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Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music Returns for Summer 2015, Line-Up Announced

In celebration of its 22 season of providing the High Country with worry-free weather-related planning, Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music is pleased to announce its 2015 Summer Concert Series Line-up of top-notch entertainment.

Strictly Clean and Decent Band photo
Strictly Clean and Decent

This is the second season without founder Joe Shannon at the helm, but the concert series does include a number of Joe’s favorite groups and friends such as the Jeff Little Trio, plus a number of new acts, like Cajun Fiddle Legend Michael Doucet.

“There was some uncertainty about the future of JSMHM during the planning of last summer’s concerts, but after a successful year measured by strong attendance and generous community sponsorships, our board of directors decided to move forward with the 2015 season”, said director Rodney Sutton. “It was Joe’s dream that after his passing last May that the doors of his beloved concert series would be kept open. The JSMHM board and I are pleased to honor Joe’s memory as we embark on an exciting 2015 season.”

Audiences for the new season will find that longstanding favorites are scheduled for the national holidays. The Memorial Day Salute features David Johnson and the Studio Band and The Mountain Home Bluegrass Boys will share the stage with the King Street Brass on the Fourth of July for the annual Brass and Grass Celebration.

JSMHM also welcomes back Jeanne Jolly with her hint of country music original songs. Returning regional favorites, Strictly Clean and Decent, will be inviting some of the hottest young pickers from the area to join them on stage.

A number of acts bring impressive credentials for their first appearances on the JSMHM stage – Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer are two-time Grammy award winners and Doucet, who is also the front man and founder of the Cajun band BeauSoleil, has racked up two Grammys and is also a 2007 National Heritage Award recipient.

First timers, The Canote Brothers, from Seattle WA will entertain with their hilarious stage antics and tune selections as they share a show with long-time friends of JSMHM, the Sheets Family Band for a night of great old-time music. Also, making debuts on JSMHM will be The Mountain Laurels, a Celti-lachian band from the NC High Country and Zoe & Cloyd, who also perform with the band Red June.

“Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music is proud to announce its first collaborations with two ASU groups in sponsoring a couple of its August concerts. The first is a co-sponsored event with the student-run ASU Heritage Council featuring the super popular group among the college age crowds, Mipso to be held at Legends on the ASU campus” Sutton said. “This concert has a special date, Thursday, August 20, an 8:30 p.m. start time, and will be a part of Welcome Week at ASU.

“The second concert is one that features two sides of traditional string-band music, Afro-Lachian banjo player, Carl Johnson and The Elkville String Band. This concert is presented along with the Appalachian Studies Center and will be held in the Plemmons Student Center on campus.”
“JSMHM is reaching out to the students and faculty of ASU to make them aware of our mission and to build a supportive relationship between the University and the community at-large.”

The final concert of the summer season will be held on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend and features yet one other group who is making their first appearance in Boone, The Walt Michael Trio.

michaeldoucet
Michael Doucet

“When Joe Shannon began his concert series in 1994, his goal was to present top-notch traditional entertainment to appreciative and paying audiences, Mountain Home Music was the only concert series not only in Boone but in all of the High Country,” Sutton said. “Now, 22 years later, the region is alive with opportunities to attend live performances of some of our country’s finest entertainers.”
As an educational non-profit tax-deductible organization, in addition to ticket sales, JSMHM depends on private donations, business sponsorships and membership fees to compete with all the outdoor festivals and other local concert series.

All of the JSMHM concerts scheduled for the 2015 Summer Concert series are presented at appealing, comfortable, indoor climate-controlled venues, including the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue in Boone and the Blowing Rock School Auditorium in Blowing Rock.

“This diverse line-up of regional and nationally known performers is already generating a lot of excitement and traffic on our website. JSMHM looks forward to seeing a lot of long time regulars at our shows and we are expecting to make a lot of new friends this season,” Sutton stated in closing.

Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Student tickets are $10. Children 12 and under are free. Advance tickets may be purchased online though the Mountain Home Music website.

Tickets may also be purchased Mast General Store locations in Boone and Valle Crucis, Fred’s Mercantile on Beech Mountain, Pandora’s Mailbox and the Dulcimer Shop and in the Martin House on Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock.

If interested in becoming a member or a sponsor of JSMHM, or if you need more concert info, please check the website.

 

Here’s the full 2015 line-up:

SUN. MAY 24: A Memorial Day Salute: David Johnson and the Studio Band at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue, 7:30 p.m.

SAT. JUNE 20: A Hint of Country — Heavenly Vocals: Jeanne Jolly Band at the Harvest House Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.

SAT. JUNE 27: Traditionally Original Family Music: Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue, 7:30 p.m.

SAT. JULY 4: Bluegrass and Brass: The Mountain Home Music Bluegrass Boys and the King Street Brass at the Blowing Rock School Auditorium, 7 p.m.

SAT. JULY 18: Old-Time Music form the Appalachians to the Cascades: The Sheets Family Band and the Canote Brothers at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue, 7:30 p.m.

SAT. AUG 1: Spicy Cajun Fiddlin’: Michael Doucet at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue, 7:30 p.m.

SAT. AUG. 8: Sweet Mountain/Celtic and Traditional Inspired Originals: The Mountain laurels and Zoe & Cloyd (of Red June) at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue, 7:30 p.m.

SAT. AUG. 15: Mountain Variety with a Splash of Youth: Strictly Clean and Decent at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue, 7:30 p.m.

THURS. AUG. 20: Renegade Traditionalists: Mipso at Legends on the ASU Campus, 9 p.m.

SAT. AUG. 29: Afro-lachian Banjo and Appalachian Old-Time: Carl Johnson and the Elkville String Band in the Blue Ridge Ballroom of the Plemmons Student Union on the ASU Campus, 7:30 p.m.

SUN. SEPT. 6: Hammered Dulcimer, Guitar and Bass with a Twist: Walt Michaels and Company at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue, 7:30 p.m.