1000 x 90

Saturday’s MHM Concert All About ‘Colors of Country’

Aug. 13, 2012. Mountain Home Music is going to be colorful this week. Through the lens of country music, its musical pallet will be reminiscent of a golden age. The concert is Saturday, Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. at the Blowing Rock School Auditorium.

“This week’s concert will be all about color,” said Joe Shannon, Mountain Home Music founder and host. “The theme is colorful songs and people.”

David Johnson and the Dixie Dawn Band will provide the music. The songs on the program, at least for country music lovers, are recognizable. To name a few: “The Brown Mountain Lights,” “White Sports Coat and Pink Carnations,” “The Green, Green Grass of Home,” “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around an Old Oak Tree,” “The Red River Valley,” and “The Orange Blossom Special.”

“A special segment of the show will be about performers who broke the color barrier in country music,” said Joe Shannon. “This includes Charlie Pride (“Kiss an Angel Good Morning” and “Poor Old Kaliga”) and D. Ford Bailey, a harmonica player on the Grand Old Opry. Through story and song, we will honor these musical pioneers.

For many years David Johnson and the Dixie Dawn Band were the opening band at Merlefest and, in Boone, they were also the house band at the old Shadracks BBQ Barn. No longer on a weekly schedule, the band continues to play 15-20 concerts a year, including a special concert each year for Mountain Home Music.

In addition to multi-instrumentalist David Johnson, the band features Darrell Bryant (guitar and banjo), Ronnie Black (guitar and mandolin), Billy Smith (bass), and Ronnie Back (drums). David Johnson, a member of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, plays fiddle, guitar, banjo, steel guitar, mandolin, harmonica, piano, cello and viola.

Tickets for “The Colors of Country” are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Student tickets are $10 and a child’s ticket is $5. 

Tickets may be purchased at the Mast Store (Boone and Valle Crucis), Fred’s Mercantile on Beech Mountain, Kudzu Music (formerly Rydell’s) in Boone, and at Pandora’s Mailbox and the Dulcimer Shop, both in the Martin House on Main Street, downtown Blowing Rock.

Tickets may also be purchased online though the Mountain Home Music website: www.mountainhomemusic.com. For more information, go to the website or call 828-964-3392.

The purpose of Mountain Home Music is to honor the music and the musicians of the Appalachian region.

Mountain Home Music is affiliated with the Blue Ridge Music Trails, a project of the North Carolina Arts Council.