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Mountain Home Music to Feature Cockman Family at Harvest House Saturday, Aug. 20

The Cockman Family will be featured in a Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music Concert, “Family Bluegrass and Gospel Harmonies”, on Saturday, August 20th. The show takes place at the Harvest House Performing Arts Venue in Boone and begins at 7:30pm.

Cockman Family
Cockman Family

Since launching their performing career in February of 1988, the Cockman Family has developed the classic family harmonies and maintained the youthful flair that is the Cockman Family trademark. Their unique bluegrass gospel style, original songs and original arrangements of the old gospel songs remain immensely popular with their audiences. This group’s family ties are strong and the warmth of that is conveyed in their performances. When you throw in the award-winning prowess that the four Cockman brothers have developed on their respective instruments, everyone receives the bonus of some of the best picking in traditional bluegrass that you can find anywhere.

John Cockman Sr. is the father of all the band members, plays guitar and is also emcee of the group. Caroline Cockman Fisher is the lead singer and a prolific songwriter, with over seventeen of her creations being recorded by the band. Dr. John Cockman Jr. sings bass, plays fiddle and also write many of the songs included in the bands repertoire. His unique style of vocal arrangement has helped to strengthen the Cockman Family’s sound. Billy Cockman is both a North and South Carolina state bluegrass banjo champion, plus he won the National Bluegrass Banjo Player Award in 2013 at Winfield, Kansas. David Cockman is the bass fiddler and sings baritone for the group. He helps with the emcee work and provides lots of humor for live performances. “Little” brother, Ben Cockman is the guitar and mandolin picker of the family. His special style of picking adds versatility and depth to the instrumentation. Included in the impressive list of awards he has won are 2014-2015 National Guitar Flat Pick Championship in Winfield, Kansas and the 2012 Wayne Henderson Festival Guitar Championship.

The Cockman Family’s shows are a heartfelt reflection of their faith and family unity. On any given night, nine of the twelve grandchildren of John Sr. and matriarch of the family, Jane, may join the family on stage showcasing their many musical and singing talents inherited from this very special family of entertainers. No wonder that USA Today Weekend and American Greetings Cards named The Cockman Family one of “The 12 Most Creative Families in America”!

This concert is supported by the following private sponsors: The Ned Trivette Family; BluegrassDaddy.com; Lynn Hubbard; and The Estate of Joe Shannon. Business Sponsors include; The Mast Store, 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.