Ben Sollee
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE BEN SOLLEE Kentucky musician and composer Ben Sollee, has been blurring boundaries with his musical style and career for nearly two decades – his latest album, Long Haul (2024) is no exception. Drawing on tonal influences from the American and global south, Sollee’s vocals and unique cello style thread through each track binding seemingly disparate chapters of his journey – the Long Haul. After his last album in 2017, Sollee took a break from touring to grow his family and deepen community connections in Louisville, KY. Now a father of three, Sollee has leaned into his work as a composer; scoring films such as LAND from director Robin Wright, and Maggie Morre(s), a John Slattery film featuring Tina Fey and Jon Hamm. He also scored the podcast series Unreformed, which was recently nominated for a Peabody Award. Outside of music, Sollee helped launch the non-profit Canopy, which supports Kentucky businesses positively impacting their communities and planet. The title track “Long Haul” tells the story of Sollee’s nearly two year struggle with long-COVID. The lyrics paint in broad strokes and are relatable to anyone who’s been forced – for whatever reason – to shift their relationship to their body. He sings, “I didn’t know how rich I was until this poverty,” lilting up to a high note letting us know he’s embraced and grown from the experience. “I realized I had a very exploitative relationship with my body and my creativity,” says Sollee. “I realized the most radical thing you can do is to care for yourself; not in some optimized, individualistic way, but as an aspect of nature and society” Serving as the album’s title, “Long Haul” takes on a universal meaning as a journey that we’re all on together. While working on the record, Sollee lived by the mantra, “show our fingerprints,” referencing the guidance of NY Times tech reporter Kevin Roose in his book Futureproof. In this age of automation and generative technologies, Sollee chose to employ breathy woodwinds, choirs, tactile hand percussion, and his signature cello style, all of which shine through in the Dolby ATMOS Spatial Audio version of the album (a first for Sollee). Evoking the music of Paul Simon, there is a forward momentum to the songs that creates a sense of journey. And this traveling groove comes through on key songs like “Misty Miles” and “Under the Spell”, both of which explore the friction of being human in the rush of technology and consumerism. The refrain “When will enough be enough?” in Misty Miles is sung over the smooth, rhythmic cadence of bicycling, juxtaposing imagery of “crooked live oaks” with Charleston, South Carolina’s more artificial landscapes. Jeri Katherine Howell
Jake Kohn & Low Water Bridge Band
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY JAKE KOHN From Stephens City, Virginia, Jake Kohn is a singer/songwriter on a clear path to stardom. At only 17 years old, Jake’s unusually deep voice and songwriting ability have garnered the attention of some of his favorite artists. 2024 saw him play festivals such as Mile 0 Festival, MerleFest, Newport Folk Festival, Pickathon, and Bourbon & Beyond. In addition to a slew of headline dates, he supported Sierra Ferrell, Sam Barber, and Wyatt Flores. Stay tuned for what Jake has in store for 2025. It is not lost on Jake that he is playing shows beyond his years. In fact, he is still awestruck when people recognize him. Whether it is signing a poster for a fan or being invited to see Tommy Prine’s release show, Jake is consistently surprised and grateful to be at this point in his 4-year career. The local music scene in his home of Winchester, Virginia is no stranger to talent. Jake had the support of Logan Moore from Low Water Bridge Band early on. He began playing local bars at age 13, uploading new music via YouTube in his time away from school and gigs. It was his video for “Hard as Stone,” filmed for Radio West Virginia, that fueled Jake’s widespread notoriety. His video for “Frostbite,” a gut-wrenching and jaw-dropping showcase of his songwriting and vocal ability, continues to make its way across all platforms bolstering millions of views. LOW WATER BRIDGE BAND There’s a sound the Shenandoah River makes as it rumbles over old stones in the shallows. It sings songs the way they used to be – plain and honest. No frills, buckle that belt before you head to the hills and hollers. It’s there under a Virginia moon that you’ll find the Low Water Bridge Band. Forged by firelight picking, the band’s romping, stomping, country-grass Americana ain’t for the faint of heart. Since their founding in 2020, they’ve gone from barnstorming the Shenandoah Valley to festival stages along the East Coast. Venues from the Carolinas to Kentucky and, yes, Nashville, Tennessee ring with their sound and are asking for more. They’re led by guitarist and lead singer Logan Moore’s searing melodies. The precision thump of brothers Alex and Riley Kerns’ bass and drums and their pitch-perfect vocal harmonies fill out the sound. Justin Carver’s pedal steel and banjo swirl through songs like smoke from the campfire. And it’s all brought together with the crunch and crackle of James “Chainsaw” Montgomery’s electric guitar riffs. From the first time you see them, your boots will be worn from kicking up dust. By the time a second chorus comes around you’ll be hooting and hollering their memorable originals alongside their die-hard fans. You’ll join a crowd who travels far and wide, bringing the party to your town. If you’re a fan of good music done right, be sure to keep a lookout for this fast-rising outfit from Clarke County, Virginia. Chances are, they’ll be blowing through your way one of these days soon.
