Calendar of Events

Join us for a weekly mountain music JAM with players in a round, where the session is focused on regional fiddle tunes and songs! You are welcome to come and listen or to learn and join in. This event supports the Henderson County Junior Appalachian Musician (JAM) Kids Program. Free but donations are accepted. Weekly event takes place at Oklawaha Brewing Company.

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack are coming to the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium on Wednesday, February 22nd.

The traditional music of the mountains of North Carolina traces its roots back to the Celtic music of Ireland and Scotland. Traditional Celtic music is still played on the porches and in the pubs of the Celtic lands… and also throughout the southern Appalachian mountains.

In true pub fashion, White Horse Black Mountain hosts a traditional Irish style session twice a month, on the second and fourth Wednesdays, starting at 7pm….

……..and there is NO COVER CHARGE.

Sessions are in many ways the heart and soul of Irish traditional music, a place for players to share tunes and socialize. It’s not a performance, but rather an informal situation in which listeners are welcome to participate, whether offering encouragement, singing along on a chorus, or asking questions about the music and instruments. White Horse sessions regularly draws players from as far away as Waynesville, Cullowhee, Rutherfordton and even Clayton, Georgia.

The sessions are hosted by Richard and Melinda Halford.

Drop by for a beer or a cup of tea and get uplifted by some great traditional tunes and a few new songs.

Come join us in a long musical tradition spanning hundreds of years.

– ALL  AGES
– FULLY SEATED SHOW
– LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE

RON SEXSMITH
Ron Sexsmith is a three time, Juno award winning singer songwriter from St Catharines Ontario. Born in 1964, Ron was drawn to music from an early age by the melodic songs of the era, which he heard on the radio and by his Mom’s record collection. His earliest musical heroes were Buddy Holly and Elton John. He always loved to sing, but didn’t start playing guitar until age 14 when he formed his first band “Paper Moon” (named after the film of the same name). Although he tried to write songs throughout his teens, it wasn’t until he was 21 and living in Quebec with his partner and first child, that he truly became a songwriter.

Ron eventually moved his young family to Toronto in 1987 to further pursue a career in music. He worked as a courier by day, while performing in the clubs by night. He formed the band ‘Ron Sexsmith and The Uncool’ and started gaining attention from music label executives, though all passed on signing him. In 1991 he released his first full length album on cassette called “Grand Opera Lane” produced by Bob Wiseman. The album was rejected by the Canadian music industry, although it found its way to Los Angeles where Ron ultimately signed his first music publishing deal with Interscope Records followed by a recording contract.

With producer Mitchell Froom, Sexsmith released his self-titled label debut album in 1995. The melancholic tone and sparse acoustic arrangements of the album were met with disapproval from Interscope. However an enthusiastic endorsement from Elvis Costello drew media attention and the album was declared a critical success. In his Sept 7, 1995 review for Rolling Stone, Bud Scoppa wrote: “He just may be the most fluent balladeer to come along since Tim Hardin or Harry Nilsson.”

Sexsmith’s songwriting style evolved into a unique and timeless blend of classic pop, contemporary folk, and roots-rock idioms. He has built a steadfast reputation with critics and with some of his own songwriting hero’s (Elton John, Ray Davies, John Prine, Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen and Paul McCartney) for his characteristically honest, sensitive, and enduring approach to the songwriting craft. Ron has released albums on a consistent basis since 1995 and has recorded with noted producers Mitchell Froom, Daniel Lanois, Steve Earle, Jim Scott, Don Kerr, Brad Jones, Bob Rock, and Martin Terefe.

His extensive song and album catalog has garnered Sexsmith a substantive cult following and an international touring career. His early years of touring included opening for established artists such as, John Hiatt, Elvis Costello, Sarah McLaughlin, Tori Amos, Squeeze, Aimee Mann, Coldplay, Nick Lowe, John Prine, Lucinda Williams and many others. His songs as well, have been covered by the likes of Rod Stewart, Nick Lowe, Emmy Lou Harris, Feist, and Michael Buble to name a few. In the past few decades as a headlining artist, Ron has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in the world, such as Massey Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Carnegie Hall. In 2017, Ron penned his first novel ‘Deer Life, A Fairy Tale’ published worldwide by Dundurn Press Limited.

Ron completed work on a brand new album which is scheduled to be released in early 2023 and is in keeping with his reputation for catchy but graceful melodies, drawing on love, and the trials of everyday life. He currently lives in Stratford, Ontario and continues to be inspired to write, record and perform live worldwide.

Support:
Anti-Flag
Skinny Lister

Ages 18+

Flogging Molly Tour Package

Support:
Anti-Flag
Skinny Lister

Ages 18+

Flogging Molly Tour Package

Here Comes The Sun Band & Friends is a crew of extraordinary vocalists and multi-instrumentalists that love to recreate the fun and excitement of the greatest Rock n’ Roll experience ever–The Fab Four.  Celebrate The Beatles with a fresh, vibrant, and musically authentic act that keeps audiences on their feet with a thrilling recreation of a decade of Beatles Music! “We don’t impersonate, we celebrate!” Join some of your favorite Flat Rock Playhouse musicians and vocalists in this modern rock-and-roll experience. Returning to perform the music of this legendary band are Flat Rock Playhouse favorites Eric Anthony, Paul Babelay, Dustin Brayley, Ryan Dunn, Ryan Guerra, and Nat Zegree

Every Thursday Live Music with Aaron Lafalce at 131 Main Restaurant, 6:00 p.m.

The great ones endure, and Gladys Knight – the “Empress of Soul” – has long been one of the greatest. Very few singers over the last fifty years have matched her unassailable artistry. This seven-time Grammy-winner has enjoyed #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B and Adult Contemporary, and has triumphed in film, television and live performance.

Gladys Knight and The Pips debuted their first album in 1960, when Knight was just 16.  With Knight singing lead and The Pips providing lush harmonies and graceful choreography, the group went on to achieve icon status. Top 20 hits like “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” “and “If I Were Your Woman” set the stage for an amazing run. With Top 10 gold-certified singles like “Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye),” “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination,” and the #1 smash hit “Midnight Train to Georgia” established the group as the premiere pop/R&B vocal ensemble in the world.

In 1995, Knight earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the next year, Gladys Knight & The Pips were inducted into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame. She and the Pips have been presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, and in 2004, Knight received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual BET Awards ceremony.

In 2014, Knight released Where My Heart Belongs, an inspiration gospel that won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Album. All told, Knight has recorded more than 38 albums over the years, including four solo albums in the past decade. No stranger to performing, Knight joined the cast of ABC’s hit reality competition “Dancing with the Stars” for season 14 and has made numerous cameos and guest judge appearances.

Here Comes The Sun Band & Friends is a crew of extraordinary vocalists and multi-instrumentalists that love to recreate the fun and excitement of the greatest Rock n’ Roll experience ever–The Fab Four.  Celebrate The Beatles with a fresh, vibrant, and musically authentic act that keeps audiences on their feet with a thrilling recreation of a decade of Beatles Music! “We don’t impersonate, we celebrate!” Join some of your favorite Flat Rock Playhouse musicians and vocalists in this modern rock-and-roll experience. Returning to perform the music of this legendary band are Flat Rock Playhouse favorites Eric Anthony, Paul Babelay, Dustin Brayley, Ryan Dunn, Ryan Guerra, and Nat Zegree

HITS! The Musical is a high energy production featuring America’s best young superstars. The cast of approximately 22 members will consist of the country’s most talented singers and dancers, ages 8-21. The show will take audiences on a musical journey through the decades, highlighting the biggest hits of all time in Pop, Country, Rock and Broadway. It will incorporate fast- paced production medleys, dazzling costumes, and is sure to thrill audiences young and old!

The Magnetic Theatre is thrilled to kick off its 2023 Mainstage Season with HappyLand, a fun and fantastical new musical by Brayden Dickerson and Zach Knox of Asheville’s blues-fusion band Smooth Goose, featuring live tunes and an exciting ensemble of quirky characters.

This non-stop rock opera tells the tale of a delivery person who doesn’t quite fit into the titular town of HappyLand. Tasked with delivering one last package before the vacation they have been dreaming of, our bicycling box-bearer embarks on an epic journey through the barren Neither, where a host of unsavory characters contrives to stay this courier from their appointed rounds.  Nevertheless, our maudlin messenger is determined to make it to SadLand. But what will they find when they arrive? Could the addressee be the love of their life? What message does the all-important package contain? And can our hero deliver the earth from annihilation?

