical genres in any given song, following in the footsteps of those who change the way society thinks about peace, love, freedom, equality and the pursuit of self enlightenment.”



RiYeN RoOtS gives raw uncut truth through his music, time and time again. He invites us to take a look at ourselves and the everchanging world around us.With a talent for writing in a prophetic state of consiousness,and a truely unique sense of melody and rhythm, he creates songs with familar old timey vibes with very powerful lyrical content, continuing the tradition of great wordsmiths like Woody Guthrie,Willie Dixon,Blind Willie Johnson,Bob Dylan, Tom Waits,Peter Tosh, and Johnny Cash. Following in the footsteps of those who have found a way to change the way society thinks about topical issues such as the struggles between good and evil, feelings of the heart, freedom of opression, love, and of course them good old blues we all feel from time to time. "

Born Ryan Michael Moore in Atlantic City,New Jersey on May 6th 1978.... Currently living the good life in the great mountains of Asheville,North Carolina.Having lived everywhere from Rabbit Hash,Kentucky To Philidelphia,to Atlantic City,to Williamsburg,VA RiYeN RoOtS (a.k.a."RiYeN MiC CoOL") Has been performing and playing music professionaly for audiences since the age 3. As a child he sang "old standards" and for different events around the Atlantic City and Philadelphia area,performing at Martin Luther King Jr.,Veteren's Day, and Memorial Day parades, city events,casinos,and singing live on television four years in a row on Jerry Lewis's March of Dimes Telethon.Growing up performing in Atlantic City was the ultimate learning environment to teach him the ropes of the entertainment biz.

This guys has been performing in the biz a while and shared stages and brushed shoulders with some of the best in the buisiness.Now with twenty five plus years in the music industry, and he's only thirty one. He would like to be seen in the book of life as an artist first and foremost who expressed his passions for the state of those around him on this planet by way of MUSIC AND THE WRITTEN WORD, the most powerful mediums of his time.A musician,preacher, poet, family man, and social activist, who gave all he had mind, body, spirit, and voice to a world in need.

Sat 7/18 Nikki Talley, Laura Blackley and Lyndsay Wojcik at White Horse

Saturday July 18

Nikki Talley,

Laura Blackley

and Lyndsay Wojcik

at White Horse Black Mountain

8pm

http://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com/

Billed as the Asheville Songwriter’s Tour, the in-the-round performance will feature Nikki Talley, Laura Blackley and Lyndsay Wojcik.

“We did this little weekend thing last February and it was really cool,” said Talley. “I’ve known the girls quite some time. We all stay pretty busy, so we’re all just making an excuse to hang out together. Strength in numbers is our motto on this tour.”

In 2007, Talley beat out more than 300 competitors to win the American Idol-esque Carolina Star competition. The self-proclaimed acoustic rocker has opened for Susan Tedeschi and Edwin McCain. Talley’s most recent release, the self-produced To Be A Bird, featured guest appearances from friends Mike Guggino (Steep Canyon Rangers), Tim Gardner (High Windy Band), Richard Foulk, Aaron Price and Jason Sharp. The disc placed #27 on WNCW’S prestigious Top 100 Releases of 2008. To hear music by Talley, click to www.MySpace.com/nikkitalley.

Currently a DJ on WNCW and host of the station’s Local Color show, Laura Blackley has long been one of Asheville’s most respected musical storytellers. Writing music since she was 5 years old, Blackley’s gritty murder ballads, ghost stories and done-somebody-wrong songs cut through the emotional ether with the author’s fiercely independent spirit. To hear songs by Blackley, click to www.MySpace.com/laurablackley.

“She’s not older than me necessarily, but she’s been doing the music business thing in this area longer than I have,” said Talley. “It’ always been fun to work with her. She’s always given me pointers and things like that.”

