PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP: A Benefit for our Immigrant Friends
ALL AGES GA SEATING AVAILABLE 100% OF NET TICKET PROCEEDS TO SUPPORT CIMA & PISGAH LEGAL PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP: A BENEFIT FOR OUR IMMIGRANT FRIENDS Help our WNC Immigrant Community by coming to this uplifting show! Raising $ for pro-bono legal help through Pisgah Legal & CIMA. FREE educational materials & info to help you INFORM others about who & what immigrants are. Celebrate & Take Action with us! Featuring performances from…. DAVID LaMOTTE LA SONORA CAROLINA MELISSA McKINNEY & ADAMA DEMBELE MIRIAM ALLEN BETH LEE
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.
The Local Honeys w/ Abby Hamilton
ALL AGES STANDING ROOM ONLY THE LOCAL HONEYS Though many artists are defined by place, only a handful of artists come to define the places they’re from. The Local Honeys are Kentucky and Kentucky runs through their veins like an unbridled racehorse. When a master songsmith like Tom T Hall calls an artist “a great credit to a wonderful Kentucky tradition” it’s time to pull up a chair and pay attention. As it pertains to The Local Honeys he was right on the money. For almost a decade the duo (Montana Hobbs and Linda Jean Stokley) have been an integral part of the Kentucky musicscape. They’ve paid their dues, garnering countless accolades and accomplishments (tours with Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, praise from the New York Times) and have become the defining sound of real deal, honest-to-god Kentucky music. With their self-titled debut on La Honda Records, (home of some of today’s most gifted songwriters; Colter Wall, Riddy Arman, Vincent Neil Emerson) the duo have set forth on a journey to create something true to themselves while pushing the envelope within the traditions they hold dear. Carefully crafted vignettes of rural Kentucky soar above layers of deep grooves and rich tones masterfully curated by longtime mentor Jesse Wells, Grammy nominated producer and musician (Assistant Director at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State). “Jesse grew up with sisters. He was cut from the same cloth as us and we knew he would understand what we wanted to do.” What they ended up with is the most nuanced, moody, deep-holler sound they have captured to date. “This is the first time we’ve actively gotten to express who we are and where we’re from” says Linda Jean, “The songs on the album speak for us,” adds Montana “they’re about what we know, reflections of us as people. We realized we have the power to add our own narrative into Kentucky music.” Through that realization the two were able to uncover and dissect themes unique to Central Appalachia and in turn their own lives, capturing small moments in time that deliver thunderous results. ABBY HAMILTON Born and raised in Nicholasville, KY, artist-to-watch Abby Hamilton is in the midst of a breakout year following the release of her acclaimed debut album, #1 Zookeeper (of the San Diego Zoo). Released Fall ’23 via Blue Gown Records—a new imprint run by WhizzBangBAM’s Ian Thornton (Tyler Childers) in partnership with Virgin Music— the album was produced by Justin Craig and Duane Lundy and further establishes Hamilton as one of music’s most intriguing new voices. Of the record, American Songwriter praises, “infectious…introducing the acclaimed songsmith’s captivating blend of folk and indie rock,” while Holler declares, “one of the most refreshingly out of step voices in country music has made one of the year’s most genuinely brilliant and beautiful records” and Wide Open Country proclaims, “channels a universal relatability that will aid anyone’s journey of self-discovery and healing”.
Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co.
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY MAGNOLIA & JOHNSON ELECTRIC CO. Magnolia and Johnson Electric Co. is a collaboration between Jason Molina’s Magnolia Electric Co. bandmates and Molina’s friend and collaborator, Will Johnson. Will Johnson is a songwriter in Centro-Matic, South San Gabriel, and a member of the 400 Unit with Jason Isbell. Johnson released a new solo album, Diamond City, on April 4th, 2025, and was also part of the 2009 collaboration Molina and Johnson, a record for which a tour was canceled due to Molina’s struggles with alcohol. The tour follows the well-worn trail that Molina and Magnolia traveled many times during their seven years of near non-stop touring as Magnolia Electric Co. Expect multiple sets and a solemn yet celebratory evening in memory of Jason Molina — their bandmate, collaborator, and friend. Magnolia and Johnson Electric Co. (featuring Will Johnson along with original Magnolia Electric Co. members Mike Brenner, Jason Evans Groth, Michael Kapinus, Mark Rice, and Pete Schreiner) will also convene in Texas ahead of the tour to record new studio versions of both Molina’s and Johnson’s songs, much in the vein of the 2018 Goshen Electric Company collaboration between Magnolia and Tim Showalter of Strand of Oaks.
Celebrating John Prine with Gill Francis (of The Knotty G’s) and Friends
– ALL AGES- PARTIALLY SEATED SHOW Join us at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC on Saturday, October 11th, 2025 at 8pm for a heartfelt evening honoring the legendary songwriter John Prine. Soul-soaked Americana artist Gill Francis will be joined by an incredible lineup of local and regional guests — including Jeff Sipe, Quinn Sternberg, Thommy Knowles, Brennan Dugan, J Lloyd, Jonathan Cole, Chris Everett, Ashley Heath, and more — to bring Prine’s timeless songs to life. Come celebrate the wit, warmth, and enduring spirit of John Prine’s music with a night of stories, songs, and community.
