Community Calendar

6PM DOORS / 7PM SHOW FULLY SEATED SHOW GOLDEN FOLK SESSIONS Golden Folk Sessions (formerly Open Folk AVL) offers an intimate, carefully curated listening experience that celebrates the art of original music. Each event showcases six handpicked artists, performing three-song sets in a quiet, seated environment where the music takes center stage. To add a sense of surprise and discovery, the lineup is revealed only when the show begins. Running from 7–9 PM, these early shows create the perfect evening for music lovers who value live performances and a good night’s rest. With over 100 shows hosted and extraordinary artists from around the globe gracing our stage, Golden Folk Sessions is entering an exciting new chapter. Under a new name and with a new home at The Grey Eagle—one of the Southeast’s most iconic venues—we’re thrilled to continue fostering community through music. Staying true to our values of accessibility, we aim to make music available to everyone. Presale tickets guarantee your seat and support both Golden Folk Sessions and The Grey Eagle. For those attending on the day of the show, our “pay what you can, if you can” option ensures that all are welcome to be part of this unique and meaningful experience. • $10 General Admission (presale) • $0-$25 Day-of-Show (no minimum) We can’t wait to see y’all there.

FULLY SEATED GA SHOW
AT THE ASHEVILLE MASONIC TEMPLE (80 BROADWAY ST)

DAN TYMINSKI BAND
Dan Tyminski was six years old when his parents began taking him to fiddle contests, square dances, and bluegrass festivals across New England. For a young musician who would later become one of the biggest names in modern-day bluegrass, those early experiences were life changing.

“Watching live music always spoke to me much louder than sitting in front of my record player,” he remembers. “I loved it. Wherever music was being played, I wanted to go watch. Years later, I still feel that way.”

Throughout his 30+ year career, Tyminski has left his mark in every corner of modern music. His voice famously accompanies George Clooney’s performance of the Stanley Brothers’ classic song, “I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow,” in the film, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? and his vocal collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii on the song “Hey Brother” was a global smash, having been streamed more than a billion times to date. His diverse solo projects and years of work with Alison Krauss and Union Station have yielded troves of award-winning music.

In recent years, Tyminski’s live shows with the Dan Tyminski Band have become bluegrass fan favorites and are regularly on the must-see lists among music fans of any genre.

With his newest album release – the Grammy-nominated 2024 concert album Dan Tyminski: Live From The Ryman – he captures the magic of those live shows, while also proving that he still has the same passion for live music as he did when he was growing up.

His earliest touring and recording work was as a part of the band, Green Mountain Bluegrass. He later joined the influential bluegrass group, Lonesome River Band, before embarking on his three decades of work with Alison Krauss and Union Station.

The first album that Tyminski recorded as a solo artist was the soul-stirring Carry Me Across the Mountain (2000), followed by the Grammy-nominated Wheels (2008) which was named the 2009 Album of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. His work with the EDM artist, Avicii, inspired Dan to create the genre-defying Southern Gothic album, released in 2017 to much critical acclaim. Tyminski would then showcase again his heart for bluegrass with the 2022 EP tribute to Tony Rice, One More Time Before You Go, which included guest performances by Molly Tuttle, Sam Bush, Dailey & Vincent, and Billy Strings.

Dan has been honored with 14 Grammy Awards and is a four-time Male Vocalist of the Year honoree by the International Bluegrass Music Association. He has also recorded instrumental or vocal harmony contributions for projects by Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Joan Osborne, Charlie Daniels, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Rob Thomas, and Charlie Haden, to name a few. Tyminski certainly represents the pinnacle of modern bluegrass music.

While Dan enjoys a good conversation and a good cigar, he can often be found participating in charitable Pro-Am golf tournaments, as well as competing regularly in the Foosball tournament circuit.

Writers are encouraged to meet at Mountains Branch Library in Lake Lure on the third Thursday of every month at 10:30am to share their work and offer feedback and ideas with other writers! No registration is needed.

