New Year’s Eve Celebration with stephaniesĭd & Jon Stickley Trio at Isis on Dec 31, 2015

New Year’s Eve Celebration with stephaniesĭd & Jon Stickley Trio
at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall on Dec 31, 2015

Dinner and Show will be an 8pm seating and includes a four course dinner, champagne toast and an evening of entertainment

Jon Stickley Trio at 9pm | stephaniesĭd at 10:30pm
$55 Dinner Only :: 6pm seating (three course dinner)
$75 Dinner and Show :: 8pm seating; (four course dinner)
$15 Show Only with doors at 8:30pm (does not include dinner)

More info, full menu and ticketing info at → www.isisasheville.com/events/new-years-eve-celebration-with-stephaniesid-the-jon-stickley-trio/

ASHEVILLE —  Isis Music Restaurant and Music Hall is happy to announce a New Year’s Eve Celebration with stephaniesid and Jon Stickley Trio on Thursday, December 31, 2015. Isis is located at 743 Haywood Rd  Asheville NC 28806.

Join 7-time “Best Pop/Rock” (Mountain Xpress) band winners stephaniesĭd, and their cadre of stellar guest musicians, back for the third New Year’s Eve on the Isis Restaurant & Music Hall main stage! Their show is a celebration in the deepest sense… a journey… a battle with obstacles… a gut-wrenching soul plea… and ultimately, a groovy party for the world’s heart.

stephaniesĭd will be joined by the Jon Stickley Trio, who’s been making waves with their new album Lost at Last. The New York Times’ Nate Chinen writes “… there’s hardy cohesion among the players — no less on the Gypsy standard ‘Valse de Wasso’ than on ‘Darth Radar’ a turbocharged original with a ska upbeat and a shredding melody. And when Mr. Stickley and friends turn to bluegrass, as on ‘The High Road,’ by Tim O’Brien, they sound both respectful and free.”

This will be a standing show with limited number of seats in the music hall, RSVP needed. The dinner and show will be an 8pm seating and includes a four course dinner, champagne toast and an evening of entertainment. General tickets are also available with doors at 8:30pm (does not include dinner). For those that do reserve their seats for dinner, the Isis New Year’s Eve menu includes Baked Oysters, Pork Belly, or Seared Sushi Tuna Ceviche, along with Lobster Bisque or Pickled Beet and Citrus Salad, as well as Pork Roulade, Filet Medallion, Sunburst Farms Trout, or Root Vegetable Poutine. The fourth course includes Champagne Mousse Verrines or Chocolate Tres Leches. For Dinner only or Dinner / Show Tickets ~ You must call Isis (828-575-2737) for reservations. “Show Only” Tickets may be purchased online. See link for menu for NYE Dinner.

More about stephaniesĭd:

The ĭd (pronounced like “kid”) is the real person, under the armor. It’s the inner wild being, the emotional mercury, the soft tissue, the genuine human. 

stephaniesĭd is a band working to excavate it.

The singer is Stephanie Morgan, a “female Jim Morrison at a ballet class” (The Asheville Disclaimer); her voice is equal parts child, smoke, cabaret coquette, and “Bjorklike panache” (Bonnaroo Beacon). The band’s “sharp writing” (World Cafe, NPR) ranges from belting soul to dream-pop to jazzish, making full use of band members’ varied musical backgrounds, “always with a childlike wink and skip” (The Big Takeover).

stephaniesĭd acknowledges the struggle within each human being to connect with other people, authentically and vulnerably, and attempts to make music that conjures the ability to do so. The songs unabashedly mine for light, ranging from deftly focused, emotionally-charged journeys to infectious dance tunes, braving the dark passages along with the audience, busting out improvisation to connect larger pieces of the story, and never missing the chance to revel in utter joy. “How far this music will go seems dependent on whether people are willing to expand their own horizons.” writes AW Music, Canada.

Stephanie Morgan is a former gymnast and dancer born in Iowa and raised in Colorado and West Texas. Chuck Lichtenberger (keyboards) is a seasoned jazzer, masterful and improvisational on the keys, toggling equal nods to faves Ahmad Jamal and Van Halen. Tim Haney (drums) is a rocker. He’s Irish, loud, and proud, he cusses like a sailor and he knows how to leave space to frame a melody. He’s everyone’s favorite brother.

stephaniesĭd songs have appeared on Showtime’s Nurse Jackie, The Weather Channel, in an award-winning short film called “The Red Helmet”, filmed in Switzerland and traveling the world with the Banff Film Festival; in a Cesare Paciotti Italian jewelry commercial with supermodels, and in a Sony PlayStation’s horror game Until Dawn.  The band has been covered in Paste, Bust, Blurt, Shuffle, Billboard, Southeast Performer, The Bonnaroo Beacon, and other magazines. and was also chosen by Shirley Manson in a contest for Bust magazine. “Cinematic” won an award in the International Songwriting Competition. Stephanie has received numerous Regional Artists Grants from the arts council Songs have spun on Philadelphia’s WXPN, NYC’s WFUV, NPR’s World Cafe, and many other college and AAA radio stations.

