Tommy Prine
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLETOMMY PRINETommy Prine’s debut album “This Far South” coming June 23, 2023 is not only a long awaited introduction but a testimony to Prine’s 20’s and the loss, love, and growth that has defined them. Co-produced by close friend and kindred musical spirit, Ruston Kelly, and beloved Nashville engineer and producer, Gena Johnson, the album is rich and dynamic from cathartic jams to nostalgic storytelling.The son of late songwriting legend, John Prine, Tommy Prine grew up in Nashville surrounded by music, art and writing. As a child, he thought all parents were musicians, as his father “going to work” meant performing shows for adoring fans and writing songs. Tommy learned to play guitar by watching his father play, copying the ways his fingers moved and inadvertently developing his own singular style. Summers in Ireland lent their own inspiration, as did 10 straight years camping at Bonnaroo. Prine’s musical tastes grew to become decidedly eclectic, spanning John Mayer, Outkast, Bon Iver, the Strokes and more.It wasn’t until Prine reached his mid-twenties, though, that he considered a career of his own in music and began to share with others the songs he wrote in private. His songs were quickly met with excitement and enthusiasm, which sonically brings together a colorful patchwork of musical influences and lyrically explores existential questions and emotional experiences.JORDAN SMART Jordan Smart is a singer-songwriter currently based in Ludlow, KY. His songs echo between the prominent fingerpicking patterns of John Fahey and the Dylanesque vocal style of The Tallest Man on Earth. He flows with the current of the folk revival movement, which continues to course through the mainstream and underground channels today. But below the superficial labels lay the heart of the matter that distinguishes Smart from the bulk of other aspiring folk musicians. Smart, 31, is a father. He grew up with humble beginnings, hitchhiked across the United States and slept under bridges. His life flashed before his eyes on a few occasions, but lives to tell the tale by the grace of good luck. Smart even found himself as a musical guest for Bernie Sanders during his presidential race in 2016. Through it all, Smart offers a remarkable level of sincerity and clarity that is few and far between.
Dawn Landes Bluebird 10th Anniversary Tour
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEDAWN LANDES Dawn Landes is the North Carolina based singer-songwriter whose music you might have heard if you watch The Good Wife, House or Gossip Girl. Along with releasing six albums since 2005 (and an EP inspired by yé-yé, ‘60s French pop music), she’s a frequent collaborator with contemporaries such as Sufjan Stevens, Norah Jones and composer Nico Muhly. She has appeared with the Boston Pops, the NYC Ballet and on the TED main stage performing songs from her musical ROW about fellow Louisville native Tori Murden McClure’s quest to become the first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean. Her latest release is a 10th Anniversary Reissue of her album Bluebird of which Spin described as “..refreshing..” NPR “…compelling…” and Blackbook described it as “…haunting…”DOSS CHURCH & THE UNHOLY NOISE (DUO)Doss Church is an Asheville-based songwriter whose unique brand of ‘Americana’ draws influences from 80’s glam, indie folk and early country, fusing soulful vocals with deeply storied, personal lyrics filled with hope found and love lost. Jay Moye, of The Unholy Noise, will join Doss on keys and guitar for this special duo performance
Clem Snide
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLECLEM SNIDE“The last ten years have been a rollercoaster of deep despair and amazing opportunities that somehow present themselves at the last possible second,” says Eef Barzelay. “That this record even exists, as far as I’m concerned, is a genuine miracle.”Indeed, the road to ‘Forever Just Beyond,’ Barzelay’s stunning new album under the Clem Snide moniker, was an unlikely one, to say the least. Produced by Scott Avett of The Avett Brothers, the record is a work of exquisite beauty and profound questioning, a reckoning with faith and reality that rushes headlong into the unknown and the unknowable. The songs here grapple with hope and depression, identity and perception, God and the afterlife, all captured through Barzelay’s uniquely off-kilter lens and rendered with an intimate, understated air that suggests the tender comfort of a late-night conversation between old friends. Avett’s production is similarly warm and inviting, and the careful, spacious arrangement of gentle guitars and spare percussion carves a wide path for Barzelay’s insightful lyrics and