Combining a musical mixture of roots, folk and soul, Wojcik brings a refreshing twist to the often mundane and repetitive styles of the present-day music industry. Using her savvy lyrical sense, she paints her interpretation of life onto her audience as if they were the wet canvas on which she worked. She has won several competitions such as the Gibson Songwriters contest in Nashville, placed second in the NSAI songwriter competition in Charlotte, placed second in a competition in Knoxville and has appeared on the CMT television show The Big Break with country star Sara Evans. To hear songs by Wojcik, click to www.MySpace.com/lyndsaywojcikband.

“Lyndsay brings a very different vibe musically to the table,” said Talley. “She’s just got this soul-funk thing going on. It’s just a good, diverse show. There’s a song in there for everybody.”
Talley said she is excited about performing in the round and added that the girls have also worked up a handful of songs to perform together, including an a capella version of “Didn’t Leave Nobody But The Baby” from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

“I’m kind of new to the “in the round” thing. I realize now why people have been doing it,” Talley said. “You feed off the other artists. It’s more interactive; you just kind of feed off the vibe that each girl is throwing out. It’s very interactive.”

Sat 7/18 Hoots and Hellmouth at Beacon Pub

Saturday July 18th

Hoots and Hellmouth

at Beacon Pub

9:30pm

http://www.hootsandhellmouth.com/
http://www.beaconpub.info/

Philadelphia-based Hoots & Hellmouth (MAD Dragon Records) creates new music for old souls. Their second full-length effort, “The Holy Open Secret” (street date: June 2, 2009), continues to blaze a trail forward in the name of progressive revival. Rob Berliner, Andrew Gray and Sean Hoots return as the core trio of string slingers and harmonious vocalizers, co-producing in collaboration with Bill Moriarity (Dr. Dog, Man Man) at Philadelphia’s American Diamond studio. The results speak for themselves in tones ranging from the triumphant to the dulcet.
Blending the twisted roots of American music in a fierce and fiery alchemy, this ragtag bunch seeks a revival of spirit. Soulful three-part harmonies comingle with acoustic guitars, a mandolin, an upright bass and foot stomps building a synergy that bursts from both stage and speaker with aural aplomb. “It's about bleeding, sweating, crying, rejoicing," the band’s Sean Hoots says of their work. “It’s alive!”

The indescribable obviousness hinted at in the title is manifest throughout the long player. At once fresh and vibrant, yet somehow strangely familiar, the tunes cover a lot of ground both stylistically and lyrically while maintaining a central focus on song-craft. The opening salvo, “Root Of The Industry,” rips from the speakers with a sweaty, country gospel-soaked exhortation to all listeners to “gather up your axes and hack your way to the root of the industry.” Fast on its heels, “You And All Of Us” brings the party as it celebrates true community spirit in an almost N’awlins-style “second line” feel. “What Good Are Plowshares If We Use Them Like Swords?” keeps up the spritely pace while taking things a bit deeper lyrically, calling into question the motives of those who would use such widely espoused virtues as love, faith and freedom to further their own self-serving ends.

Elsewhere, softer yet no less earnest tracks such as “Ne’er Do Well” and “Dishpan Hands” balance the rollicking vibe, draping meditations on domesticity and heartache over gauzy frameworks of plucked banjo and ethereal organ. “Roll, Brandywine, Roll” serves as a gentle end piece to the album as it ponders the prospect of slipping into a river with no intention of exiting. The gurgle heard as the song fades in and trails off is the voice of the Brandywine River of Chester County, PA, expressing itself for those with the ears to hear.

With “The Holy Open Secret” the band also hopes to further unite their passion for music with an aim toward radical localism. Hoots & Hellmouth see every show as an opportunity to help strengthen a sense of local community among their audiences. Touring relentlessly both on their own and with friends (Dr. Dog, O’Death, Heartless Bastards, Langhorne Slim, Grace Potter etc.) since forming in 2005, the band’s unique style of acoustic mayhem provides a flexibility that allows them to perform in all manner of venues. From rock clubs to folk festivals, they racked up over 150 shows in 2008 alone, including Langerado, Wakarusa and the 47th Annual Philadelphia Folk Fest.
Each stop along the trail garners new converts for the band as word continues to spread of their undeniably compelling performances. In the words of Hoots, "this music is at once a celebration and a mourning – championing the human potential to feel deeply and come together as a unified whole, while bemoaning the fact that much in modern life seems to work against just that. We strive to provide catharsis for damaged 21st Century humans and their environs...this is new music for old souls."