Directed by Jason Phillips and featuring an ensemble cast with rotating lead actors, HappyLand is a delightful extravaganza of song, silliness, dance, romance, and splendiferous space battles.

Support:
Ashland Craft

Ages 18+

Ticket price includes applicable sales tax.

Support:
Ashland Craft

Ages 18+

Hailed by The New York Times as the nation’s most important quartet, the JACK Quartet is one of the most respected groups performing today.  JACK is composed of violinists Christopher Otto, Austin Wulliman, and John Pickford Richards, and cellist Jay Campbell.

As part of BMCM+AC’s Morton Feldman Weekend, JACK performs Morton Feldman’s Piano and String Quartet. Composed in 1985 at the age of 59, it was among Feldman’s final major completed works. He wrote the composition with the Kronos Quartet and Takahashi in mind and the score was written out by hand, as he had done for most other compositions of that period. Less than two years after the premiere of Piano and String Quartet, Feldman died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 61. In a 1994 interview, David Harrington said the following about the Kronos Quartet’s work with the composer: “Morton Feldman was unlike any other composer we’ve ever worked with. He wrote pieces that have a sense of time and a kind of realm that is very particular to his music. And I think Piano and String Quartet is one of his great, great pieces. It’s almost like feeling these incredible, warm, slow, beautiful drops of water over a long period of time. Not like a water torture, but—for me—a kind of sensual experience. You begin hearing the passage of time differently after listening to Morton’s music.”

Morton Feldman (January 12, 1926 – September 3, 1987) was an American composer. A major figure in 20th-century classical music, Feldman was part of the experimental New York School of composers that included John Cage, Christian Wolff, Earle Brown and David Tudor. One of his early teachers was Stefan Wolpe.

Early experiments in graphic notation and electronic music eventually led to fully notated pieces and his characteristic sound: rhythms that seem to be free and floating, pitch shadings that seem softly unfocused, a generally quiet and slowly evolving music, and recurring asymmetric patterns.

John Cage was instrumental in encouraging Feldman to have confidence in his instincts, which resulted in totally intuitive compositions. He never worked with any systems that anyone has been able to identify, working from moment to moment, from one sound to the next.

The works of Morton Feldman occupy a central place in the American experimental tradition, not just within the music world. Feldman was very often inspired by non-musical sources, including Persian rugs, abstract expressionist paintings by Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning and Philip Guston, and texts of Samuel Beckett, John Ashbery and Frank O’Hara.

His later works, after 1977, explore extremes of duration. The sixty-minute Triadic Memories (1981) and the eighty-minute Piano and String Quartet (1985) are both incredible examples of Feldman’s later work that challenge our perception of time.

Pianist/composer and Guggenheim Fellow Amy Williams performs Triadic Memories, a solo piano piece composed by Morton Feldman in 1981. Triadic Memories was jointly dedicated to the classical pianists Roger Woodward and Aki Takahashi; Woodward performed the world premiere at the ICA London, UK in 1 October of 1981.

This piece heralds the composers late period, as Feldman himself described this work as the biggest butterfly in captivity. This statement refers to its vastness, the duration lasting over an hour and a half. Why these enormous lengths? Feldman says: Personally, l think the reason the pieces are so long is that form, as I understand it, no longer exists. My pieces aren’t too long, most pieces are actually too short…lf one listens to my pieces, they seem to fit into the temporal landscape I provide. Would you say that the Odyssey is too long?

Here Comes The Sun Band & Friends is a crew of extraordinary vocalists and multi-instrumentalists that love to recreate the fun and excitement of the greatest Rock n’ Roll experience ever–The Fab Four.  Celebrate The Beatles with a fresh, vibrant, and musically authentic act that keeps audiences on their feet with a thrilling recreation of a decade of Beatles Music! “We don’t impersonate, we celebrate!” Join some of your favorite Flat Rock Playhouse musicians and vocalists in this modern rock-and-roll experience. Returning to perform the music of this legendary band are Flat Rock Playhouse favorites Eric Anthony, Paul Babelay, Dustin Brayley, Ryan Dunn, Ryan Guerra, and Nat Zegree

The Magnetic Theatre is thrilled to kick off its 2023 Mainstage Season with HappyLand, a fun and fantastical new musical by Brayden Dickerson and Zach Knox of Asheville’s blues-fusion band Smooth Goose, featuring live tunes and an exciting ensemble of quirky characters.