The Lemonheads: Love Chant World Tour
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY THE LEMONHEADS The Lemonheads return in 2025 with Love Chant (out via Fire Records, October 24th), their first studio album in nearly two decades – a bold, melodic reaffirmation of Evan Dando’s singular songwriting voice. Written across continents and recorded primarily in São Paulo, Brazil, where Dando now resides, Love Chant finds the frontman reconnecting with longtime collaborators while introducing new creative voices. It’s a record of fresh starts and familiar sounds – emotionally raw, melodically rich, and unmistakably Lemonheads. The new album features contributions from J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), Juliana Hatfield, Tom Morgan, Bryce Goggin, Erin Rae, and Nick Saloman of The Bevis Frond. It’s a diverse but coherent work – from the full-throttle hooks of “Deep End” to the spectral softness of “The Key Of Victory,” and the Modern Lovers-like drive of the title track. Co-released alongside Dando’s forthcoming memoir Rumours Of My Demise (via Faber, November 6th), Love Chant marks both a return and a reckoning – the sound of an artist who’s lived, lost, and located the thread once again. Formed in Boston in 1986, The Lemonheads have long thrived on that intersection between chaos and charm. With a revolving cast built around Dando’s melodic instincts and ragged charisma, their early punk roots were forged across three scrappy albums on local label Taang! before signing to Atlantic Records and releasing 1990’s Lovey. It was on tour for that record in Australia where Dando connected with Tom Morgan and future bandmate Nic Dalton – a meeting that reshaped the band’s songwriting and sound. Their commercial breakthrough came with 1992’s It’s A Shame About Ray and 1993’s Come On Feel The Lemonheads, both records that married punk energy with melodic pop, and established Dando as one of alternative rock’s most compelling figures. National TV appearances followed, and so did the tabloid glare – by the late ’90s, the music sometimes took a backseat to Dando’s unpredictable, chaotic public persona. He disbanded The Lemonheads in 1997 following a turbulent performance at Reading Festival. In 2003, he released his acclaimed solo album Baby I’m Bored – quieter and more introspective, it hinted at a new phase. But it wasn’t long before The Lemonheads were reborn. In 2006, a self-titled album marked a head-on collision of wordy ’70s punk and cosmic country, followed by Varshons (2009) and Varshons 2 (2019), two mixtape-like collections of cover versions that spanned Townes Van Zandt to GG Allin, Leonard Cohen to The Bevis Frond – always with the same emotional clarity and melodic magnetism that defines Dando’s output. Over the years, The Lemonheads’ shape has shifted – Descendents, Dinosaur Jr, Blake Babies and members of Fuzzy have all passed through the ranks – but at its core has always been Dando’s songwriting: wry, vulnerable, catchy, and true. With Love Chant, that core burns brightly once more. Recent years have only deepened the band’s influence. Artists like Courtney Barnett, Waxahatchee, Phoebe Bridgers and MJ Lenderman cite The Lemonheads as touchstones, covering their songs and praising their emotional candor and melodic economy. ERIN RAE
Scott Miller
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE SCOTT MILLER “Long before co-founding that dapper twangpop outfit [The V-Roys], Miller logged many miles on the singer-songwriter trail as kind of a cross between John Prine and Loudon Wainwright III.” -No Depression “Scott Miller’s songwriting has always balanced wit with woe.” -Relix Recently inducted to the East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame, fiery roots-rock singer/songwriter SCOTT MILLER returned to his native Virginia to tend the family farm while continuing to release and perform new music informed by that rural area, history, and