Fri 7/17 Wink Keziah at Town Pump Tavern

Friday July 17

Wink Keziah and Deluxe Motel

at Town Pump Tavern

8:30pm

http://www.winkkeziah.com/
www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc

Wink Keziah is an urban hillbilly. His sound nourished by moonshine, draped in kudzu and road-tested in clubs and barrooms sprawled across the country. On his second CD, "Working Songs for the Drinking Class", on the Charlotte, NC based independent Great South Records, Keziah and his band, Delux Motel serve up a double shot of hooch, a potent blend of country and rock that's as hot as a hill country honky tonk on a scorching summer night. Distilled through years of playing and paying his workingman dues, Keziah's "Working Songs for the Drinking Class" is a 10-track tour de force of pure outlaw country, with plenty of passion on tap and a frothy head of Southern soul.
Since the release of "Working Songs for the Drinking Class", Keziah is on the go, like a bootlegger at midnight, ready to transport his 100-proof, high-steppin' honky tonk rock to the masses.
Produced by Mark Stuart of The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, the album was recorded and mixed by engineer Mark Williams at Fidelitorium Recordings in Kernersville, NC. On it, Keziah delivers a truly down-home perspective on the essential human experience, more often than not with a rye sence of humor and raucous fun that belies his hardscrabble upbringing in Charlotte's "redneck ghetto".
Wink Keziah and Delux Motel are quickly becoming a favorite among fans and media alike with their high powered, super tight brand of scorching outlaw country. The diverse background of the highly talented musicians in Keziah's band is as broad and long as an open Texas highway.
This years "Fast Women & Hard Whiskey Tour" promises to be the best to date with shows at some of the best venues, honky tonks and festivals the country has to offer. One thing's for sure, this is a band that won't take no for an answer and won't have it any other way than their own... Full Bore and Coast to Coast! The train has left the station and is heading to a town near you. When you hear the thunder, you'll know they're in town.
Wink Keziah and Delux Motel are proud members of The Americana Music Association, The Roots Music Association and ASCAP.

Fri 7/17 The Honeycutters at White Horse Blk Mtn

Friday July 17

The Honeycutters

at White Horse Black Mountain

8pm

http://www.thehoneycutters.com/
www.myspace.com/thehoneycutters
http://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com/

The Honeycutters feature original americana, ranging from country ballads to honky-a-billy and blues, crafting a memorable blend of catchy melody, skillful composition, and honest songwriting.

The product of too much black coffee and not enough hugs, the Honeycutters (formerly the Bee's Knees) came together in the Spring of 2007. Since their first live performance at the Westville Pub in May of 07, when the band included only singer/songwriter Amanda Anne Platt and lead guitarist Peter James, they have steadily gained momentum, audience, and band members. Spencer Taylor (Mandolin), Ian Harrod (bass), and Mike Lott (drums) have been added to the mix, fleshing out the live sound and turning Amanda's soulful tunes into great dance numbers. With the release of their first studio album, "Irene", the group has begun to expand their listening area to the greater Southeast.

Thu 7/16 Blue Dragons at Pisgah Brewing

Thu July 16

The Blue Dragons

at Pisgah Brewing

8pm

The Blue Dragons Blend the classic sounds and instrumentation of jazz, americana

, rock and blues into a vibrant and exciting live performance. The female vocal is reminiscent of a late jazz divas; combined with three part harmonies, and improvisational acoustic and electric instrument work, The Blue Dragons provide an original sound from a familiar place.
Band MembersSara Judy (Vocals), James Fisher (Bass), Jeff Mooney (Lead Guitar), Chris Zion (Drums), Eddie Dewey (Guitar)
www.myspace.com/bludragons

Sat 7/11 Bob Hinkle at White Horse Blk Mtn

Saturday July 11

Bob Hinkle Stories and Songs

w/Seth Lee ; Appalachia Song

at White Horse Black Mountain

8pm

Asheville NC-born singer songwriter, poet, music biz executive, consultant, artist manager, record label owner, Music Hall owner - These are but a few of the many hats Bob Hinkle as worn in his storied music career.

