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Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music Features Jeff Little Trio Aug. 13 at Harvest House

Boone native Jeff Little and his trio will return to Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music
Concert Series with a 7:30 p.m. performance at the Harvest House in Boone on Aug. 13. Little is a bluegrass, blues, honky-tonk, jazz, and rock and roll piano player. He is one of a kind – that’s why he’s called, “The Piano Man of the Blue Ridge.” His distinctive style has been described as breathtaking in its speed, precision and clarity.

When asked what kind of music he plays, Little stated, “I’m originally from Boone where my family owned a jeff-little-trio-2014music store on King Street. Even though I’m a piano player, I was very influenced by acoustic music from this area. Its very traditional, inspired by Doc Watson and other musicians. Doc always used to call it tradition plus – music from the tradition of this area – but you can play any song you choose to play.”
With his rack-mounted harmonica and vocals, Little can be a one-man show. However, Saturday’s audience will also be treated to former two-time National Banjo Champion and guitar wiz Steve Lewis and bass player Josh Scott. This configuration, known as The Jeff Little Trio, has played on Mountain Home Music for a number of years. These shows can seem like being invited to a family reunion – what with all of Little’s kin folk who turn out to see and hear him turn loose on the baby-grand piano at the Harvest House. Why, it can take a whole year for that piano to cool down after this yearly concert of Little heating up the ivories with his lightn’ fast renditions of mountain fiddle classics like “Down Yonder” and banjo favorites like “Foggy Mountain Breakdown’. Combined with the hot-licks of Lewis playing both guitar and banjo, plus the rock-steady bass lines from Scott – well this is a show you will not want to miss!

This concert is supported by the following private sponsors: The Ned Trivette Family; Sarah Borders in celebration of Tom and Cherye Pace’s 50th Wedding anniversary, Dr. E. Frank and Tara Hancock; Diana White, Norma and Jack Suddreth; Merida H. Steele – In Honor of John H. Steele; Lynn Hubbard; and The Estate of Joe Shannon. The United Way Sponsorship is Courtesy of Jack & Karen James. Business Sponsors include; The Mast Store, Stick Boy Kitchen, and Fred’s Mercantile, Mountain Time Publishing and the High Country Press. Additional support is provided by; The Watauga Arts Council, The NC Arts Council, and Boone TDA, The Anne and Alex Bernhardt Foundation, a component fund of the North Carolina Community Foundation. Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music is also proud to be included as a site on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina (BlueRidgeMusicNC.com).

Tickets cost $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Student tickets are $10. Children 12 and younger are admitted free. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.mountainhomemusic.org, and at the Mast General Store (Boone and Valle Crucis), Fred’s Mercantile on Beech Mountain, Stick Boy Bread Company(345 Hardin St, Boone), as well as Pandora’s Mailbox on Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock.