Welcome to Asheville, NC—a city where food is the centerpiece of daily life with approximately nearly 250 independent restaurants and a bevy of local breweries. more
The Asheville area, named a must–see destination by Frommer's, boasts a thriving arts community, diverse outdoor adventures, a vibrant and inviting downtown,...more
Asheville's seasons are a palette of colors and experiences, ranging from the enchanting holidays and spring mountains bursting with color to the outdoor adventures...more
Asheville's music scene is a vital piece of the city's culture. The rhythm of the city began centuries ago with the arrival of Scotch-Irish settlers who filled the hills with the sounds of their reels, ballads and folk songs.
Strong Music Traditions
Today, Asheville's music scene is all encompassing. Traditional mountain music still rings out from national artists such as David Holt, Doc Watson and Laura Boosinger who live in the area. Classical music from the Asheville Symphony Orchestra fills the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium throughout the year.
A Thriving Music Scene
The sounds of the modern era also thrive in Asheville. Bob Moog, the inventor of the Moog synthesizer and pioneer of electronic music, spent his final years in Asheville and set up a company here that continues his musical vision.
Alternative rockers The Smashing Pumpkins made Asheville their temporary home with a nine-show residency in 2007 at the Orange Peel. And well-known artists such as Gladys Knight, Warren Haynes and David Wilcox have made Asheville their newfound home and drawn inspiration from the area.
Daily Life in a Music Town
But it's just not nationally renowned artists that find musical inspiration in Asheville. You can find street musicians entertaining crowds on Friday evenings, drummers pounding out a rhythmic beat in Pritchard Park and nightly jam sessions in local pubs. Asheville's stunning natural beauty and artistic atmosphere fosters a creative, collaborative atmosphere ripe for great music.
Check out LiveWire, Asheville's one-stop shop for live performances, complete with an event calendar.
