Jon Stickley Trio On Tour With New Album, Maybe Believe – “Clear, Present, and Slightly Dangerous”

Jon Stickley Trio On Tour With New Album, Maybe Believe
Produced by Dave King (The Bad Plus) at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville NC

“Stickley’s Martin churns out a mixture of bluegrass, Chuck Berry, metal, prog, grunge, and assorted other genres – all thoroughly integrated into a personal style.”
— Guitar Player Magazine, Michael Ross

“Clear, Present, and Slightly Dangerous”
—Musoscribe, Bill Kopp

“Stickley and his mates play a guitar-focused instrumental music that blends bluegrass/newgrass with a jazz trio vibe… this is a must-listen.”
—Jambase, Aaron Stein

“A learned, cohesive and stylistically daring acoustic sound all their own”
—Lexington Herald-Leader, Walter Tunis

“A force of musical exploration and innovation”
—Live For Live Music, Rex Thomson

“A compelling soundtrack you never knew you needed”
–The Poke Around, Tom Cunningham

“Thoughtful & energetic” —Bryan Sutton

“a damn genius, a musical mastermind, and one of the most unique, creative,
and inventive guitar players I’ve ever heard…”
—Greensky Bluegrass’ Anders Beck

ASHEVILLE — Jon Stickley Trio is on tour with Maybe Believe, their 3rd independently released full length album [May 12, 2017]. Jon Stickley Trio combines Jon Stickley’s rapid-fire flatpicking guitar with the sultry and wild, yet refined, melodies of Lyndsay Pruett on violin set over the deep groove of Patrick Armitage on drums.

Jon Stickley Trio has been touring the States extensively this year and kicks off September at the Jackpine Jamboree in Wisconsin and then they’ll spend a week at Sisters Folk Fest in Oregon with workshops and performances. Mid-month brings them around to the northeast before playing out the rest of September back in midwest. After a quick break in their hometown of Asheville, NC, they head  west with a stop in Colorado before a handful of shows in California, including the Joshua Tree Music Festival. Then the road brings them up through Utah and Wyoming before a few more Colorado shows. They close out October by joining in on the Halloween fun at String Cheese Incident’s Suwannee Hulaween down in northern Florida at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park.

In early November the Trio heads into Virginia for a couple of shows before traveling back into Florida for the Riverhawk Fest and more performances throughout the state. The end of the month brings the Trio back up towards their home-state for a scattering of shows and to rest up a bit before heading out in early December to Strings and Sol in Puerto Morelos, a Mexican port town on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula where they join in on Cloud 9’s annual 4-night all-inclusive Tropical Bluegrass Adventure with Yonder Mountain String Band, Greensky Bluegrass, Railroad Earth, Leftover Salmon, The Infamous Stringdusters, Fruition, and Bryan Sutton. To close out the year they have a special New Year’s Eve Celebration in their hometown of Asheville at Isis Music Hall with The Digs!

Stay tuned to Jon Stickley Trio’s website and social networks for more dates to be announced and updates from the road.

Jon Stickley Trio ‘Dream Vision’ Tour
9/2-3 Sat-Sun – Jackpine Jamboree – Birnamwood, WI
9/5-10 Tue-Sun – Sisters Folk Fest – Sisters, OR
9/13 Wed – Gypsy Sally’s – Washington, DC * w/ The Last Revel
9/14 Thu – World Cafe Live – Philadelphia, PA * w/ The Last Revel, Jeremiah Tall
9/15-16 Fri-Sat – Wormtown Music Festival – Greenfield, MA
9/17 Sun – Knitting Factory – Brooklyn, NY * w/ The Last Revel
9/20 Wed – The Raccoon Motel – Davenport, IA
9/21 Thu – Tonic Room – Chicago, IL
9/22 Fri – The Source Public House – Menasha, WI * w/ Head For The Hills
9/23 Sat – Boats and Bluegrass – Winona, MN
9/24 Sun – Carnahan Hall – Lafayette, IN
10/3 Tue – Dolores River Brewery – Dolores, CO
10/5 Thu – Winston’s – San Diego, CA *w/ The Ghost of Paul Revere
10/6 Fri – Boulevard Music – Culver City, CA *w/ The Ghost of Paul Revere
10/7 Sat – Joshua Tree Music Festival – Joshua Tree, CA
10/10 Tue – Don Quixote’s – Felton, CA
10/12 Thu – Throckmorton Theatre – Mill Valley, CA
10/13 Fri – Old Ironsides – Sacramento, CA
10/14 Sat – Moe’s Original BBQ – Tahoe City, CA * W/ Brad Parsons
10/17 Tue – Piper Down – Salt Lake City, UT
10/18 Wed – Pinedale Fine Arts – Pinedale, WY
10/20 Fri – Wildflower Concert Series – Lyons, CO * Monacle Band Album Release Show
10/21 Sat – Cervantes’ Other Side – Denver, CO
10/22 Sun – 4th and Main Grill – Wray, CO
10/27-28 Fri-Sat – Suwannee Hulaween – Live Oak, FL
11/2 Thu – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC * w/ Larry Keel
11/3 Fri – 5 Points Music Sanctuary – Roanoke, VA * w/ Larry Keel
11/4 Sat – Bright Box Theater – Winchester, VA
11/11-12 Sat-Sun – Riverhawk Fest – Brooksville, FL
11/14 Tue – Terra Fermata – Stuart, FL * w/ The Nouveaux Honkies
11/16 Thu – Point Ybel Brewing Co. – Fort Myers, FL
11/17 Fri – Wynwood Yard – Miami, FL
11/18 Sat – Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center – Sarasota, FL
11/19 Sun – Iron Oak Post – Melbourne, FL
11/20 Mon – Beaches History Museum – Jacksonville Beach, FL
11/30 Thu – The Grove at Upcountry Provisions – Travelers Rest, SC
12/1 Fri – The Spinning Jenny – Greer, SC
12/2 Sat – House Concert – Walkertown, NC
12/8-12 Fri-Tue – Strings and Sol – Puerto Morelos, Mexico
12/31 Sun – NYE Celebration at Isis Music Hall – Asheville, NC * w/ The Digs

