Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Monday, November 25, 2019
Thursday, November 21, 2019
The Crooked Road On Tour Featured at George Mason University
The
Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail performances celebrate the
traditional music that has been kept by families and communities of Southwest
Virginia since colonial times. Settlers of this mountainous region since the
1700’s have brought various ingredients – a cappella gospel music from German
tradition that lives in the Old Regular Baptist churches today; spirituals,
emotive singing and a musical gourd we now call a banjo from African tradition;
and ballads and fiddles brought by the Scots-Irish and English. Mixed together,
these ingredients have produced one of the richest musical traditions on earth.
The
New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters are an old time band from the Galax, Virginia
area that plays Appalachian mountain music for square dances, as well as
concerts and festivals. The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters took their
name in part from the original Bogtrotters of the 1930's and also because band
leader Dennis Hall lives on Ballards Branch. Dennis' home is very close to the
home of Uncle Eck Dunford, who played fiddle in the original band. The New
Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters continue to play in the traditional Appalachian
string-band style, often playing for square dances around the region.
Martha Spencer
is a singer-songwriter, mountain musician and dancer from the Blue Ridge
Mountains of Virginia. She grew up in the musical Spencer family and learned to
play several instruments (guitar, fiddle, banjo, bass, dulcimer, mandolin) and
flatfoot/clog at a young age. She performs and has recorded with various groups
and has been involved with several roots music projects. Martha has played
shows and festivals and led workshops across the US, Australia, UK, and Europe.
The
Crooked Road On Tour performance at George
Mason University is supported in part by the
Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For
more information about The Crooked Road, please visit www.thecrookedroad.org,
call (276) 492-2400 ext. 2409, or email: info@thecrookedroad.org.
- END-
Photos of New
Ballards Branch Bogtrotters (photo – Joe Dejarnette) and Martha Spencer (photo
– Barbara Potter) are attached.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
2019 Abingdon Holiday Merchant Open House
2019 Abingdon Holiday Merchant Open House
Sunday, November 24, 2019
1:00 - 5:00 pm
Merchants all over Abingdon will be open.
Many offering sales, discounts, tastings, and more.
Santa will be at various locations.
Visit the Facebook event for more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/2456122721327603/
Sunday, November 24, 2019
1:00 - 5:00 pm
Merchants all over Abingdon will be open.
Many offering sales, discounts, tastings, and more.
Santa will be at various locations.
Visit the Facebook event for more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/2456122721327603/
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Planning Commission Meeting Cancellation November 23, 2019
TOWN
OF ABINGDON
Abingdon, Virginia 24210
Abingdon, Virginia 24210
November
18, 2019
MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning Commission Members
TO: Planning Commission Members
FROM: Jason Boswell, Director
of Planning/Zoning
RE: Regular Meeting, Monday, November 25, 2019
The regular scheduled
meeting of the Planning Commission for Monday, November 25, 2019 will NOT be
held due to having NO items on the agenda.
The
next scheduled meeting is Monday December 23, 2019.
Monday, November 18, 2019
AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS TO HOST JUICE TASTING FOR CHARITY EVENT
AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS
TO HOST JUICE TASTING FOR CHARITY EVENT
Actress and Global
Humanitarian Saye Yabandeh will be joining White Birch Juices to raise funds
for charity while launching new exclusive flavor, Miss Sayé’s Lawn Mower.
Abingdon, V.a., Nov. 18, 2019 -- Award-winning
actress and global humanitarian, Saye Yabandeh, will make a celebrity
guest-appearance at White Birch Juice on Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at 6 p.m.
The official juice recipe created by Yabandeh, Miss Sayé’s Lawn Mower, will be the
main flavor featured for the evening event.
This free event will feature
samplings and the opportunity to purchase juices of different flavors, with
each one being linked to a unique charity organization or cause. Miss Sayé’s
Lawn Mower Juice proceeds will go directly to Saye.org’s recent initiative with the Josephine House
Orphanage in Peru.
Saye Yabandeh is the Global
Ambassador to the Global Citizen Foundation and the founder of Saye.org. Beyond her Hollywood
career, Yabandeh has been fully committed to the betterment of underprivileged
communities across the world. Her work has brought solar panels and
sustainability education to villages and orphanages in different
countries.
