American Music For America's Long Birthday Weekend
Asheville's Phuncle Sam took the stage in the Meadow at Highland Brewery on Thursday, July 4th, for a fun midday show. Between sets, legendary Marshall Ballew offered a set of popular songs from the 60s and 70s.
Before we delve into the music, let's take a minute to check out the first craft brewing company founded in Asheville since Prohibition. Highland Brewery is considered the pioneer of craft beer in the mountain region of the southeastern United States. Today, their beer is distributed widely throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. It is a family-owned brewery that opened under the direction of Oscar Wong, a retired engineer passionate about craft beer. Today, the founder remains on staff as VP and part of the general clean-up crew. Today, he and the rest of the team are led by his daughter, Leah Wong Ashburn. I encourage everyone to read about their history.
They offer everything from free live music to volleyball, a disc golf course, a large taproom, an events center, and much more, including a testament to their success; happy employees.
The family-founded brewery and event center's main campus in East Asheville offers 40 acres of amenities and activities, including live music in the Meadow, food trucks, sporting events, and a beautiful tap room and special events area. They started brewing beer in downtown Asheville, NC, thirty years ago. After 13 years of brewing beer in the basement of Barley's Taproom, they expanded the dream and moved to the primary operations of their home base in East Asheville, NC, where I visited for the Fourth of July.
Highland Brewery acquired the location in 2006 when it purchased the home of the Blue Ridge Mountains Motion Picture Studio. This has allowed the next generation of the family-owned beer company to offer their community more fun options for the whole family. Highland Brewery truly offers something for everyone. I learned much about their history from visiting their website and social media pages.
If you escape to the Blue Ridge Mountains, visit this beautiful brewery and adult playground. They offer tours, live music three to four days a week, food trucks, and a beautiful vibe for families to gather.
It was a pretty cool experience being there in the Meadow to spend America's Birthday listening to the music of America's favorite jam band, courtesy of Asheville's fun-loving Phuncle Sam. They have a long history of offering the music of the Grateful Dead to fans around the Blue Ridge Mountain region for two plus decades.
When I wanted to learn more about the band’s history, I sent a message to the band’s Facebook page. I received a reply from guitar player Bill Evans. He told me, "Phuncle Sam has been paying tribute to the Grateful Dead and related music for over 20 years, steadily building an audience and laying the groundwork for today’s lively Grateful Dead community in Asheville, NC.”
I asked about some of the highlights they’ve enjoyed over the years, and he confessed, “There have been many memorable highlights, among them, backing up John Kadlecik, opening for the New Riders with Donna Jean Godchaux, and playing official after-parties for Bruce Hornsby.”
When I asked about the band's cast of characters, Evans told me, “Members of Phuncle Sam also played weekly at “Free Dead Fridays” at the One Stop in Asheville for over eight years (approx. 430 shows). The former Free Dead Crew now call themselves the Grateful Family Band, and they play every Tuesday at One World West in Asheville and various other shows.”
“Phuncle Sam continues to play larger venues for the most part, such as Pisgah Brewing and Highland Brewing,” Evans said. He also said, “The Grateful Family Band is essentially Phuncle Sam without keyboards. Both bands are available for booking. Reach out to them on Facebook.”
Phuncle Sam added fun to the experience of celebrating my favorite holiday. Next time you roam the region, check out their schedule and enjoy the show. Should you find yourself in the area next weekend, they will be a part of another fun day of music on Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Weaversville, NC. Catch them at the June Bug Retro Resort. Doors open at 1 pm. Phuncle Sam shares their jams from 5-8 pm.
Between Sets with Ballew
While Phuncle Sam took a reprieve in the shade, between sets, the crowd continued to grow as the sun waned over the treetops to the music of solo acoustic player, Marshall Ballew.
Marshall Ballew is another blue-ridge mountain music renegade with a long history of entertaining folks, mainly around the NC and TN mountain regions. Above is a radio appearance of Ballew. He offered a fun acoustic set of jams by familiar artists of the '60s and '70s, including Neil Young and The Rolling Stones.