APLR Presents: Natalie Spears & David Brown (of Rising Appalachia)

Friday, May 22nd, 2026

AyurPrana Listening Room - 312 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806

Doors 6PM || Event 7PM

Natalie Spears & David Brown (of Rising Appalachia)

Natalie Spears & David Brown are a duo rooted in a love of old songs and a sense of place. With hand-made instruments, close harmonies, and a deep reverence for traditional tunes, they approach roots music with thoughtfulness and palpable joy. Their sound is both grounded and exploratory, allowing time-worn songs to open into new shapes.

Together, they blend Natalie’s evocative voice and musicianship with David’s rhythmic sensibility and wide-ranging inspiration. Their music inhabits a space shaped by care, listening, and a shared sense of restraint.

David Brown, coming from a long line of Appalachian musicians, is fluent across a range of stringed instruments. For more than a decade, he has been a quiet architect of Rising Appalachia’s sound, shaping arrangements and recordings from within the group’s genre-defying approach to folk music. His 2025 release, The Long Branch Sessions, recorded in a cabin with Duncan Wickel, offers an unvarnished take on traditional music, while his work under the name Castanea explores rhythm and texture through electronic forms.

Natalie Spears brings a lyrical, expressive voice to the duo’s sound, interpreting traditional and contemporary folk material with intimacy and depth. Alongside her subtle command of the clawhammer banjo, she is a seasoned songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose solo album The Hymn of Wild Things explores themes of wonder, loss, and transformation. Drawing on her background in ecology and storytelling, her music invites listeners into a deeper connection with the natural world and the human heart.

Whether reviving an old ballad or exploring a newer folk composition, Natalie Spears & David Brown offer a musical experience that feels both timeless and alive, guided by tone, care, and the quiet joy of making music by hand.

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy is back to present SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL! “Oh, the thinks you can think” when Dr. Seuss’ best-loved characters collide and cavort in an unforgettable musical caper! Featuring a cast of almost 70- these actors have brought to life an incredible show which is fun for the entire family.

Fire and Water: Turner, Constable, and a Rivalry That Redefined Landscape Painting

Travel to Tate Britain, London, for a landmark exhibition uniting two of the most influential—and competitive—figures in British art. J.M.W. Turner’s blazing skies and dramatic vistas stand in striking contrast to John Constable’s intimate, faithful portrayals of the English countryside. Born just one year apart, the pair were famously described as “fire and water.” Celebrating 250 years since their births, this Artful Journey explores how rivalry, passion, and differing visions of nature helped transform landscape painting forever.

Friday, May 22nd, 10:30 - 12:00
Black Mountain Center for the Arts
$25 (All Refreshments Included)

Take a daily, short, guided stroll that highlights Grandfather Mountain’s rhododendron species and blooms. See the blooms and learn about their history, attributes and roles they play in the mountain’s ecological communities. The easygoing walks take approximately 20 minutes and are fit for guests of all ages – wheelchair and stroller accessible. Meet outside the entrance of the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. Staff naturalists will also have a display inside Wilson Center. Included with admission.

Province Of Thieves is a six-piece all-acoustic folk band. Winner of the 2018 Carolina Music Award for best folk band. The Thieves live set consists of lots of great original music (Thieves boast 5 original albums!) and a selection of crowd favorite cover tunes.

Finalists at the International Folk Music Awards 2025 – Album of the Year”

Merging the inspiration of 60’s and 70’s inspired Americana/Folk, with a distinct Celtic Lilt, The Heart Collectors have spent the last 8 years ‘collecting hearts’ of international audiences through heartfelt ballads, toe-tapping jigs, and “Epic Folk” anthems. With comparison to iconic artists of the Woodstokian era of folk, including Fleetwood Mac, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Loreena Mckennit and The Seekers, The Heart Collectors combine four part vocal harmony with delicate keys, soaring cello, rolling Banjo, sparkling mandolin, intricate guitar, haunting cello, to create a sound that resonates from bluegrass-inflected folk to ethereal soundscapes. From acoustic harmony lead ballads to Bowie-esque sonic soundscapes, Australian four piece ‘Epic Folk’ group The Heart Collectors capture the essence of inspiration, honesty of love, and the nature of the cosmos in their music.

Max Ribner

with Freedom Family Band and ANZA

Thursday, May 28th, 2026

AyurPrana Listening Room - 312 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC 28806

Doors 6:00 PM || Music 6:30 PM

Max Ribner

What are the common threads that bridge jazz, soul, and classical music with spiritual connection and community service?

