Sicard Hollow
ALL AGES – STANDING ROOM ONLY SICARD HOLLOW Nashville’s psychedelic punk-grass rockers, Sicard Hollow, grew up sick of any existing institution telling them who and what to be. Now, as they navigate adulthood, they’re equally tired of the music institutions telling them what their music should sound like— so they dunked it in patchouli and a skate-and-destroy ethos that brings an enduring sound into the modern age. Before the band met in 2018, none of the members ever considered playing bluegrass. Matt Rennick (violin) was working on electronic music, Will Herrin (mandolin/vocals) was playing guitar in rock bands, and Alex King (guitar/vocals) was barely playing music at all. After a few jam sessions, the bluegrass just kind of happened. Since adding Parrish Gabriel (bass) in the Fall of 2019, the band has been on a journey of self discovery within the genre while challenging themselves to make it their own. Whether it was skateboarding or chasing jam bands, singer/guitar-player Alex King always had a fierce desire to succeed on his own terms. He spent years as an artist without an art-form, searching for a home by pouring every bit of his sweat and heart into anything he was doing. “It took years for me to land on music,” King says, referencing “This I Know” from the album, “but when I found that fire inside my heart, I found my home.It just so happened that finding that home coincided with the shutdown of live music due to the pandemic that canceled the entire release tour supporting their debut studio record, ‘Secret of the Breeze.’ During that time, the band turned inward to reflect on their identity and how they could add their generation’s voice to a timeless genre of music. The result, with the help of producer John Mailander (Billy Strings, Bruce Hornsby) and Recording/mixing engineer Dan Davis (Billy Strings, Zac Brown Band, Dierks Bentley), was a combination of pop-punk melodies, psychedelic instrumental breaks, and existential song-writing all packaged as a bluegrass quartet dressed in tattoos and tie-dyes.Tracks like Herrin’s “Escape the Unknown,” wrestle with staying true to yourself in a world seemingly fueled by mob-mentality. This positive skepticism toward the main-stream permeates the entire record. Songs like “Forecast of Life” and “Where I’m At” impress a new-American-Zen that dances through the chaos with a smile on your face. If unapologetically being yourself is the key to finding the “Brightest of Days” ahead, then you’ll hear it here first from Sicard Hollow. THE TALISMEN The Talismen formed in 2015 in Montgomery, Alabama, during the band members’ high school years. Over the past eight years, the band has evolved and progressed as a highly creative, powerful force; entertaining audiences across the country. With a combination of energy and sophistication beyond their years, The Talismen approach each performance as a totally unique experience featuring an expansive catalog of soulful, funk-filled originals, along with a constantly evolving rotation of covers. The Talismen released their debut album, Jar Full of Something, in February 2019. The album has since totaled over one million streams via Spotify. In March of 2020, the band released a four-song EP, Extra Vehicular Activity, which was recorded and produced by Kevin Scott (Gov’t Mule / Jimmy Herring). They have since released two live albums (Live From The Bunker, Live From Saturn), as well as a series of singles.
