PRESS RELEASE FROM EVENT ORGANIZERS:
John Gernandt ballad singer and multi instrumentalist appearing at Downtown Books and News July 23 at 7:00 pm
Local ballad singer and multi instrumentalist John Gernandt will be doing his first major performance in many years at local venue Downtown Books and News on North Lexington Ave in Downtown Asheville on July 23 at 7:00pm. Gernandt has been collecting and singing ballads as well as writing original material since the late 1970s.
He is a former member of the local Irish band Waxie’s Dargle, who were regular performers in the area in the early 1990s, performing in area venues and were regulars at the former Black Mountain Festival before the LEAF festival existed. They appeared also at the former Asheville festival Belle Chere and went on to found the Irish music session that began at Be Here Now.
Gernandt did an ongoing series of ballad performances at the former Karma Sonics, showcasing performers who would otherwise have never had the opportunity to be heard publicly He was part of the original line up with the Blue Rags when they first appeared in Asheville.
Gernandt appeared on the cover of Mountain Xpress twice, and his album Voice of the Sidhe was recently spotted online being sold by a used CD seller listed as rare and a classic.
Gernandt has spent the last 11 years being a single parent and working in some of the most intensive Mental Health and Substance Abuse programs in WNC. He currently is involved with doing street music with his band Hope Huntington featuring his 12 year old daughter, Yssabel, who is the front person and plays the hurdy gurdy. Hope Huntington will close out the evening with their signature Psychedelic, Renaissance, Punk Fusion sound.
Gernandt will be performing on several instruments as well as his signature old style acapella singing and will be talking about the history of Lexington Ave and Downtown Asheville since the 1980s.
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