For more information, further tour dates and updates from the road, please visit www.jonstickley.com, www.facebook.com/JonStickleyTrio, www.instagram.com/jonstickleytrio, and www.twitter.com/JonStickleyTrio.

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Jon Stickley Trio Announces Summer Tour, New Album This Fall

Jon Stickley Trio is Lyndsay Pruett, Jon Stickley & Patrick Armitage (pictured left to right). Photo by Allie Leanna Photography.

Jon Stickley Trio Announces Summer Tour, New Album This Fall

Jon Stickley Trio set to Release Lost at Last,
Produced by Dave King (The Bad Plus), This October

“Asheville’s Jon Stickley Trio create an experimental mosaic of American music. They combine their namesake’s flat-picking, Lyndsay Pruett’s nimble violin and jazz and hip-hop rhythms from former Atmosphere drummer Patrick Armitage.” –Indy Week, Justin Weber

ASHEVILLE, NC —  Jon Stickley Trio has earned a reputation for painlessly shattering expectations. The originality and sheer energy of this genre-bending ensemble serves as a welcome wake up call for those who experience it. With roots in bluegrass, gypsy jazz, and hip-hop, Jon Stickley, one of the world’s most innovative flatpickers, violinist Lyndsay Pruett (Futureman), and drummer Patrick Armitage (Atmosphere), have fused their collective styles into a repertoire of exciting, innovative original music, along with fresh takes on traditional tunes. They are set to release a new album, Lost at Last, in October of 2015.

The album was recorded in Asheville, NC’s iconic Echo Mountain Studios, under the watchful eye of producer Dave King (The Bad Plus). While recording the album, King referred to the band’s imaginative sound as “this whole other thing.” King’s creative energy and inspired musical approach led the band deeper and deeper into the heart of their musical consciousness, which led to the solidification of their musical identity.

Lost at Last features six original tunes, along with covers of The Bad Plus, Tim O’Brien, and Bela Fleck. The record also includes a traditional gypsy jazz waltz, and ends with Andy Thorn’s banjo ripper, “Flight of the Durban,” all done in the Trio’s signature explosive style.

The virtuosic trio’s compositions truly do not fit into any specific genre, but remain totally accessible and danceable to audiences across the board, while remaining true to their musical roots. The Trio successfully raised over $18,000 in a Kickstarter campaign that solidified the band’s fan base with over 300 people pre-ordering CDs, and pledging their support.

In their short time together, the trio has shared the stage with The Infamous Stringdusters, Leftover Salmon, Larry Keel, Leon Russell, amongst others and have thrilled audiences at some of the nation’s top festivals including MerleFest, Floydfest, and Four Corners Folk Fest. Billy Nershi (String Cheese Incident) says, “I’ve had the pleasure of playing with Jon onstage and off. He always plays something I didn’t think was possible.”

“The inspiration of blending the rhythmic, fast-paced techniques of Bluegrass with songs from the other end of the musical spectrum led to the formation of Stickley’s eponymous trio.” writes Alli Marshall with Asheville’s Mountain Xpress. Through the recording of Lost at Last, the band has honed their fiery, yet sensitive sound to create something that is uniquely the Jon Stickley Trio.

Jon Stickley Trio travels through Colorado’s Front Range in late June. They pick back up for a hometown show with The Hackensaw Boys in Asheville in mid-July followed by performances in Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee. More shows to be announced.

