Odie Leigh
– ALL AGES – STANDING ROOM ONLYODIE LEIGH Beginning with a bet between friends to see who could go viral, Odie Leigh’s musical journey has always been a bit unconventional. Hailing from suburban South Louisiana, where Lil Wayne and Tim McGraw carry equal reverence, Leigh’s musical influences are as contradictory as the area she grew up in. Singing in school choirs and church praise bands as a child, Leigh didn’t find her voice until 2020 gave her the solitude to create her own sound, free from the judgment and influence of the New Orleans music scene. Once described as “folk-misfit,” Odie Leigh’s songwriting reflects an earnest and fervent search for identity through the confusion of growing up culturally-adjacent in an area with so much history, tradition, and faults. Guided by the classic folk, blues, and country music that floods the southern soundscape, and shaped by her self-taught finger-picking style, Leigh’s music is an eclectic glimpse into feeling stuck in all of life’s in-betweens.
Pretty Little Goat + The Wilder Flower
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYPRETTY LITTLE GOAT You’ve never “herd” anything like them. Grassroots music at its finest, Pretty Little Goat formed in 2013 through their common grounding in the deep well of tradition found in the mountains of Western North Carolina. As young lovers of old-time music, Pretty Little Goat began winning string band competitions right away with their hard driving style. Since then, they have been drawing inspiration from a diverse array of sources, coupled with a lifestyle close to the land, to create a unique collection of timeless original music. Pretty Little Goat sees traditional music is a living art form – vibrant and evolving – and their energy and creativity on stage reflect that. They will get you dancing with a diverse array of old-time fiddle tunes, swingy country two-step numbers, and rollicking mountain hoedowns, while in turn offering heartfelt ballads and sweet harmonies. Pushing out a sound unidentifiable by time, their music is “as close as we will ever be to our past while being as current as we need it to be” (Mike Ashworth, Steep Canyon Rangers). Don’t miss the Goats! THE WILDER FLOWERThe Wilder Flower hails from Pickens SC & Brevard NC. We grew up in the thick of Appalachian bluegrass and old time music, fiddling and picking in the Y/JAM programs and with friends. As young musicians, we worked our ways onto stages at IBMA, MerleFest, and America’s Got Talent, and won blue ribbons at the South Carolina Old Time Fiddler’s Convention and beyond. We finally met in 2020 at Hagood Mill, where Madeline won the South Carolina State Fiddler’s Championship. Grounded in the language of our instrumental training, our collaboration flexes between folk, Americana, bluegrass, and Old-time tunes. Vocally, we thrive on three-part harmonies, whether a two-chord old-time ballad, or a modern, minor-filled melody, and instrumentally, we feature bluegrass banjo tunes, fiddle and clawhammer string-band songs, flat-picking guitar tunes, and everything in between. The Wilder Flower continues to write and tour throughout Appalachia and around the south eastern United States.
OUTPOST: Karma Dogs
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINEKarma Dogs Asheville’s classic rock band covering some of the greatest decades of music ensuring you catch an FM buzz! Get ready to rock and dance!!
Lydia Loveless
– ALL AGES – STANDING ROOM ONLY LYDIA LOVELESSEndings are messy. Falling in love is messy. Change is messy. Perhaps, change is the messiest of them all. Especially when eyes are on you; when you blast out of adolescence onto stages across the country, then into your twenties, onto more stages and, finally, into your thirties—all on those same stages. The stages that Lydia Loveless has sung her heart out on, has collapsed on, and laughed on, all mirror the stages of her life thus far for the world to see. When Loveless released her first album over a decade ago, she was still a teenager whose songs of debauchery, guzzling alcohol and doing cocaine were an audio wet dream for a certain type of listener who not only wear their music tastes on their (tattooed) sleeve, but in the lifestyle that they emulate: “outlaw” music with brains – akin to Steve Earle, Drive-By Truckers and Lucinda Williams, vintage country heart with a heartland rock soul. In the end, the music industry is still sadly a man’s world and, as such, Loveless grew up in the spotlight (or perhaps, more accurately, the bar lights) while she was placed on a pedestal. Her voicemail greeting is a tongue-in-cheek ode to this: “Hi, this is Lydia Loveless, savior of cowpunk. Please leave a message and I will get back to you.” The time between their late adolescence to now is defined by a shelf full of records, hundreds of thousands of miles on the road, and a ribbon of heartbreaks pockmarking their trail. Loveless is a fiercely brave writer who bluntly assesses their life in song: their struggles with alcohol and depression, and the uncertainty of not only the future, but what piecing together the past will mean for the present. In 2020, they put out their excellent fourth full-length Daughter on their own label, Honey, You’re Gonna Be Late Records, with encouragement from their friend Jason Isbell, but could not tour behind it; the one consistent throughline in Loveless’ life was impossible due to the pandemic. They were living in North Carolina with their boyfriend at the time, stuck, away from the stages they grew up on, isolated from their family, and going stir-crazy. As the world came undone and then back together again, Loveless returned to Columbus, where their career first began. Starting anew, Loveless found part-time work at a recording studio (Secret Studios) and began processing the last two years of their life. The title of their new album, Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again, came easy—like a mantra from the heavens.
Southern Culture on the Skids
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYSOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS Southern Culture On The Skids has been consistently recording and touring around the world since 1983. The band (Rick Miller – guitar and vocals, Mary Huff – bass and vocals, Dave Hartman – drums) has been playing together for over 30 years. Their musical journey has taken them from all-night North Carolina house parties to late night TV talk shows (Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show), from performing at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan to rockin’ out for the inmates at North Carolina correctional facilities. They’ve shared a stage with many musical luminaries including Link Wray, Loretta Lynn, Hasil Adkins and Patti Smith. Their music has been featured in movies and TV, parodied by Weird Al, and used to sell everything from diamonds to pork sausage. In 2014 the band was honored by the Southern Folklife Collection at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with an exhibition featuring their music and cultural contributions. Their legendary live shows are a testament to the therapeutic powers of foot-stomping, butt-shaking rock and roll and what Rolling Stone dubbed “a hell raising rock and roll party.” At Home with Southern Culture on the Skids is the latest full length album from the band and was released in March of 2021. It was recorded during the stay at home period of the pandemic when the band was at home and not touring. The album consists of 11 tracks recorded and mixed in Rick Miller’s living room with some additional tracks recorded at his studio, The Kudzu Ranch. The first radio single off the album is “Run Baby Run”—a rocking number with deep garage roots. SCOTS bassist Mary Huff provides an urgent vocal while the band pulls back the throttle on a full race fuzz fest—cause she’s gotta to go fast! Run Baby Run! The other songs on the album are a combination of the band’s unique mix of musical genres: rock and roll, surf, folk and country—all a bit off-center, what Rick proudly calls “our wobbly Americana”. Rick goes on, “We put a few more acoustic guitars on this one, as you would expect if you recorded in your living room, but it still rocks like SCOTS. So put your headphones on, get in your favorite chair/sofa/recliner, put on “At Home With” and let’s hang out for a while.”
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.
Western Carolina Writers
– ALL AGES – SEATED SHOW- LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLEWESTERN CAROLINA WRITERS Western Carolina Writers was established in 2019 by Nick McMahon, along with Jesse Frizsell and Thomas Yon, as a traveling “Songwriters-In-The-Round” style show. The idea was to take turns performing original songs with fun moments of collaboration at venues all over Western North Carolina. After about a dozen increasingly successful shows, McMahon started inviting other area songwriters to participate. And now, after around 150 shows featuring close to 80 different local artists, the concept has become even more popular, fun and diverse. Last year, Mcmahon and current project partner, Stephen Evans, decided to take this show into the listening rooms and out of the noisy bars and breweries so the songs could really be heard and appreciated. With three recent magical & successful songwriter showcases at The Grey Eagle and at Ayurprana Listening Room in Asheville, NC, this decision has proven to be the right move. This show will be another stellar display of wonderful local songwriters while featuring Amanda Platt, Morgan Geer of Drunken Prayer, Laura Blackley, Kate Thomas of Dirty French Broads, Kevin Smith of Planefolk, Keith Minguez, Thomas Yon, Mike Hollon, and Ryan Price!
