On August 25th, the Blue Ridge Music Center will feature two great bands for a memorable night of bluegrass, hot picking and spirited, old-time music that will make you want to dance.
Jus’ Cauz is a popular bluegrass band that hails from Danville that formed three years ago. Mark Hudson is the lead singer and guitar player for the group. David Lewis plays mandolin, Larry Hall – bluegrass banjo and Jerry Steinberg will play the low tones on the doghouse bass. Tim Smith, formerly of the Bluegrass Cardinals, will be fiddling in place of regular fiddler, Tim Martin, who is on medical leave.
Jus’ Cauz performs regularly all over the Blue Ridge and their concert on Song of the Mountains will be airing soon on PBS. The band scored big at the Virginia Folk Music Association festival in Chesterfield, VA. Recent awards there include: first place lead vocals, first-place fiddle, banjo and guitar ribbons as well as second place bluegrass band. Expect to hear the best in traditional bluegrass from this new band of seasoned players.
Also appearing will be The Old-Time Pals – a hard-driving, traditional, old-time band from Grayson and Carroll counties in Virginia. The group includes Tim Donley on fiddle, Trish Kilby-Fore on banjo, Steve Kilby on guitar and Erin Creed on bass.
Influences for the group include: Harold B. Hausenfluck, the Spencer and Birchfield Families, Enoch Rutherford, Larry Pennington, Barbara Poole and others. All members of the band have won top honors at fiddlers’ conventions and contests across the country. The Old-Time Pals are, as their name suggests, good friends who play fine music together. You won’t want to miss hearing them perform.
The Hot Pickers, New Bands Concert starts at 7pm on Saturday, Aug 25th. Concert seating opens at 5:30pm. Admission $8/$5 students & seniors. Children 12 and under are free. As always, there will be free Mid Day Mountain Music in the BRMC breezeway from 12-4pm and the free Roots of American Music museum will be open 9am-8pm on this concert night. Bring lawn chairs and the whole family. Picnics welcome. Smokehouse BBQ available. No pets or alcohol. For info call (276) 236-5309 x112. Tickets are available at the Galax Visitor Center, Barr’s Fiddle Shop, online at www.BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org and at the gate. The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The summer-evening concert series occurs every weekend through mid-September in the outdoor amphitheater at the foot of beautiful Fisher Peak.