“Health and wellness are so important,”
Yabandeh said. “I’ve been a fan of Nicole and White Birch Juices since I’ve
come to Abingdon. They align with my goals to make our community a healthier
place and being able to bring global awareness to different charities will make
the Abingdon community a leader in global change.”
Saye.org mission is to provide
global humanitarian aid to children and their mothers by improving living
situations through assisting in the provision of food, clothing, public health
education, and living conditions, with a goal of empowering by contributing to
sustainable community development and protecting our environmental health.
Empowering our future generation by:
Guitar Summit 2019 Performers & Presenters Announced
Guitar Summit 2019
Performers & Presenters Announced
Marion, VA – The Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts & The
Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail have partnered
with American Evolution™ to celebrate the role of the guitar in Virginia's
history by hosting Guitar Summit 2019.
Join
us for two days of performances, lecture demonstrations and presentations all
revolving around the guitar and its contribution to Virginia history and
culture. The Guitar Summit 2019 at The Henderson will be held on Saturday,
November 23rd from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Sunday, November 24th from
12:00-3:00 pm, at the Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts located
at 203 North Church Street in Marion, Virginia.
The
original Guitar Summit took place in 2017 and it was organized as a premier for
The Crooked Road’s 2-disc CD, A Century of Heritage Guitar Music. The
Guitar Summit was met with such enthusiastic response that a second event in
partnership with The American Evolution’s celebration of Virginia’s heritage
has been organized. The Guitar Summit 2019 celebrates the guitar in Virginia by
inviting many of these musicians to come to Marion, Virginia and perform, tell
stories, and celebrate Virginia's rich history together with other musicians
and guitar enthusiasts.
Lecture
Presentations will be offered by Rene Rodgers, Birthplace of Country Music
Museum, The Role the Guitar Played in the 1927 Session and Beyond; Ted
Olson, ETSU Appalachian Studies Department, The History of the Guitar in
Southwest Virginia; and David Winship, traditional music historian and
educator, Guitars, Old Fords, and Hillbilly Music.
Lecture Demonstrations will be presented
by Tori Bartfai, Juan John De Hoyos, and Mac Traynham (Guitar Styles);
Nick Weitzenfeld, Scott Fore and Jack Hinshelwood (Contest Guitar Playing);
Erynn Marshall, Carl Jones, Olen Gardner, and Willard Gayheart (Backing up
Fiddle Tunes); and Jayne Henderson (Inlay).
Performances
by many of the guitarists featured on The Crooked Road’s CD, A Century of
Heritage Guitar Music, will be held throughout the event. Attendees will be
entertained with vocals, instrumentals, fingerpicking, and flatpicking
performances by guitarists Claiborne Woodall, Brandon Davis, Casey Lewis, Steve
Kilby, Doug and Taylor Rorrer, Junior Blankenship, Scott Freeman, Denny Alley
and Blake Collins.
Information,
the complete schedule, and a link to purchase your tickets for Guitar Summit
2019 can be found here: www.thehenderson.org/the-guitar-summit.
Tickets are available for adults, children and family (2 adults/children)
through Eventbrite. A separate Sunday Brunch with Wayne (Henderson) ticket is
also available if you purchase in advance. For more information about this
event, call The Henderson, (276) 706-4011.
###
Wayne Henderson
photo (credit –Two-Rivers Multimedia Solutions) and Guitar Summit flyer
are attached.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
January Jams returns to Abingdon’s Barter Theatre for an eighth year of world-class concerts
January
Jams returns to Abingdon’s Barter Theatre for an eighth year of world-class
concerts
Abingdon, VA – Abingdon Music Experience
and presenting sponsor Blue Ridge Beverage are pleased to announce the 2020
lineup for January Jams at Barter Theatre. Six performers will take the
stage at the intimate Barter Theatre, performing Fridays and Saturdays, January
10-25, 2020. Over the past six years, January Jams has showcased the best
of bluegrass, Americana, soul, country and blues, bringing music legends and
rising stars to downtown Abingdon, VA.
The
series is funded by the Town of Abingdon, in partnership with the region’s
leading businesses: Blue
Ridge Beverage (Presenting Sponsor), Eastman Credit Union, First Community
Bank, Food City, Bank of Marion, Express AV and JJ's Restaurant and Sports Bar,
as well as media sponsor, Birthplace of Country Music’s Radio Bristol.
The
series has made Abingdon a music destination, drawing visitors from across the
southeast and beyond. One particular draw is the chance to see these performers
at Barter Theatre, an intimate, 500-seat venue with a unique history rooted in
the Great Depression. A full-service concessions stand is available for
adults 21 and up.
