Setting Sail Again
Hope Griffin sings and plays acoustic guitar in a soulful, rootsy style, like a lot of songsmiths who settle in Western North Carolina. But…
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Chakra and Jive
Robert Johnson has a lucky name for a roots musician. But when he created his band, the musician sidestepped comparisons to the blues legend,…
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Straight from the Heart (Literally)
Five-piece bluegrass band Backline came together in 2016, playing a style of mountain music that bridges the gap between traditional and modern, between the…
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Making the World Right
In a world increasingly defined by fractiousness and divisiveness, the music and worldview of Western North Carolina multi-instrumentalist Andrew Reed is a welcome restorative….
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Béla in the Blue Ridge
A 15-time Grammy Award winner, Béla Fleck is the best-known banjo player living today. Though he often works in bluegrass, Fleck has followed…
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Rocket Man
Daniel Sage’s rare ability to perform a song he’s only heard once makes his classic-rock tribute shows highly participatory. After connecting with Safelight,…
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What’s the Frequency, Mike?
Mike Mills is best known as the bassist in R.E.M. From the band’s formation in Athens, Georgia in 1980 to its amicable dissolution in…
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The New Family Dynamo
At only 25, Andrew Scotchie has a thriving music career both on stage and behind the scenes — a Western North Carolina figurehead who…
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Pop Life
Popular musical styles come and go. But for nearly a half century, The Manhattan Transfer has been dazzling audiences with its unique brand of…
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From the Roots Side
Mac Arnold has enjoyed a storied musical career, one that has seen him work with stars including B.B. King, James Brown, Bill Withers, and…
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All in the Family
Arleigh Kincheloe knew from a very early age that she wanted to go into the “family business.” Today she’s the singer (and co-leader with…
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Boom Town
Baby Boomers need their music. For some time now, vocalist Peggy Ratusz, who says her music resonates most with that demographic, has been one…
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