Colors in the Cove
THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT: 210 Blue Ridge Dr N – Marion, NC 28752 Join us for Colors in the Cove, a celebration of the beauty and music of Western North Carolina! This autumn festival takes place on October 25th at the North Cove Leisure Club in Marion, NC. The day kicks off with doors opening at 1:00 p.m. and the show starting at 2:30 p.m. The event will feature live music performances by 65 North Pickers and Suns of Stars. Beyond the music, attendees can participate in a disc golf challenge hosted by Chris Dickerson, enjoy camping, and bring the whole family to the dedicated kids zone. Don’t miss this chance to experience an unforgettable day of music, nature, and community!
FREE SHOW – PATIO: Mike Wheeler
– FREE SHOW- ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE MIKE WHEELER Mike Wheeler is an singer-songwriter originally hailing from Vermont. With stints in Montreal, New Zealand, Augusta, GA, Key West, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Kentucky– where he was called “hands down, one of the finest WKY singer-songwriters going at the moment” (News4U, 2017)– Wheeler now calls Nashville home. Mike’s debut LP, Roll Another Dime, produced by Grammy-winning studio engineer, Rob Eaton, was released by Pacific Records in March of 2022. The record features appearances by Adam Chaffins, Todd Smallie (Dereck Trucks Band), and Sierra Ferrell. His self-produced follow-up LP will be released next year.Mike’s recent festival appearances have included Newport Folk Festival, Jam Cruise, Cavejam, and Sand & Strings (MEX) as a member of BERTHA: Grateful Drag; and Maverick Festival (UK) and Back to the Roots (Denmark) as a solo artist. He’s played notable opening slots for James Taylor & Jackson Browne, Nikki Lane, Kelsey Waldon, and Billy Strings, and his recent solo tours in Europe and the UK have included multiple sold out shows in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
FREE SHOW – PATIO: Nature Boys
– ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE NATURE BOYS Nature Boys is a trio of longtime Asheville musicians, featuring some from Town Mountain—Jesse Langlais, Jack Devereux, and Nick DiSebastian. Their sound is rooted in bluegrass among other things. Come enjoy this new Asheville trio!
PATIO: Scout Speer
– ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE SCOUT SPEER Scout Speer’s passion for music was kindled in a home on the Tennessee-Alabama line, where her grandaddy’s guitar playing introduced her to the harmonies that bind a family. Raised amid the sounds of country greats and the rustic farming life, outdoor adventures became as much a part of her as her music. At eight, motivated by a promise from her grandaddy to pass down the family guitar, Scout learned to play, earning herself the cherished instrument. Though her early ambitions were swayed by a successful athletic career in soccer, including a state championship and playing through college, music remained her true calling. Ultimately, Scout set aside her athletic achievements to follow her dream of country music artistry, a testament to the enduring influence of her grandaddy’s introduction to music, and impact of her rural upbringing. With her distinctly warm vocal tone and genuine, heartfelt lyrics, Scout Speer will be moving from the great outdoors to the Grand Ole Opry in no time.
PATIO: Beer and Loathing
– ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BEER AND LOATHING Hailing from WNC Beer and Loathing brings you a craft blend of rock n roll and hippie honky-tonk with a dose of psychedelia. The band consists of Johnny Blackwell and Cole Laughter splitting lead vocal and guitar duties with Trevor Walker on Bass and Wayne Redden on drums rounding out the rhythm section.
PATIO: Pleasure Chest
– ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE PLEASURE CHEST Pleasure Chest is a high energy Blues, Soul, Rock and Roll band hailing from Asheville NC. With the humor of Bo Diddley and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins to the swampy, dirty grit of Slim Harpo and Elmore James they’re guaranteed to please and get your booty shaking!