idiosyncratic delivery. Listening to the album now, Avett and Barzelay sound like an obvious pairing, but the truth is that there was nothing obvious about the survival of Clem Snide, and the series of cosmic coincidences that led to ‘Forever Just Beyond’ remains inexplicable even to Barzelay himself. “About ten years ago, everything just seemed to fall apart,” he explains. “The band bottomed out, I lost my house, and I had to declare bankruptcy. That started this process of ego death for me, where I realized the only way to survive would be to transcend myself and to try to find some kind of deeper, spiritual relationship with life and with being. Once I committed myself to that, miraculous things started to happen.” Some miracles were financial (a superfan in Spain, for instance, sent Barzelay an unsolicited thank-you-for-the-music donation that covered the exact amount he desperately owed his bankruptcy lawyer); other miracles were more intangible. Roughly four or five years ago, as Barzelay struggled with how and if to carry on, a fan sent him a video of Scott Avett singing a Clem Snide song in front of a massive audience. Shortly after that, another fan sent an interview in which Avett raved about Clem Snide’s music. It seemed like a sign from the universe. “I had just hit this low point where I realized I couldn’t do it alone anymore,” says Barzelay. “I passed along a little message and a new song I wrote to The Avett Brothers’ manager, and Scott wrote me right back to say what a fan he was.”Avett was far from alone in his love for Clem Snide. Named for a William S. Borroughs character, the project first emerged from Boston as a three-piece in the early 1990’s and would go on to become a cult and critical favorite, picking up high profile fans from Bon Iver to Ben Folds over the course of three decades and more than a dozen albums. NPR highlighted the Israeli-born Barzelay as “the most underrated songwriter in the business today, with a sneakily firm grasp on poignancy and humor,” while Rolling Stone hailed his songwriting as “soulful and incisive,” and The New Yorker praised the music’s “soothing melodies and candid wit.”
Tony Furtado
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLETONY FURTADO Americana Roots via a multi-instrumentalist with a dizzying musical toolbox… Tony is an evocative and soulful singer, a wide-ranging songwriter and a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist adept on banjo, cello-banjo, slide guitar and baritone ukulele who mixes and matches sounds and styles with the flair of a master chef (he’s also an accomplished sculptor, but that’s another story). “…true talent doesn’t need categories.”-Relix Magazine “…a major musical force without doubt. He has his black belt in voice, bottleneck guitar and his banjo playing scares the crap out of me.”-David Lindley
Cruz Contreras (of The Black Lillies) Album Release Show
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLECRUZ CONTRERASMulti-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer Cruz Contreras has roots in Tennessee and Michigan, but has impacted Americana music worldwide.The frontman, founder, and driving force behind The Black Lillies’ raw and rootsy sound also co-founded Robinella and the CCstringband, and has collaborated with musicians ranging from John Oates to Langhorne Slim. His projects have topped both the Billboard and Americana radio charts, won Independent Music Awards, and earned him a nomination for the Americana Music Association’s Emerging Artist of the Year award. After over a decade touring and five studio albums as The Black Lillies, Contreras wrapped up the band in 2019 and is performing under his own name.Over the years, Cruz has appeared on nationally broadcasted television including Late Night with Conan O’Brien, CMT, VH-1, and more. His music has been lauded by outlets as diverse as American Songwriter Magazine, Rolling Stone, NPR’s Morning Edition and Vanity Fair, among others.As an independent artist, Cruz has played Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry 40 times over the years. Contreras is currently at work on his debut solo album, ‘Cosmico’.SAMUEL QUINN’S CARTWRIGHT BROTHERS”somewhere between an endlessly, inaudible sigh and the blurred fingers of a years-long morning, samuel quinn fell in love with music again. it was all around, moving, speaking, exciting and regretfully inescapable. the cartwright brothers took shape both backwardly and without an urgency, giving sonic foundation and contour to this chapter of quinn’s songwriting. quiet but ugly. pretty and too loud. honest while joking. personal yet selfishly universal. “it is difficult to say what it is i do, but if you are into it, you might also like this,” quinn explicates.”