This is the question that drives international touring artist Max Ribner. The sound that answers is rich, reverent, and intimate, connecting us through the lineage of music, to the stories of our ancestors. In the past, Max's unique and fusion-inspired approach to Flugelhorn and trumpet has led him to perform with artists such as Trevor Hall, MaMuse, Esperanza Spalding, Nahko And Medicine For The People, Liv Warfield (Prince) and many more. The result of years of collaboration with such a broad musical community is powerfully illustrated on Max's albums, 1st Language and Resilient Beings Community album created at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC.

www.maxribner.com

Resilient Beings - An Electrifying, Immersive Experience Where the People Become the Music

Bridging the gap between stage and audience, Max Ribner and local artists welcome you to an immersive experience/workshop where we all become part of the orchestra. Join Max Ribner and an extraordinary ensemble of local artists as we SING and celebrate songs from Resilient Beings Community Album.

Recorded at Echo Mountain in Asheville, this genre-bending album bridges folk, creative improvisation, and choral harmonies—a soulful tapestry woven from resilience, loss and the power of community.

Listen in: Resilient Beings Album recorded in Asheville:

https://maxribner.bandcamp.com/album/resilient-beings-live-in-asheville-2025

Listen and watch: Resilient Beings Live Music Video in Asheville:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-z94BKyWXA

The band:

Samara Jade – vocals & guitar

Katrina Lilly – vocals

Ashae Tenderfire – vocals

Joe Enwright – drums

Brennan Dugan – bass

Max Ribner – vocals, flugelhorn, keys

**

Freedom Family Band**

Matteo and Katrina Lilly of The Freedom Family Band are incredible musicians, song weavers, and community leaders. Their music touches hearts and their mission is rooted in integrity and generosity. The space they hold is refreshingly authentic and profoundly special. Their raw humanness weaves so beautifully with their ancient souls and celestial sounds. Their style is centered around profound lyricism, tight vocal harmonies, and inspired musical flow. They defy genre and embody something so ancient and special that it can’t quite be labeled. They have empowered and mentored thousands of aspiring musicians both indirectly and directly through their one music program, 1:1 coaching work, inspiring prayerformances and song circles, internationally distributed music, and the last 7 Free The Music Gatherings. It’s truly their life’s work to inspire all people to express their music, art, and creative flow. They foster belonging and cultivate spirit. You can see the hand of God working in their lives and the medicine they carry is contagious in all the best ways.

Website: https://freedomfam.org/

ANZA

Anna & Anzi Rivers - ANZA is a high vibe sister duo consisting of 13-year-old Anzi & 16-year-old Anna Rivers. Songwriting and composing have been a lifelong passion.

They were born and raised part of their life in the high mountain desert region of Colorado, and now can be found exploring the lush feminine Grandmother Mountains of North Carolina. They are homeschooled and spend a lot of their time singing and creating.

Anna and Anzi grew up inspired by an array of musical landscapes and experiences from nightly improv lullabies, reading books as a song, ecstatic dance, music festivals, family dance nights, backyard fires with friends, to the small stages of friends' art galleries, to making up songs in the backseat of the car. All while studying with Jeremy Dittus at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies, since they were 5 years old. This led them to play piano and guitar.

They have played on stages of Global Leaf, The White Horse, Grey Eagle & Salvage Station in WNC, as well as music festivals on stage, and around the campfire with Max Ribner, Paul Izak, Tubby Love, and The Freedom Family Band. They have sang with musicians MaMuse, Samara Jade, Aimée Ringle and Micaela Kingslight at The Circle Revival Gatherings, a six-hour ceremony and gathering of 1100 people. They have spent significant time in state-of-the-art recording studios with Max Ribner and Roots Grown Deep. They have received accolades from Grammy Award-winning songwriter Jim Lauderdale and Marty Dodson.

Website: https://anzaharmonies.com/home

Chinobay Kinobe:

Rooted in the rich cultural and musical traditions of Uganda, Chinobay is a musician, cultural ambassador, and educator who has opened hearts across the globe and performed as a featured artist at top tier festivals and venues.