Appalachia. The Staunton nativefirst made a name for himself in the 90s as guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter with the superb pop/rock band the V-Roys before establishing himself as a gifted and eclectic solo artist, first with his ad hoc group the Commonwealth and later on his own. “[Miller combines] the emotional honesty and intelligence of a singer/songwriter with the swagger and enthusiasm of a rock & roller… a gifted and eclectic solo artist.” (AllMusic.com). As seen on tour with Patty Griffin, Robbie Fulks, Paul Thorn and American Aquarium. TIN ROOF ECHO Born in the musically storied city of Macon, Georgia but rooted in Asheville, North Carolina since the late ’90s, Joe Hooten has spent the past two decades crafting a singular voice under the name Tin Roof Echo. Since his 2014 debut The Original Plan, Hooten has released seven albums, each steeped in raw, introspective songwriting and a fiercely DIY spirit that lets the songs speak plainly and powerfully.While his early work showcased a lo-fi, home-recorded aesthetic, 2024’s Flowers Falling signals a bold step forward. Secretly tracked over several months with producer Kevin Boggs at Loc-Level Sound in Asheville, the album features a cast of celebrated collaborators from Steep Canyon Rangers, Drive-By Truckers, and the Amy Ray Band. It was mastered by the legendary John Keane (R.E.M., Indigo Girls, Widespread Panic) in Athens, Georgia, and blends aching Americana with soulful grit and melodic urgency. Hooten’s 2021 live album Mornings Are for Singing—recorded in stairwells at his day job—remains a cult favorite for its warmth and originality.A staple of Southeastern stages, Hooten has played iconic venues like the Grey Eagle, Evening Muse, and Orange Peel, and appeared at festivals including Enofest, Finsterfest, AVLFest, and the inaugural AVL Punkfest. He’s shared bills with a broad and respected roster including Scott Miller, Freedy Johnston, David Childers, Agent Orange, Soul Asylum, and PYLON REENACTMENT SOCIETY.Beyond the stage, he helped organize Caverns of Gold: A Benefit for WNC Hurricane Relief, a Bandcamp-exclusive compilation supporting grassroots aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. He’s currently collecting and distributing gently-used guitars and other stringed instruments for Asheville Middle School students. Oh—and when he’s not breaking hearts, he makes plenty of glorious noise with his punk band, PINKEYE.
MaMuse
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE MAMUSE Join MaMuse for an evening of music and song to uplift the spirits and rejuvenate the soul. MaMuse (“Ma” as in Mamma; “Muse” as in the one who inspires) is returning to Asheville with their band to share harmonic, uplifting, luscious, folk-soul: a musical tune-up for the heart. Wholeheartedly fed by the folk and gospel traditions, MaMuse (Sarah Nutting and Karisha Longaker) create uplifting music to inspire the world into thriving. Interweaving brilliant and haunting harmony with lyrics born of honed emotional intelligence, MaMuse invokes a musical presence that inspires the opening of the heart. Playing a family of varied acoustic instruments, including upright bass, guitar, mandolins, and flutes, while backed by guitar and keys, these two powerful women embody a love for all life. The synergy created through this musical connection is palpable and truly moving to witness. “Weaving extraordinary voices with surprising syncopation, MaMuse’s soulful folk commitment is evident with every note.” ”Vocal bliss” — Dan DeWayne, California WorldFest With fifteen delicious years of co-creation and five full length albums under their belts, MaMuse keep their hearts tuned to the creation of music for the health of ALL BEINGS. Come one, come all, and invite your friends to weave a tapestry of joy and connection together through song. The evening will kick off with the beautiful songs of local musician Molly Hartwell.
