Music

Truly a bands that defies categorizing, Jupiter Coyote combines a unique blend of roots influences to create a sound that is known to its fans as “coyote music.” Drawing from bluegrass, country, blues, funk and R&B they created a rock and roll sound that is eclectic and original. Part of their uniqueness is their instrumentation utilizing a “guijo,” an electric strat-style guitar with 5 strings on a banjo neck and fiddle. This allows the band to amalgamate the different influences into the sound that some have called “mountain rock.” Often misinterpreted as a “jam band” they are really a roots –rock band known for prolific songwriting. Improvisation is a part of what they do but it is their songs that have paved the way to such a long career.
In the course of the band’s 20 year history, Jupiter Coyote has established itself as the model for the touring band. They have toured the country, visited Europe and with international distribution spread American Roots Rock around the globe. Creating their own enterprise, Jupiter Coyote independently handled all operations forming its own record label, writing all original material, operating publishing and merchandising. The band has had many achievements from touring with the Allman Brothers Band to recording an ad for Coca Cola and with over 300,000 cds sold have built a die-hard fan base along the way.

Steep Canyon Rangers have built a reputation as an engaging acoustic quintet seasoned by constant touring. Before being nominated for 2 International Bluegrass Music awards in 2008 (including Album of the Year, ”Lovin’ Pretty Women), the Rangers were named ’Emerging Artist of the Year’ in 2006 at the IBMA awards ceremony in Nashville, TN. The group has been regularly featured on the Grand Ole Opry, as well as major U.S. Bluegrass and Americana music festivals such as MerleFest, Telluride, Grey Fox, DelFest and RockyGrass. Most notably is the fact that the Rangers, whose roots run deep in Brevard, have helped establish one of the premier music festivals anywhere. Every year Steep Canyon Rangers are the host band for Mountain Song Festival which takes place at the Brevard Music Center September 11-12, 2009. The festival benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County. The band’s willingness to bring Bluegrass to music-lovers worldwide has taken Steep Canyon Rangers to festivals in Sweden, Ireland, Germany and Canada. The group also regularly performs at Rock & Roll venues on the U.S. jam-band circuit.

Davidson River Taiko

Davidson River Taiko (DRT) is a Japanese drumming ensemble, a performing group unlike any other in the Southern Appalachian region. Headed by musician and educator Bobby Fish and born of a vision to create an "alternative" music program for students served by Davidson River School, DRT is an elective course and performance ensemble that offers students the opportunity to become more invested in school while growing mentally, physically, socially, and artistically.

Cagney Guest

Transylvania County native and budding singer/songwriter makes his debut appearance at White Squirrel Festival. Cagney ‘s lyrics are a sly and cunning grin in a sea of sleeping faces that create honest and oddly accessible musical eccentricity. With an album in the final stages of production he displays an undeniable urge to dive out into the world with reckless abandon.

Smokey Joe's career as a singer-songwriter began in 1983 as the primary creative force behind the Wisteria Sting Band out of Pensacola, Florida. Peoples wrote the majority of the original music the Wisteria String Band presented and all that it recorded. The band's recording, "Rollin' On" was released in 1991. In addition, the Wisteria String Band was the house band for Florida Public Radio's W.U.W.F radio live program "On the Road" for over four years. Along with their busy public radio schedule, the band performed at many festivals and events throughout the Southeast. These include The Florida Folk Festival in White Springs, Fla. and The City Lights Festival in Nashville, TN. The band even went on to be nominated twice for "String Band of the Year" at the prestigious SPIGMA Convention in Nashville, TN.
Currently, Smokey Joe is still writing and singing uniquely original songs that he now performs with Chelsea Goodman (Lead Vocals, Egg), Tom Rogers (Harmonicas), Darryl Goodman (Bass), George Brasington (Drums), Lonnie Finley (Mandolin, Lead Guitar). Together, Smokey Joe and his band of five released their own album in November of 2007, entitled “Little Buildings”. This album received wide radio station acclaim across the country. It also lead to their winning “The Charlotte Music Awards” best country band of 2008. They are currently wrapping up the new album project “Tail Fins and Tale Spins” which will be released the spring of 2009.