New
in 2020: Lodging & dining packages available with Comfort Suites Abingdon,
the official hotel partner of Abingdon Music Experience, and discounted student
tickets are available with a valid student ID; prices will vary by show.
All
concerts are at 8:00pm, and doors open at 7:15pm.
For
a full listing of musical acts and dates, visit www.abingdonmusicexperience.com. For tickets,
call Barter Theatre at (276) 628-3991 or visit www.bartertheatre.com.
--continued--
January
Jams 2020 Lineup
Del
McCoury with The Travelin’ McCourys
January 10, 2020
For Fans of: Bill Monroe, Sam Bush, Grateful Dead, Del McCoury!
Genre:
Bluegrass
Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del
McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed
hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning
glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and
digital streams, Del is the living link. On primetime and late-night television
talk shows, there is Del. From headlining sold-out concerts to music festivals
of all genres, including one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where
audiences number in the tens of thousands, and admirers as diverse as
country-rock icon Steve Earle and jamband royalty Phish count as two among
hundreds, there is Del. The Travelin’ McCourys join Del for a double headliner
of pure bluegrass royalty!
Sierra
Hull
January 11, 2020
For
Fans of: Alison Krauss, Balsam Range, Ricky Skaggs, Infamous Stringdusters
Genre:
Bluegrass/Country Folk
Sierra Hull has been recognized from age 11 as a virtuoso
mandolin-player, astonishing audiences and fellow-musicians alike. Now a
seasoned touring musician nearing her mid-20s, Hull has delivered her most
inspired, accomplished, and mature recorded work to date; no small feat.
Weighted Mind is a landmark achievement, not just in Sierra Hull's career, but
in the world of folk-pop, bluegrass, and acoustic music overall. With
instrumentation comprised largely of mandolin, bass, and vocals, this is
genre-transcending music at its best, with production by Béla Fleck and special
harmony vocal guests Alison Krauss, Abigail Washburn, and Rhiannon Giddens
adding to the luster. Hull speaks eloquently, in her challenging and sensitive
originals, her heartfelt vocals, and once again breaks new ground on the
mandolin. Béla Fleck special guests on banjo on two tracks and duo partner,
Ethan Jodziewicz, not only anchors the record on bass, but introduces us to a
major new instrumental voice.
The Collection
January 17, 2020
For
fans of: Death Cab For Cutie, Drew Holcomb, Penny & Sparrow, Oh Hellos
Genre:
Indie Folk, Alternative
“If
you love an uplifting band, The Collection is for you”-Bob Boilen, NPR Music
Over
the four years since the release of their chamber pop, 25-piece ensemble debut,
‘Ars Moriendi,’ the band shed enough weight to become an efficient touring
band, garnered praise from NPR and American Songwriter, toured nationally with
The Oh Hellos and Lowland Hum, and performed dynamic sets as an official “Top
100 Artists On The Verge” at CMJ and New Music Seminar.
The trimming-of-the-excess
was soon mirrored in vocalist David Wimbish’s spirituality, resulting in the
band’s 2017 follow-up, ‘Listen To The River,’ The Collection’s first
member-arranged group of songs. Inspired by Herman Hesse’s ‘Siddhartha,’ and
the poetry of Rumi, the album took a step off of the fence walked between faith
and doubt on Ars Moriendi, landing distinctly on the side of doubt. The
constitutive single, Sing Of The Moon, received over 3 million streams between
Youtube and Spotify, the release tour brought hundreds of people to venues
across the country, and The Collection was featured at Wild Goose Festival, and
Switchpoint Conference alongside PRI’s Marco Werman.
Even Entropy’s debut single
Beautiful Life, which PopMatters called, “symphonic, poetic wonderment,” seems
to be about finding order by watching the natural world. The result was the
most focused, honest, and intimate batch of songs the 27 year old songwriter
had written, lyrically and musically. As the writing progressed, and the band
had to stare it’s impending death in the eyes, a solid and enduring core
emerged. Members Hayden Cooke (Bass), Joshua Ling (Harmonium/Guitar/Vocals),
and Graham Dickey (Horns/Bells) lent their performances to David Wimbish’s
(Vocals/Guitar/Keys/Strings) fleshed out songs, birthing The Collection’s 3rd
full-length record from the ashes of the unfinished solo project. With the
addition of husband-and-wife Joshua Linhart (Drums) and Sarah McCoy (Keys/Synth/Vocals),
the band finally found its firm footing.