Bill Kirchen: “Bill Does Bob”
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE In 1964 and 1965, a young Bill Kirchen made two pilgrimages from his home in Ann Arbor to the Newport Folk Festivals. Among many other wondrous things, he saw Dylan debut Mr. Tambourine Man in ’64, then go full on electric in ’65. Bill swears what he saw and heard at those Festivals ruined him for normal work. Bill brings his ace Texas band for songs and reminiscences from Dylan at the ground breaking Newport Festival shows in ’64 and ’65. BILL KIRCHEN Bill Kirchen first gained renown as founding father, lead guitarist and vocalist for Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen, where the resonant twang of his battered Telecaster drove “Hot Rod Lincoln” into the Top Ten in ’72. Bill went to the Grammys in 2001 for Country Instrumental Of The Year with his chicken-pickin’ composition Poultry In Motion, beat out by the great Earl Scruggs. He has recorded with Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Dan Hicks, Maria Muldaur, Doug Sahm, Hoyt Axton, Hazel Dickens, Gene Vincent and Link Wray. He cracked the Americana Radio Chart Top 10 in 2018. Bill has released well over 2 dozen albums, from his Commander Cody catalogue on through his current 12 releases on the Proper and Last Music Company labels. “A Titan of the Telecaster guitar.” – Guitar Player magazine “Bill Kirchen rules, it’s just that simple.” – the Austin-American Statesman “A devastating culmination of the elegant and the funky, a really sensational musician with enormous depth.” – Nick Lowe “He is one of the singular instrumental stylists of American roots music, and to hear his sound once is to have it indelibly etched on one’s musical memory.” – Pop Matters
PATIO: Dirty Dead
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE DIRTY DEAD The guys who keep breaking boundaries with their grungy-rock boogie versions of the Grateful Dead songbook. Fronted by flautist Paul DeCirce, “the Pied Piper of Asheville” (Mountain Xpress), The Grey Eagle are pleased to host these legends of the local jam scene.
Ruston Kelly – Pale, Through the Window Tour
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY RUSTON KELLY Since making his debut with 2018’s Dying Star, Ruston Kelly has built a catalog of songs that search for transcendence in the most devastating and demanding of experiences: addiction, the strenuous work of self-evolution, the fallout of broken relationships. But in the writing of his latest album, the South Carolina-born artist found himself in unfamiliar emotional territory—a state of sustained joy and inner peace, brought on by a spiritual breakthrough and the dawning of a new love. Brimming with the grit and depth that’s always defined his output, Pale, Through the Window ultimately affirms Kelly as one of modern music’s most astute observers of the human heart and spirit. The follow-up to The Weakness—a 2023 release that earned major acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, The New York Times, NPR and led to his appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers”—Pale, Through the Window finds Kelly reuniting with his longtime collaborator Jarrad K, who also helmed production on Dying Star and 2020’s Shape & Destroy. The first body of work he’s recorded with his longtime touring band, the album centers on a singular sonic palette that often merges synth with pedal-steel guitar while fully embracing Kelly’s ardent love of classic pop-punk and emo—ultimately bringing a raw and potent energy to his soul-searching songwriting. Over the course of Pale, Through the Window’s 13 songs, Kelly offers up everything from the somber rumination of the LP’s title track and the rueful longing of “Twisted Root” (an intimate look at his history with addiction) to the radiant open-heartedness of love songs like “Waiting to Love You” and “Wayside” (a euphoric but unvarnished portrait of love against the backdrop of a world in flames). And in sharing such an all-embracing account of his journey to acceptance and peace, he aspires to provide others with the courage to persevere through their own personal chaos. “If someone’s struggling with doubt or hopelessness because of the state of the world or their relationship with God or with themselves, I hope this record leaves them with the sense that it can be okay and that love truly is the most powerful force we have available to us,” says Kelly. “I also hope they feel at least a sliver of the freedom and joy I felt in writing these songs—even if they’re just having a good time bobbing their head to ‘Waiting to Love You,’ I want everyone to be reminded that the world can be a joyful place.” verygently verygently is the collective force of three established Nashville singer-songwriters—Drew Erwin, Joey Hendricks, and Tristan Bushman—who came together in early 2024. With tours alongside Augustana, The Band Camino, and The Fray, combined with their debut EP, the band quickly turned heads thanks to their high-energy live shows and songs that blend wit and vulnerability, weaving heartache with the undeniable charm of three best friends sharing the stage.
