News

Neil’s back! This 11-song collection is a cautiously optimistic meditation on the past, present, and future of our shared planet and what it means to live on it. With songs like “Love Earth”, “This Old Planet”, and “The World”, you get the theme here. It was produced by Young and Rick Rubin, and as you might expect, it was meticulously recorded – live -- and mixed to analog tape.

Jazz singer, songwriter, and guitarist Vilray met singer Rachael Price back in 2003 as students at the New England Conservatory of Music, and he also formed a band with other members of what would become Lake Street Dive, which is how we got to know Rachael’s exquisite voice and presence. They began performing together as a duo in 2015. Get to know this wonderful collection of songs, most all of which were written by Vilray.

This Georgia native started his love affair with the blues of Freddie King, Albert Collins and Michael Bloomfield at age 15, before spreading out to include Memphis soul. Lately he’s been impressing fans in our area with his 6-piece band appearances at the Albino Skunk Festival in Greer. This new album, named after Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia (Allman Brothers Band, Otis Redding), might be his major breakthrough.

If you’re looking for Americana singer/songwriters who capture the mountains, rivers, history and culture of Appalachia particularly well, make sure you know Pony Bradshaw. Released on January 27th, this is his follow-up to 2021’s “Calico Jim” which we also loved. Asked to describe what went into this one, Pony says “Sweat and work and joy and pain and anger and patience and restraint.”

Tuesday, May 9, 2023/EsploreAsheville.com Arena/Asheville, NC

Sally Buice and Molly Rochelson of The Montvales hail from Knoxville, and blend a wide variety of genres and influences with their banjo, guitar, and harmonies. “With warm harmonies that evoke the Indigo Girls, the pair give their vocals a twang that invokes a punk rock sharpness...perhaps illustrating the tension between our culture viewing youth as a carefree time, while sweeping those cares under the rug” (Rachel Cholst, www.theboot.com). They play Knoxville on Wednesday and Brevard on Thursday.

This guitarist’s performances have been compared to those of legends like Leo Kottke, John Hartford, and David Bromberg for their mix of virtuosity and playfulness and his songs, and his songwriting has been compared to those of Bob Dylan and John Prine for their humor, introspection and philosophical nature. We also love his work with the trio Hawktail, formerly known as Haas, Kowert & Tice. Jordan is in our area for a show with Travis Book at 185 King Street in Brevard on Tuesday the 31st.

Congratulations to Bob Weir, for the 50th anniversary of the release of his classic solo album Ace! This 1973 collection is filled with a number of tunes that became staples for live Grateful Dead shows for the next 20 years and beyond, including “Playing in the Band”, “Looks Like Rain”, and “One More Saturday Night”. To celebrate, WNCW is giving away copies of this new 2-CD set, which includes recordings from last year at Radio City Music Hall with Bobby Weir & Wolf Bro’s featuring The Wolfpack with special guests Tyler Childers And Brittney Spencer. Click here to enter our contest! Giveaways are courtesy of Dead.net.

Saturday, February 25, 2023/Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts/Boone, NC