What does it feel like to be at a stephaniesid show? Watch this video and find out → www.youtube.com/watch?v=URi6YGqhJkM

For more information, please visit www.stephaniesid.com.

More about Jon Stickley Trio:

Jon Stickley Trio independently released Lost at Last, their 2nd album, on October 6, 2015. 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 gypsy jazz, bluegrass, and hip-hop, Jon Stickley Trio combines Jon Stickley’s rapid-fire flatpicking guitar with the sultry and wild, yet refined, melodies of Lyndsay Pruett (Futureman) on violin set over the deep groove of Patrick Armitage (Atmosphere) on drums. The three have fused their collective styles into a repertoire of exciting and innovative original music along with some captivating covers.

Lost at Last was recorded in the band’s hometown of Asheville, NC at the 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.

“Working with our producer Dave King was a life changing experience for us all,” says Stickley. “He is an intense, master musician, but also a hilarious, life-loving, positive, HEAVY, ‘unimpeachable’, inspiring dude! He helped us find ourselves, and his mark on the album is undeniable.” Jon goes on to say, “We succeeded in capturing a lot of spontaneous energy.”

“Jon Stickley is a guitarist based in Asheville, N.C., and rooted in the flatpicking bluegrass tradition, the quicksilver dialect of Tony Rice and Norman Blake. But in the Jon Stickley Trio, with the fiddler Lyndsay Pruett and the drummer Patrick Armitage, he also bounces around in Gypsy jazz, folk-punk and jam-band territory, tracing a fidgety continuity of style.” –The New York Times, Nate Chinen

“With Lost at Last, the Jon Stickley Trio combine the ethos of a newgrass power trio with the energy and dynamics of a runaway train. Stickley’s powerful flatpicking gathers influences from the greats such as Tony Rice, but also allows for other, more modern, sounds to creep in. ‘Darth Radar’ is a rapid-fire take that moves from a serious ska beat to burning surf-style runs that would make Dick Dale proud.” —Stream Darth Radar at Premier Guitar, Jason Shadrick

“Asheville has a force to be reckoned with in the tight three-piece perfection of the Jon Stickley Trio. It’s pretty incredible how closely the three play with their unique blend of Appalachian, jazz, maybe even prog-rock styles.” –Martin Anderson, Music Director & Host at WNCW

“This is very very cool music. Jon’s ideas on the acoustic guitar are the freshest of the fresh. Lost at Last is rated BA: Bad. Ass.” –Larry Keel, Guitar Legend & Master Fisherman

“Blending elements of traditional, fast paced bluegrass with sultry backings in jazz and raging hip hop beats, Lost at Last is an album not to be missed.” –Performer Mag, Kate Dennis-Skillings

For more information, please visit www.jonstickley.com.

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Town Mountain & The Larry Keel Experience Play Isis for 4th Annual Holiday Benefit on Sat 12/19

4th Annual Holiday Town Mountain Benefit
with The Larry Keel Experience on Saturday, December 19th
at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall
An annual event that helps provide much needed hunger relief for 1 in 6  of our WNC neighbors, with partial proceeds going to MANNA FoodBank

Town Mountain hosts their 4th Annual Holiday Benefit on Saturday, December 19, 2015 at Isis Music Hall and will be joined by The Larry Keel Experience for the occasion! Tickets for the concert are on sale now and the event typically sells out, so get your tickets early. Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm, $20. 743 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806. More info at www.isisasheville.com

Starting in 2012, local bluegrass ambassadors, Town Mountain, decided they wanted to initiate an annual holiday concert to help fight local hunger. Each year since, they have teamed up with another band and host Isis Restaurant and Music Hall to throw a holiday party featuring some of the best local and regional pickers rotating on stage throughout the evening. In sum total, the Holiday Benefit Concert has raised $7,500 enough money to provide food for 22,500 meals through MANNA FoodBank.

“The WNC music community has always been a strong support system for our work at MANNA FoodBank, whether it is through supporting our special events, our mission, or by raising money to end hunger in Western North Carolina. Over the past three years, this event has helped us provide the food for over 19,500 meals!” MANNA FoodBank says, “When our community works together – a business providing the space for an event, musicians providing entertainment and a reason for gathering, and the people buying tickets to support it – we can accomplish so much. Thank you to every individual who makes this possible. With your help, we can end hunger in WNC.”

Town Mountain’s banjo player and founding member Jesse Langlais decided that he wanted to make this an annual event because of the band’s ties to the area and their desire to give back to the place that has helped launch their music careers. In addition to providing the space free of charge as host of the event, Isis Music Hall has also waived many production costs and been generous enough to donate both in kind and cash contributors to the event each year in order to facilitate the event’s success.

“The need to provide a hot meal and shelter to those in need is ever present. Not only is it something we need to be aware of 365 days a year, it’s something that always stands out around the holiday season,” says Langlais. “This year, partial proceeds will be going to MANNA FoodBank, who work to help 1 in 6 people facing food insecurity in Western North Carolina.”