And that is where the story
of Entropy is revealed: Though meant to document David’s life’s gradual decline
into, and subsequent recovery from, disorder, the album became a living
testimony to The Collection’s own experience of entropy. Now, with the wisdom
of hindsight, the band is back and focused, with a passion for sharing what
they’ve learned: that on the other side of disorder lies a new sense of
beauty.”
Penny
& Sparrow
January 18, 2020
For
Fans of: Johnnyswim, Drew & Ellie Holcomb, Josh Garrels, Milk Carton Kids
Genre:
Indie Folk
“Almost everything changed for us in these
last two years,” says Andy Baxter, one half of the acclaimed duo Penny &
Sparrow. “It was a painful experience in a lot of ways, but it was also a
joyful one.”
Joy and pain walk hand in hand on ‘Finch,’
Penny & Sparrow’s magnificent sixth album. Written during their first major
break from the road in years, the record finds the band reckoning with a
prolonged period of intense personal transformation, a profound awakening that
altered their perceptions of masculinity, sex, religion, divorce, friendship,
vanity, purpose, and, perhaps most importantly, self. Deeply vulnerable and
boldly cinematic, the resulting songs blur the lines between indie-folk and
alt-pop, with dense string arrangements and atmospheric production underpinning
soaring melodies and airtight harmonies from Baxter and his longtime musical
partner, Kyle Jahnke.
Texas natives, Baxter and Jahnke first
crossed paths at UT Austin, where they developed both a fast friendship and a
deeply symbiotic musical connection. Jahnke was a gifted guitarist with an ear
for melody, Baxter an erudite lyricist with a mesmerizing voice and crystalline
falsetto, and the duo quickly found that their vocals blended together as if
they’d been singing in harmony their whole lives. Beginning with 2013’s
‘Tenboom,’ the staunchly DIY pair released a series of critically lauded
records that garnered comparisons to the hushed intimacy of Iron & Wine and
the adventurous beauty of James Blake, building up a devoted fanbase along the
way through relentless touring and word-of-mouth buzz. NPR praised the
band’s songwriting as a “delicate dance between heartache and resolve,” while The
World Café raved that they’ve “steadily built a sound as attentive to
detail as Simon & Garfunkel and as open to the present day as Bon Iver,”
and Rolling Stone hailed their catalog as “folk music for Sunday
mornings, quiet evenings, and all the fragile moments in between.” In addition
to the mountain of glowing reviews, the band also earned high profile
fans—including The Civil Wars’ John Paul White, who produced 2015’s ‘Let A
Lover Drown You’—and extensive tour dates with everyone from Josh Ritter and
Johnnyswim to Drew Holcomb and Delta Rae.
Charley
Crockett
January 24, 2020
For Fans Of: Colter Wall, Tyler Childers,
Sturgill Simpson, Paul Cauthen
Genre: Country, Honky Tonk, Blues
Charley Crockett’s been running nearly his
entire life, but with the title track to his sixth album, the Texas songwriter
looks back at where he came from. “The Valley” chronicles his hard upbringing
on the south Texas border in San Benito and his single mom’s move to Dallas,
but it also distills the essence of Crockett’s fierce and restless
independence.
Recorded just a week before the songwriter
went under the knife for life-saving open-heart surgery in January, the album
stirs with an introspection and urgency to tell his story. It’s a story of an
artist searching for his place in the world, absorbing the sounds of the
country as he attempts to make sense of the struggles of America and life on
the road. It’s a story of exile and promise, as Crockett now runs those same
highways playing for thousands of fans.
With a pawn shop guitar that his mom
bought for him when he was 17, Crockett taught himself to play. Summers in New
Orleans with his uncle sparked his ear, while the Dallas blues and Valley’s
Tex-Mex slipped into his bloodstream.
Across six albums in the past five years,
the Texan has defined his own distinct roots style. Even on his platters of
deep-cut blues and country covers like Lil’ G.L.’s Honky Tonk Jubilee (2017)
and Lil G.L.’s Blue Bonanza (2018), Crockett pushes a suave and soulful classic
Americana that melds genres and is as restless as the artist himself.