A local treasure, Ballew has decades of music memories in his book. During his set on the 4th of July, he offered a great version of The Rolling Stones' 1972 song "Torn and Frayed’” most of which I captured live. (Below)
Shining A Light on the AV Production
When the time came to pick a person to contact, I swapped info with their Lead AV engineer, Steve Till, who has been on staff and running sound in the Meadow for two years. The sound man said the most significant challenge he has ever faced in his career was unpacking and learning the system in the Meadow. Till explained, “That first show was a big challenge, but it came together.” He enjoys working for the brewery and says he loves that they offer a lot of free live music for the locals and tourists. He started in sound when he was about 16, helping friends mix demos, mostly back then.
The most rewarding part of his job is working with satisfied musicians. When he locks everyone in, and they are happy, it shines through in the performance. Till keeps busy with his Highland duties but occasionally does freelance his AV engineering skills. The last effort he worked on became available for stream last week. Electric Boogaloo is the new effort by the band Sauce Pocket. Till wraps up with a warning that the band does not take themselves seriously. That is probably why they sound so fun.
I zeroed in on Till because I enjoyed the sounds filling the garden. Good sound can make for an incredible music experience. On the day I came to town, he nailed it! If you are seeking an assist with your next project, reach out to him via text at +1 (864) 770-3072
Friday Night Mountain Music with The Hillclimbers
For many years, The Hillclimbers were a duo of two brothers, Blake and Conner Nagel, from Cincinnati, OH. After settling in Asheville years ago, they traveled around the mountains, sharing their folk-infused Appalachian jams.
About a year ago, Owen Walsh and his fiancé made their way to the famous mountain city from another popular mountain city to the north. Hailing from the Pocono Mountain region, more specifically, Honesdale, Pa., Walsh brings the inspiration of the blues to complement the brother's sound. Walsh's style and fiddle, guitar, and vocal offerings fold nicely into this mix.
The night I caught the band was a special day in Hillclimber history, as I saw the trio's first gig together. They first met about a year ago at an open mic night. It turns out it was Walsh’s first open mic in town, which he hit the day after he arrived. They jammed at the open mics over the last year but officially became a professional trio at Terra Nova Beer Co. in Asheville, NC, where they performed on Friday, July 5, 2024.
They opened the night as a trio, and following a 40-minute set by the three music brothers, the biological brothers took center stage for a 20-minute set of original sounds. In the video below, they offer their original song, Rook.
After 20 minutes on stage, they turned it over to their bandmate Owen Walsh, who unleashed more blues-infused solo jams. Here he is with his song Bad Dream.
The venue where I met the band, Terra Nova Beer Co., has two locations. I checked out their location on the South Slope of Ashville. They have an excellent tap room, friendly staff, pizza on site, and much merch to purchase. There is also an open-air room in the front for hosting music. Did I mention that Terra Nova has beer?
Come inside and check out their South Slope location in Asheville, NC.
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Friday Night Chicago Blues
Live from The Asheville Guitar Bar
Asheville's Guitar Bar is a popular stop for music enthusiasts, offering a cozy atmosphere and a friendly space for talent to thrive. The Guitar Bar is owned by a husband-and-wife team with a great appreciation for music. Mark and Julia Goldthwaite opened their establishment in the River Arts District of Asheville in September 2016. Mark told me they make a great effort to keep the old vibe of the town alive and well in the space they created, cultivating a vibe of comfort and consistency when delivering live music.
They do an excellent job of keeping their social media up to date and creating events for their live music schedule. To see what's ahead, visit their events page on Facebook.
One of their most popular nights is Mr Jimmy’s Friday Night Blues at the Asheville Guitar Bar. They bring the blues straight from the streets of Chicago, where the band leader, Mr Jimmy, gained his experience. I was lucky enough to catch him with his old Chi-town bandmates while in town. Joining Jimmy on stage were fellow Southsiders, “Hollywood” Johnny Cosgrove on guitar & vocals, Mike McCune on bass, and honorary Southsider Dave Halstead on drums. The trio of actual Southside players jammed for years when they called Illinois home. Now, they jam now and again when they can get together, with everyone living in different places. It was a treat for this girl to catch their jams. Blues fans can watch the bar's live stream via the Asheville Guitar Bar's YouTube page each Friday night.