Jon Stickley Trio on Tour
6/6 Sat –  Nantahala Brewing Co – Bryson City, NC
6/24 Wed – Barkley Ballroom – Frisco, CO
6/25 Thu – Cervantes’ Other Side – Denver, CO >
6/26 Fri – Clear Creek RapidGrass – Idaho Springs, CO
6/27 Sat – Oskar Blues – Longmont, CO
6/28 Sun – Oskar Blues – Lyons, CO
7/10 Fri – RiverMUSIC – Asheville, NC *
7/11 Sat – Red Wing Roots – Mt. Solon, VA
7/16/15 – Red Light Cafe – Atlanta, GA
7/17/15 – Wolf Hills Brewing – Abingdon, VA
7/18/15 – Jig and Reel – Knoxville, TN
7/23/15 – Zia Taqueria – Asheville, NC
7/24/15 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC ^
7/31/15 – Summer Concert at the Jones House, Boone, NC
7/31/15 – Murphy’s – Boone, NC
8/7/15 – Gottrocks, Greenville, SC
8/8/15  – Soulshine Music Festival – Green Mountain, NC
8/20/15 – Zia Taqueria – Asheville, NC
9/05 Sat – Four Corners Folk Festival – Pagosa Springs, CO

> ft. Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon w/ Sanctum Sully & Lost Caravan
* w/ The Hackensaw Boys
^ w/ Big Fat Gap

More shows tba

WATCH the music video of “Darth Radar,” a song about flying through space →

For more information,  further tour dates, and the lastest Jon Stickley Trio news, please visit www.jonstickley.com, www.facebook.com/JonStickleyTrio, and www.twitter.com/StickleyMusic.

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The Honeycutters Perform Two Nights at Isis Music hall- 10/25-26 With Sam Lewis and Johnson’s Crossroad

The Honeycutters Perform Two Nights at Isis Music hall- 10/25-26
With Sam Lewis and Johnson’s Crossroad

The Honeycutters with Sam Lewis
Friday, October 25th
$12 Advance / $15 Door; Doors 5PM; Show 8PM
Seated Show Limited tables available with dinner reservations 26

The Honeycutters with Johnson’s Crossroad
Saturday, October 26th
$12 Advance / $15 Door; Doors 5PM; Show 9PM
General Admission Standing Room; Some Balcony Seating

828-575-2737
743 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
http://isisasheville.com

The Honeycutters are an original country roots band based in Asheville, North Carolina. Since 2007 when the group formed, they have been playing music that is consistently as catchy as it is heartfelt. Organically grown around the songs of lead singer Amanda Anne Platt, the band has gained an audience that has stretched far beyond their mountain home to include all corners of the United States. They were voted WNC’s favorite Americana band in the Mountain Xpress reader’s poll for three years in a row from 2011-2013. This past spring they surpassed their Kickstarter goal of raising $28,000 to fund their next album, which they are currently recording in Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville.

Amanda Anne Platt has been hailed as “one of the best songwriters coming out of WNC these days” by WNCW programming director Martin Anderson, and her voice has been described as “perfectly unadorned” and “recklessly beautiful”. Her song, “Little Bird,” won second place in the general category of the Chris Austin Songwriting contest in 2011 as well as taking home the grand prize in the Great Lakes Songwriting Contest that same year. Her lyrics are as catchy and heartbreaking as her melodies. Dane Smith of Asheville NC’s Mountain Xpress writes “Her songs make you sad…in a good way!” In both her simple composition and honest delivery it’s easy to hear the influence of country legends such as Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, or Loretta Lynn, and with this Miss Platt credits growing up listening to her Father’s extensive record collection every Saturday morning. Despite her love for classic country, she cites Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty as major influences and her songwriting carries a wit and an edge that plants her firmly in her generation.

The band is frequently mentioned along with the movement to “Take country music back to it’s roots”. The Honeycutters are just doing what they know how to do: making music that feels as good to hear as it does to play. Their original brand of Americana has proven equally appealing to both the musician and the music lover, the country and the city, and the old and the young.

Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass,  Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith on guitar & pedal steel round out Platt’s songs and create a sound that carries just as well across the bar room as in a church or a theater.

For more information about the Honeycutters and their tour dates, please visit: www.thehoneycutters.com.

About Sam Lewis:
Since his successful debut of his self-titled album, Sam Lewis has been busy crafting songs the next one. A soulful songwriter, Sam sings with raw emotion, inviting you into his life and love stories; he has a way of touching deep into the heart of listeners with his straight-forward and captivating music. “There’s so much soul pouring out of this guy’s pores you could bathe in it. It’s like hearing Al Green for the first time,” writes No Depression’s Grant Britt.

To find out more about Sam Lewis, visit http://samlewistunes.com

About Johnson’s Crossroad:
Johnson’s Crossroad has been described by friends and fans as everything from Appalachian Soul” to “Hillbilly Metal.” The band blends blues, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, and Appalachian Old Time for a sound that The Daily Times’ Steve Wildsmith calls “both mournful and jubilant, breezy and graveyard serious.”  He goes on to comment that frontman Paul Johnson’s voice “barely rises above a growl, but he stretches that sound to encompass the experience of a train-hopping hobo and the wisdom of an old man recalling loves lost and wars fought from the porch of a backwoods cabin.”