His delivery hinges with New Orleans clip,
and voice slides with slight lisp that melts around his phrasing like oil
skirting the surface of a pond. His ear tunes an amalgam of East Texas blues,
border Tex-Mex, classic honky tonk, and Louisiana soul, swerving effortlessly
between weeping George Jones-worthy country ballads and hot smoked Lazy
Lester-swaddled blues. And Crockett’s own songwriting, showcased on 2016’s In
the Night and 2018 breakout Lonesome as a Shadow, cuts with an equally timeless
quality.
No surprise then that Crockett has found a
home base in Austin, with a deep history and appreciation for stylistic
dexterity and transformational takes on traditional sounds. Like Doug Sahm’s
cosmic roots blender or Gary Clark Jr’s blues shredder, or even Willie Nelson’s
signature jazz country phrasing, Crockett effortlessly spins his influences
into his own unique mix, let loose live with shimmying stage charisma worthy of
Elvis or Jerry Lee Lewis.
Independence remains essential to
Crockett. Although courted by major labels and big name producers, Crockett is
determined to continue forging his own path. Along the way, he’s begun to
garner critical praise from national outlets like Rolling Stone, Billboard, and
NPR, and made his mark at major festivals ranging from Stagecoach and Pickathon
to ACL and Newport Folk. This winter, Blue Bonanza hit #10 on Billboard Blues
Chart and the Americana radio album chart.
Lilly
Hiatt
January 25, 2020
For Fans Of: Jason Isbell, John Moreland,
Drive By Truckers
Genre: Country, Folk, Americana
John Hiatt’s daughter debuts the Barter
Stage with a new album set to launch in January 2020. Fans can be the first to
hear it. Lilly Hiatt’s last record was Trinity Land, in 2017. The 12-song set
was produced by Michael Trent of Shovels & Rope and engineered by Andy Dixon
at Trent’s Studio Bees in Johns Island, SC. It is the follow up to her
acclaimed sophomore album Royal Blue, which Paste Magazine described as “a
glorious tumble of influences – surf rock, Smiths vibes, Laurel Canyon twang
and jangle, Sonic Youth flatline, Britpop flourishes, Seattle grunge and Joy
Division meets Human League synthery.” In addition to her backing band, Trent
is featured as a musician throughout, and is joined by his wife and Shovels
& Rope partner Cary Ann Hearst for backing vocals on “Everything I Had.”
Lilly’s love of the ‘90s alt-rock she was raised on continues to shine through
on Trinity Lane in the distressed guitars and urgent backbeats. She cites the
Pixies, Breeders, Dinosaur Jr., and her favorite, Pearl Jam as influences, but
there is also something distinctly Americana lurking in the songs. Rolling
Stone Country premiered the Michael Carter-directed video for the album’s title
track HERE, stating, “The daughter of John Hiatt, she keeps the family
tradition alive, mixing Southern influences – Americana, folk and
left-of-center country – with a raw approach that’s better suited to the garage
than the saloon. The album’s title track is no exception…the song finds Hiatt
making peace with her old demons, while guitars crash and pianos chime in the
background.” They continued, “‘Trinity Lane’ is an empowerment anthem stocked
with details from Hiatt’s everyday life, from the name of her street to the
smell of her neighbor’s cooking.”
####
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
New River JAM Band Featured in Crooked Road Series
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New River JAM Band Featured in Crooked Road Series
Abingdon,
Virginia – The Crooked
Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail presents the New River JAM Band in
concert on Thursday, November 14th from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the
Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace (formerly Heartwood) in
Abingdon, VA. This concert is part of The Crooked Road Music Series.
The New River
JAM Band is the regional performing group representing Junior
Appalachian Musicians. The band was formed in 2018 by Brett Morris, Director of
the parent JAM organization, as a means of gathering advanced students to allow
them to learn more, and educate others, about the traditional music of the New
River Valley region. Current members include Sophia Puckett – Galax JAM
(mandolin, banjo, vocals), Gavin Woodruff – Alleghany JAM (upright bass),
Karlee Hamm – Ashe JAM (guitar, vocals), Cheyenne Grantham – Franklin County
JAM (fiddle), Nicholas Wingo – Wythe County JAM (banjo), Colin Sprinkle –
Henderson JAM (6-string banjo), and Ashlyn Montgomery – Henderson JAM (guitar).