An Evening With Jason Carter
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEJASON CARTERIn Lloyd, Kentucky, on U.S. 23, there’s a sign on the Country Music Highway dedicated to renowned fiddler Jason Carter. It was placed there because of his other accomplishments—the Grammy awards, the worldwide tours, and the many other accolades he’s earned through his music. But for Carter, joining the legendary names honored on that stretch of highway just might mean the most. “There’s a certain sound that’s up there that you just don’t hear anywhere else,” he says. “I think that played a big part in how I sound today.” True to those Kentucky roots, Carter continues to pour all he has back into bluegrass. For thirty years, he has been the fiddle player for the Del McCoury Band—the most awarded group in bluegrass history. He’s won three Grammy awards, including 2018’s “Best Bluegrass Album” with the Travelin’ McCourys, of which he is a founding member. And he’s taken home five IBMAs for “Fiddle Player of the Year,” a staggering number that isn’t quite so crazy once you realize just how many bluegrass greats have turned to Carter for collaboration. As a fiddler, Carter has been featured on albums by Steve Earle, Ricky Skaggs, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, Asleep at the Wheel, and many more, all in addition to his tireless touring and recording with Del as well as the Travelin’ McCourys. On Carter’s forthcoming solo album, Lowdown Hoedown, listeners may recognize instrumental contributions from such legends as Jerry Douglas or Sam Bush alongside vocals from young trailblazers like Sarah Jarosz or Billy Strings. This time, though, Carter is singing lead. Scattered across the album, too, are hints of the influences that have shaped Carter’s sound throughout his life. A guitar player since childhood and a fiddler since 15 (the age when he swore that someday he’d play in the Del McCoury Band), Carter inherited his love for bluegrass from his father, a musician himself, and grew up playing at jams, festivals, and campgrounds across Kentucky. After he graduated high school, he took his talent as a fiddler on the road professionally: first with the Goins Brothers, then at 19 with the Del McCoury Band, and later with the Travelin’ McCourys. In the decades since, he’s seen the bluegrass community evolve and expand. “The bluegrass fans, they’re pretty loyal,” he says, noting that he’s found a similar kinship sharing stages with jam bands like Phish and Leftover Salmon, too. “They stick behind you, they’re there for you.” Carter mirrors that loyalty with his own—loyalty to his craft, loyalty to the road, and loyalty to the career path he’s dreamt of since childhood. With Lowdown Hoedown, Carter shares the fruits of decades’ worth of on-the-road experience, spectacular musical sensibility, and genuine excitement for what bluegrass can be.
Big Richard
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMIITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEBIG RICHARD What began as an all-female festival collab quickly morphed into a serious passion project driven by sisterhood, harmony and humor…along with the shared desire to rage fiddle tunes and smash the patriarchy. Big Richard is a neo-acoustic super group made up of four well established Colorado musicians: Bonnie Sims on mandolin (Bonnie & Taylor Sims/Everybody Loves An Outlaw/Bonnie & the Clydes), Joy Adams on cello (Nathaniel Rateliff/Darol Anger/Half Pelican), Emma Rose on bass + guitar (Sound of Honey/Daniel Rodriguez/Whippoorwill) and Eve Panning on fiddle (Lonesome Days). Formed in late 2021, the band gained immediate notoriety for their charismatic stage presence and their vocal/instrumental prowess. After selling out all of their club shows Big Richard quickly started confirming festival appearances across America.CODY HALECody Hale is a singer/songwriter from Penrose, North Carolina. He began writing music in 2010 after a career ending injury kept him off the basketball court. He currently travels and performs with his wife, Jonlyn Linville, who plays fiddle and sings. The duo has crafted their own sound through years of performing live music. You will hear popular, classic songs mixed in with clever and capturing original tunes if you attend one of their shows.
An Evening With Sam Grisman Project (presents the music of Garcia/Grisman)
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYSAM GRISMAN PROJECT PRESENTS THE MUSIC OF GARCIA/GRISMAN A Note From Sam– The music that my father David Grisman and his close friend, Jerry Garcia, made in the early 90s (in the house that I grew up in) is not only some of the most timeless acoustic music ever recorded, it also triggers my oldest and fondest musical memories. What I find most inspiring about this material is the way their camaraderie and their love and joy for the music, simply oozes out of each recording. It is also impressive how deeply they get beneath their favorite songs—whether they are originals, covers or traditional/old time tunes—and how expertly that material was curated. My goal in starting Sam Grisman Project is to build a platform for my friends and me to showcase our genuine passion and appreciation for the legacy of Dawg and Jerry’s music. By playing some of their beloved repertoire and sharing the original music that our own collective has to offer, we will also show the impact that this music has had on our own individual musical voices. Ultimately, there is nothing that makes me happier than playing great songs with my best friends and my hope is to share that happiness with audiences all over!”
Darren Nicholson Band
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEDARREN NICHOLSON BAND A GRAMMY nominee and winner of 13 International Bluegrass Music Association awards, Darren Nicholson has taken his own brand of mountain music around the world. A regular for years on the Grand Ole Opry out of Nashville Tennessee, and a founding member of acclaimed bluegrass group Balsam Range, Darren now spends his time recording, writing new songs, and performing. You can catch Darren almost every week sharing the music he loves somewhere, traveling both nationally and internationally – as a solo artist, with his own Darren Nicholson Band, or in collaboration with other musicians. With new music on the way, Darren is booking now for the 2023 season and beyond.