For more about Johnson’s Crossroad, http://jxrmusic.com

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The Honeycutters Release New Album “When Bitter Met Sweet” CD Release Show at The Grey Eagle on May 5th

The Honeycutters Release NEW Album “When Bitter Met Sweet”

The Grey Eagle

Saturday, May 5th

Moses Atwood Opens

Doors 7pm, Show starts at 8pm

$8 adv/ $10 at door

185 Clingman Ave. 28801

828-232-5800

www.thegreyeagle.com

www.thehoneycutters.com

In a world that is becoming increasingly digitalized and impersonal, the Honeycutters are building a reputation based on live performance and songs that tend to stick with you. Fitting into Americana realm, Mountain Xpress’s Alli Marshall calls The Honeycutters’ sound, “Old school country in the truest sense… free of twang and ten-gallon hats but full of real emotion, family history, quick wit and strong liquor.”

In an interview with the Folk to Folk Blog, Amanda says that part of the Honeycutters appeal is that their sound harkens back to simpler, more honest times. “In times like these, people want something real,” she said. “They’re just really craving something that’s just going to connect them to that basic human pool of emotion.”

The Honeycutters are excited to introduce their second full length studio release, When Bitter Met Sweet on June 5th, 2012. They are hosting their Asheville CD release show at the Grey Eagle on Saturday, May 5th. Copies of the album will be available at the show. Moses Atwood opens the show, which starts at 8pm sharp. The Honeycutters will also be making an appearance on WNCW’s Studio B during the 11 o’clock AM hour on Thursday, May 3rd… tune in at http://wncw.org.

Like their first release, Irene, When Bitter Met Sweet features singer/songwriter Amanda Anne Platt, who has been hailed as “one of the best songwriters coming out of WNC these days” by WNCW programming director Martin Anderson. Peter James accompanies her on lead and rhythm guitar as well as harmony vocals. They are backed up by Tal Taylor’s signature mandolin playing, Ian Harrod on bass, and Jon Ashley on drums creating an original brand of Americana that has proved equally appealing to both the musician and the music lover, the country and the city, and the old and the young.

Platt’s songs are shaped by a raw honesty that comes straight from the heart and emits a sort of melancholy happiness. The album features 11 tracks that touch upon childhood and loss of innocence, finding a sense of belonging and one’s voice, truth, love and patience, traveling and embarking on new life-journeys (and the fears that go along with these), and the understanding that comes about when life’s circumstances come full circle.

The title track, “When Bitter Met Sweet” is a song about the end of love looking back at the beginning.  Platt says, “I think it’s important not to lose sight of what was good about something even if it is ending.” “For Eleanora,” was inspired after reading a biography of Billie Holiday and reflects on a similar thought of polarities that, “It seems like so often the partners of extreme talent and specialness are self-destruction and doubt.”

The song “90 Miles (The Tennessee Song)” is featured on Blue Ridge Outdoors Trailmix for 2012 Merlefest Artists. It was written after her first trip to International Folk Alliance in 2010, an event that can be quite overwhelming at first. An admitted introvert, Amanda was faced with the challenges of how to be heard amongst all of the activity of events such as these. And make herself heard is exactly what she went on to do; becoming a finalist at 2011 Merlefest’s Chris Austin songwriting contest for her song song “Little Bird” (unrecorded). She was asked to return as a guest judge for the contest, along with Jim Lauderdale, for the 2012 Merlefest (Where The Honeycutters will also be performing a few sets this year). The same song won first place in the Great Lakes Song Contest in February 2012.

“All I Got, ” is a song Amanda calls, “a love song I wrote a long, long time ago, before I had actually ever been in love” and was selected for WNCW’s 2010 Crowd Around the Mic Vol. 14.

“Fancy Car” features Platt’s father on harmonica. He also sits in on “Not Over Yet”  which she says that when she sings it she imagines a child leaving home for the first time, wanting freedom but scared of what it might cost.

When Bitter Met Sweet was co-produced by Amanda and Peter with the assistance of Aaron Price, and was recorded at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC after securing funding through a successful Kickstarter campaign. Along with the full band, many special guests make appearances on the album including Matt Smith (pedal steel and dobro), Nicky Sanders (fiddle), Mark Platt (harmonica), Je Widenhouse (coronet), and on drums Mike Rhodes and Richard Foulk and for various songs. The album was engineered (and partially mixed) by Jon Ashley with the assistance of Julian Dreyer, mixed by John Keane and mastered by Dave Harris at Studio B Mastering in Charlotte, NC.

Their first full length studio release Irene, released in May 2009, has landed them in Ian Hughes’ NoDepression Podcast’s Top 20 of 2009, Fret Knot Radio Hour’s “Nine you need to know from ’09”, and #32 in WNCW’s listener voted Top 100 of 2009.

Since putting out Irene the Honeycutters have shared the stage with such Americana favorites as Tony Rice, The Greencards, Jill Andrews, The Steep Canyon Rangers, Donna the Buffalo, and The Seldom Scene.  They have been voted Western North Carolina’s favorite local Americana act (2011 Mountain Xpress reader’s poll) and delighted audiences from upstate New York to Seattle, Washington. They are currently touring around the release of When Bitter Met Sweet.