The Crooked Road Music Series takes place each Thursday at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace. Visit the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace and experience Southwest Virginia's creative and authentic culture. Located off I-81 at Exit 14 in Abingdon, VA, the Cultural Center features youth artists each 2nd Thursday along with open jams on the 1st, 3rd, 4th (and 5th) Thursdays to showcase Southwest Virginia performers.
As part of The
Crooked Road's Thursday night live music, the SWVA Cultural Center &
Marketplace Cafe features SWVA soup beans, cornbread or patty
melt. Admission to the concert is free and donations will be accepted for
Crooked Road Traditional Music Education Program (TMEP).
More
information can be found at The Crooked Road website,www.thecrookedroad.org,
and at SWVAculturalcenter.com. For additional
information, please call (276) 492-2400,
ext. 2409 or email: admin@thecrookedroad.org.
###
Photo of the
New River JAM Band (credit – Junior
Appalachian Musicians, Inc.) is attached.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
America Recycles Day & Household Hazardous Waste Event
America
Recycles Day & Household Hazardous Waste Event
On Saturday, November 16, 2019, the Town of Abingdon
Sustain Abingdon Committee and Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful will hold an
America Recycles Day/Household Hazardous Waste event. This event will be from
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Abingdon Police Department parking lot (425 West
Main Street, Abingdon). There will be FREE on site e-waste recycling and FREE
document shredding. This year we are
also accepting Household Hazardous Waste. (Some restrictions apply-visit our
Facebook page.) Donations needed this
year are gently used shoes and supplies for the local animal shelter (food,
treats, cat litter, blankets, bleach & detergent); these things are greatly
appreciated. If you bring donation items, you will receive
a free t-shirt. For more information on the America Recycles Day event, please
call 276-628-6611 or like us on www.facebook.com/sustainabingdon.
*See the attached flyer for acceptable
items for e-waste recycling.
Guitar Summit 2019 at the Henderson Announced
November 5, 2019
Press Contact:
Catherine Schrenker
The Guitar Summit 2019 at The Henderson
(276) 706-4011
Guitar Summit 2019 at the
Henderson Announced
Marion, VA –
The Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts & The Crooked Road:
Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail have partnered with American
Evolution™ to
celebrate the role of the guitar in Virginia's history. The Henderson has been
awarded one of sixteen 2019 Commemoration Finale Grants for Guitar Summit 2019:
Celebrating the Role of the Guitar in Virginia’s History. The 2019 Commemoration, American Evolution Finale Grants are for events taking place in November
during the Virginia Customs, Cultures and Cuisine Festival. The grants are being administered by the Virginia
Tourism Corporation.
American
Evolution™ commemorates the 400th anniversary of several key historical events
that occurred in Virginia in 1619 that continue to influence America today. The month-long Virginia Customs,
Cultures and Cuisine Festival, presented by TowneBank, will be filled with
local, regional and statewide events honoring early
Virginia history
Join
us for two days of performances, workshops, demonstrations and historical
presentations all revolving around the guitar and its contribution to Virginia
history and culture. The Guitar Summit 2019 at The Henderson will be held on
Saturday, November 23rd from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday, November 24th
from 12:00-3:00 pm at the Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts located
at 203 North Church Street in Marion, Virginia.
On
Saturday, November 23rd at 12:00 pm there will be a dedication of "The Gerald Anderson
Lutherie" in honor of this outstanding Luthier from Troutdale, Virginia.
Gerald passed in June, 2019. To honor the recent passing of Helen White – the
founder of Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM), the Henderson will also be
dedicating their Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) room to the memory of Helen
and her passion for helping students embrace their traditional musical
heritage.
On
Sunday there will be a separate brunch from 10:00 am -12:00 pm which will
feature entertainment by Wayne
Henderson and Friends. Tickets for the Sunday Brunch are $35, with all proceeds
supporting The Henderson Junior Appalachian (JAM) programs.
Sunday's
Guitar Summit will open with a presentation of a recent donation
to The Henderson: #35, Wayne Henderson's first walnut guitar. Perhaps with a
little coaxing, we will get the Master Luthier, Wayne Henderson to play it for
the crowd!
