untitled

Events in Mitchell and Yancey

(and other nearby venues)

Contact ron at events@rlgreene.net to join this list or to post a live performance event. Some of the information in this list has been compiled by Deb Louis.

Wednesday, June 3

• Old-Time Jam, 6:00p-8:00p. Mad Hatter Tavern, 69 Locust (aka Lower) St, Spruce Pine. "William Ritter will be hosting this monthly open old-time jam. We’ll be playing fiddle tunes and maybe singing a few old songs. If that’s your jam, this may be your jam. This happens on the first Wednesday of each month."

Thursday, June 4

• Don Hogan, 2:00p-5:00p. Linville Falls Winery, 9557 Linville Falls Highway Newland.

• Bob Plott w/ William Ritter, 5:00p-6:15p. Plott Hound Books, 102 W Main St, Burnsville. "Bob Plott is an award winning author and historian. Southern Appalachian Folkways is his 7th book, featuring various traditional artists – including Plot Hound Books' very own William Ritter."

• Jeff Honeycutt (traditional mountain), 6:00p-8:00p. City Drive-In, 670 Oak St, Spruce Pine, 828-765-4480.

Friday, June 5

• Preston Benfield, 2:00p-5:00p. Linville Falls Winery, 9557 Linville Falls Highway Newland.

• Drumming Circle, 6:30p-??. Burnsville Town Square.

• Open Mic, 7:00p-??. The Dispensary and Upper Club, 271 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine, 828-765-0050.

• Dwayne Melton Band (Southern country & rock), 7:00p-??. Homeplace Beer Company, 321 W. Main St, Burnsville.

• Sister Act, 7:30p-??. Parkway Playhouse, 202 Green Mountain Dr, 828-682-4285. "Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Glenn Slater. Book by Cheri Steinkellner Bill Steinkellner. Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane. Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture, Sister Act, written by Joseph Howard. Directed by Reed Atherton.

A divine comedy based on the film, where disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder and goes into hiding in a convent, transforming its struggling choir into a sensation while evading her danger and finding the power of sisterhood."

Saturday, June 6

• Toe River Jam, 10:00a-12:30p. Fellowship Hall, 1st Presbyterian Church of Burnsville, 120 Church Street, Burnsville. An eclectic jam/song circle that welcomes all skill levels.

• Last Call, noon-??. Toe River Crafts, Corner of NC80 S and White Oak Rd. Susan and Carl are playing for the Toe River Crafts open house.

• Pipes on the Parkway (4th Annual), noon-4:00p. The Historic Orchard at Altapass, Blue Ridge Pkwy milepost 328.3. 828-765-9531.

Noon: Queen City Pipes & Drums Opening Ceremony

12:45p: Tim McWilliams Trio

2:15p: Queen City Pipes & Drums

2:45p: Eric Witherspoon & Friends Open Celtic Session

• Watkins Band, 2:00p-5:00p. Linville Falls Winery, 9557 Linville Falls Highway Newland.

• Kirk Banner (60-80s rock & pop/originals), 6:00p-8:00p. City Drive-In, 670 Oak St, Spruce Pine, 828-765-4480.

• Sound Traveler, 7:00p-9:00p. The Dispensary and Upper Club, 271 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine, 828-765-0050. The Dispensary usually has acoustic music on Saturdays, but i rarely know who is playing.

• The Get Right Band (psychodelic indie rock), 7:00p-??. Homeplace Beer Company, 321 W. Main St, Burnsville.

Sunday, June 7

• Smokin' Joe, 2:00p-5:00p. Linville Falls Winery, 9557 Linville Falls Highway Newland.

• California Bluegrass Style, 2:00p-4:00p. The Historical Orchard at Altapass, Blue Ridge Pkwy milepost 328.3, 2-4pm. 828-765-9531. "We are so excited to welcome back Carolina Bluegrass Style for their 3rd year performing at the Orchard. If you haven’t heard them yet– wow what a treat! Their style includes standard classics like Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Rocky Top, Man of Constant Sorrow, Orange Blossom Special, Dueling Banjos, The Ballad of Jed Clampett — and who knows, they may even throw in some classic country. Come come take in some breathtaking views, enjoy the music, and top it off with some warm apple pie. Hope to see you there!"

• Sister Act, 2:30p-??. Parkway Playhouse, 202 Green Mountain Dr, 828-682-4285. "Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Glenn Slater. Book by Cheri Steinkellner Bill Steinkellner. Additional Book Material by Douglas Carter Beane. Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture, Sister Act, written by Joseph Howard. Directed by Reed Atherton.

Tuesday, June 9

• Traditional Irish Session, 6:00p-8:00p. Homeplace Beer Company, 321 West Main Street, Burnsville, 828-536-9068. “Been going since June 2023. We take turns, going around the circle, leading or requesting tunes or sets. Played at the pace of the person leading/requesting. Email eric@celo.dev if you wish to confirm we are in session. https://thesession.org/sessions/8874“

• Barry Stagg & Friends (acoustic originals), 7:00p-??. The Dispensary and Upper Club, 271 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine, 828-765-0050.

• Creative Journey: The First Fifty Years of Toe River Arts. Owens Gallery, Toe River Arts (2^nd floor), Spruce Pine. "The Mitchell County Historical Society invites the public to a special program exploring the first 50 years of the organization originally known as TRAC. Photographs and personal reflections will highlight the organization’s growth and its impact on the arts & cultural life in Mitchell and Yancey counties. The program will preview anniversary events, including an arts weekend July 24–26. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to explore special exhibits. mitchellnchistory@gmail.com, 828-688-4371."