Stay tuned to thehoneycutters.com for more news about the album and their tour.

What the Press is saying about The Honeycutters:

“I can see a day when her name is mentioned alongside Lucinda Williams, Mary Gauthier and Gillian Welch.  She’s just that good.” —The Real Southern

***

“They’ve got a sound as classic as grits… I thought of those country songs that play on those diner jukeboxes you see in movies.” –Charlotte’s Creative Loafing

***

“Amanda Platt’s striking, timeless vocals form the cornerstone of her often heart-wrenching songs, while producer Pete James’ understated guitar and gentle harmonies round out the duo’s saccharine-sweet mix.” –Dane Smith, Mountain Xpress

***

“Amanda’s lyrics are both sardonic and sweet, which adds a contemporary element to their country twanged Americana sound [which] is more influenced by the harmonic tendencies of country singers like Johnny Cash and June Carter” —Folk to Folk Blog.

***

“I recommend the Honeycutters not only because they’re some of the best my hometown of Asheville, NC, has to offer. Their music embodies a very catchy, accessible, optimistic sort of spirit so frequently lacking in folk circles (where brooding, hyper-analytical music reigns supreme). What’s more, like Carolina Story, they’re a great band replete with tasty harmonies.” –Kim Ruehl, Folk Music About.com

***

“If anyone can make this old metalhead want to whip out the cowboy boots and hat, order a couple of Budweisers and spin my woman around the dance floor, the Honeycutters can.” –Brent Fleury, Bold Life Magazine

***

“Amanda’s voice sings like Carolina farmlands after a rainstorm” –Harvey Robinson, Monkeywhale productions

www.thehoneycutters.com

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Kellin Watson Celebrates the Release of New Album “Halo Of Blue” At Pisgah Brewing on July 2nd

Kellin Watson
CD RELEASE PARTY
Pisgah Brewing
Saturday, July 2, 2011

ADV: $10/d.o.s.: $12

Doors: 7PM/ Show:8PM

(828) 669-0190
150 Eastside Drive
Black Mountain, NC 28711
http://pisgahbrewing.com

Kellin Watson is a internationally-touring singer-songwriter, whose award-winning sound blends elements of blues, pop, folk, and soul. Hailing from Asheville, NC, Kellin draws on herAppalachian roots to bring both power and rawness to her music. “There are a lot of common talents in the world, but there are very few rare talents. I feel that Kellin is a rare, uncommon talent. Her songs have the ability to take someone gently by the wrist and tell them a story…”  states Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. Courtney Devores with The Charlotte Observer describes her, “Jazzy soul and swinging pop comparable to Fiona Apple or a less folksy Ani DiFranco, Watson has an endearing stage demeanor and a killer voice, not to mention soulful songs that don’t fit in any particular box.”

Kellin will be releasing her new album, “Halo of Blue” of July 2, 2011 at Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain, NC. There will be activities going on as soon as doors open at 7pm and possibly a surprise guest opener, so people are encouraged to come early. Also door prizes will be given away! Admission is $10 in advance and $12 the day of the show. Anyone who brings a functioning musical instrument to donate to Operation Happy Note and Operation Music Aid will receive half off their admission price! The requirements for instruments are “new or gently used guitars,violins, mandolins, banjos, keyboards, horns of any kind harmonicas and we even get requests for bagpipes.”

“Halo Of Blue” was created with musician/producer Michael Bellar [Art Garfunkle, and Amos Lee] out of Manhattan, NY and was recorded in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Asheville. Kellin and Michael worked non-stop this past year to put out a simple, honest and stripped down recording with echoes of some of her strongest influences: Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and Nina Simone. The album has 14 tracks and features cameo’s from some of the greatest musicians and vocalist in North America, including Sarah and Christian Dugas (The Duhks), and Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers).

Part of the album was recorded in Asheville’s Echo Mountain Studios. “The thing I love about recording at Echo Mountain is the fact that they are prepared for anything you might need,” Watson says in an interview with Jon Elliston in Our State Magazine.  “All the engineers and staff make you feel at home and comfortable, which helps you focus on what you’re really there to do: create. Not to mention that it’s a world-class studio in my own backyard — to be able to work in a studio of that quality, right here in Asheville, is amazing.”

Elliston goes on to write, “On the new album’s title track, Watson’s band recorded lilting pedal steel guitar parts in one of the studio’s smaller rooms; the guitar offers a delicate complement to Watson’s forceful vocals. The two songs recorded in the “church” studio — the gospel-tinged “Rise” and a smoky, brooding cover of “Sitting on Top of the World” — showcase Watson’s range and confidence. She sounds every bit the singer in her comfort zone, content with recording close to home.

Kellin has toured nationally and internationally playing some of the most renowned venues, festivals, events, colleges and universities in the US and Canada, and continues to do so. Playing music and writing songs for the past 16 years, Kellin has released 4 solo independent albums. Her performance stands out as well; Stan of LiveLimeLight.com wrote in a live show review “I was immediately intrigued by her playing style, with percussive hits, finger picking and then strumming, she knows how to use her guitar to its fullest… she filled the room with just the sound of her guitar and voice.”