Dave Desmelik has established himself as an accomplished and rising singer/songwriter whose music might best be described as Americana or Alt/Country. Drawing upon influences from country to bluegrass to blues to rock n' roll, Desmelik writes and performs a unique blend of songs. Growing up in Alpharetta, GA, music affected Dave early. He started playing bass guitar in his high school jazz band, as well as cello in his high school orchestra, while also learning the guitar. Playing guitar, writing music, and singing songs became a part of Dave's life, but it wasn't until he moved west to Flagstaff, AZ that his songwriting would really take hold. Dave has released five independent CDs, "Move On" (1998), "Have Another" (2001), "Afterthoughts" (2003), "When Your Eyes Are Closed" (2005), and "Unheard Of" (2007). Dave returned to his southeastern roots in 2003, and is currently living in Brevard, NC, where he has been performing regionally as a solo artist and with his band "the HillBilly Cadavers".

Brett and Adam were more than friends in a close-knit community; they were brothers. It wasn’t until high school that either of them became serious about playing music together. Their first venture into music was in a band organized by their English teacher, Bob. Band practices were more entertaining than melodious meaning everybody within earshot was most likely unappreciative. However, the focus was on having fun – and it still is. As Brett and Adam became better musicians and better at playing together, they realized that people enjoyed listening to what they did for fun. Their light-hearted and cheerful dispositions genuinely show through in their music, which is not to say that their music is light-hearted fluff. On the contrary, the emotion with which they write is genuine.

The "Odd Meters" are a unique, instrumental duo whose music blends various genres into compelling modern compositions. Their performances can include styles such as Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Funk, Pop, Reggae, and Indian. The mixture they create takes their audiences of young and old on a musical journey around the world. Breaking the boundaries of a traditional duo act, the "Odd Meters" present a full sound complete with bass, guitar, and drums thanks to the 8-string hybrid bass/guitar played by Jon Morrow. With all the components of a rhythm section, this duo can add featured soloists, or special sit-in performances from a wide variety of musicians. Jon Morrow and Shane Parreco met in 2003 at Brevard College in Western North Carolina. Both were attending college to study music with an emphasis in jazz performance. Although they were focused on different instruments, they studied with a few of the same teachers. Dr. Laura Franklin (percussion) and Jeff Sipe (drums/rhythm concepts) taught both Morrow and Parreco about the inner workings of rhythm and time.

Founded by Asheville's renowned Singer/Songwriter Will Hartzog. Wilsin consists of variety of musical backrounds combined into a soulful sound. Damian LeMaster, pianist/songwriter, provides a great deal to the band. His experience with playing vintage and modern keyboards are what make Wilsin so sonically innovative. Guitarist/Midi Sampler Trevor Wolford is known for experimenting with new sounds. He adds to the "no limitations" attitude of Wilsin's polyphonic sound. Wilsin's rhythmic core is held together by percussionist/drummer Isaac Wells. Isaac provides a great deal to the band with many years of musical experience in playing many genres and styles of music.

Shannon Whitworth currently lives in the mountains of western North Carolina, where she has spent the last ten years focusing on mountain, bluegrass and country music. Her talent as a singer and songwriter enabled her to spend the last 4 years touring the United States with a band she co-founded, The Biscuit Burners. On claw hammer banjo and guitar, ShannonOs compositions contributed depth to the bands material and have helped her gain respect as a truly talented singer and songwriter. "No Expectations" features ten of Shannon's most recent compositions accompanied by an all-star cast of musicians. "No Expectations" is one of the finest and freshest Americana/Country roots records you will here today. Great singing, great writing, and great picking makes Shannon Whitworth's first solo project unforgettable.

The Shakedown is the musical byproduct of two North Carolina towns: Graham and Chapel Hill. Fronted by Brevard native Nash Roberts The Shakedown is groove-obsessed, suckers for an infectious harmony and more or less evangelical about the allure of a good song. The Shakedown is what happens when five or six those guys who are enjoying the DJ or the band a bit too much actually get up and decide to compose a few jams of their own. We've been roaming the various dives, venues and concert halls of these parts for a while and stumbled upon a novel idea: let's make a band. With guitars, and drums and keys and bass and harmonies and hooks and everything that makes noise in between. So here you have it ladies and gentlemen- though the melodies have changed, rhythms have surfaced and styles have matured, The Shakedown has never forgotten its ultimate muse: the effect it has on y'all at home. Influences range from The Beatles, Bob Marley, Bobby Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Jackie Wilson, The Police, Otis Redding, The Temptations, the Rolling Stones, Sublime, Amos Lee. Judge for yourself.