OUTPOST: Hot Brown Smackdown
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINEHot Brown Smackdown”A dynamic, high-energy newgrass band hailing from Louisville, KY. Known for their electrifying live performances and unique sound, the band combines traditional bluegrass instrumentation with elements of rock, jazz, and funk to create a sound that is both avante-garde and timeless. Over the years Hot Brown Smackdown has earned a reputation for their impressive musicianship, infectious energy, and complex compositions. With a lineup consisting of Arthur Geissler on drums and vocals, Patrick Schroering on mandolin and vocals, John Blum on banjo, Ellie Ruth Miller on fiddle, Justin Cecil on bass, and Anthony Le on guitar, the band has become a fixture in the Appalachian music scene. With the release of their self-titled album in 2021, the band established themselves as one of the most exciting bands in the circuit, delivering a newgrass-fusion sound that is all their own. Since then, the band has continued to evolve and hone their craft, releasing two new singles and is currently mid-production on their sophomore album. In addition to their studio recordings, Hot Brown Smackdown is best experienced live, where their captivating performances and improvisational skills are on full display. Whether playing to a packed field at a music festival or a small club, the band always packs a punch, combining brightly textured, hard-driving, POWERFUL bluegrass polyphony with high-energy groove and soul.”
PATIO: Asheville Junction
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVEASHEVILLE JUNCTIONAsheville Junction is a bluegrass/Americana band from the high country of North Carolina. Their lively, entertaining shows feature hot fiddlin’, vocals, harmonies and much more. Folks find themselves singing, clapping, and toe-tappin’ along to the music. Asheville Junction formed when mother-daughter duo Tierra and Maria Raiti moved to Asheville and joined up with long-time local musicians Brad Pope on upright bass, and Ken Sager on dobro.Tierra Raiti: Fiddle and Lead SingerTierra Raiti, lead and harmony singer and fiery fiddler for the band, has been noticed as a formidable rising musician and invited to appear on the Woodsongs International Radio Show in 2022. Tierra is a featured singer and player on Galax to Toledo Tracks. Recordings from this album have been played in roots and Americana radio shows around the world. Tierra is a phenomenally accomplished and versatile singer and fiddler, having won numerous fiddle contests and violin competitions, as well as singing competitions and scholarships ranging from jazz to classical to country. Ken Sager: Dobro and GuitarKen has been a musician all his life. He began performing violin publicly at the age of 10 and played electric guitar for large audiences at 13, and ever since has loved playing for live audiences from 1 to 10,000. Sharing music with other musicians and listeners has become a long-running conversation for Ken. He has performed on more than 40 albums for other groups and soloists, and even released a solo album Here in 2007. Ken is also the 2004 State Flat Pick Guitar and Mandolin champion. When not playing music Ken enjoys poker, fly fishing and traveling with his wife Sherri.Brad Pope: Bass, harmony and occasional lead vocalsI was born and raised in Asheville, NC. I have a lot of family around these parts, and that exposed me at an early age to old time, bluegrass and just goodle mountain music. 22 years ago I heard dwightyoakamacoustic(net) CD and it socked me in the eye and I said ‘I WANNA DO THAT!’ So my Mom got me a guitar for Christmas that year, and I sat down and taught myself guitar, and as time went on, mandolin and bass. In other music, I play tenor guitar and mandolin with the Lazybirds. In the spare time that I rarely see at my door, I’m a painter as well. I also love pasta, crocodiles, Shel Silverstein, late night ice cream, crickets when they’re crickin’, crows, trains and turtles.Maria Raiti: Rhythm guitar, harmony and occasional lead vocalsWhen Maria and her daughter Tierra lived up north, Tierra was taking classical violin lessons, but kept expressing passionate interest in bluegrass fiddle. So Maria picked up a guitar and mother and daughter discovered joy and bonding in playing music together at local jams, and eventually bluegrass bands. Maria always joked with friends and family that one day she would move and take her talented daughter to Nashville. Then in August of 2021 Maria and Tierra actually made the move, no joke. Except instead of Nashville, they stopped and got off at The Asheville Junction!