PATIO: Peggy Ratusz & Kelly Jones
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDPEGGY RATUSZ & KELLY JONES Local faves Kelly Jones (guitar & vocals), praised as one of the best and most versatile players on the scene and 10 times best in Blues award winner Peggy Ratusz (singer songwriter & percussionist), combine their exceptional talents for an intimate early evening 2-set showcase of their favorite acoustic Blues, Classic Country and Pop Rock covers and originals. Expect to hear a heaping helping of Bonnie Raitt’s early classics as well as scaled down and evocative arrangements from the superb library of the late, great Piedmont guitarist and songwriter, Sean Costello. They call themselves Downtown Duo Delux, and together they’ve been seducing new and faithful fans for nearly two years. You’ll not want to miss a chance to hear them in this cozy and rustic setting out on the Grey Eagle patio stage.
PATIO: Brad Heller & The Fustics
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDBRAD HELLER AND THE FUSTICSWhether with his backing band, The Fustics, or performing as an acoustic artist, Brad Heller has established himself as a credible force among current songwriters. Honing his craft for over a decade and a half the Wilmington, North Carolina, transplant has built a reputation as a thoughtful songsmith who tackles a wide range of personal and social issues. Bouncing between a myriad of genres, Heller finds creative drive in honoring musical influences that inspire him, while never abandoning his own unique sound. With the forthcoming release of his sixth album, Heller continues to build his audience with constant touring and spirited live shows. Heller’s music centers on middle-class characters while exploring themes of loss, self-imposed alienation, abandonment of faith, addiction, and immigration. Voted Wilmington’s “Best Original Rock Band,” look for upcoming shows by Brad Heller & the Fustics and the Fustics acoustic duo.
OUTPOST: The 40, 20, 10’s
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINEThe 40,20,10sare an Americana band out of Asheville, NC. The members consist of Galen Holland, Springs Wade, Donny Brazil, and Didier Rubio and they’ve been hittin the scene 3 years strong now. They bring a mix of country, blues and rock into a spooky western sound that would fit perfectly into your favorite road trip out west. Their latest release, POLVO, is out on all the streaming platforms, along with ESCENAS, their first EP.Julia Sanders and Kevin FullerAmericana artist Julia Sanders’ new album Morning Star—produced by John James Tourville of New West Records band The Deslondes—unfolds a meticulously arranged musical landscape anchored by transfixing vocals and a compact but thoughtful narrative style that calls to mind forebearers like Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris. On Morning Star, Sanders explores the complexities of transitions: from woman to mother, partners to parents, and freewheelin’ musician to an adult with roots and responsibilities. The album is a poetic, often dark, yet silver-lined portrait of transformation and growth. With each track, Sanders explores a different facet—a career, a partner, a child—and the range of emotions they carry with them, from joy and pleasure to struggle, loneliness and self-doubt. Unafraid to address the complexities that walk hand in hand with the bliss of having children—such as the loss of autonomy and the fracturing of identity—Morning Star provides a much-needed soundtrack to the experience of matrescence—the physical, emotional and social transition to motherhood
Laid Back Country Picker
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYLAID BACK COUNTRY PICKER The night Laid Back’s high school classmates went on their senior trip, he played his first professional bar gig. It was not his first show, as he had played bass in local bluegrass bands, but it opened the door to smoky bars and honky-tonk survival. Over the years he went on perform and record with many well-known artist, often uncredited, as was the Nashville way. He has played with everyone from the Georgia Satellites to the Kentucky Headhunters. Opening for Thin Lizzy and The Guess Who, recording at Johnny Cash’s studio as well as the now defunct Butcher Shoppe in Nashville (owned by John Prince and Sturgill Simpson) Laid Back has seen some things. LB served as a mentor to a young Tyler Childers, who now has Laid Back signed on his Hickman Holler label. Mr. Childers has made several films with LB and included