As a child growing up in his homeland of Uganda, Chinobay lived in a small home near the Kanyange king's palace. Constant immersion in the traditional music coming from the palace left an indelible mark on him. He embraced the folk tunes he learned from these musical elders, crafting early works that paid homage to the music of his own tribe, the Baganda people.

As he grew musically, he revitalized these classic folk songs, and along the way he mastered a broad array of traditional instruments. Today, he is a seasoned songwriter, a dedicated educator, and a bridge-builder between cultures. His original compositions breathe life into the diverse stories of humanity, showcasing Africa in its full spectrum of richness — transcending its portrayal merely as a backdrop for adversity.

His band seamlessly fuses Ugandan folk music with a wide range of global influences, from Afrobeat dance rhythms to world funky inflections, transcending genres and creating a sound that is both distinctive and accessible. With the band, Chinobay incorporates traditional instruments such as the kora, a West African harp-lute, the kalimba, a thumb piano native to East and Southern Africa, the tamani, a West African talking drum from Mali, and the endongo, a traditional Ugandan string instrument. These instruments not only offer a unique sonic texture but also help to preserve and celebrate Africa's diverse musical heritage.

But for all of his musical success, Chinobay’s journey is not just a musical odyssey, it is also a testament to the power of art to transform lives and bring about positive change. From teaching music and dance to formerly homeless children in Kampala, to supporting internally displaced youth from Northern Uganda, he is having immeasurable impact on the lives of vulnerable children.

Join local favorites, Steep Canyon Rangers for two nights of music in the outdoor amphitheater at Sierra Nevada Brewing to celebrate the release of their latest album, Next Act. Unspoken Tradition will be supporting the show on Thursday May 28th.

Beats Antique at French Broad River Brewery Outdoor Stage on May 29 + May 30.

2024 International Blues Challenge Band Winner, 2025 Best emerging artist album blues music award for revelation
“Piper & the Hard Times combine the sensibility and flair of vintage blues bands with the entertainment savvy and edge of modern rockers … one of America’s premier new blues groups.” (Ron Wynn/Nashville Scene)

Piper & the Hard Times delivers intense, eclectic and rhythmically dynamic blues-based music flavored with R&B, soul and rock. The band has an instrumental prowess that enables them to improvise with flair, while still creating music that has a melodic appeal that can immediately connect with audiences who want both a high degree of musical competence and songs with strong grooves and catchy hooks. In January 2024 they took top honors in the band division at the prestigious International Blues Challenge held in Memphis, Tennessee. The core of the band, Al “Piper” Green, Steve Eagon, and Dave Colella have been playing and writing together for over 20 years. Over the course of three days in February 2024, Nashville-based Piper & the Hard Times held court in the legendary Ronnie’s Place at Soundstage Studios in Nashville to record Revelation. The album features a collection of 12 original songs deeply anchored in the blues from the New Orleans-flavored groove of “Trouble Man” to the Texas shuffle “The Hard Times”, the funk-rock “Heart for Sale”, and the slow ache and emotion of “Twenty Long Years.”

One of America’s premier blues-roots artists, Piper & the Hard Times has been delighting audiences across the South for nearly 20 years.. When you listen to their new album, you’ll hear poignant, inspired “from the soul” music from these talented players who love making music together. You can hear that energy and vitality in Revelation which debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart the week of August 27th, 2014.

Piper states, “I’ve never been prouder of anything we’ve ever done. The new album captured us in every way imaginable”

The Mountain Goats

Asheville’s automotive history will come to life this spring when dozens of classic Chrysler and other vintage automobiles line Coxe Avenue for the free Motor Mile Classic Car Show in downtown Asheville taking place May 30, 2026.
Taking place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 30, the show will stretch along Coxe Avenue between Hilliard and Buxton Avenues - once the city’s original “Motor Mile” and its first zoned automobile district. The free, outdoor event pays tribute to the dealerships and service centers that defined the street during Asheville’s early automotive era.
The car show coincides with the Spring Meet of the Chrysler 300 Club International, an organization dedicated to preserving the history of the 1955-1965 Chrysler 300 “Letter Series.” Club members will be joined by local and regional car clubs from across Western North Carolina and representing a wide range of makes and models, creating a diverse and visually striking lineup.

The Motor Mile Car Show is free to enter a car and attend.