Rockabilly Beats for SwanFest with Southern Hellcats
I returned to town long enough to rest up for the Southern Hellcats at SwanFest on Sunday, July 7, 2024. The band had the crowd dancing the night away on Main and Church St corners to their popular rockabilly jive and swing twist on classic rock songs we know. Team Chevy of Swansboro was the Gold sponsor for the event. It was also a special night for Seaside Arts Counsil's Maureen Wells as she celebrated another trip around the sun.
The 15th Anniversary of SwanFest is well underway. The Seaside Arts Council works hard each year to secure sponsors and collect donations to bring local acts to the stage each Sunday evening throughout the Summer. This week, they welcome Henry Bitzer to the stage and offer a Folk and Original music experience. Join us on Sunday at 6:30 for music in downtown Swansboro.
Midweek Jams in New Bern with Jimmy Parker
Jimmy Parker is a picker who comes to us straight out of the music city of St. Louis, Missouri. He offers a variety of genres for his show, and after I requested an original, he explained, "I used to write songs when I was younger, but over time, I got away from that; now I'm happy just to be the background music when people are out having fun with their family and friends."
I met Parker on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at The Pourhouse 222 on Middle St in New Bern. I stopped by because I hadn't been out to experience the bar since it opened in November 2023 and was unfamiliar with the name on the sign, most likely because he arrived in December of 2023.
Carrying a few guitars from a once more significant collection in MO. Parker, his wife, and their eclectic family of animals settled in town for a bit when things went sideways on a house sale. Recently, the couple purchased a house in Newport with more land for their unique variety of pets. Along with the standard cats and dogs, the couple raises an emu, houses a pig, and many other fantastic pets. Brooke Parker helped keep life interesting for the couple with her work as an animal rescuer.
Parker got to know our little music city pretty well after his arrival and fits right in with the vibe we are known for. New Bern has also welcomed him with open arms. After meeting the performer, I sent him a few pics, and he offered a donation to the blogger. Thankful to my advertisers and donors, I appreciate the support as much as any player making the scene.
Parker plays everything from old to modern country, pop songs from the 80s, and classic rock selections everyone knows. He was a late bloomer when picking up the guitar. He got started when he was 19, and in short, it was because he wanted to play like Randy Rhoads, who came onto the scene in the 80s with Quiet Riot and made a significant impression on many when he joined Ozzy Osbourne, who the guitarist was touring with during his tragic and untimely death.
If you have yet to meet the picker, you can find him this week along the coast, where he will entertain folks on Thursday, July 25, at By The Bridge, Swansboro, NC (7-9 pm); Friday, July 26 Mug Shot Caffeine and Cocktails, Morehead City, NC (7-10 pm) and on Sat., July 27 at Red Fish Grill, Morehead City, NC (6:30-9:30 pm).
For those looking to enjoy the "screw it all" vibes of PourHouse 222, stop by any Wednesday to enjoy live music offered by local performers. Greg Sims will be coming this week, July 24, and Joe Baes next week, closing the month on July 31. Music plays from 6-8 PM.
Thursday Nights in My Neighborhood
Oriental-based duo Hoff & Finch returned to The Pointe Restaurant in Fairfield Harbour on Thursday, July 11, 2024. The restaurant serves local live music each Thursday evening; reservations are recommended most weeks. This locally famous duo is always well-received and gets the crowd dancing each time they play. Mark Hoff, keyboards and lead vocalist, and Scott Finch, guitar, keys, and harmonies, have brought jams to people around the coastal region since 2021.
Making the night enjoyable for all, I met my future assistant, Tina (pictured below), who made her rounds around the restaurant, taking pictures of all my neighbors and friends that night at The Pointe. I think she has a bright future, working the lens.