him in his music videos, as well as having him open a CD release show in New York City and open his sets at the Ryman Auditorium and Red Rocks Amphitheater. Over the years Laid Back has honed his craft and played simply for the love of the music. His no rules approach to musical performance flies in the face of those who prefer their music to fit neatly into category. Equal parts Led Zeppelin, Waylon Jennings, Stanley Brothers, David Bowie and Motorhead, and that’s just the beginning. Laid Back is a product of the 1970s when lines were often blurred. He doesn’t care what you call it, he just wants you to feel it. Attentive to the audience and ready for conversation, a Laid Back show is an interactive lesson on music, pop culture and whatever else is on his mind that day. Whether he is playing with his full band or grinding out heavy guitar riffs with his companion Honey on drums in the White Stirpes inspired duo, you leave the concert knowing you have seen a show. There will be a meet and greet and Laid Back will stand and talk until everyone is satisfied. Because it’s not just about playing songs to an audience, it’s about a shared experience with his fellow man. Laid Back’s mantra is “playing country music and treating people right”. He strives to uphold that pledge every night.GRAYSON JENKINSGrayson Jenkins is a singer-songwriter born and raised in Muhlenberg County, KY on a small farm in the heart of coal country. Now residing in Nashville, by way of Lexington, KY, Jenkins has dedicated the past several years to the craft of songwriting and performing his brand of Country/Folk music around the U.S. and Canada. Like fellow Kentuckians, Sturgill Simpson and Keith Whitley, Grayson has carved out his own corner in country music through the release of four independent records. His releases have garnered the attention of American Songwriter, The Bluegrass Situation, and more.With a hopeful resignation and canny insight into the ways of the world, Jenkins delivers songs influenced by his own life experiences, cross-country travels, and turns of phrases found in the rich storytelling communities across Kentucky and beyond. ERIC BOLANDER Eric Bolander’s flavor of Americana/folk music offers soulful vocal tone with thoughtful melodies that have staying power. Lyrically driven by life experiences, Eric’s songs will give you a glimpse into his life and a realization that happiness can be perpetuated through pain.
POSTPONED: PATIO: Amanda Neill
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED**THIS SHOW HAS BEEN POSTPONED**AMANDA NEILL Originally from Nashville, Amanda Neill grew up with music deeply embedded in the fabric of her life, singing harmony with her three sisters from a young age. Moving to NYC in her late 20s, she spent 8 years singing and playing in the Brooklyn Americana scene, regularly taking the stage at staple venues such as Rockwood Music Hall and Joe’s Pub, most notably with Jamey Hamm and Ivy Beck & Neill. During this time, Amanda and her husband also owned and operated a small coffee shop in Brooklyn, which stood as a thriving hub for local musicians, artists, writers, and poets. After moving to Marshall, NC, in 2019, Amanda co-founded The Greybirds in 2021, quickly making a splash in and around the Asheville area. Amanda’s new project, Amanda Neill and the Blue Roses, retains a lot of the same focus on lyrical songwriting and musical dynamics, while continuing to draw on the influences of American Folk and Rock music from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as more modern singer-songwriter content. The vibe originates from Amanda’s Wurlitzer keyboard and her warm, powerful voice, and the sound is carried forward through vocal harmonies, thoughtful drumming, bass, and an array of guitar tones and sounds, both electric and acoustic. From feel-good rockers to tear-jerking, intimate musical moments, one can always expect melodies that feel familiar, even on first listen. “I intend to live with heart and conviction, asking honest questions through lyric, in quest of fulfilling dreams, one melody at a time.” -Amanda Neill “A voice containing all the ragged edge and electricity of a Janis Joplin or Joe Cocker… Joni Mitchell after a lot of nights at the Tom Waits school of late night blues bars… And while those may seem like very broad strokes of comparison, the more you hear Neill sing the more you’ll hear that same world-weary, raspy husk that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.” – On The Back Edge Of The Beat