Here is a nice video of her performing a songs off the new album:

Kellin has also been a featured performer on CMT’s Big Break with award winning host and artists Sara Evans stating, “Kellin is a singing beauty, with an amazing voice. There is nothing fake or contrived about her when she performs, she’s just really, really talented, and sings with soul. I love everything about her…” In addition to her CMT appearance, two of Kellin’s songs, “Ship” and “When Is Enough Enough”, touched millions after being aired on two separate episodes of the hugely popular Canadian teen drama, Dregrassi: The Next Generation. This past march, she was asked to play a supporting role in Sag film “Trinity Goodheart” and the director loved one of the tunes on Kellin’s new album and decided to use the song in the film. Here’s a link to the imdb page for it: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1849899/.

Kellin has worked with and/ or opened for a wide range of notable artists such as Amos Lee, Little Feat, Susan Tedeschi, The Duhks, Crash Test Dummies, Jessica Simpson, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sara Evans, Walter Wolfman Washington, Gordie Sampson, members of Band of Horses, and several others.  In the words of NPR’s David Dye, Kellin is  “a great new artist to keep an ear out for.”  Filmmaker Richard O’Sullivan (The Lost Colony) goes on to state, “There’s such beauty and intelligence in her work that you rarely find from someone that young. She’s the type of artist that in twenty years people will be talking about in the same way they talk about the Bob Dylans and the Joni Mitchells now.”

Find Kellin on the web:

Homepage: www.kellinwatson.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kellinwatson
Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/kellinwatson
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/jrPd7A
Myspace: www.myspace.com/kellinwatson
Youtube: http://bit.ly/igkEnC
Evolution Licensing Company Catalog: http://bit.ly/iCFtX9
Itunes: http://bit.ly/m7JQCt
CDbaby: http://cdbaby.com/all/kellin

“Her husky voice flows up and down the staff, accompanied by catchy beats, and the result sounds quite eclectic. ” – VERVE Magazine

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Aaron “Woody” Wood to release NEW Album at Highland Brewing on Saturday, April 2nd

The skinny white boy from the mountains of Western North Carolina carries around more soul in his restless bones and battered guitar than most of use could ever dream of. With a background as diverse as his music, Aaron “Woody” Wood converges elements from all walks of life to create music that we all can connect with. Aaron Wood is thrilled to announce the release of his new self-titled album at Highland Brewing on Saturday, April 2nd. The album is result of the first successful kickstarter campaign in Asheville and has been a year and a half in the making.

The album is being released by J-Woo Records and was produced at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC by Roger Alan Nichols and engineered by Nichols and Jon Ashley; the run-time is 41 minutes. Along with Aaron Wood on guitar and vocals the album features Mike Rhodes on drums, Tony Black and Matt Gentling on bass, Ryan Burns on organ and piano, Debrissa McKinney on backing vocals, The Asheville Horns (Ben Hovey, Derrick Johnson, and Greg Hollowell), Jon Ashley on piano and rhodes, Artimus Pyle on percussion, and a song with cellist Paul Leech.

The release party is an early show that starts at 9pm and features the music from the album. Aaron performs along with Tony Black (Bass), Mike Rhodes (Drums), Josh Blake (Guitar), Kellin Watson (Vocals), Debrissa McKinney (Vocals), Ryan Burns (Keys), and The Asheville Horns. Aaron will be performing with a custom built amp and pedals at the show which are provided by event sponsor Suspect Device Audio.

LaZoom Bus is offering free shuttle service from downtown in front of the Emerald Lounge (the location of the after dance party) to the newly opened Highland Brewing tasting room which is located in East Asheville off of Old Charlotte Highway. In order to make reservations, just text “LaZoom” to 411669, then wait for your confirmation within 5 days. Make your reservations early to ensure that you get your seat!

The shuttle service is free for patrons thanks to event sponsors Suspect Device Audio and Text Ripple. Along with the shuttle reservations, Text Ripple also is offering a way for fans to get a free poster, koozie or free button. Just be one of the first 150 people to text “Woody” to 411699 and your free merch can be claimed at the CD Release show.

The band will be making it around town late-night for an after-dance-party at the Emerald Lounge from 12-2am to play Motown and Soul covers. This after party is free for people who attended the CD release party at Highlands; otherwise it’s $5.

Hopping around town for his album release and showing off his many styles is fitting for Aaron Wood who leaves a great legacy in the Southern region. As a professional musician, Aaron was a pivotal member of The Blue Rags, with whom he had success with national media coverage (MTV) and international tours. He has also recorded and preformed with a slew of New Orleans and Western North Carolinas finest musicians in what was a blending of New Orleans Jazz and Bluegrass. The Blue Brass sessions featured members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Larry Keel, Trombone Shorty and many others.

