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Baird’s Creek Church Presents Vintage Valle Music with Amantha Mill, Turkey Tracks Trio and Sarah McGuire

July 4, 2012. Baird’s Creek Presbyterian’s June Vintage Valle Music was a success – wonderful music, great fellowship and lots of happy people, and they’re getting ready to do it again. Baird’s primary goal is to reach out to nearby communities with non-denominational music this summer. They hope to share with the congregations of Holy Cross Episcopal, Valle Crucis Methodist and Holy Communion Lutheran Churches, as well as other area “relatives” in Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and nearby Ashe County and East Tennessee.

This month’s musical lineup features Amantha Mill, Bryan McFarland and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church’s Shape Note Choir, along with the host band, Turkey Tracks Trio, and soloist Sarah McGuire with Mark McGuire.

Many of you know local attorney Rebecca Eggers-Gryder as a member of Boone’s First Presbyterian Church. Did you know that Becca is a key member of Amantha Mill, a community oriented folk/bluegrass act that derived it’s name from the small neighboring mill community of Amantha? The original mill washed away many years ago in a flood, but if you’re driving through Cove Creek you can still see part of its footing. And if you drive just over Mast Gap Road to Baird’s Creek Presbyterian Church, you can hear the old mill’s music once again. The group has produced two well received CDs, the first in 2003.

Salem Presbytery’s Hunger Action Advocate since 2006, Rev. Bryan McFarland is a singer/songwriter/producer and a retreat/workshop leader. His widely acclaimed song, “until all are fed,” co-written with Rev. Tommy Brown, was recently included in the worship service at the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church. In support of Bryan’s ministry, Baird Creek Presbyterian asks attendees to bring an item of non-perishable food to the show.

An exciting example of traditional music that area churches might have known in decades past will be presented by the Shape Note Choir from Boone’s St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, led by Renee Blacken, musician/singer/songwriter. Shape notes are a type of music notation introduced around 1800, designed to facilitate congregational and community singing. Shapes were added to the note heads in written music to help singers find pitches within major and minor scales without the use of more complex information found in key signatures on the staff.

Turkey Tracks Trio – two Johnson County teachers, Mary Mays and Jennifer Gillenwater, along with Linda Miller, all from Mountain City, Tenn. – sing a comfortable, eclectic blend of bluegrass, gospel, country and folk and play a variety of traditional mountain instruments. The name of this popular group comes from the vivid imagination and observations of hiker Jennifer.

A singer, songwriter and musician, crystal-voiced Sarah McGuire, is accompanied by her father, guitarist Mark McGuire. She sings an effortless mix of sacred, secular, popular and folk material, many of them originals from her prolific, creative songwriting talents. Sarah has performed six times in Watauga High School’s popular Shooting Stars and is an award-winning actor.

Baird Creek Presbyterian is on 2147 NC Hwy 194 S, in Vilas – that’s 2 miles west of 194’s intersection with US 321, Vilas, or, if you coming from south of our church, it’s just 2 miles north of Valle Crucis’ Original Mast General Store. Baird Creek Presbyterian urges all musicians to come join in the wrapup jam at the end of each evening’s music. Spread the word at your churches and among your friends. 

For more information, call 828-355-9639.