Scott Miller Headlines July 4th Celebration That Also Marks Re-Birth of Historic Masonic Theatre 

Internationally-known singer-songwriter Scott Miller and his “Big Big World” will spin through Clifton Forge on Sat., July 1, 2017 to play The John E. Hillert Auditorium at The Historic Masonic Theatre.

The Virginia-native headlined the grand reopening of the newly renovated Beaux Arts building with his trio in 2016. He returns to celebrate the one-year “re-birthday” of the theatre in a little railroad town America is just now discovering with other talented Virginia natives and friends Robin & Linda Williams and Trent Wagler (of The Steel Wheels).

Since 1905, the Masonic Theatre has evolved through several name-changes but was always envisioned as a community center and continues to fill that role today. Clifton Forge continues to grow as a destination, located just off Interstate 64 and as a featured stop on the Amtrak Cardinal Line along the New River. The town is surrounded by the George Washington National Forest and bursts with living American history and a blossoming arts district while maintaining that true sense of community, which has helped to restore the Theatre to its current glory.

The Scott Miller & Friends holiday weekend event offers people a rare opportunity to see and hear three accomplished and acclaimed artists performing original music in-the-round in this intimate setting, allowing the audience to fully absorb the musicianship and stories behind and within the songs.

Garden and Gun Magazine wrote, “[Scott Miller] bestows dignity on dirt, elevates our pettiest concerns to poetry. A single listen reveals how Miller is exceptional, with a delivery so piercing and true you hardly notice how thoroughly you’ve been shot through. See him sing live once, and you’ll never feel lonely again.”

Scott Miller’s writing is informed and fueled by his connection to his family land in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. He truly is the sum of his ‘Southern place’: rural imagery, sin and salvation, defiant, rebellious, pathos and humor, as heard on his current full-length “Big Big World” album.

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He is working on new music, stepping up his touring with the “Commonwealth’s Ladies Auxiliary” (Rayna Gellert and Bryn K Davies) and finding a way to merge his life on the farm with his songwriting. “History is my jam”, states Miller. “The story is already there and all you need to do is find some connection with it and try to connect that to the listener.”

Friend and “Americana songmaster” Trent Wagler is known for his unique vocal and lyrical stylings with his band The Steel Wheels (also responsible for the Red Wing Roots Music Festival in Mount Solon, VA). Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine declared Trent as, “Shenandoah Valley’s newest, and brightest, songwriting force.”

For more than four decades, Robin and Linda Williams have performed their robust blend of bluegrass, folk, old-time and acoustic country music across the United States as well as on The Grand Ole Opry, Austin City Limits and Mountain Stage in addition to frequent appearances on Prairie Home Companion. Their original songs have been covered and recorded by some of the greats of country music, including Emmylou Harris, Tom T. Hall, George Hamilton IV, Tim & Mollie O’Brien, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Kathy Mattea and The Seldom Scene.

The combination of these three artists sharing their music in such an historic setting on it’s one-year “re-birthday” coupled with America’s birthday holiday weekend promises plenty of fireworks in Clifton Forge. All ages are welcome to join the celebration.

FULL CONCERT DETAILS:

More on Scott Mililer: http://thescottmiller.com

More on Robin and Linda Williams: http://www.robinandlinda.com

More on Trent Wagler (of The Steel Wheels): https://www.facebook.com/Trent-Wagler-11129983199/