The Town of Boone’s Concerts at the Jones House continue Friday with a showcase of local and regional songwriters, including Andy Ferrell, The Moon and You, Trevor McKenzie, and Mare Wakefield.
Andy Ferrell will begin the concert at 5 p.m. on the porch of the Jones House Cultural and Community Center in downtown Boone. Ferrell grew up in Boone and has spent the past several years writing songs and touring with a trio as Oncoming Train and as a solo performer.
“I think fans of Bob Dylan’s early style and John Prine would enjoy hearing what Andy has been writing,” says concert organizer Mark Freed. “It is somewhat reminiscent of those styles, with some mountain roots and Doc Watson’s influence in there as well.”
Ryan Furstenberg and Melissa Hyman, a.k.a. “The Moon and You,” will follow Ferrell, bringing their blend of harmony singing accompanied by guitar and cello. Their sound has been described as “sweet and swinging” and “sultry and down-to-earth,” and they are gaining some recognition in the Asheville area, where they call home. Furstenberg is a graduate of Appalachian State University, and together with Hyman and other friends on occasion, they can often be found honing their sound on the streets of Asheville. “These two are creating some really unique and original accompaniment to support some really nice singing,” Freed says.
Trevor McKenzie, no stranger to the Jones House, will follow The Moon and You. McKenzie has performed in the Jones House concert series both solo and with the Elkville String Band, and he is a regular instructor in the Jones House music lessons program. McKenzie is a sought-after old-time and bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and singer by stringbands around the region. When he is not busy as a sideman or working as an archivist in Appalachian State University’s Special Collections, he has been busy writing songs.
“Trevor has written some wonderful songs that sound both old and fresh at the same time,” Freed says. “And they usually leave you with a memorable melodic hook and some aspect of life to ponder again later.”
Rounding out the showcase is Nashville-based songwriter, Mare Wakefield, who will be performing with her partner, keyboard player, Nomad. Compared to singers and writers like Patty Griffin, Natalie Merchant, and k.d. lang, Wakefield has been gaining attention of fans and critics across the country. She has been featured on public radio’s World Cafe program, and she was recently chosen as a finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival’s NEWFOLK songwriting contest, a prestigious recognition that has been awarded to Nanci Griffith, Steve Earle, and Lyle Lovett. Wakefield and Nomad will be performing at Lost Provinces later that night and at The Uptown the following night, as part of a mini-tour of Boone.
“This will be a really great evening, featuring a diverse array of fantastic local and regional songwriters,” says Freed. “There will be something for just about everyone on Friday.”
Concerts at the Jones House take place every Friday, from the front porch of the Jones House in downtown Boone (604 W. King St.). All of the Summer Concerts at the Jones House performances are free and open to the public. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own chair or blanket to sit in the Jones House front lawn, under the shade of the gigantic maple trees. Concerts take place rain or shine, with the inside Jones House main gallery being used for inclement weather.
Friday’s concert is being sponsored by Rosemary Horowitz. The 2015 Summer Concerts at the Jones House series is sponsored by the Downtown Boone Development Association, Mast General Store, Footsloggers, MPrints, Stickboy Bread Co. and Melanies.
For more information about the concert series, including a complete schedule, please visit www. joneshouse.org or call 828-268-6280.
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