Music

The Tommy Emmanuel concert is part of the recently-announced Mast Store Americana Music Series on the Doc Watson Stage of the Appalachian Theatre. This series is intended to be an ongoing, year-round program of artists and events celebrating the genre unique to our country. The ”C.G.P.” after Emmanuel’s name stands for “Certified Guitar Player.” This designation assigned by the late Chet Atkins recognizes guitar players who excel far beyond the normal line of playing. Atkins handed this title to only to four guitar players in his lifetime, with the first one presented to Emmanuel. Website

Folk legend Pete Seeger said, “John McCutcheon is not only one of the best musicians in the USA, but also a great singer, songwriter, and song leader. And not just incidentally, he is committed to helping hard-working people everywhere to organize and push this world in a better direction.” For over 50 years, “Folk Music’s Rustic Renaissance Man” (Washington Post) has been everywhere in the folk music scene. He is a breath-taking multi-instrumentalist, a traditional music archivist, one of the primary revivalists of the hammer dulcimer, a pioneering children’s and family artist, a prolific and wide-ranging songwriter, and the very definition of the touring Road Warrior. Website

At any given time, you’re likely to find Jim Lauderdale making music, whether he’s laying down a new track in the studio or working through a spontaneous melody at his home in Nashville. And if he’s not actively crafting new music, he’s certainly thinking about it.