One look at the long list of artists he has shared the stage with exemplifies his diversity, not to mention respect from his musical peers. From Jimmy Martin to Leon Russel, R.L. Burnside to Warren Haynes, Sara Evans to Carlos Santana, Aaron has played and learned from some of those who have helped shaped music into what it is today.

Aaron delivers his music with all the soul, power, and energy that have made him renowned as a musicians musician. Roots legend, Corey Harris calls him “a master”, and Donald Harrison, New Orleans Jazz great, calls him “his musical brother.”  We hope that you can join us for the the album release of Aaron Wood!

Show Details at a Glance:
Aaron Wood CD Release Party
Highland Brewing

Saturday April 2nd
21+, Doors at 8:30; Show at 9
Tickets $10 in advance; $12 at the door

828-299-7223
12 Old Charlotte Hwy
Asheville, NC 28803
www.highlandbrewing.com
Tickets available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/166037
Facebook event http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130793460326088

www.aaronwoodmusic.com

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Jar-e releases new album, Blood of the Summer, today!

Chicas Malas, the most recent until today, Jar-e record, was inspired in Mexico but born in Asheville, NC, where Jar-e returned after his travels and convened an all-star group to help him realize his musical visions. In the year and a half after his first release, War Songs and the Muse (2004), Jar-e’ and his band earned a reputation in the Southeast for adventurous, genuine shows that always get a crowd on its feet.

Jar-e’s third album, Blood of the Summer was released today, November 2nd, 2010. On this new effort he trades in some of the world rhythms that have become his signature for a bigger, more oceanic sound. Produced by Danny Kadar (My Morning Jacket, Avett Brothers, Band of Horses) and recorded in Asheville at Echo Mountain Studios, the album features more open spaces, higher highs, lower lows.

Instead of the danceable multi-cultural collage he created on his previous two albums, the songs on “Blood of the Summer” are character-based narratives exploring the darker sides of the psyche with a direct, bare frankness. Delivered by Jar-e’s masterful voice, a bold tenor saturated with both hope and despair, the lyrics and stories are poetic in their clarity and universal in their stark detail.

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Fall Tour Dates Announced for the Galen Kipar Project!

Galen Kipar Project Fall Tour Dates:

Wed 10/6 ~ Stone Soup ~ Landrum, SC
Thu 10/7 ~ The Lab ~ Asheville, NC
Fri 10/8 ~ Canyons ~ Blowing Rock, NC
Sat 10/ 9 ~ Leaf Festival of Cashiers, NC
Thu 10/14 ~ Olde Hickory Tap Room ~ Hickory, NC
Fri 10/15 ~ The Purple Fiddle ~Thomas, WV

Sat 10/ 16 ~  Mojo’s ~ Urbanna, VA
Mon 10/18 ~ The PourHouse, Charleston, SC
Wed 10/20 ~ Awendaw Green, Awenedaw, SC
Fri- Sun 10/22-24 ~ Magnolia Festival ~ Live Oak, Fl

Thu 11/4 ~ Blue 5 ~ Roanoke, VA

Fri 11/5 Urbanna Oyster Festival ~ Urbanna, VA

“In Asheville, fans call his act a ‘small-scale symphony.’ It’s probably more like chamber folk/pop, sometimes reminiscent of Adrian Belew’s quieter moods.” ~Tad Dickens, Roanoke Times

Galen Kipar Project released their fourth album in five years, The Scenic Route in June 2010. It was recorded in Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC and has been widely received, satisfying the musical longings of loyal fans as well as the uninitiated.

“The Scenic Route is luminous and warm; Kipar’s vocals as light and syncopated as water cascading over rocks…Each song on Routes is carefully orchestrated and worked with the tender care of a master painter at his easel. Kipar elevates this eight-song collection far beyond standard singer/songwriter fare, wringing emotion and texture from each song and adding layers of interest with rich, resonant percussion and an intricate dance of string tones. He pushes the envelope of how many sounds can be introduced without reducing the sum to a fuzzy, sonic snarl.” ~Alli Marshall, Asheville’s Mountain Xpress

Galen Kipar Project’s line up and instrumentation for the shows are  Aaron Ballance – lap steel guitar, dobro; Ben Portwood – upright bass, vocals; Galen Kipar – guitars, vocals, harmonicas; Jeremy Young – drum kit; Lyndsay Pruett – violin, vocals.

Check out the song “Rushing Over My Bones” in the video below. This song was chosen by WNCW for their Annual “Crowd around the Mic” compilation vol 14.

“Strange, slightly other-worldly acoustic music sung in a sweet, slightly distracted voice. I think of it as a sort of American Primitive, with hits of Sandy Bull in the guitars, Brett Dennen in the voice, Donna the Buffalo in the rustic simplicity, and something altogether new in the wonderful orchestrations… In the words of Tina Fey, when I hear the sounds of this nearby world, I want to go to there.'”

…

“North Carolina singer-songwriter Galen Kipar has nothing to do with the Grateful Dead, but I’m really excited to turn you on to this music. The Scenic Route has been my favorite CD since it arrived in my mailbox a couple of months ago.”~ David Gans; KPFA’s Dead to the World, Host of Grateful Dead Hour

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Also, check out this studio session and Interview with Kipar and David Gans!

