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ARTIST SPOTLIGHTS
BLUE RIDGE MUSIC SCENE
aslucas82
May 22, 20182 min read
Artist on the Rise: Betsy in the Verse
You may have read the name “Betsy in the Verse” recently, on venue posters or social media. I feel like I see it everywhere, so I just...
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Grace Huffman
Dec 4, 20173 min read
Tada! Roanoke Rock Band My Radio Plays Rare Show in Support of Newest Album
“Alison, please take good care; spread your wings and slip the air. California’s everywhere. Hold your head up to the sky; kiss the...
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Grace Huffman
Nov 3, 20172 min read
Cigars and Guitars – Place Called Home Album Release
By Ashley Lucas On Saturday night, the Spot on Kirk will host a wonderful local band, Place Called Home, for its debut album release...
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Grace Huffman
Oct 26, 20173 min read
The Charissa Morrison Project: an Artist on the Rise
Artist Snapshot: Charissa Morrison Singer, songwriter, guitarist, Charissa Morrison is a hard working solo act putting in the stage time...
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Grace Huffman
Oct 20, 20172 min read
New Album Alert: “Believer” by Low Low Chariot
By Ashley Lucas After three years of playing together, Roanoke-based country band, The Low Low Chariot are about to release their much...
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Grace Huffman
Sep 7, 20173 min read
Catching Up with Virginia Native Keller Williams at FloydFest
By Jenna Lazenby This article also appeared in the September edition of THIS! Magazine By the time you read this, FloydFest 2017 will be...
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Grace Huffman
Aug 31, 20173 min read
Mitchell Cole Ferguson on the Value of Diving in Head First
Artist Snapshot: Mitchell Cole Ferguson “Music has had such an impact on my life and has shaped who I am today. The thought of not...
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Grace Huffman
Aug 23, 20173 min read
Melissa Mesko: A Musical Gypsy
Artist Snapshot: Melissa Mesko “Musicians do what we do because we simply can’t NOT do it. We are compelled. We need it. When you love...
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Grace Huffman
Jun 30, 20174 min read
Mike Mitchell
Musician, Teacher, Family Man By Tim McCoy “I find myself a man at peace, with a knowledge of self and of place which makes me the...
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Grace Huffman
Jun 19, 20173 min read
Randy Williams: The Story Behind the Song
By Ashley Lucas One of the best things about attending Southwest Virginia Songwriters Association meetings is getting to hear the...
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Grace Huffman
May 16, 20172 min read
New Music Alert: The Practice Squad
By Ashley Lucas On April 1st, Roanoke based melodic rock band, The Practice Squad, released their second album titled “The Fighter”. The...
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Grace Huffman
Feb 15, 20173 min read
Story Behind the Song: “Let Me Rest” by Morgan Wade
By Ashley Lucas Living in Roanoke, we’re all #blessed to be surrounded by a myriad of incredible musical talent. From bluegrass to...
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Grace Huffman
Feb 10, 20173 min read
Josh Smelser
The Backbone and the Heartbeat “There’s nothing better than feeling the electricity shoot through the room when playing a live show. The...
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Grace Huffman
Feb 3, 20173 min read
Ashley Lucas
“Surround yourself with lovers of music.” Ashley Lucas is a talented writer, winning honorable mention in international songwriting...
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Grace Huffman
Jan 27, 20172 min read
Matt Tomlinson
Good music isn’t about technical ability, it’s about expression. Performing live is very difficult to describe. It’s full of nervous...
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Grace Huffman
Dec 22, 20162 min read
Paul Tressel
“There’s a feeling you get performing that can’t be described. It’s like an addictive substance. Even a bad performance, of which I’ve...
117 views0 comments
Grace Huffman
Nov 29, 20163 min read
Steele Whisnant
Gratitude in Action: The bass, and the basis of a good life. “The people I meet while playing music have always kept me motivated to...
216 views0 comments
Grace Huffman
Nov 3, 20163 min read
Jamiel Allen
“I have asked myself “Why am I even doing this?” more times than I care to admit. I have frequently been caught up in the idea that...
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Grace Huffman
Sep 16, 20162 min read
Kyle Forry
“Performing live didn’t always come easy for me. I’ve been playing guitar for nearly 20 years, and singing for about 10 years. It took at...
128 views0 comments
Grace Huffman
Sep 14, 20162 min read
Jonathan Barker
“My mom played piano, and I remember being a kid and lying in bed and listening to her play on her old upright. I had wanted to play the...
120 views0 comments
Grace Huffman
Sep 9, 20162 min read
Bubba J Webster
“I’m comin’ to you straight outta Mont-Vegas! I’m a proud product of Montvale, VA in Bedford County. Growing up in the rural shadow of...
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Grace Huffman
Sep 7, 20162 min read
Matt Leonard
“Some call me Matty Dub. I play drums for a number of bands in the region including Relacksachian, Groova Scape, The Dead Reckoning,...
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Grace Huffman
Aug 31, 20162 min read
Seph Custer
“Anything you’re passionate about is a lot of hard work. It requires hours, days, years, but just don’t give up. That is the only thing...
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Grace Huffman
Jul 15, 20162 min read
Brittany Sparks
“I joined chorus in junior high school and would get goose bumps every time we would sing together in harmony. That’s when I decided that...
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Grace Huffman
Jul 5, 20163 min read
George Penn Jr
Drumming Up the Funk “Growing up as a little kid in the ‘70s, my first exposure to music was soul and funk. My father, George Penn Sr.,...
231 views0 comments
Grace Huffman
Jun 22, 20162 min read
Robby Carden
“Music has always been a bonding experience. When I was 19, I had a close friend who was terminally ill and music served as an escape...
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Grace Huffman
May 20, 20162 min read
Dan Carrell
Getting out and performing live is an incredible experience. It is pure adrenaline. It’s exciting, yet nerve-wrecking. You rehearse for...
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Grace Huffman
Apr 25, 20161 min read
Brian Gray
Guitar Lessons “I’ve been playing music for 23 years and am inspired to play simply by the sheer joy of creating something that will...
144 views0 comments
Grace Huffman
Apr 15, 20162 min read
Kris Piemonte
No wasted seconds. Chasing the sounds in between the sounds. Performing live is what it is all about. I love the song writing process,...
226 views0 comments
Grace Huffman
Apr 6, 20167 min read
An Intimate Discussion with Welcome to Hoonah
Who Now? Hoonah! By Stephanie Sowder Cutting through the crowded bar while jubilant dancers hoot and holler, I grab my friend’s hand and...
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Grace Huffman
Apr 4, 20162 min read
Scott Joshway
I am very competitive person. For me, every show is a challenge. Performing live is both stressful and rewarding. The stress comes from...
139 views0 comments
Grace Huffman
Mar 20, 20161 min read
Paul Heilker
I’ve been playing guitar since I turned 13, so 40 years now. My father was a music teacher, so I played every band instrument under the...
128 views0 comments
Admin
Mar 17, 20161 min read
Jason Davis
Bass player for Monster Atlantic When I was young, my dad played guitar around the house and I developed an ear for music early. I had a...
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Admin
Mar 15, 20161 min read
Chris Eanes
Bass Player for Welcome to Hoonah and Funk Punch I love what creating music does for my soul. It takes me places spiritually. As does the...
129 views0 comments
Admin
Mar 9, 20161 min read
Corey Hunley
Roanoke, Va Photo credit: Ashley Simmons Photography The guitar has been in my hands for almost 30 years and the art of writing a song...
158 views0 comments
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