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Amy White and Al Petteway Perform ‘Celtic Winds,’ Appalachian-Influenced With a Contemporary Twist

Aug. 6, 2012. When Ken Burns, the well-known PBS television producer, created “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” he went looking for the right music to match the beautiful scenery. He found a lot of the music he was looking for in Fairview. He found harpist/pianist Amy White and guitarist—and Grammy Award Winner—Al Petteway.

Mountain Home Music found them, too.

This Saturday night, August 11, Amy White and Al Petteway will make their first appearance on Mountain Home Music. The concert, entitled “Celtic Winds” will be at the Blowing Rock School Auditorium. Starting time is 8 p.m.

The repertoire of Amy White and Al Petteway includes original, traditional, contemporary Celtic- and Appalachian-influenced music with occasional nods to rock and jazz. Their performances feature acoustic guitar, mandolin, Celtic harp, piano, banjo, lap dulcimer, percussion and vocals.

Before moving to Fairview, which is close to Asheville, Al and Amy lived in the Washington, D.C. area.   While there, they won 50 Wammie Awards from the Washington Area Music Association. In addition, they were awarded 5 separate grants from the Maryland State Arts Council for both music composition and instrumental performance. They also won an INDIE from The Association for Independent Music, and Al won a Grammy from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. 

Mike Joyce, in the Washington Post, March 2011, said of Amy White and Al Petteway’s music “…vivid musical portraits…” and “an ode to natural wonders.”  And Matt Watroba, from Sing Out Magazine, said, it’s the relationship between the performers that makes their music work so well.

Tickets for “Celtic Winds” are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Student tickets are $10 and a child’s ticket is $5.

Tickets may be purchased at the Mast Store (Boone and Valle Crucis), Fred’s Mercantile on Beech Mountain, Kudzu Music (formerly Rydell’s) in Boone, and at Pandora’s Mailbox and the Dulcimer Shop, both in the Martin House on Main Street, downtown Blowing Rock.  

Tickets may also be purchased online though the Mountain Home Music website: www.mountainhomemusic.com. For more information, go to the website or call 828-964-3392.

The purpose of Mountain Home Music is to honor the music and the musicians of the Appalachian region.

Mountain Home Music is affiliated with the Blue Ridge Music Trails, a project of the North Carolina Arts Council.