Stories with Music Heritage

9 Stories Posts
The O'Connor Band

Pickin’ and A-Grinnin’: Where to Find Bluegrass Jams in Asheville, NC

It is no secret that Asheville, North Carolina continues to be a vibrant city for music. Whether its street buskers or in lively venues like the Grey Eagle, The Orange Peel, Salvation Station, Jack of the Wood and Asheville Music Hall, Asheville has long been a mecca for musicians – particularly bluegrass. There’s a reason Asheville and the surrounding areas play host to such

Shindig On the Green

Shindig on the Green Music and Dance Festival in Asheville, N.C.

A celebration of the traditional mountain music and dance of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Shindig on the Green is a free, outdoor mountain bluegrass music and dance festival that takes place throughout the summer months in the heart of downtown Asheville at Pack Square Park. The Shindigs are on most Saturdays from late June through late August each year. The performances begin at about 7

David Holt

It began with the banjo: David Holt’s long affair with traditional Southern Appalachian music

In 1969 David Holt packed up his truck and drove from California to North Carolina. “That was the same summer as Woodstock, and I was going to wood stick,” he jokes. But the Texas-born multi-instrumentalist, who got his start as a jazz and rock drummer, had fallen in love with the banjo. He’d attended a Ralph Stanley concert and asked the bluegrass star where to learn clawhammer,

Ballad Singing

Appalachia’s Ballad Singing Tradition

With its thriving music scene, including an ever-growing list of local Grammy nominees, Asheville is making a name for itself nationally as a hotbed for singing talent. But the craft of telling stories through song has long been woven into the culture of the North Carolina mountains in the form of traditional ballad singing. Spotlighted in the 2000 motion picture “Songcatcher,” ballad

50 Things to Do in Asheville, N.C. - Hiking, Dining, Music, Art and Outdoors

50 Things to Do in Asheville, N.C.

If you’re looking for things to do in Asheville, then consider this list your primer to the many activities available in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you’re a first-time visitor, or perhaps well acquainted with the flair of this Southern Appalachia getaway, here are 50 ideas to help you see, do, and explore the best Asheville has to offer. Ver la versión en

Video Thumbnail - youtube - Jerry Read Smith - Making Dulcimers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Mountain Sounds, Legacy of Dulcimers

Locally Crafted Instruments Lend Melodies a Blue Ridge Ring Enthusiasts of Appalachian music are likely familiar with the whimsical sounds of dulcimers, instruments that have a rich legacy tied to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jerry Read Smith, a local craftsman who has made more than 8,000 musical instruments, builds hammered dulcimers in his workshop in the nearby town of Black Mountain. The

Buskers Downtown Asheville

Asheville's Busking Scene Keeps Music in the Air

Street performers from around the world bring their talent to Asheville When Peter Levitov blows into his homemade didgeridoo, an ethereal throbbing sound from the Australian aboriginal instrument echoes through downtown Asheville. A moment later, a percussionist lays down a rhythm on a hand drum, and a saxophone player new to town joins in as well. The three have never played together before, but

Mountain Sounds Story: Drum Circle

Play On In: Immerse Yourself in Mountain Sounds

A Feast for the Ears Musical roots grow very deep in the mountains. The ground is melodiously fertile, and music thrives here. Listen closely and you’ll hear a fiddle at dusk down a long mountain cove. Hear the tap-tapa-tap of young mountain cloggers in Pack Square Park. Stroll past guitars and banjos, fiddles and violins, spoons and steel guitars. Sit in the circle and feel the world

Orange Peel

Live Music Lives in Asheville

Tune In to Asheville's Live Music Scene Wander through Asheville and you’ll hear music in every nook and cranny. A bluegrass fiddler on the sidewalk, an indie rocker at a club and an old-time jam session at a bar are equally at home here. Immerse yourself in Asheville’s live music scene with this handpicked list of the city’s top music spots. Busker Street Life Serenade