Featured in the March 2009 Guitar Player Magazine column "Editor Boy's Big Eight."
Raised outside of Charlotte, NC and now residing in Brevard Michael has played guitar and bass for more than 30 years with many bands as well as in studio sessions. With a diverse taste in music, Michael has performed classical, jazz, bluegrass, blues, country and rock music throughout the southeastern US.
Michael's primary musical styles are jazz/rock/blues fusion as well as acoustic finger style. While these may seem different, somehow there's a common thread with all of Michael's music.

Singer/Songwriter and Brevard College graduate Lyndsay Wojcik decided to stay in the area after a venture to Nashville, TN to pursue her career in music. She combines a musical mixture of roots, folk, and soul. Using her savvy lyrical sense, she paints her interpretation of life. Having been raised in Atlanta, GA, she was introduced to a wide array of styles and influences anywhere from hip-hop, to folk music, bluegrass, and reggae. Lyndsay seems naturally in tune with her own soulful rhythm, allowing an intimate look into her own perception of the surrounding world. Lyndsay’s new release Local Honey is reflective of her experience in the mountains of WNC.

North Carolina State Bluegrass Champions, High Windy draws from a combination of contemporary and traditional bluegrass styles while adding old-time themes and an original approach. The band is lead by Ty Gilpin on
mandolin, who has spent much time presiding over NCMAMA (North Carolina Mountain Acoustic Music Association and Brevard's own Tim
Gardner on fiddle. The band’s first release, “a Greater Storm” was met with rave reviews. No small feat in the saturated world of bluegrass.

"...joyously inventive..." is how Jazz Times describes the work of Asheville-based steel drummer Jonathan Scales. Mixing a traditional Caribbean instrument with a contemporary jazz attitude, Jonathan Scales' music pushes the steel pan into the realms of funk, rock, and even bluegrass while still digging into the roots of traditional world sounds such as reggae and Latin. His intricate, instrumental writing combines with metric complexities to weave seamlessly between musical styles. The music world was introduced to Jonathan with his 2007 release, One-Track Mind, which brought him critical acclaim and 2008 ushered in Jonathan Scales’ 2nd studio release Plot/Scheme, featuring drum guru Jeff Sipe & Grammy award winning sax man Jeff Coffin.

The music of the Galen Kipar Project was born out of a passion for the exploration of sound and composition. Within the woven eclectic sounds of the instrumentation, we are introduced to a poetic imagery that is present in each of the Project's songs. The roots of folk, blues, classical, jazz and world beat are echoed within the overall chemistry of the Project's music. In addition to the band's three core members, the GKP frequently features the talent of guest musicians who compliment the band's sound with such elements as female vocals, double bass, cello, violin, mandolin, tuba, trumpet, piano and B3 organ. With such additions lending to the Project's creativity and flexibility, these contributions unquestionably add depth and texture enhancing the musical experience. Throughout its evolution, the music of the Galen Kipar Project has matured to a sound that is undeniably original.

Michael Reno Harrell is an award winning songwriter, as well as a veteran storyteller and entertainer, and he’s from the South… the Southern Appalachian Mountains to hone it a bit finer. One could compare Michael's performances to his granddaddy's pocketknife: well warn and familiar feeling, but razor sharp and with a point. His brand of entertainment appeals to a very diverse audience. A typical day for Michael might include a program for 4th graders in the afternoon and a concert for a mixed audience that evening.

Michael's recordings top the Americana Music Association charts year after year. His original songs and stories have been described as “Appalachian grit and wit” but, as his writing shows, Michael’s awareness is much broader than the bounds of his boyhood home or even the Southern Experience. Having toured throughout the British Isles and much of Europe, as well as most of the US, the songs he writes and the stories he creates reflect an insight into people’s experiences that catch the ear like an old friend's voice.