By popular request, Bob Hinkle will be sharing more songs and stories of his musical journeys. Those of you fortunate to have been there for his first evening of songs and stories know what a masterful storyteller Bob is. In May, Bob spoke of his experiences from playing music in Asheville as a young teen to his years at UNC to his performing and music management career in New York. This Saturday Bob will pick up where he left and tell more stories of managing many to musical stars before moving into the Childrens' Music field where he founded his own company, working with a variety of entertainers from Raffi to the Olsen Twins.

From the 60's through the present, Bob has been deeply involved at the heart of American popular music and has a life-time of stories to tell about the people, places, and events of contemporary music. While in New York for the past 40 something years, Bob managed artists such as The J. Geils Band, Harry Chapin, Tom Chapin, Etta James, Kenny Rogers, Manfred Mann, and the comedian Gallagher. He also worked with The Olsen Twins on the early career in television, music, and video.

He's worked for or consulted with companies like Hallmark Entertainment, The Smithsonian Institution, BMG, All Music Guide, Zoom Express, Ampex, The Childrens Group, Infidel, National Interfaith Cable Coalition, Jim Henson Records, and others .

An accomplished musician and writer in his own right, Bob will also share his own songs and poetry as he is joined by by local artists including Seth Lee and Appalachia Song.

www.myspace.com/bobhinkle
http://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com/

Sat 7/11 Sheila Kay Adams & Jeff Warner at Blk Mtn Ctr for the Arts

Sat July 11

Sheila Kay Adams and

Jeff Warner

at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts

7:30 pm

East Meets West: A Song & Story Journey from the North Carolina Mountains to the Sea

The cultural diversity of North Carolina is as varied as the geography of the state. Early settlers to the coastal and mountain regions expressed their hardships and joys through story and song. Folklore from their native lands influenced their lives and became the base to develop their own unique cultural expression.

On Saturday, July 11, at 7:30 pm, at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts, at 225 W. State Street in the original City Hall, folklorists Sheila Kay Adams and Jeff Warner will present a portrait of North Carolina communities as they developed through the 19th century.

The program includes music, songs, and stories that each artist has collected from their family members, other tradition bearers, and archival sources. Presented will be a patchwork of folk material to capture interest, thoroughly entertain, and provide a panorama of North Carolina's cultural history. Each artist will present a solo presentation, as well as they will together swap stories/songs.

Cost is $15 and reservations may be made in advance. Phone contact 828/669-0930.

Sheila Kay Adams is a native of a small mountain community in Madison County, North Carolina. For seven generations her family has maintained the tradition of passing down English, Scottish and Irish ballads that their ancestors brought to America in the mid 1700’s. In 1998, Sheila received the prestigious North Carolina Folklore Society’s Brown-Hudson Award in recognition of her contributions to the study of North Carolina folklore. She also was a technical advisor and singing coach for the award winning film Songcatcher. Sheila continues to perform at major festivals, colleges, and universities throughout the U.S.

More information about Sheila Kay is available at http://www.sheilakayadams.com/

Jeff Warner presents the music and songs of 19th century American communities. His ties to Outer Banks fishing villages and areas of Appalachia began with the work of his parents,
Frank and Anne Warner, and the songs they collected during the 1940s and '50s. The material obtained is the basis of the Warner Collection, which now resides in the Library of Congress. Jeff has been an Arts Council artist for four states, has performed throughout America for the Smithsonian Institution, and was recently awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship by the New
Hampshire Council on the Arts.

