The musical bridge: Appalachian Road Show to play Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival
Appalachian Road Show
File photo
Last month, at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award show in Chattanooga, Appalachian Road Show took the stage to perform “Della Jane’s Heart” in front of every big star currently within the “high, lonesome sound.”
ARS was up for the most coveted honor of the night, “Entertainer of the Year,” alongside pillars of the genre: Alison Krauss & Union Station, Del McCoury Band and Billy Strings. And though ARS didn’t come away with the trophy, the ensemble reinforced its status as one of the “must see” marquee acts in modern bluegrass.
“Being in that [‘Entertainer of the Year’] lineup? Those are names that have shaped the sound and spirit of bluegrass for decades,” said ARS fiddler Jim VanCleve. “They’re our friends and peers, and also heroes.”
Alongside the Grammy-winning VanCleve, ARS also includes Grammy-nominated banjoist Barry Abernathy, mandolinist Darrell Webb, guitarist Zeb Snyder and bassist Todd Phillips.
“I genuinely do think [the ‘Father of Bluegrass’] Bill Monroe spoke directly to what is so distinctive about the genre at its core,” VanCleve said. “He called it the ‘ancient tones.’ While that’s hard to quantify, I also think people know exactly what it is when they hear it — in their very soul.”
The quintet will appear at the Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Balsam Range, John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band and singer-songwriter Michael Reno Harrell are also on the bill.
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“It’s a whole thing [with bluegrass music]. Hard to explain, but absolutely undeniable and inescapable in its effect,” VanCleve said. “We’ve been trying to tap into all of this, and I’ve spent my life trying to do it in as authentic a way as possible.”
Raised in Haywood County, VanCleve’s family lived on Balsam Mountain and Eagles Nest, with others in Bethel, Cruso and Canton. From early on, he was surrounded by music, listening to “old-time players one night, bluegrass the next, then [hearing] gospel on Sunday morning.” At age six, he was given a fiddle and “the sound of it always spoke to me.”
“Growing up in Haywood County, I was right in the middle of a rich musical tradition — all of that seeped in,” VanCleve said. “The fiddle became my way to tie it all together, a bridge between those styles and stories. It can whisper or it can cry. It can sound rough and raw or as smooth as a voice.”
And all the while, VanCleve was playing music, either learning from others on the front porch somewhere in Western North Carolina or simply performing shows with his father across Southern Appalachia.
“[I was] learning and inheriting the soul of the music,” VanCleve said. “It’s in my DNA musically.”
Eventually, VanCleve graduated from Pisgah High School. In 1997, he joined legendary bluegrass act Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. A year later, he would join Abernathy and form famed Americana group Mountain Heart, a position he held until leaving the band in 2014 to pursue other projects.
“Back in our Mountain Heart days, I had a concept for producing a ‘Road Show’ type of presentation,” VanCleve said. “[One] that sort of followed a narrative of all forms of American music, as seen through the lens of our versatile band.”
Coming into 2018, he and Abernathy once again came together to launch Appalachian Road Show. Leading up to that point, Abernathy approached VanCleve and asked “if I might be okay with him taking this [‘Road Show’] idea and making it a little more personal.”
“[He wanted to] use that same skeleton [of an idea], but focusing more on the roots and soul of Appalachia, its musical influences and heritage,” VanCleve said. “Honestly — and I told him this — it made more sense to me on a personal level than the previous idea ever could have.”
Right out of the gate with its self-titled debut album, ARS garnered big attention by the bluegrass industry, with its fanbase growing steadily. That would soon parlay itself into the outfit taking home the honors for “New Artist of the Year” and “Instrumental Group of the Year” at the 2021 IBMA awards.
“And I’d have to say things have never slowed down,” VanCleve said. “Since [the 2021 IBMAs], it’s been an absolute wild ride creating and curating this brand, this show, and this music.”
To that point, VanCleve emphasizes the band’s motto and mission statement, something emblazoned across all of the ARS merchandise: “Authenticity Never Goes Out of Style.”
“When we stay as authentic as possible, stay true to what we meant and intended to be at the outset, great things seem to happen,” VanCleve said.
When reflecting on just exactly what ARS sets out to do — and ultimately accomplishes with a deep well of intricate talent and genuine sense of gratitude — VanCleve looks at his melodic craft as an “intersection between joy and purpose, between past and present.” It’s this sacred role of the artist to “interpret the world through your eyes and try to create something beautiful.”
“We’re trying to bring something unique in our authentic respect for the music, the heritage, the region, the roots, and the branches,” VanCleve said. “We get to share music that comes straight from the heart of Appalachia, and people keep connecting with it. The fact that folks are moved by what we do? That’s what keeps us showing up and giving everything we’ve got.”
Want to go?
Hosted by the Haywood County Arts Council, the annual Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival will return from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.
Taking the stage will be Haywood County bluegrass legends Balsam Range, Appalachian Roadshow, John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band and singer-songwriter Michael Reno Harrell.
Since its inception in 2007, Balsam Range has become one of the most decorated and award-winning acts in the wide world of bluegrass music.
The band has taken home the following International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) honors: “Entertainer of the Year” (2014, 2018), “Album of the Year” (2013, 2017), “Song of the Year” (2011, 2015) and “Vocal Group of the Year” (2014, 2015), with Melton named “Male Vocalist of the Year” (2014, 2018) and Tim Surrett “Bass Player of the Year” (2018).
The annual HCAC fundraiser, the festival brings all of the organization’s programs and artists together for a truly one-of-a-kind music-themed experience. The event will also include music-themed vendors, raffles, artist member demonstrations/artwork, a child and adult playground and local food/drinks.
Advance tickets are $69.55 per person (tax included). Children ages 12 and under are admitted free. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit haywoodarts.org/smoky-mountains-bluegrass-festival or call 828.452.0593.