• Toe River Chamber Ensemble, 7:30p-??. First Baptist Church (on the square), Burnsville. Annual Spring Concert. Donations are warmly appreciated and help support the ensemble’s ongoing work.

Director R. Kevin Paul will lead the ensemble in a program of classic and spirited selections. Known for his enthusiasm, humor, and dynamic leadership, Paul keeps the musicians energized with engaging and challenging repertoire.

Founded in 1976, the Toe River Chamber Ensemble is a true community orchestra, bringing together 25–30 volunteer musicians from Yancey, Mitchell, and Madison counties. Members span a wide range of ages and professions, united by their shared love of music and weekly rehearsals.

Originally organized under Toe River Arts, the ensemble became an independent organization in November 2022. The group extends its gratitude to Toe River Arts for decades of support and partnership.

The ensemble is a North Carolina nonprofit, unincorporated organization and relies solely on community donations. The musicians also express deep appreciation to First Baptist Church, which generously provides rehearsal and performance space. For updates and additional information, visit the ensemble on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/toeriverchamberensemble

============================================

Early Announcements

▪ Thursday, June 11 – Sam McKinney, 6:00p-8:00p. Side rooms, Burnsville Town Center. Toe River Music is very happy to present Sam McKinney in concert. Sam is one of the most talented young performers in our area, with a great voice and excellent guitar chops. His performances for us always draw large crowds, so come early for a good seat. $5 admission.

▪ Saturday, June 13 – Shannon Hitchcock, 2:00p-??. Plott Hound Books, 102 W Main St, Burnsville, plotthoundbookstore@gmail.com. "Calling all middle grade readers, parents, grandparents, teachers, and more! Join us to meet regional author Shannon Hitchcock and hear her read from her new book, Wild Mountain Ivy. While recovering from long COVID at a historic Blue Ridge mountain inn, twelve-year-old musician Ivy connects with the history of a 1920s tuberculosis patient, discovering a shared bond that transforms her summer. Save the date!"

▪ Saturday, June 13 – Ferguson & Northup, 7:00p-9:00p. Alpine Village Concert Series, 40 National Forest Dr, Burnsville.

▪ Friday, June 19 – Bob Williams, 7:00p-9:00p. Alpine Village Concert Series, 40 National Forest Dr, Burnsville.

▪ Thursday, June 25 – Toe River Music Open Mic, 6:00p-8:00p. Side rooms, Burnsville Town Center. Cathy Sky will open the evening with a half-hour mini-concert. Following that, musicians, poets, comedians, story-tellers who have signed up at the beginning of the evening are welcome to strut their stuff.

▪ Friday, June 26 – The Black Feathers, 5:00p, potluck; 6:00p, concert. The Koran residence, 52 Stagger Weed Rd, Bakersville. [From Bruce Koran] "That’s over the bridge and up my (repaired and much smoother) driveway.

If you saw them last time you will remember they were terrific! If not, here are a couple of review excerpts:

'Absolutely Wonderful' Whispering Bob Harris (BBC Radio 2)

'Mesmerising and stunning in equal measure... An artistic triumph for a duo of undeniable talent.' FATEA

'Draws you in for a brilliant, effervescent ride from the moment you press play' Maverick ••••

'Sheer poetic beauty both lyrically and musically.' Cryptic Rock •••••

You can find out more about The Black Feathers and sample their music at https://theblackfeathers.com/

DONATION: $30 per person

POT LUCK: Bring whatever you’d like. I plan to cook a ham or maybe a turkey breast.

BEVERAGES: Bring your own, but I’m going to have plenty of homemade Irish Red Ale available.

MISCELLANEOUS: Parking can be a bit challenging, but Ron Greene will be “on duty” and will show you where to park. Please let me know if you have any special parking requests.

ONE MORE THING: This will be a very special weekend, since we will have a Remembrance for Frances on Saturday June 27, 7:00 pm at The Dispensary in Spruce Pine. We will have a number of friends and family from out of town at house concert and on Saturday. We would love to have everyone at both events as well!

So let me know if you can attend. We’d love to have a big crowd! If you have any questions, please send me a email or call text me at 828-385-2453."

▪ Saturday, June 27 – Blue Ridge Storytelling Festival, 10:00a-3:00p. Center for Pioneer Life, 134 Joe Young Road. "There will be a dozen authors swapping stories and signing their books. The featured storyteller will be Bob Plott, a superb writer and speaker and overall great human being who's won the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Elvie and Dorthy B's Book Boutique will have books there, as will the Yancey County Library and Malaprops. Here's the link for tickets: Blue Ridge Storytelling Summit."

▪ Tuesday, June 30 – Toe River Chamber Ensemble, 7:30p-??. Homeplace Beer Company, Burnsville. Donations are warmly appreciated and help support the ensemble’s ongoing work.

Originally organized under Toe River Arts, the ensemble became an independent organization in November 2022. The group extends its gratitude to Toe River Arts for decades of support and partnership.

https://www.facebook.com/toeriverchamberensemble

============================================

Opportunities

This space is freely available for local area commercial announcements by individuals or businesses. There must be a direct musical or other performance connection (musical items for sale, music lessons, etc.). Send your announcement to events@rlgreene.net .

For Sale: Kala UBASS-KOA-FS. This is a special Kala bass ukulele; the series was produced to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Ubass. It has a beautiful figured solid koa top and laminate koa back and sides. I bought it directly from Kala as a demo; in fact, it is the very same instrument pictured on the Kala website. Specs are given on the website. Comes with the original Kala gigbag.

When i purchased it I had Kala replace the standard round wound strings with Kala/Gallistrings flat wound strings, about a $60 value in themselves. (The removed round wounds are included.) Comes with the Kala gig bag. $400. Ron, 828-688-9047.