“We are honored to be part of this annual funding raising event that brings together musicians and community to provide for those that are less fortunate.” Isis’s owner Scott Woody says, “We deeply appreciate the efforts of FATE (Josh Stack) and MANNA for all that they do.”

Town Mountain will have some new tunes to ring in the season! They recorded an impromptu set of two of their favorite songs from the Grateful Dead’s catalog, “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” and “Big River” at the widely acclaimed Echo Mountain Recording Studios in their hometown of Asheville, NC. The disc is called The Dead Session and comes out on November 13th. This is the Grateful Dead done in Town Mountain’s hard drivin’ style filled with a honky tonk edge and barroom swagger. They will put out their next studio album, produced and engineered by GRAMMY winner Dirk Powell, in 2016. Town Mountain is Robert Greer on vocals and guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals, and Adam Chaffins on bass.

The Larry Keel Experience will also be playing some new tunes for the celebration from their upcoming album due out in 2016. Larry Keel, widely known as a guitar legend and master fisherman, is an innovative and original acoustic flatpicking guitarist that had broken ground in the genre. Always offering an exhilarating performance, The Larry Keel Experience features Will Lee on soulful, blues-grass 5 string banjo, penetrating vocals, along with exceptional songwriting contributions, and Jenny Keel on upright bass with her impeccable timing along with solid and imaginative bass lines and vocal harmonies.

For more info please visit www.isisasheville.com, www.TownMountain.net, and www.larrykeel.com. For more about MANNA FoodBank please visit  www.mannafoodbank.org .

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Celebrating the Life and Music of Billy Constable at Isis on Thurs, Oct 8

Photo 1 is by Scott Woody, photo 2 is by Simply Pickin’ & the 3rd one is by Debbie Ryder

Celebrating the Life and Music of Billy Constable at Isis
Thursday, Oct 8, 2015
7:30pm – 1:00am
743 Haywood Rd, West Asheville, North Carolina 28806
http://isisasheville.com/events/celebrating-the-life-and-times-of-billy-constable-2/

RSVP on Facebook here

Billy Constable was a well-known and much loved bluegrass musician from WNC who had been battling terminal brain cancer for the better part of a year. He lost his battle on Saturday, August 22nd, 2015.

His friends have organized a memorial event, The Billy Constable Memorial Jam, to honor this kind-hearted, talented man and the great contribution he has made to the music community of WNC and beyond. It will take place at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall in West Asheville on Thursday, October 8th from 7:30pm-1am.

“The outpouring of stories and memories online about Constable give an idea of the scope of a life dedicated to musical passion, and they tell the story of a kind, gentle soul, always willing to teach to anyone who wanted to learn,” writes Brian Swenk in Boone’s Mountain Times.

Included will be a memorial slideshow and a celebration of his life in a night of live music with Billy’s longtime musical compadres. We hope you will join us as we celebrate the rich legacy he has left us. Suggested donation is $10 at the door. Proceeds to benefit the Constable family. If you cannot make the show, but would like to donate, please do so at http://www.gofundme.com/nuj8ks

The lineup so far includes:
Sassagrass
Butch Robins
Steve McMurry (of Acoustic Syndicate)
Jon Stickley & Lyndsay Pruett (of Jon Stickley Trio)
Bearwallow (2015 MerleFest Band Competition Winners)
Amanda Platt (of The Honeycutters)
Taylor Martin
Sam Wharton
Darren Nicholson Band (of Balsam Range)
Blue Wheel Drive
Robert Greer (with members of Town Mountain)
Jim Rollins
Adam Masters
Billy Cardine
Bobby Miller
Jason and Jacob Burleson
Mary Lucey

more to be announced

More about Billy Constable:

Born March 23, 1959, Billy Constable was a well known and much loved musician from WNC.

Growing up in Avery county, he came from a rich lineage of musicians including; Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman, Lawrence Wiseman, David Wiseman, Fiddling Jimmy Wiseman, banjo picker Kent Wiseman, and Billy’s mother, Lois.

Billy formed his first band Leather Britches, and at the age of 14 he hit the road professionally joining Charlie Moore’s band in the early 1970’s. He went on to play with Doug Dillard and in the 80’s his family band The Constables was formed. They also appeared with the late great Rose Maddox in that band. In addition he played with Dick Tyner and Train 45, Ray Parks, and toured with Kenny Baker and Josh Graves.

In recent years he recorded with the Big Daddy Bluegrass Band with Steve McMurry, and Curtis Burch, Larry Keel, String Cheese Incident, Acoustic Forum, Hypnotic Clambake, and formed his own band Sassagrass.

He has shared the stage picking with; Vassar Clements, John Hartford, Butch Robins, Mac Wiseman, Leftover Salmon, Byron Berline, Sam Bush, Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Jim and Jesse, and the Osborne Brothers, to name a few.

Steeped in the rich knowledge of traditional bluegrass and Appalachian music, but reaching far beyond into gypsy jazz and other eclectic forms of music, he is well known as a musician’s musician.

A master of guitar, banjo, and mandolin, Billy has often been credited with teaching his musical compadres how to play and “play it right,” and we have all become better musicians and better people for knowing him.