Joe Pug
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE JOE PUG A singer-songwriter known for his lyrical acumen and plaintive harmonica style, Joe Pug dropped out of college and moved to Chicago where he worked as a carpenter before breaking into the city’s music scene. Since 2008 he has released a string of critically-acclaimed albums and toured heavily in the U.S. and abroad. Paste Magazine wrote of his music: “Unless your surname is Dylan, Waits, Ritter or Prine, you could face-palm yourself to death trying to pen songs half as inspired.” He has toured with Steve Earle, Levon Helm, The Killers, Justin Townes Earle, Sturgill Simpson, and many others. He has appeared at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and The Newport Folk Festival. His music has appeared on NPR’s “Prairie Home Companion” and “Mountain Stage”. His music has been released by Lightning Rod Records, which features an alumni roster of Jason Isbell, Billy Joe Shaver, and James McMurtry. Additionally, he is the creator and host of the popular podcast The Working Songwriter.
Sunny Sweeney
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY SUNNY SWEENEY Sunny Sweeney, a genre-bending, songwriting spitfire who has spent equal time in the rich musical traditions of Texas and Tennessee, returns with Married Alone, the celebrated singer-songwriter’s fifth studio album and the follow-up to 2017’s critically acclaimed Trophy. Co-produced by beloved Texas musician and larger-than-life personality Paul Cauthen and the Texas Gentlemen’s multi-hyphenate Beau Bedford, Married Alone is Sweeney’s finest work yet, bringing together confessional songwriting, image-rich narratives and no shortage of sonic surprises for a loosely conceptual album about loss and healing. Married Alone began as most of Sweeney’s projects do: with a visit to her deep vault of unreleased songs. Since debuting with Heartbreaker’s Hall of Fame in 2006, Sweeney has been a prolific writer, writing whatever is on her heart rather than with a particular project in mind. That habit afforded her a rich well of material for Married Alone, some of which is over a decade old. “I have a lot of older songs that still make the cut of like, ‘Am I gonna put this on a record?’ And I always start with those songs, songs that have been important to me for whatever reason. And then I try to build around that. It doesn’t necessarily have to be around a theme, but sometimes it turns out to be that there is one.” CAM PIERCE Cam Pierce was born and bred in the West… way West. Born in a tiny logging town in Oregon and growing up in the deep woods of the Southern part of the state. All his time in the forests watching, listening, and being still shaped his spontaneous approach to songwriting. Occasionally as a young adult he recalls becoming discontented with small town life and yearned for the bright lights and fast pace of the city. Though these few fantastic bouts in babylon would present new experiences and test’s for the compass of a young man’s life and spirit. The woods, and the small town living would always call him home. Moving to the growing metropolis of Nashville was not such a means of escape, but one of sacrifice in the hopes of advancing his career in Music and Songwriting. From booking his first festival 1 year after arriving in Nashville, to playing the “Country Music Hall Of Fame” to opening for Sunny Sweeney on tour in 2024 and 2025, cutting the first record at FAME studios infamous Studio “B” after it’s re-opening in 2021; the opportunities that have come Cam’s way are miraculous for a small town boy from Southern Oregon. He’s played with a string of incredibly talented musicians over the years. Like Anthony “Ziggy” Johnson, keys for “Alan Jackson” and “Whispering Bill Anderson”, Mike Klooster, Keys for “Smashmouth”, Chad Gamble and Jimbo Hart both members of “The 400 Unit”. The list goes on and so does the gratitude to such folks for lending their crafts. “When I came to Nashville it wasn’t with friends. I had no contacts, no connections of any kind. I knew no one, and had nothing. It was sheer drive, trust and stupidity. Like a blind man diving into the ocean”.