Galen Kipar Project on the Web

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Rorey Carroll Releases “Roadside Lullabies” in Asheville on Thurs, Sept 23rd

Rorey Carroll is a singer songwriter sitting pretty between her Americana, folk and alternative country/bluegrass influences. “Roadside Lullabies”, her first album, was recorded by Eric Wilson and will be released at the end of September, 2010. The album was recorded Echo Mountain Studios and Omni Artists Productions; it was mastered at Crossroads Music, all in the Asheville, NC area.

Rorey Carroll will be releasing “Roadside Lullabies” at MoDaddy’s bar in Asheville on Thursday, September 23rd. The show start at 9pm with the Honeycutters. Playing along with Carrol for the evening will be Rick Cooper- guitar, Aaron Ramsey- mandolin + banjo, Jess Smith- bass, and Zeb Bowles- fiddle.

Rorey Carroll’s fiercely independent spirit is reflected in her songwriting, while her sweet voice resonates the soulful energy. She credits her parents for encouraging her personal expression in music and poetry at an early age. From her life experiences on foot, through the window of her car, to the bed of a freight train, Carroll has learned to use her guitar as a vehicle to tell a story.

She got her first taste of wandering when she moved from the Midwest to Leadville, a small mining town in Colorado. Leadville exposed her to a different lifestyle. In a place where hitchhiking and living in a tent is the norm, Carroll lived hand to fist, out of a backpack, learning the skills that would take her around the country. Inspired by her new life, she picked up her guitar and started putting her poetry into music. From her first three chords, she wrote her first songs.

At 20, she decided to walk the Appalachian Trail, from northern Georgia to Maine, with a good friend, a mean dog and a backpack friendly guitar. She fell in love with the older mountains and culture of Appalachia and settled into Asheville, NC after the trail. Immersing herself into an area of the country thick with amazing songwriters, musicians and inspiration, Carroll learned more about the art of songwriting and composition. She delved deeper into herself to create songs with love, angst and emotion.

Carroll began to attract the attention of the music industry with her onstage performances throughout the South and at Desert Rocks in Moab, UT, singing her songs “Head Hung” and “Leaning on Lonely”, and “Golden Sky”. She has sold her self-released recordings through local festivals and music venues across the country.

Show Details at a Glance:

Rorey Carroll CD Release Party
“Roadside Lullabies”
The Honeycutters open
Thursday, September 23rd.

Mo Daddy’s
9pm, $5 general, $15 with CD
77-B Biltmore Avenue
Asheville, NC
828-258-1550
www.myspace.com/modaddysbar
www.roreycarroll.com
Rorey Carroll on Facebook

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Amelia’s Mechanics Performs at the Pisgah Brewery on Saturday, April 10th with Jim Avett opening the evening

Amelia's Mechanics

Amelia’s Mechanics is fronted by Greensboro, NC singer-songwriter’s Molly McGinn and Molly Miller, and backed by a talented group of musicians out of Nashville, TN.  Despite what the oil-and-iron name might suggest, the women of Amelia’s Mechanics swap that toughness for a more urban, sophisticated take on Americana music, using luxuriating harmonies and classical swells to temper their lyrical frustrations with love and life. The instrumentation and vocal harmonies of Amelia’s Mechanics result in a genre-busting sound best described as “vintage country with a moonshine concerto.”

The band released their debut album “North, South,” produced by Jim Avett (father of The Avett Brothers) in February of 2010 to critical acclaim and embarked on an inaugural spring tour to the delight of audiences all across the southeastern United States. Amelia’s Mechanics will begin recording a follow-up album this summer in Asheville, NC at the wonderful Echo Mountain Studios (whose client list includes Smashing Pumpkins, The Avett Brothers, Band of Horses) with the Asheville-based, Grammy-winning producer Steven Heller and fellow Greensboro, NC singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett at the helm. A release date has not yet been set for the new album, so stay tuned to their website for more info.

Amelia’s Mechanic’s  “combines elements of rock, folk and country into a warm conglomerate that touches the soul” ~ Review by Jeff Hahne, Editor, Creative Loafing Charlotte

Show details at a glance:

Amelia’s Mechanics
Jim Avett opens
Pisgah Brewery
Saturday, April 10, 2010

All ages, $7
Doors 7pm, show 8pm
828-669-0190
150 Eastside Drive
Black Mountain,NC 28711
www.pisgahbrewing.com

Check out their interviews prior to the show:

• 98.1 The River’s Homegrown with Ash Davis on Sunday April 4th in the 6 o’clock hour.  http://www.981theriver.com/Homegrown/3190197

• MAIN.fm at 5pm on Friday April 9th with KP Whaley.  http://www.wpvm.org/

Links to Amelia’s Mechanic’s Music:
Lala: http://bit.ly/9XJVmr
iTunes: http://bit.ly/bmP0aX

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