This non-stop rock opera tells the tale of a delivery person who doesn’t quite fit into the titular town of HappyLand. Tasked with delivering one last package before the vacation they have been dreaming of, our bicycling box-bearer embarks on an epic journey through the barren Neither, where a host of unsavory characters contrives to stay this courier from their appointed rounds.  Nevertheless, our maudlin messenger is determined to make it to SadLand. But what will they find when they arrive? Could the addressee be the love of their life? What message does the all-important package contain? And can our hero deliver the earth from annihilation?

Directed by Jason Phillips and featuring an ensemble cast with rotating lead actors, HappyLand is a delightful extravaganza of song, silliness, dance, romance, and splendiferous space battles.

After a lifetime of crafting finely-wrought, heart-touching songs, singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis feels that he’s finally found his comfort zone. “The biggest change,” he says of this point in his career “has been getting over myself and realizing this is a job and a craft. And the purpose is not fame and fortune (whatever that is) but simply doing good work.”

“From the time I was very little, I always had the music going in my head,” Pettis explains. “Like my own personal soundtrack or something. I also come from a fairly musical family: my mother went to music school and was an excellent organist and pianist. And my sisters all played piano and other instruments. In school, I met other kids who wanted to be rock stars, just like me. From the time we were around 10 or so up through high school, we put together various bands — all of them horrible.”

His “horrible” bands didn’t deter him though and even though he had a nagging feeling (“I thought I was supposed to be a doctor or something.”) he persevered, not only playing music but writing songs in a mix of rock, folk, country and R&B genres that landed him an unpaid position as a staff writer for Muscle Shoals Sounds Studios. While there, his track “Song at the End of the Movie” found its way to Joan Baez’s 1979 album Honest Lullaby.

Pettis hit the road and became a member of the “Fast Folk” movement in New York in the mid-1980’s. He released one independent solo album, Moments (1984) before signing with High Street Records, a division of Windham Hill. There, he released three albums: While the Serpent Lies Sleeping (1989), Tinseltown (1991), and Chase the Buffalo (1993). His relationship with Tinseltown producer Mark Heard transcended the album. After Heard’s untimely death in 1992, Pettis committed to including a song of Heard’s on every one of his own albums, a practice that continues to this day.

Pettis was a staff songwriter for PolyGram from 1993-2000 and when his High Street contract ended, Pettis signed to Compass Records where he has released Making Light of It (1996), Everything Matters (1998), State of Grace (2001), and Great Big World (2004). Pierce Pettis’ songs have been recorded by artists including Susan Ashton, Dar Williams, Garth Brooks and Art Garfunkel.

His album, “That Kind of Love” on Compass Records was released January 27 2009. In 2013, “New Agrarians –Songs & Stories of the Southland” was released, a co-effort by Pierce Pettis, Kate Campbell & Tom Kimmel. “Father’s Son”, Pettis’ newest solo project for Compass Records Group, was released January of 2019 to widespread critical praise in the US, UK and Europe.

Live Music at Hickory Tavern, 9:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.

As a tradition practiced since 1801, shape-note singing is one of the oldest forms of music in the United States. Rooted in the rural South, it thrived during the 19th century as a form of education and socializing. Today, it persists in Appalachia and across the world. Stefani will teach participants the basics of learning how to read and sing shape-notes in order to preserve this historical practice. She will also relay the history of the practice of shape-note singing. Participants will be provided with The Christian Harmony shape-note music book.

About Stefani Priskos: Stefani Priskos is a North Carolina-based folklorist and educator from Alabama. Stefani holds an M.A. in folklore from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received UNC’s Archie Green Fellowship for Occupational Folklife for her master’s thesis research for her work on hospice bedside singing. She also holds a B.A. in linguistics from Barnard College of Columbia University, with concentrations in French and Modern Greek. When not collaborating with communities to document, explore, and celebrate established and emerging traditions, Stefani enjoys hiking, traveling, and shapenote singing. She currently serves as the Programs Development Manager at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC.