Ode to the traditions, past and present: A conversation with John Duncan

Amid the evening whirlwind of friendly faces and hearty banter at Boojum Brewing in downtown Waynesville, John Duncan sips a craft ale, pauses momentarily, and ponders just what it means to be a conduit for the sacred traditions of Southern Appalachian music in the 21st Century — it’s preservation and, ultimately, it’s perpetuation.

American pastoral: Brothers Gillespie release new album, plot summer tour

Within its upcoming sophomore album, “American Pastoral,” rising Haywood County-based Americana/rock act The Brothers Gillespie has cultivated a vast, vibrant landscape of sonic and lyrical textures.

Love is a mean old world: A conversation with Warren Haynes

The beauty of the blues is that it’s a style of music you grow up alongside, one where you may pick it up early on and, perhaps, easily, but it’ll take a lifetime to journey down the rabbit hole of its intricate nature, endless depths of sonic textures and unlimited melodic possibilities. 

Me and you with the sunset blues: Tim Bluhm of The Mother Hips

At age 51, acclaimed singer-songwriter Tim Bluhm feels like he’s just getting started. The creative well of inspiration remains deep and pure, where his band, The Mother Hips, are continually exploring further and farther down the rabbit hole as this melodic endeavor is now 32 years in the making.

At the End of the Rainbow: A conversation with Sierra Ferrell

Musician extraordinaire. Freelance sniper. Dancer.

This must be the place: Rock and roll is here to stay, come inside where it’s okay

It was that familiar smell that conjured a slew of memories.

The alchemy of the melody: A conversation with Andrew Thelston

In terms of musical ambassadors within the melodic melting pot of a scene that is Western North Carolina, you’d be hard-pressed to find an artist as dedicated and inclusive as that of Andrew Thelston. 

All this everything: Brock Butler of Perpetual Groove

It is said that a cat has nine lives. If so, then singer-songwriter Brock Butler may just be half-feline.

Show me somethin’ I can’t sell: A conversation with John R. Miller

Hailing from the rural panhandle of West Virginia, singer-songwriter John R. Miller is one of the most fascinating and captivating artists in recent memory.

Runnin’ wild: A conversation with Railroad Earth

In the realm of string and jam music, few acts are as intricately varied as Railroad Earth. Recently crossing over the 20-year mark together, the ensemble is a rich, vibrant blend of bluegrass, roots and folk music, all swirling around a multifaceted penchant for deep improvisation within a live performance. 

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