FREE SHOW – PATIO: Chris McGinnis & Mamaw’s Angels
– FREE SHOW- ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE CHRIS MCGINNINS & MAMAW’S ANGELS Chris McGinnis writes songs that exist somewhere between a hiccup and a heartache. His most recent EP, Songs For You, touches on the peculiarity of your hometown morphing beyond recognition. It tells the story of two Baby Boomers falling in and out of love across time zones and decades. It’s about connection and disconnection alike. With the release of his debut full-length album Mamaw’s Angel, Chris veers deeper into these familiar themes. Through tales of stolen Winnebagos and hip-shaking grandbabies, Chris’ music is Appalachian absurdity for the 21st Century.
HARMONIES FOR HOMES: A Benefit for Homeward Bound of WNC
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY HARMONIES FOR HOMES Join us on Sunday, October 26th at The Grey Eagle from 3 to 10 PM for Harmonies for Homes, a special evening of music and community in support of Homeward Bound of WNC and their mission to end homelessness in Asheville. This family-friendly fundraiser brings together some of the region’s most dynamic bands, including Coconut Cake, Las Montañitas, Rahm Squad, Eleanor & Friends, King Garbage, After Ours, Hype Machine, and Dr. Funky Squirrel. With genres spanning funk, jazz, soul, Latin, and beyond, it’s a celebration of the diverse sounds that make Asheville’s music scene special. In addition to an incredible lineup, guests can take part in a silent auction featuring unique items and experiences generously donated by local businesses, with all proceeds directly supporting Homeward Bound’s vital housing programs. Food and drinks will be available from The Grey Eagle’s renowned taqueria, making it a perfect night out for families, friends, and music lovers alike. Harmonies for Homes is made possible through the support of our presenting sponsors: Fred Anderson Subaru, McKibbon Hospitality, Moxy Hotel, Aloft Hotel, Infinity Wealth Management, and Town Mountain Realty. Come enjoy great music, bid on great local items, and help create lasting solutions to homelessness in our community.
The 2025 Christmas Yarn Ball w/ Cruz Contreras
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY YARN You might expect a band that calls itself Yarn to, naturally, tend to spin a yarn or two. “That’s what we do, we tell stories, live and in the studio, truth and fiction”,singer/songwriter Blake Christiana insists. “We don’t always opt for consistency. There’s a different vibe onstage from what comes through in our recordings. There’s a difference in every show as well, you never know what you’re going to get.” Yarn’s ability to persevere ought to come as no great surprise, especially for a band that spent two years honing their chops during a Monday night residency at the famed Kenny’s Castaway in New York’s Greenwich Village. In effect, it allowed them to rehearse onstage, mostly in front of audiences that often ranged in size from five to a hundred people on any given night. 10 studio albums followed — Yarn (2007), Empty Pockets (2008), Leftovers Part One (2009), Come On In (2010), Leftovers Part 2 (2011), Almost Home (2012), Shine the Light On (2013), This Is The Year (2016), and Lucky 13 parts 1 & 2 (2019). The band then took to the road, playing upwards of 170 shows a year and sharing stages with such superstars as Dwight Yoakam, Charlie Daniels, Railroad Earth, Marty Stuart, Allison Krauss, Leon Russell, Jim Lauderdale, Leftover Salmon, Amos Lee, The Lumineers and many more. They’ve driven nonstop, made countless radio station appearances, driven broken-down RVs and watched as their van caught fire. They’ve paid their dues and then some, looking forward even as they were forced to glance behind. It’s proof positive that the Brooklyn and Raleigh based band have made their mark, and in dealing with their emotions, scars and circumstances, they find themselves in a position to share those experiences with others who have juggled similar sentiments CRUZ CONTRERAS Raised between the rugged lines of Tennessee and the long shadows of Michigan, Cruz Contreras has spent nearly thirty years forging his path through the Americana musical landscape. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, bandleader, producer, and storyteller whose voice cuts through noise like a well-honed blade. He got his start at 15, playing guitar behind his younger brother Billy Contreras at fiddle competitions—long before Billy became a world-renowned fiddler, known for his work with George Jones, Sierra Ferrell, Oliver Anthony and Ricky Skaggs. But it was a moment in 1993 that sealed Cruz’s fate: finding himself in a room with the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. That room, that sound, that presence—it lit a fire that’s never gone out. Now touring behind his debut solo album Cosmico, Cruz is joined once more by a band of road-tested companions under the name Cruz Contreras and The Black Lillies. Together, they bring with them a catalog of songs that stretch across time — from the familiar past to the hopeful unknown.
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!
FREE SHOW – PATIO: Dave Desmelik
– FREE SHOW – ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE DAVE DESMELIK “Desmelik delivers. He is reliable. He is tenacious, steadfast, and solid. His music is earthy and elemental, unpretentious and observational, and when he’s performing, his head is in the song he is playing for you and the rest of the audience.” -ashevillestages.com Dave Desmelik is a singer-songwriter and instrumentalist whose musical focus is on original compositions. What attracts listeners to Desmelik’s tunes, old and new, is the element of authenticity incorporated in them. There is no sugar coating involved. His songs are not wrapped in false smiles, rather they are stark and open and tend to settle on the pulse of everyday life. An unclosed and evolving journal of thoughts set to music and melodies in prose and instrumental performance. If you listen to Dave Desmelik’s songs, whether lyrical or instrumental, you may become pleasantly fixed in the simplistic realness of them and if you hear Desmelik in a live setting you may realize that there are no tricks, just a genuine venture into the highs and lows of life.