Thank you Billy, for sharing your gift with us.  ~ written by Deb Ryder

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Dreamspider Publicity’s Erin Scholze Nominated for a 2015 IBMA Momentum Award in Industry Involvement

So honored and thrilled to announce that I just found out I got nominated for an
International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Momentum Award for Industry Involvement!

… AND Isis Restaurant and Music Hall got nominated for an IBMA Momentum Award for Festival/Event/Venue

.. AND Woody Platt from Steep Canyon Rangers is nominated for IMBA Momentum Award for Mentor!

Asheville’s rockin’ out IBMA this year!

See all the Momentum Award nominees and the IBMA Awards nominees at https://t.e2ma.net/message/mm5ki/a9qbfm

~Cheers!
Erin Scholze, Dreamspider Publicity

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An Evening with Grits & Soul at Isis Upstairs Lounge on Wed, Aug 12th

Grits & Soul. Photo by Jenny Baumert.

An Evening with Grits & Soul at Isis Upstairs Lounge on Wed 8/12
$5, 5pm Door/ 7pm Show
General Admission Seated Lounge Show :: Limited Tables Available with Dinner Reservation
Seating without dinner reservation will be first come first serve
Call 828-575-2737 dinner reservations
http://isisasheville.com

At the heart of Grits & Soul are song-crafters Anna Kline and John Looney. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, they take the influences of mountain bluegrass and classic country and fuse it with those of Mississippi soul and blues.

On the heels of their 2013 MerleFest IBMA showcase and the release of their debut album, Flood Waters, the duo continues to attract the attention of audiences throughout the Southeast. Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine gave the team a glowing review, calling Flood Waters “intriguing and enveloping.” The recording highlights the collaboration of a gifted lyricist with a talented arranger, with a shared sensibility of stirring melodies and powerful story lines.

Since the release of Flood Waters, they received coveted invitations to perform at Merlefest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Albino Skunk Festival, and Suwannee Springfest, amongst others and recently opened for Jim Lauderdale at the Ingles 4th of July celebration downtown Asheville. Notable upcoming appearances include Magnolia Fest 2015 and Country Festival in Sint-Truiden, Belgium.

Grits & Soul are a memorable musical team with their voices blending together in seamless harmony. Their collaboration forges a powerful connection between hard-driving bluegrass, barroom honky tonk, Celtic, Southern gospel, and slow-burning blues. Working together for over four years now, they continue to hone their sound and songs onstage together, logging thousands of highway miles and hundreds of performances.

Anna’s powerhouse voice is “mesmerizing — growling, slurring, soaring, swooping, note-bending, word-bending…they’re all a part of her power-packed technique,” says Bluegrass Unlimited. John, who grew up in Mt. Sterling, KY, is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, setting the tone onstage with his interpretation of classic melodies, while his skills as arranger shine through their original material.

They are currently working on new material for a 2016 album release. For more information and further tour dates, please visit www.gritsandsoul.com, twitter.com/gritsandsoul, and facebook.com/gritsandsoulband.

The entire Flood Waters album can be heard at http://www.soundcloud.com/gritsandsoul/sets/flood-waters

It can also be found on Spotify and iTunes.

Watch Grits & Soul Live at The Grey Eagle in Asheville → www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi_EApz42Rs

The Grits & Soul Live at Our State Magazine → http://www.ourstate.com/grits-soul-live

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Tellico Debut Album Release Celebration at Isis on Fri 6/5 – Added to LEAF Festival Fri 5/8

Tellico. Photo by Jennifer Calllahan

Asheville’s Tellico Debuts with Relics and Roses, Due Out June 2nd Announcing Shows at LEAF & Isis in Asheville this Spring!

Explorative acoustic music that goes beyond conventional bluegrass, integrating with equal ease an old-time banjo-fiddle groove and an Americana aesthetic with drums and electric steel guitars.

“….wonderfully original mountain music. Sometimes they sound like what Kate Wolf would sound like had she come from the Southern Appalachians
– a beloved image if you ask me.”
—Martin Anderson, Music Director & Morning Host WNCW-FM

“The album of mostly original songs is superbly orchestrated and delivered taking the listener on an auditory odyssey that ranges from soulful and deep to upbeat and euphoric. Anya, Aaron, Stig, and Jed have woven a tapestry that is timeless and authentic and deserving of your attention.”
—Steve Johnson, Event Producer/Artist Relations Manager, Wilkesboro, NC

Tellico will independently release their debut album Relics and Roses on June 2, 2015. The album features the singing and songwriting of Anya Hinkle (guitar, fiddle) and Stig Stiglets (bass), and showcases Aaron Ballance on dobro and pedal and lap steel and Jed Willis on mandolin and clawhammer banjo. Guitar virtuoso Jon Stickley (Jon Stickley Trio) produced the album and makes a few guest appearances with drums and guitar.

The album is available now for pre-order at Tellicoband.com and includes an immediate download of the leading track, “Backstep Blues.” Tellico is pleased to announce Asheville regional shows including a Friday evening set at LEAF Festival on May 8th and an album release celebration at Isis Music Hall on Friday, June 5th. Visit their website for the most updated show listings.