More information about Jeff is available at http://www.jeffwarner.com/

This program is a collaboration of the Black Mountain Center for the Arts (http://www.blackmountainarts.org/ )
and Folk Horizons (http://www.folkhorizons.org/ )

Fri 7/10 Tater at Town Pump Tavern

Friday July 10

Tater

at Town Pump Tavern

9:30pm

http://www.tatertime.com/
www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc


Formed in 1998, Shelby, NC, based band "Tater" is celebrating a decade of delivering"Hi-Test Hillbilly" music to dancing feet everywhere! Comprised of seasoned musicians Luke Edwards, Roger Padgett, Philip Simmons, and Kelly Hull, Tater blends bluegrass, country, and rock n' roll into a unique style they have dubbed "Hi-Test Hillbilly". In addition to being a staple of the regional music scene for the last 10 years, Tater is also celebrating five years of hosting their own music festival, "Taterfest", showcasing regional and national musicians and bands. With a live CD, "Where the Metal Meets the Grass", released at the end of 2007, and a new studio CD in the works, Tater is looking forward to seeing what the next 10 years holds!

Sat 7/4 Ja Vin PEACE FESTIVAL

Celebrate the Fourth with the Fifth

The

Fifth Annual Ja Vin

PEACE FESTIVAL

A FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT

The annual Peace Festival in downtown Black Mountain NC returns on July 4th with great music, food, and fun. The Peace Fest is an established family tradition in Black Mountain and this year's festivities look to be the best yet.

This year's musical lineup features some of the areas finest performers covering a variety of genres.

As a special treat, UTAH GREEN will performing. Utah was part of the first JA VIN PEACE FEST and has been a favorite at Ja Vin and other regional venues.Music kicks off at 2pm and continues late into the night.

Music Begins at 2pm

Performance Order

Crystal Kind

Lyndsay Wojcik

Makia Groove

Utah Green

Peace Jones

fireworks display

RESTRICT THIS

(performs immediately after the fireworks display)

The M.C. For the festival is

BUSHA

a spoken word artist

devoted to community building

freedom, and truth

Food will be provided by

Ja Mon Grille

They'll be cooking up lots of great food including Italian Sausage, Veggie Burgers, Veggie Dogs, Hot Dogs and more.

Ja Vin will also have Handmade Milkshakes, Smoothies, and Lemonade as well as Coffee Bubble Teas, Espresso, and Sodas.

This festival is a favorite part of July Fourth in Black Mountain and appeals to all ages. Games and Fun for kids of all ages from infant to senior citizen.

Ja Vin is located on the corner of Vance Avenue and Black Mountain Avenue on the site of the historic Stepp House, one of the oldest structures in Black Mountain.

The Ja Vin grounds is one of the prime locations for viewing the town fireworks display.

COME CELEBRATE

GREAT MUSIC

GREAT FOOD

GREAT FRIENDS

and all the good things in life

www.myspace.com/javintage

(GRAPHICS BY AMANDA BAGLEY)

Sat 7/4 Independence Day at The Town Pump

Sat July 4th
Celebrate Independence Day
at the Town Pump Tavern
5pm until

Featuring

Now You See Them

and

The Pittsburgh Armadillos

www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc

Sat 7/4 Red White Brew Pizza Fest at Ja Vin

Sat July 4th
Red, White and Brew Pizza Festival

at Camino’s Southwestern Grille

and Ja Vin

3pm until

Featured Perfomers:

Peace Jones,

Utah Green

Makia Groove

Lindsey Wojcik

Crystal Kind

Restrict This

Outdoor music, pizza and beer in conjunction with Rolln’ Stone Pizza Co.
View the fireworks from the side lawn and enjoy gourmet pizza.

Free admission. 107 Black Mountain Avenue, 828-669-1982.

www.myspace.com/peacejonesbandb

www.myspace.com/greenutah

www.makiagroove.com/

www.myspace.com/lyndsaywojcikband

www.myspace.com/restrictthis
www.myspace.com/crystalkind

Sat 7/4 Great Amer Roots Revival at White Horse Blk Mtn

Sat July 4th
Town Mountain
Ian Thomas
Jane & Anna (of Barrel House Mamas)
5pm until

White Horse Black Mountain to Host the Inaugural Great American Roots Revival July 4!

