Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Events

Dori Freeman is about as bona fide as an Appalachian artist can be: she was raised among a family of musicians in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. The fourth studio album and most recent release, "Ten Thousand Roses," from the Galax, Virginia based singer-songwriter showcases an artist who has cemented an inimitable signature sound while establishing her capabilities within a  wide variety of styles. Her soaring alto and singular style are on fine display throughout this collection of nine originals and one cover.

Join us for an awards ceremony before an evening concert with the Kruger Brothers and Kontras Quartet.  Premier Sponsor

Born and raised in Europe, brothers Jens and Uwe Kruger started singing and playing instruments at a young age. The brothers were performing regularly by the time they were 11 and 12 years old. In 1995, they became a trio with the addition of bass player Joel Landsberg, a native of New York City. Today, the trio is based in Wilkesboro, N.C., and is known for an incomparable sound that blends bluegrass with elements of classical music.

Hailing from opposite ends of the Appalachian mountains, Zoe & Cloyd is composed of  renowned fiddler and vocalist Natalya Zoe Weinstein and award-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist John Cloyd Miller. Their show is as diverse as their upbringing. Coming from a lineage of klezmer and jazz musicians, Weinstein trained classically in her home state of Massachusetts before moving south in 2004.

Five Mile Mountain Road presents an authentic old-time experience reminiscent of the music once heard at dance halls and theaters in days gone by, from the old-time sounds of Charlie Poole and the fiddle music of Clark Kessinger, to first-generation bluegrass music and original arrangements of western swing, to ragtime and jazz. The origin of Five Mile Mountain Road came from the meeting of fiddler Billy Hurt, Jr., and guitarist Brennen Ernst while in the band Karl Shiflett & Big Country Show.

With his effortless vocals, distinctive songwriting, and instrumental prowess, Mike Mitchell continues to capture audiences and carve out his own place in bluegrass. His latest single, “Calling Me,” spent five months on the Bluegrass Standard Video chart, and his most recent album, Small Town, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard bluegrass chart. “Mitchell’s command of the fiddle is obvious and his tone is righteous,” wrote Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine of his debut release, Dead Center.

Bill and the Belles began as a project to explore the sounds between rural and urban music, between vaudeville and down-home roots, but they’ve arrived somewhere wholly their own. They revel in the in-between: deeply engaged with the stringband tradition and eager to stretch those influences to contemporary settings. The group’s 2021 release, Happy Again, isn’t exactly happy, but the delightfully deadpan album is full of life, humor, and tongue-in-cheek explorations of love and loss.

Reserve Thursday, September 15, on your calendar for the Denim Ball, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and the completion of exterior repairs at Flat Top Manor in Blowing Rock, N.C. Plan on drinks, dinner, and dancing to the sounds of Soul Benefactor. We'll have more details soon, so check back for more information!   Does your business or organization want to be a part of this event? To become a sponsor, contact Jordan Calaway via email, or call (866) 308-2773, ext. 245.

Save the date for a celebration of the Foundation's 25th anniversary on Thursday, November 17, at Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, N.C. More details are coming soon, but rest assured their will be plenty of great craft beer!   Premier Sponsor