Firmly planted in Asheville NC’s thriving roots music scene, Tellico is well schooled in bluegrass but with an unbridled organic “Appalachiacana” sound, combining some of the finest voices, songs and instrumental prowess in western North Carolina and beyond. Anya and Stig’s committed, authentic vocals are alloyed with Aaron’s flowing and soaring dobro and Jed’s textured and expressive mandolin, rooted in the mountain music they grew up with while pushing tradition into a modern Americana sound aesthetic.

Storytelling is at the helm of Tellico’s music. All of the songs on Relics and Roses were penned by Hinkle and Stiglets with the exception “White Line-River of Pride,” a Neil Young and Crazy Horse medley of two dirty electric rock tunes buttoned up bluegrass-style. The leading track, “Backstep Blues” [Hinkle] has a “backstep”, a rhythmic hiccup that is typical of old time music, telling the story of a man’s successive retreat from his wife (with the refrain “hey where did your daddy go wrong?”), leaving her with the “backstep blues.” “Calamity”, written by Stiglets, is a tale of disaster sparked by a combination of Hurricane Katrina and Japan’s 2011 tsunami, and the destructive and terrifying images of those events.

“Forsaken Winds” is poetry unto itself with the ethereal sounds of Ballance’s pedal steel filling in the spirit of the lyrics; while “Hawkeye Pierce and Honeycutt Blues” is a tongue and cheek raggy romp in an Asheville street busker’s shoes. “You Can’t Go Home Again” is inspired by Asheville author Thomas Wolfe’s book of the same name. Anya found the book to be so richly descriptive in Wolfe’s longwinded style, especially when the protagonist DOES go home again, which she said, “reminded me of something that my dad always used to say: ‘you can’t go home again’! Of course you can’t. The comforting idea of home is just that, an idea. You have to face yourself and your life. Running from it, either to home or far away from it, doesn’t alleviate your suffering.”

“Mexico 1995” is a coming-of-age story penned by Hinkle after a solo four month journey, mostly by bus, from Nogales, Arizona through Guatemala and back. It was before the internet, before cell phones, and after a grisly war and genocide in southern Mexico and Guatemala, a real eye opener for a kid, all during the winter after Jerry Garcia died. Hinkle says, “That early morning that I walked back, on foot, into my post-college privileged American life after crossing the border at Nogales was like a dream, I was a ghost in my own shoes, my idea of who I was as porous as the haze that seemed to linger that entire day that I re-emerged.” The song uses samples from iconic songs that set up the general feeling that it’s all been done before. Hinkle reflects, “Where does a kid go with that? What’s ahead that’s worth anything?”

Relics and Roses is the first since Anya, Stig, and Aaron formed Tellico after recording four records with the Asheville-based bluegrass band Dehlia Low, whose final album Ravens and Crows was released on the Rebel Records label in 2011. “I love how the songs on Relics and Roses sound with these musicians covering all details that I didn’t even realize I was longing to hear. The band’s rich playing overlays absolutely perfectly with the meanings of the songs, whether playful and amusing or searching, haunting and lonely,” says Hinkle.

Tellico is Pleased to Announce Asheville Regional Shows Including

LEAF Festival on Friday, May 8th
Set Time: Eden Hall @ 7:15-8:30pm
www.theleaf.org/the-festival/

AND

Isis Music Hall on Friday, June 5th Album Release Celebration
Jon Stickley opens solo and will join Tellico for some tunes
$8 adv / $10 dos; 5pm/ 8:30pm Show
828-575-2737
www.isisasheville.com

Tellico Tour Dates
Fri 5/8 – LEAF Festival – Black Mountain, NC
Fri 5/22 – Music In The Valle – Valle Crucis Community Park – Valle Crucis, NC
Sun 5/31 – The Rooster’s Wife – Aberdeen, NC
Fri 6/5 – Isis Restaurant and Music Hall – Asheville, NC
Fri 6/12 – Music On The Square – Jonesborough, TN
Sat 6/13 – Granite Falls Brewery- Granite Falls, NC
Fri 6/19 – Groovin’ on the Green Summer Concert Series – Cashiers, NC
Fri 6/26 – Nantahala Outdoor Center – Bryson City, NC
Sat 6/27 – 185 King Street – Brevard, NC
Sat 7/11 – Bluegrass On The Grass, 20th Anniversary – Carlisle, PA
Fri 8/21 – The Jones House-Summer Concert Series – Boone, NC
Sat 8/29 – US National Whitewater Center River Jam – Charlotte, NC
Sat 9/19 – Apple Fest – Winston-Salem, NC
Sat 10/17 – Cowee School Concert Series – Franklin, NC

Find out more about Tellico and Relics and Roses at at Tellicoband.com, facebook.com/Tellico & twitter.com/TellicoBand.

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Asheville Musicians Perform Paul Simon’s Graceland at Isis to Support Helpmate Wed 5/6

Asheville Musicians Perform Paul Simon’s Graceland at Isis
to Support Helpmate Wed 5/6

Tickets on Sale Now!