OUTPOST: Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Liam Purcell & Cane Mill RoadRapidly rising on the bluegrass scene, Billboard-charting artists Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road perform internationally and stateside winning both industry awards and the hearts of fans who turn out to see them at some of the industry’s most iconic venues. Growing up just down the road from Doc Watson, Liam Purcell leads Cane Mill Road as they rock the traditional bluegrass standards they were raised on, yet boldly write original music with roots in the fertile grounds of bluegrass, old-time, and Americana. Their powerful arrangements and dynamic stage presence have landed them main stage slots at legendary festivals across the country. Named Momentum Band of the Year by IBMA in 2019, Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road have been recognized as one of the fastest growing bands in the industry. Their latest release “Roots” debuted at #6 on the Billboard Bluegrass Album Charts, joining their three previous albums for a total of 12 weeks in the Top 10. In 2022, bandleader Liam Purcell turned heads by sweeping the Rockygrass Instrumental Championships on Guitar, Mandolin, and Banjo, becoming the first person in history to do so.
OUTPOST: Snake Oil Medicine Show
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE Snake Oil Medicine Show From Asheville, North Carolina, Snake Oil Medicine Show is a dedicated group of artists and musicians who love and respect tradition in acoustic music, but who also share an even stronger passion to shape its future. Snake Oil’s goal is to convey positive energy and ideals to their audiences through music and art. Fantasies become three-dimensional, technicolor props and mysteriously gargantuan puppets at festivals and larger shows. Improvisation rules as guest musicians, rappers, freestylers, artists, puppeteers, dancers and jugglers often grace the stage. Snake Oil Medicine Show features some of the hottest talents around, no two performances are ever the same! Snake Oil was founded by Guitarist and guru songwriter George Pond in 1993, whose witty, Dr. Suess-like lyrics explore everything from the golden rule to quantum physics. This sheriff now plays the electric as well as upright Bass and is considering attending Clown College where he will use the power of Humor to promote World Peace Through Music and Art! The group has been playing across the globe for 3 decades as Psychedelic Bluegrass-Rock Pioneers!
The Wildmans + Sad Daddy
– ALL AGES- SEATED SHOW- LIMIITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLETHE WILDMANS The Wildmans come from the hills of Floyd, Virginia, in the heart of the Appalachian mountain music tradition. From campsite jamming at festivals and fiddler’s conventions and a college level music education comes the foundation for musical exploration that sets this group apart, taking the audience on a musical journey that reflects the growth and passion of these talented musicians. The band features award winning players: Eli Wildman, first place winner in mandolin at the Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention, 2018 and 2019, first place winner at the Mount Airy Fiddler’s 2017, 2018, 2019 Aila Wildman, first place winner in Old Time Fiddle and Best All Around Performer at the 83rd annual Galax Old Fiddlers convention in 2018 Victor Furtado, winner of the 2019 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo, and first place Old Time Banjo at Galax 2015, 2016 and 2019 The group has appeared on stages large and small, performing in festivals such as Red Wing Roots, Chantilly Farm’s Bluegrass and BBQ festival, Grey Fox Bluegrass, Floyd Fest, and The Steep Canyon Rangers’ Mountain Song Festival. They also regularly represent young talent along the Crooked Road in regional fiddler’s conventions. Having shared the stage with talents such as Bela Fleck, The Steep Canyon Rangers, The Steel Wheels, Danny Knicely, Sammy Shelor, Sierra Hull, Billy Strings, and more., these young musicians are making their way in the American stringband scene.SAD DADDY Since 2010, Sad Daddy, whose members are based in Arkansas and in Texas, has traveled down many a road–together and separately–at times focusing on their solo projects and then reuniting for a band project. The four members, Brian Martin, Joe Sundell, Rebecca Patek, and Melissa Carper, all conspired and united in the sudden spare time of 2020 to create their third album, Way Up in the Hills. With a long and dedicated history of making their audiences happy, Sad Daddy is emerging rejuvenated with Way Up in the Hills. With a more down-home and old-timey feel than their previous albums, they all stretched themselves a bit to create a common theme and new songs together. Unique to Sad Daddy, all of the members sing lead and write original tunes–the convergence of influences and interpretation of feeling into sound is a stylistic blend of the very best elements of American Roots Music. From the sounds of early blues, jazz, and jug bands to early country, folk, old-time, bluegrass, soul, and funk, they combine many influences, creating an indefinable genre of their own.