This sweet girl is my friend Brenda's granddaughter. When I put my Cannon on the table, her eyes lit up when I asked her if she'd want to use it. After a few quick lessons, I sat with my friends Leigh and Gari and their neighbors Brenda and Megan while Tina worked the room, taking pictures of all the neighbors, friends, and the band.
For those who enjoy music by Hoff & Finch, catch the duo this Friday as they play the Fort in Fort Macon. For locals interested in a good meal and live music, keep The Pointe Restaurant in mind for a weekly option offering live music each Thursday. Music plays 7-10 p.m., and reservations are encouraged.
Big News: Big Jim Returns to the Stage
Readers might recall that the blues guitar man, Big Jim Kohler, fell ill in May. What started with a routine visit to his doctor resulted in a diagnosis of AFib. From the doctor to the hospital, Big Jim had a procedure to fix his AFib, which was successful. Since then, the blues man has been battling several serious conditions and severe infections, including sepsis.
The blues man, who, in his younger years, was Son Lewis' band leader, toured with the blues legend for years before landing in New Bern, NC, leading local music makers in weekly jams. I have mad respect for the man because I have a deep appreciation for the music he plays. Moving here in 2011 from Long Island, NY, the guitar player and his wife have turned New Bern on their ears with their unique spirit and music appreciation. The blues is music that has deep feelings when played correctly. It reaches the depths of the soul that no other genre can touch. Big Jim has played his blues on big stages and small and enjoys playing what he does. Just ask him, and he might sing you a song, exclaiming, "The Blues is My Business, and Business is Good!"
The best news to cross the wire over the last few weeks was that Big Jim was released from the hospital on Thursday, July 11, 2024. A few days following his release, the locally famous blues performer returned to the stage at The Double Tree by Hilton on Sunday, July 14, 2024. Big Jim and Mrs Big Jim made their debut on stage this summer. Though considerably weak and still working on his dexterity and finger manipulations to master his craft, Kolher returned to the Monday night jam he made famous many years ago.
Big Jim started jamming downtown in 2018 at The Brown Pelican. After the Dirty Bird remained closed following COVID-19 restrictions, Big Jim moved his jam to Blackbeard's Triple Play in 2020 and has been hosting it inside the bar for the last four years.
Not long after settling in New Bern, the Kohlers brought music to town. In the early jams, they played at Milligan's, and, in 2012, they worked for Dale Overbee, offering a couple of jam nights at Bambooz Tiki Bar at the Bridge Point Hotel. Their Thursday Night Jam was why I returned to writing about music.
So when the big man returned to his post on Monday, July 15, 2024, he sat on his stool with his wife beside him and a welcoming crowd before him. His band turned up and out, as he will rely on their support in the coming weeks.
Monday, July 15, 2024, really moved my heart. So many great players supported the Kolhers as Big Jim returned to the stage. The fact that he even made it out again is a testament to his love for this town and the people he plays to each week. Kathleen told me it would be hard to keep him down once he started feeling more himself. The players he inspired and encouraged assisted the guitarist on Monday night as he continues his healing journey. Big Jim will use the rest of the Summer season to work on his dexterity and finger strength as he recovers and heals from this extensive road of health tribulations.
The Calendar at a Glance
One of the features I like about this site is the calendar of events, which I have placed in the footer. I use Facebook and email invitations to build this calendar. I click interested on the Facebook event and then add it to my Google Calendar. Sometimes, I create events based on emails from various groups. Depending upon the location of the event will depend on the color it is assigned. RED events are located in New Bern, NC. BLUE events are located along the Crystal Coast and throughout the plains region of North Carolina. YELLOW events highlight the Piedmont Region. That is also where many big cities, including Raleigh, Durham, and Charlotte, are located. The GRAY area covers the westernmost regions of the state.
I welcome all bands and venues throughout the state to share their events with me on Facebook, ncmz.live. You may also send your info to my email, tracey.stones.writer@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed your time here, please subscribe for more music updates.
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