OUTPOST: The Copper Children
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE The Copper Children are a unique blend of styles and influences that span from the choral sounds of American gospel music to the psychedelic acid jam fueled sounds of the 60s. Live they take you into your heart space, conjuring the spirit of unity, freedom, silliness, and love, with harmonies and rhythms that remind us of our shared humanity. The Copper Children have shared the stage with notable artists such as Jerry Garcia Band, The Flobots, Devotchka, Mike Love, Everyone Orchestra, Elephant Revival, Dustbowl Revival, Handmade Moments, and many more. Over the years the band has performed for audiences at Summer Camp, Northwest String Summit, Arise Music Festival, and on national tours of the U.S. Like a roller coaster, their “Psychedelic Gospel” experience leaves audiences feeling transported to the rail-yards of freedom.
Taj Farrant
– ALL AGES – SEATED SHOW – LIMITED NUMBER OF MEET & GREET TICKETS AVAILABLE (includes early access to GA seating) TAJ FARRANTTaj Farrant is a young musician who has taken the world by storm with his exceptional guitar skills and captivating performances. At just 14 years old, Taj has already made a name for himself in the music industry, leaving audiences in awe of his talent and potential. Taj was born into a family with a deep appreciation for music, which played a significant role in shaping his early life. Growing up in Australia, Taj was exposed to a variety of musical genres from a young age, thanks to his parents’ diverse taste in music.Taj’s exceptional guitar skills have garnered attention from music enthusiasts and professionals alike. His ability to effortlessly play intricate solos and execute complex guitar techniques is truly remarkable for someone of his age. Taj’s performances are characterized by a unique blend of technical precision and raw emotion, captivating audiences with his soulful playing style. Taj’s talent has not gone unnoticed in the music industry. He has had the opportunity to perform on renowned stages, sharing the spotlight with established musicians and bands, such as Carlos Santana, Rob Thomas and even given the opportunity to jam with KISS during band rehersal in their studio. Taj’s performances have garnered him recognition and praise from industry professionals, further solidifying his status as a rising star. His musical influences range from rock legends like Angus Young and Jimi Hendrix to contemporary guitar virtuosos such as Gary Moore and Stevie Ray Vaughan, which is reflected in his playing style.Taj’s meteoric rise to fame has resulted in a growing fan base and a dedicated following on social media platforms. His videos showcasing his guitar skills have gone viral, reaching millions of viewers worldwide. Taj’s ability to connect with his audience through his music has earned him a loyal fan base, eager to witness his future endeavors. With his undeniable talent and growing popularity, Taj has a promising future ahead of him in the music industry. He has already attracted the attention of industry professionals, leading to speculation about potential collaborations and future projects. Taj’s unique playing style and musical influences set him apart from his peers, positioning him as a force to be reckoned with in the music world.NATHAN BRYCE & LOADED DICE
OUTPOST: Velvet Truckstop
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE From the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Velvet Truckstop is a seasoned musical powerhouse that delivers a high-energy mix of Southern Rock and jam-fueled Cosmic Americana every time they take the stage. VT has recorded/performed live with many notable musicians, including: Tom Constanten (Grateful Dead), Ike Stubblefield (Frank Zappa, Jerry Garcia Band), Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd), and John Keane (Widespread Panic). Following the success of their first full-length album, “Sweet Release” (voted No. 5 on WNCW’s Top 20 regional charts), they went on to command stages at top events, including multiple performances at SXSW in Austin, Texas; the Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam (2009- 2019); and the French Broad River Festival (2019). After extensive touring throughout the East Coast, the band cut their second album, “Southbound and Down”, produced by Johnny Sandlin (Allman Brothers/Widespread Panic) in Muscle Shoals Alabama.Velvet Truckstop is pleased to announce their third album “Reckless Abandon” will be released in 2022. Band Members are: Jamie Dose (guitar/vocals); Josh Gibbs (lap steel/guitar and vocals); Will Nicholson (bass); and, Jor Sutton (drums).