More than fifteen Asheville musicians will gather in a  collaborative effort to support local non-profit Helpmate at Isis Music Hall on Friday, May 6th. Orchestrated by local musician, producer, and IamAVL.com co-founder Josh Blake, Safe and Sound Presents: Retrospective Collective will include a very special Prix Fixe dinner prepared by Chef Mike Mahoney and will include instrumental music during dinner and Paul Simon’s album Graceland played in its entirety.

Tickets can be purchased at www.safeandsoundavl.com

The following artists are confirmed with additional cameos to be announced:
Josh Blake
Debrissa McKinney
Derrick Lee Johnson
Jamar A. Woods
Aaron Woody Wood
Phil Bronson
Jeff Knorr
Ryan G Reardon
Alex Bradley
Kyle Snuffer
Tyler Housholder
Kellin Watson

Schedule of Events:
6pm Dinner reservations begin

(Reservations must be made in advance by calling Isis at 828-575-2737)

7pm Live Dinner Music begins

8pm Local musicians perform Paul Simon’s Album “Graceland” in its entirety.

Tickets:
$20/General Admission

$65/ Includes Prix Fixe Dinner by Isis Restaurant and Show and VIP seating.

A three course meal prepared by Chef Mike Mahoney and special VIP seating for this very special Asheville show.

$500 to sponsor a table of 6 – includes a drink upon arrival and your business name featured at the event.

Very special seating for six sponsored by your business. Be greeted with a complimentary cocktail, beer or wine. Then enjoy a three course meal prepared by Chef Mike Mahoney. This purchase is a tax deductible donation to Helpmate.

About Helpmate
Proceeds to benefit Helpmate, Buncombe County’s non-profit agency providing safety, shelter and support for victims of domestic violence.

For tickets, please visit: www.safeandsoundavl.com

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

 

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The Honeycutters Announce Tour Dates, New Album ‘Me Oh My’ Out April 21 via Organic Records

The Honeycutters. Photo by Sandlin Gaither

Asheville-based American Country Roots Band, The Honeycutters,
Set to Release 3rd Studio Album, Me Oh My, on Tue, April 21, 2015 With Organic Record Company

“… just superb, with a sweet toned and melodious aura… Today’s Smoky Mountain area modern folk thing does have a certain vibe, and these guys are among its finest purveyors.” –Music City Roots’ Craig Havighurst

“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.” –Folk Music About.com’s Kim Ruehl

Announcing Spring and Summer Tour
Throughout the Southeast and Into the Northeast

The Honeycutters, an Asheville, NC-based original country roots band, is set to release their third studio album, Me Oh My, on April 21, 2015 with Organic Records®. Fueled by the powerful songwriting and vocals of founder Amanda Platt, Me Oh My moves her into the spotlight as producer, band leader, and principal creative force behind the band. With songs that are honest and relatable, part chagrin and part hope, Platt’s voice carries a timeless appeal. Pre-sales for the album have launched on iTunes and include four immediate tracks to download off the fourteen track release. They have announced tour dates throughout the southeast and into the northeast this spring and summer; more dates will be announced.

Led by songwriter Amanda Anne Platt, The Honeycutters include Tal Taylor on mandolin, Rick Cooper on bass, Josh Milligan on drums, and Matt Smith rounds out the band on pedal steel, electric guitar, and dobro to create a sound that carries just as well across the bar room as in a church or a theater. Platt’s songs are shaped by a raw honesty that comes straight from the heart and emits a sort of melancholy happiness.

Me Oh My is threaded with themes of love, loss, acceptance and regrowth. It kicks off with an engaging southern swingin’ song, “Jukebox,” that is about taking life one day at a time and not taking yourself too seriously saying “it’s only a song, so for heaven’s sake won’t you sing along?” The title cut is an inspirational anthem about the state of the modern woman, stating, “Some girls marry and some girls wait.” Me Oh My brings more of what fans love about The Honeycutters, honestly written songs sung in Platt’s authentic voice. The up-tempo, beer-raising, danceable “Ain’t It The Truth” is one that will fuel audiences at live shows while melancholy ballads like “Texas ’81” balance the album both in meter and mood. The upbeat “I’ll Be Lovin’ You” as a whole speaks to holding someone up until they are strong enough to stand on their own. Me Oh My delves deeper into the darker realms of love with “Little Bird” which gained Platt notoriety as it was chosen as a finalist at MerleFest’s prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (2011).

Platt self produced the album along with the help of engineer and assistant producer Jon Ashley. The album was recorded in Echo Mountain Recording Studio and Mixtown Studio in Asheville, NC and it was mixed and mastered just down the road at Crossroads Studios in Arden, NC.

“The new album is the one I’m most proud of to date.” Platt says, “I took much more of a driver’s seat in it’s making, and the process has forced me to do a lot of growing up… I feel like I’ve really found my voice. I’m very excited about the line up of the band, and the songwriting includes some of my very favorites.”