On Saturday July 4th, The White Horse Black Mountain will host an all day event featuring music, pizza, great local brews, and more! The event has been created to be a yearly event celebrating the roots music that western North Carolina is so lucky to have. This years event will feature the roots and original bluegrass music of Town Mountain, the sweet and sultry sounds of Jane and Anna of the Barrel House Mamas, and the great folk songwriting of Ian Thomas.

Admissions are $12.00 for adults, and 5.00 for children and it will include all day reentry fees.

The venue will open its doors to the public at 3pm, and music will start at 5pm. The city of Black Mountain has one of the most amazing fireworks displays, and the music will pause so that our patrons can enjoy the fireworks, Town Mountain will be playing a set before the fireworks, and following.

This years event is sponsored by Papa Johns Pizza, Pisgah Brewing, The Mountain Xpress, Pisgah Print, and the White Horse Black Mountain and is just the first of many events to come from this new organization.

For more information please contact:
The Great American Roots Revival Corporation
828.252.3689

Fri 7/3 Levi Douglas at White Horse Blk Mtn

Fri July 3rd

Levi Douglas Band

at White Horse Black Mountain

8pm

http://www.myspace.com/levidouglasband
http://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com/

Born in the small town of Pistol Thicket, Lousiana, Levi began his blues odyssey at the tender age of seven when he received his first guitar, a Sears Silvertone. Raised the son of a preacher man, Levi studied under the tutelage of family friend, the Reverend James T. Thornton of Slidell, LA whilst honing his skills performing in the family church and listening to the records of Albert King, Albert Collins, Howlin' Wolf, T. Bone Walker, and many other blues greats. At the age of 22, Levi moved to Texas where he continued to hone his skills in the smoky clubs of Austin and San Antonio and developed friendships with such notables as Alan Haynes and Uncle John Turner among others.



Since arriving in Asheville, Levi has worked with many of the top local and regional acts in the area as a guitarist and is continuing the blues tradition fronting his own band and putting his unique spin on the music he loves.





Lancelot McGough: Once upon a time in a land far, far away there was born a manchild that would travel the world preaching the religion of funky grooves to all who would listen. Lancelot left his native Ireland at the ripe age of 13 to pursue his dream of seeing the world whilst playing the music he loved. Until 17 he resided in London playing pubs, clubs, and parties of all sorts as well as an ever increasing supply of session work and a tour that would deposit him on the Australian shore at age 17. After five years down under whilst playing clubs on the weekends and pursuing education full time during the week, Lancelot arrived in the U.S. eager to see it all and has been living and working in Miami, New York, Nashville, Jacksonville, Detroit, and most recently the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina he now calls home.





Lancelot has garnered best bassist awards in several cities and Miami New Times columnist Greg Baker wrote about Lancelot, "one of the best bassists on the scene today, actually chewy bass lines."
Jeff Rudolph: Having served as a show drummer at Dollywood in Gatlinburg, TN and working in concerts with many artists as diverse as Merle Haggard, Celinda Pink, The Dirt Band, and other Nashville notables, Jeff has over twenty years of experience to his credit. He has worked as well with many road bands touring extensively in the south and in Canada. Jeff's inspiration for a career in music comes from his Dad who has been a drummer for over 40 years. After a successful gig on the Mike Douglas Show, Dave Rudolph sent his 10 year old son a set of drums...and the rest is history.

Fri 7/3 Silver Dagger Bluegrass at Town Pump

Fri July 3rd

Silver Dagger Bluegrass

at Town Pump Tavern

8:30pm

www.myspace.com/silverdaggerbluegrass
www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc

A recognized act in today's roots music scene, Silver Dagger brings together young and energetic talent from the country's leading music programs. Alumni of East Tennesee State's acclaimed bluegrass program, Grace Van't Hof and Ricky Cooper, Berklee alumnus, Ashleigh Caudill, and national touring veteran, Matt Purinton, work a stage like old hands. Weaving in and out of their solos and vocal harmonies, the group rivals seasoned artists many years their senior. Their different backgrounds and four home states influence their uniques instrumental styles. 2009 marks Silver Dagger's first complete touring season. The group's clever originals and covers of bluegrass favorites are sure to captivate any audience!