The
Guitar Summit will celebrate The Crooked Road’s 2-disc CD, A Century of
Heritage Guitar Music. Jonathan Romeo, program manager for The Crooked Road
notes that “The Crooked Road invited guitarists in the region who might not
have ever recorded a CD before to sit down and record themselves and send in
their recording for consideration. By doing that we were able to capture some
amazing guitar playing that very few people have ever heard.” The original
Guitar Summit was organized as a premier for the CD. We had such wonderful
feedback that we decided to create this second event in partnership with The
American Evolution’s celebration of Virginia’s heritage. The Guitar Summit 2019
celebrates the guitar in Virginia by inviting many of these musicians to come
to Marion, Virginia and perform, tell stories, and celebrate Virginia's rich
history together with other musicians and guitar enthusiasts.
The
Guitar Summit includes vocals and instrumentals, fingerpicking and
flatpicking, and performances that include guitarists in solo, duo and larger
group settings. “The Summit covers bluegrass, old time, and blues styles,” says The Henderson executive director
Catherine Schrenker. “It really
shows what the guitar is capable of in the right hands.”
“We’re delighted that many of the
guitarists on the CD will be at the Summit to perform,” said Schrenker. Rene
Rodgers, of The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, will talk about
the role of the guitar in the 1927 sessions, and beyond. Ted Olson will discuss
the history of the guitar in Southwest Virginia, including a special session on
the distinct style of Doc Watson. Jayne Henderson will be offering
demonstrations of her inlay techniques.
The
Guitar Summit will feature displays of handmade guitars and other instruments
made by area Virginia luthiers. “The
instrument making skills in the region are as impressive as the playing,”
according to Schrenker, “Several of the luthiers teach our
instrument-making classes here at the Henderson which usually fill up quickly.”
After
the Guitar Summit, attendees can walk around the corner to the Lincoln Theatre
and take in the Daily and Vincent concert at 7:00 pm. A second concert by
Dailey and Vincent will be presented on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm. The Summit
has arranged its agenda so that people can attend the concerts.
“This
will be a great day of music in Marion, and we hope folks will take full
advantage of it,” said Schrenker.
Ticket
pricing for The Guitar Summit 2019 at The Henderson is as follows:
Ticket
- Adult One Day: $35
Ticket
- Adult Two Day: $50
Ticket
- JAM Family Two Day: $75
Ticket
- Kids One Day: $10
Ticket
- Brunch (Separate from Summit): $35
For
more info, call the Henderson School at (276) 706-4011
About
the 2019 Commemoration, American Evolution
The
2019 Commemoration, American Evolution™ highlights events that occurred in
Virginia in 1619 that continue to influence America today. Featured programs,
events and legacy projects position Virginia as a leader in education, tourism
and economic development. American Evolution™ commemorates the ongoing journey
toward the key ideals of democracy, diversity and opportunity. Dominion Energy
is an American Evolution Founding Partner and Altria Group and TowneBank are
Virginia Colony Partners.
###
Monday, November 4, 2019
Veterans Day Ceremony
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The
Veterans Memorial Park Foundation of Abingdon/Washington County announces its
annual Veterans Day Ceremony to take place at the Veterans Memorial Park
in Abingdon, Virginia, on Monday, November 11, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.
The
focus of the ceremony is “Animals in Service”. Many types of
animals have been used in military service since ancient times. They have
provided loyal and dedicated service in the defense of our country
The
ceremony will include recognition of specific animals in service, displays of
and demonstrations of horses, dogs and homing pigeons (weather permitting) and
a recitation by Cornerstone Academy students. The Muster Grounds Musick
Fife & Drum Corps will open the ceremony, members of the Overmountain
Victory Trail Association and the Sons of the American Revolution will provide
a procession and the Highlands Veterans Honor Guard will post colors.
There will be a number of other commemorations.
Veterans
Memorial Park is located off Exit 17 of Interstate 81 in Abingdon. From
Interstate 81 follow Cummings Street north to traffic signal at Cook Street,
turn left, the Veterans Park is accessible by Lt. Billy Webb Avenue on the
right. From Main Street follow Cummings Street south to the traffic
signal, turn right, the Veterans Park is accessible by Lt. Billy Webb Avenue on
the right. Parking and shuttle service will be provided on the Veterans
Park’s south end, off Cook Street – in the parking lot adjacent to Food
City. Handicap parking will be available adjacent to the Veterans Park
(accessible by Lt. Billy Webb Avenue).
Please
come to honor our veterans, our service men and women and those who have given,
and continue to give, their lives for our freedom!
For
further information contact:
Abingdon
Convention & Visitors Bureau
335
Cummings Street
Abingdon
VA 24210
276-676-2282 or 800-435-3440
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