The Honeycutters on Tour
4/2 Thu – Robert Ferst Theatre Amphitheatre – Atlanta, GA
4/3 Fri – Mars Theatre – Springfield, GA
4/17 Fri – Isis Music Hall – Asheville, NC
4/18 Sat – Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival – Silk Hope, NC
4/22 Wed – Music City Roots – Nashville, TN
4/24 Fri – MerleFest – Wilkesboro, NC
5/2 Sat – Sylvia Theater – York, SC
5/3 Sun – Eddie’s Attic – Decatur, GA
5/8 Fri – The Willow Tree – Johnson City, TN
5/9 Sat – Barley’s – Knoxville TN
5/14 Thu – The Double Door Inn – Charlotte, NC
5/15 Fri – Bourgie Nights – Wilmington, NC >
6/4 Thu – The ArtsCenter – Carrboro, NC
6/5 Fri – Sails Music Series – Hickory, NC
6/17 Sun – 10th Ave Burrito Co. – Belmar, NJ
6/18 – Thu – Rockwood Music Hall 2 – New York, NY *
6/20 Sat – Rochester International Jazz Festival – Rochester, NY
6/21 Sun – Mechanic Street House – Cleveland, OH
8/21 Fri – Summer Tracks Rogers Park Amphitheater – Tryon, NC
8/22 Sat- Cataloochee Ranch – Maggie Valley, NC

> w/ Massive Grass
* w/ The Hillbenders

For more information about The Honeycutters and further tour dates, please visit: www.thehoneycutters.com. For news from the road, please visit www.facebook.com/Honeycutters and twitter.com/thehoneycutters.

 

 

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Taylor Martin’s Album Release Celebration at Isis on Sat, Jan 10, 2015

Taylor Martin’s Album Release Celebration at Isis on Sat, Jan 10, 2015
8:30 PM show/ 5pm doors; $8 Advance / $10 At the Door
General Admission Seated Show :: Limited Tables Available with Dinner Reservations.
There will also be theater-style & balcony seating and standing available on a first come first serve basis

Isis Music Hall
828-575-2737
743 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
http://isisasheville.com/events/taylor-martin-cd-release-celebration/

Taylor Martin’s Album Heartache or Bust Features Stuart Duncan, Cody Kilby, Aaron Ramsey & more
Honest and Raw Tales of Love, Barroom Nights & Heartache
Overlaid Onto a Tapestry of Stringed Instruments along with B3 Hammond, Drums & Horns

For the past ten years in Asheville’s own Taylor Martin has been one of the area’s premier singer-songwriters. His raspy, emotion filled voice is instantly recognizable and his lyrics have an unflinching sincerity. Taylor has released a new record — Heartache or Bust — featuring Grammy winning artists Stuart Duncan and Cody Kilby as well as members of bluegrass supergroup, Mountain Heart.

To recreate these recordings in a live setting as Taylor Martin’s Acoustic Band, Martin has assembled some of the finest instrumentalist in Western North Carolina. The Indomitable Lyndsay Pruett on fiddle, bluegrass ninja Drew Matulich on mandolin, and Rick Cooper (of The Honeycutters) on upright bass. They will be performing at Isis Music Hall in Asheville on Saturday, Jan 10, 2015 to celebrate the release of Heartache or Bust. Joining the band as special guest for the evening are also Josh Milligan (The Honeycutters) on drums, as well as other special guests. “Taylor’s songwriting and taste in good music definitely add strength to the reputation the Asheville area has for having one of the best music scenes in the country. Heartache Or Bust has got some great new songs on it” says WNCW’s Martin Anderson.

“After 2009’s Engine, I wanted to put out an album which would contain material that had a chance to mature through live performances.” Taylor Martin goes on to say, “The songs were coming fast and I wanted the recording to happen with the same intensity. With the help of my co-producer and engineer Eric Willson (Omni Records), I was able to gather some of my favorite local and national musicians and lay down the initial tracks in Echo Mountain Studio while they were feeling new and very inspired.” Much of the album was  recorded at Omni Artist Studios where the album was mastered and there is also one live track mixed in. There is one cover on the album “Once in a While” and was sung by Taylor’s grandfather Jack Baldwin. He recorded his vocals and piano in the late 1940s and Taylor decided to add some the instruments that would have been typically used in his day.

In the release of Heartache or Bust, Taylor Martin has created a wonderfully written, beautifully played, and well-recorded mix of fresh original music. All twelve tunes are played by some of the finest, most cutting edge musicians in acoustic music today — Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Cody Kilby (Ricky Skaggs) on acoustic and electric guitars, and Aaron Ramsey (Mountain Heart) on bass guitar, bouzouki, banjo, mandolin and dobro. The album also features tracks with Acoustic Syndicate’s Jay Sanders on bass; John Gardner on drums (James Taylor, Don Williams); Josh Shilling on B3 hammond, piano, and vocals; Drew Matulich on guitar; as well as wonderful vocalists, Molly Cherryholmes and Rorey Carroll amongst other musicians.

Even with all that studio musician prowess, the recording avoids the common pitfalls of “music business slickness” and “corporately modified arrangements.” While the songs are simple, they’re not simplistic. Engaging melodies, lyrics, bass guitar lines, and sonic choices allow the songs to breathe and maintain their evident roots influences of folk-rock and newgrass, and are topped off with the sweet singer-songwriter delivery of Martin’s adept vocals. This record covers a wide range of emotions and tells a story throughout to give the listener something new to hear with each track.

