“Bela [Fleck] was very supportive when I told him what we were planning and essentially gave it his blessing,” says Blu-Bop band leader and banjoist Hank Smith. “He said those were some of the best years of his life and he was happy that someone else wanted to take up the music and have as […]

Austin-based songwriters Carrie Elkin and Danny Schmidt’s poetic-yet-relatable lyrics and raw-but-sweet vocals are a match made in country-folk heaven. The Austin Chronicle calls Elkin “an earthy combination of strength and compassion … reminiscent of the winsome beauty created by a young Nanci Griffith,” while Schmidt is lauded as a “timeless troubadour in the tradition of […]

Far be it from The Grey Eagle to let an important birthday go unnoticed. For the fifth year running, jazz fans will put on their party hats, lace up their dancing shoes and pay tribute to the musical genius that was Django Reinhardt. And because this is the birthday celebration for one of history’s greatest […]

RBTS WIN (pictured) is a chillwave, electronic and pop-influenced feast of synthesizers, beat machines, guitars and smooth-as-silk vocals. The two friends and musicians, Javi Bolea and Cliff Worsham, released full-length album Palm Sunday last July. The duo’s latest offering is an ethereal, swirling exploration of beats and melody with clear themes of love, spirit and […]

Cary Morin’s music has been described as “Native Americana fingerstyle blues.” If you have trouble imagining what that means exactly, it’s worth finding out. Morin performs original music that draws inspiration in part from his Native American heritage, complemented by his unique takes on some covers. And while his warm vocals and heartfelt lyrics certainly […]

With contemporary dance works ranging from soft and tender to athletic and fierce, Eisenhower Dance company combines dramatic choreography with striking technique to create performances that have been lauded by critics. According to a press release, Asheville audiences can expect a diverse lineup of works, including an innovative piece by Laurie Eisenhower that “utilizes old […]

On its website, Trumansburg, N.Y.-based roots outfit Donna the Buffalo (pictured) describes its recipe for a 25-year career. The band is "infused with more spices than you’ll find at a Cajun cookout by way of a southern-fried, country bluegrass jamboree." That, and the group has a knack for picking prime recording locations. New album Tonight, […]

“Sheila Kay tells stories about her home here in the mountains," says Madison County Arts Council executive director Laura Boosinger. “Her performances are full of humor and passion for this region.” But Adams (also an author, musician and seventh-generation ballad singer) has a reach that extends far beyond Western North Carolina. She's a National Endowment […]

The local indie-rock outfit promises a “a high-energy, intimate party not to miss” at The LAB on Friday, Jan. 10, at 9:30 p.m. Cover is $7.

Florida native Mary James didn't earn her stage name, Mean Mary, from kicking puppies or pantsing bandmates. It's all about her musical skills, namely her "lighting-fast fingers and raw, unmistakable vocal sound." James could read music before she could read words and co-wrote songs at age 5, according to her bio. She recorded her debut […]

"Today I go back and forth between painting and writing, on two different floors of my house in Brooklyn," Basil King says on his website. "One feeds the other and in both I bring disparate things together." An immigrant to the U.S. from England, he discovered Black Mountain College at age 16. He went on […]

Come one, come all — Asheville Vaudeville kicks off the second half of its 2013-14 season with two shows at the Toy Boat Community Art Space. Watch as circus artists, jugglers, musicians, storytellers, puppeteers, burlesque dancers and more awe-inspiring (or at least laughter-inducing) acts carry on the historic vaudeville tradition while displaying some of Asheville's […]

Asheville Mardi Gras holds a Twelfth Night party at Club Eleven on Monday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m.

Leicester-based photographer Rob Morrill was a veterinarian for his first career. Following his retirement in ’99, he turned his attention to his camera. According to his bio, Morrill is “primarily devoted to dynamic floral images that were manipulated digitally, to varying degrees, in an attempt to blur the line between real and imaginary.” He has […]

As faculty members of the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, Eleanor Wilner and Maurice Manning have, between them, decades of teaching experience, many published collections of poems and (in Manning’s case) Pulitzer Prize finalist status. All of which made them the perfect team to edit The Rag-Picker's Guide to Poetry: Poems, Poets, […]

Daryl Hance, founder and former and guitarist of the band JJ Grey and Mofro, goes solo with his own brand of bluesy, groove-driven Southern rock. Hance says that while he throws down some loud guitar, the music is “all about fat beats, monster grooves and wide-open spaces.” Musical influences range from Sly and the Family […]

It's a decade-jumping retro-fabulous double bill. Asheville's ’60s-pop-reminiscent Cheeksters share a stage (for the first time ever) with David Bowie tribute act, Wham Bam Bowie Band. While it wouldn't usually be a big surprise that two popular local bands only just got around to co-billing, this is a different case. Both bands share frontman Mark […]

"Pro tip: Go see Floating Action whenever possible," writes photographer Rich Orris on his blog, UnofficiallyAsheville.com. Here's the thing: Multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/producer Seth Kauffman's touch can be heard on albums by Benny Yurco (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) and Juston Stens (Dr. Dog), and his collaborators include Jim James and Dan Aurbach, all of which keeps him […]