AJ Lee & Blue Summit + East Nash Grass
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY Bluegrass is hot, and AJ Lee & Blue Summit and East Nash Grass are two of the hottest collections of young bluegrass talent you’ll find anywhere in America. Part of bluegrass’ fourth wave, these are musicians who’ve grown up at the feet of the bluegrass masters, but see the genre through a wider lens, incorporating not just Americana and stringband sensibilities, but rock, pop, R&B, and other flavors that take their music far beyond traditional bluegrass fare, without losing the essence of what gives bluegrass its heart. Best of all, when you put two groups like this together on the road, you can be sure they’ll cook up something special for every show — musicians of this caliber just can’t help but be inspired by each other. Might as well start getting excited now. AJ LEE & BLUE SUMMIT AJ Lee & Blue Summit are an award-winning, energetic, charming, and technically jaw-dropping band — and one of the most exciting and fast-rising Bluegrass / Americana bands on the scene today. Based in the California Bay Area, the group met as teenagers, picking and jamming together as kids at local bluegrass festivals. Currently made up of AJ Lee on mandolin, fi ddler Jan Purat, guitarists Scott Gates and Sullivan Tuttle (younger brother of Molly Tuttle), and bassist Sean Newman, the band still carries that youthful, festival-parking-lot energy with them, yet there’s a genuine ease and confi dence to their music making. A breakout year for the band, 2024 saw them release their critically acclaimed album, “City of Glass,” their fi rst label release on Signature Sounds recordings, combined with becoming one of the most in-demand bands in the Bluegrass scene. In 2025, the band continues to pack major venues around the country, along with major festival plays, and the release of “Cover to Cover V1,” an EP of cover songs being released throughout the year. EAST NASH GRASSEast Nash Grass exemplifi es the best of what bluegrass has to off er — as being named the 2024 IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) New Artist of the Year would suggest. But their talent as singers, instrumentalists, and composers is just the beginning. The secret to East Nash Grass lies in their unfl inching ability to be themselves. It certainly helps that they are a veritable supergroup of award-winners who have been performing longer than some might guess they’ve been alive, with experience working with Dan Tyminski, Tim O’Brien, Sierra Hull, and Rhonda Vincent, as just a start. After hundreds of sets (and countless late-night jams) in Nashville, East Nash Grass has coalesced into the hair-raising ensemble of Harry Clark (mandolin), Cory Walker (banjo), James Kee (guitar), Maddie Denton (fi ddle), and Jeff Partin (bass/dobro). Their love of both bluegrass and the absurd can be felt in both their live shows and on their new album “All God’s Children” (Mountain Fever, 2025), which keep listeners on the edge of their seats, marveling at irrefutable mastery and wondering just what might come next.
PATIO: 81 Drifters
– ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE 81 DRIFTERS Hailing from the scenic mountain landscapes along Highway 81, the 81 Drifters weave a tapestry of sounds ranging from fearlessly raw singer-songwriter originals to western swing, jamgrass, blues, and Appalachian folk. They captivate audiences with their infectious energy, lyrical depth, and powerful harmonies that take listeners on a journey that transcends time and tradition. The band exudes a remarkable chemistry that brings the songs to life as they improvise around each other, exploring melodies in new ways with each performance.The band features multi-instrumentalists and songwriters Nick Colavito (Guitar/Banjo/Harmonica), Kristina Miller (Fiddle) and Hunter Andrus (Guitar).
PATIO: Chris Wilhelm
– ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE CHRIS WILHELM Chris Wilhelm is known for bringing positive vibes and an uplifting message to his audience. He plays Americana, folk rock originals that are infectious and insightful, and sprinkles in covers too. Worldwide airplay brought his latest album “This Too Shall Pass” to be one of the Top 100 Alt-Country Albums of 2020, and it spent several months on the national folk charts as well. Chris Wilhelm is a songcatcher and live performer. He made guitars out of cardboard before getting his first one at 13. Born in Hudson, NY, he later moved to Albany, NY, then Boston, and currently lives in Asheville, NC. He has released nine records and played thousands of shows. He has performed in theaters, concert venues, festivals, clubs, bars, libraries, retirement homes, subways, performed on the street and even played at a marathon. He played over 200 shows a year for several years.
PATIO: Josh Rennie-Hynes
– ALL AGES – LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE JOSH RENNIE-HYNES Josh Rennie-Hynes has a way of crafting songs that stay with you, blending personal storytelling with universal themes. His music fuses elements of folk, indie rock, dream pop to create a sound that is both timeless and distinctively his own. Often compared to iconic artists like Neil Young, Tom Petty, and Paul Kelly, as well as modern greats like The War on Drugs and Fleet Foxes, his work resonates deeply with fans around the world. His music encapsulates both the storytelling traditions of his roots and the rich musical heritage of his adopted home. Since relocating to the US in 2018 after receiving the prestigious Australian Arts Council’s Nashville Songwriters Residency, Rennie-Hynes has immersed himself in East Nashville’s vibrant music scene. He has released four full-length albums: Patterns (2019), Day Rage (2022), LIGHT/SHADE (2023), and Fragile Like a Bomb (2023), adding to an already impressive catalog that includes Self-titled (2012), February (2014), and Furthermore (2016). A prolific songwriter and performer, Rennie-Hynes has toured extensively across Australia, New Zealand, and the US, captivating audiences with his live performances. His music has been featured on prominent TV shows, including Netflix’s global hit series Virgin River, where he was the most-placed artist in a recent season. In 2020, he further cemented his place in the industry by signing a publishing deal with Urband and Lazar, a company representing artists like The Kooks and Lil Wayne. In the fall of 2025 he is set to release his newest album called ‘Stars in the Southern Sky’ The title pays homage to his homeland of Australia and his adopted home in the US south. The first single to be taken from it is called ‘In Good Time’ and is out now. Whether performing live, crafting songs in his East Nashville home, Josh Rennie-Hynes continues to push boundaries, creating music that is deeply authentic and profoundly moving.