What people are saying about Silver Dagger:
"Silver Dagger is a dynamic acoustic band...and one of my favorites! They have great vocals that blend seamlessly with their controlled, powerful instrumental work. This fine group showcases a wealth of American and Bluegrass music...as well as expertly presenting the best of their own original songs. I look to these young folks to make important contributions to our music heritage for a long time!" -Marc Pruett (Kentucky Thunder, Balsam Range)



Band:


Ashleigh Caudill started out playing music with her family when she was young. While attending Berklee College of Music in Boston she had the opportunity to soak up the New England music scene playing with groups such as the New England Bluegrass Band, Joy Kills Sorrow, Lincoln Meyers and The String Alliance, and April Verch. She has performed live on XM radio, The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, The Berklee Performance Center and in countless bars and clubs in New England and on the Front Range of Colorado. An accomplished bluegrass musician and songwriter, she recently released her debut solo album, I'm Not Fallin,' featuring some of the most talented musicians in New England, as well as many of her original tunes.





Born and raised in Western Michigan, Grace Van't Hof studied violin and piano at a young age until she discovered the banjo in high school. She built a 5-string prototype that won 2nd place in a statewide Science Olympiad. Before moving to North Carolina, she studied in the Bluegrass music program at East Tennessee State University after receiving a scholarship based on banjo performance. Grace has also studied Voice and Visual Art at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. After relocating to Asheville, Grace has performed and recorded with musical artists such as Buncombe Turnpike, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Brad Sweitzer and the Young Sophisticates, the Trainwreks, and Taylor Martin and Friends. Apart from bluegrass, she also works as a graphic designer and artist.





Matt Purinton has been playing music since he was just a kid. His parents had always been fans of Doc Watson, Merle Watson and Sam Bush, so its no surprise that this influence carried over to their son. Growing up in upstate South Carolina, Matt was exposed to a ton of traditional music and with the Reedy River Boys and Big Iron Bluegrass he played all over the South East. When he got an offer to play full time in Colorado he jumped at the chance. Upon moving to the great Rocky Mountains he met up with Viktor Barns and toured throughout California, Utah, Nevada, as well as Colorado. Now that Matt has become a fixture in the Northern Colorado music scene, he's moving to North Carolina to join the rest of Silver Dagger.





Ricky Cooper was born and raised in East Tennessee. Studying piano and listening to his father's country records in his youth instilled a love for music in him. An alumnus of ETSU's bluegrass program, Coop learned bluegrass standards from legends like Raymond McClain and Jack Tottle. He has toured around the southeast with the bluegrass and swing band, the Clear Liquor Pickers. Coop is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, proficient on everything from upright bass to piano, but his real strength are his creative guitar stylings. This was proven at Rockygrass '08 where Coop took home second place in his first guitar competition. His outstanding guitar playing, songwriting and bluegrass singing greatly contribute to the Silver Dagger sound.

Thu 7/2 Nikki Talley at Town Pump Tavern

Thursday Jul 2nd
Nikki Talley
at The Town Pump Tavern
8:30pm


http://www.nikkitalley.com/
http://www.myspace.com/nikkitalley
www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc

Hold on for the ride! In seconds, Nikki Talley can go from a soulful banjo ballad to in-yer-face rock n roll!!! Tho guitar slingin & banjo pickin skills shine, it's her powerful and beautiful voice that can start ethereal and angelic and end up sending you through a fire storm in hell w/ chills.





From Mountain Express


"Local songstress Nikki Talley suffers from a rare condition -- an excess of talent. She's a stunning songwriter, combining haunting, richly symbolic lyrics about passion and love with a mastery of both guitar and piano; her music definitively sets a mood. Imagine a fusion of Tori Amos' passionate lyrical drive and Norah Jones' masterful spirit, plus an innate fearlessness that lets Talley crisscross genres from folk to bluesy rock to metal, and even take a lead role in last summer's Asheville production of the gender-bending "rock opera" Hedwig and the Angry Itch. She's not just good; she's that good."