The sound is big but never loud, an almost living room rock ensemble that could fill both a small club and large theatre; a sonic balance hard to achieve in an acoustic ensemble with drums, yet they’ve done it. That the music is played together in ensemble fashion creates a kind of mountain-top chamber orchestra feel to some of the tunes. Martin’s singing is about the song. His voice is tender, vulnerable, and honest in nature, never losing the “eye contact” in his vocal delivery, a quality that is his hallmark throughout the recording. Acclaimed banjoist, Jeff Mosier, calls the album “one of the most fresh, organic, and original collections…I have heard in a long time…”

The lyrics are modern, yet firmly rooted in the deep traditions of Martin’s extended Southern heritage. Though you can hear the influences of early pioneers like Bill Monroe, the music is definitely one of the most fresh, organic, and original collections of songs and arrangements that I have heard in a long time. It represents to me what is still yet to come from the ever growing world of new acoustic, progressive, and alternative Americana. Taylor Martin will make his mark with this terrific work of original acoustic music. Taylor Martin says the album is ,”an invaluable lesson in songwriting: rely more on personal experience than on imagination….it was a real artistic awakening for me.”

For more about Taylor Martin, please visit www.TaylorMartin.org

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Town Mountain’s Holiday Bluegrass Benefit for MANNA FoodBank at Isis on Sat 12/20 w/ Mandolin Orange

Town Mountain, New Belgium Brewing Co. and The Isis Present:
The 3rd Annual Bluegrass Holiday Benefit
w/ Special Guests Mandolin Orange on Sat, Dec 20th at Isis Music Hall

Benefit for MANNA FoodBank & Funding America Through Entertainment (FATE)
New Belgium Serves Up Several Special Beers With A Portion of Sales Being Donated
—A Percentage of All Ticket Sales Will Be Donated—

$20; 5PM door (dining seating available) / 9pm show; Raffle
General Admission with Some Balcony Seating
828-575-2737
743 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
www.IsisAsheville.com

On Saturday, December 20th, 2014 Town Mountain and Mandolin Orange will play a benefit for two local hunger relief organizations, Funding America Through Entertainment (FATE) and MANNA FoodBank at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall in Asheville, NC. New Belgium Brewing Company is sponsoring the event and will donate proceeds from their beer sales in addition to a monetary bonus. Town Mountain has dedicated a portion of ticket sales for the cause as well as arranged for a 50/50 raffle the evening of the show. This is the 3rd time that FATE and Town Mountain have teamed up to fight hunger, having donated more than $3000 towards the cause and Town Mountain will continue to develop the Holiday Bluegrass Benefit as an annual tradition.

Town Mountain. Photo by Jason Beverly.

Asheville-based Town Mountain’s hard drivin’ bluegrass sound, tight harmonies, and stellar in-house songwriting have become the band’s trademark as they have grown into a national touring act performing at at some of the most prestigious festivals in the country such as MerleFest, Grey Fox, Rockygrass, Suwannee Springfest and the Targhee Bluegrass Festival, just to mention a few. They light up the stage with their honky tonk edge and barroom swagger, featuring a Jimmy Martin-style bounce and confidence that is countered at times by a laid-back John Hartford-esque groove. Town Mountain includes Robert Greer on vocals and guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals, and Nick DiSebastian on bass.

The band is thrilled to be hosting this year’s Bluegrass Holiday Benefit with longtime friends Mandolin Orange at Isis Music Hall, the location where Town Mountain’s new album, Live At The Isis, was recorded.

Mandolin Orange, hailing from Carrboro, NC, is Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz. “Mandolin Orange carries an understanding of tradition and shape it into a thing of beauty. They craft simple songs that go beyond chord progressions and vocal harmonies, leading somehow toward something pure. Using acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin and a hand-me-down fiddle, Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz allure with a heart-worn sensibility…[which] combines bluegrass, rock and country for lullabies that swoon,” writes  Independent Weekly. They released their 3rd album, This Side of Jordan last summer through Yep Roc Records and have made quite a bit of noise on the folk/Americana circuit, while displaying a virtuosity and exuberance that crosses over to more indie-rock inclined audiences.

For more information about Town Mountain visit www.TownMountain.net and for more about Mandolin Orange  visit www.MandolinOrange.com.

MANNA FoodBank is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving Western North Carolina since 1983. As an accredited member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization, the mission of MANNA FoodBank is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in Western North Carolina. MANNA serves 221 non-profit member agencies in 16 Western North Carolina. For more information, visit MANNAFoodbank.org or call 828-299-FOOD.

FATE specializes in facilitating relationships among corporate entities, Feeding America food banks, and entertainers. FATE brings attention to various hunger-related issues and generates revenues to combat hunger. In 2013, FATE generated revenues in excess of $20,000 for hunger relief organizations. More than $10,000 was generated for Asheville’s MANNA FoodBank!! For more info visit www.SupportFate.org

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