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PineCone & NCSU Center Stage present
American Revival
Celebrating the New Stars of American Roots Music
Thursday, October 29, 2009, 8 p.m.
Stewart Theatre, NC State University
Tickets: $23-$19 PineCone members; $28-$24 public
Tickets on sale through NC State's Ticket Central:
Call 919-515-1100

We invite you to join us for a special pre-show conversation with Brandi Hart of the Dixie Bee Liners, and PineCone's Executive Director, William Lewis, at 6:45 p.m. in the South Gallery of the Talley Student Center.

Drawing from the worlds of acoustic, folk, country and bluegrass, American Revival brings you a taste of the most exciting young artists in these genres today.

Award-winning mandolin player Sierra Hull first performed alongside Alison Krauss at the Grand Ole Opry when she was just 11 years old. Now, this teenage mandolin virtuoso has three IBMA nominations this year, including Mandolin Player of the Year and Emerging Artist of the year (along with her band, Highway 111), and she has a national CD release under her belt through Rounder Records. She was recently accepted into the Berklee School of Music. She is the first bluegrass musician to receive Berklee’s Presidential Award scholarship, which entitles her to a full ride to the school, where she will begin her studies this fall. Hull began playing mandolin at age eight, and she quickly became noted on the national festival scene for her fluid, inventive picking - winning several mandolin and guitar championships in the process. She performs with her own band, Highway 111.

Union Station banjoist Ron Block will perform in place of Cory Walker, Hull's regular banjoist with Highway 111. Block was Hull's studio producer for her latest album, Secrets, and he is a Grammy Award-winning musician, singer and songwriter in his own right.

Uncle Earl’s current lineup is KC Groves (mandolin, bass, guitar, vocals), Kristin Andreassen (guitar, feet, fiddle, vocals), Paula Bradley (dancer), and Stephanie Coleman (banjo, ukulele, guitar). Also touring with the band this fall is renowned bassist Bryn Davies. Two self-released EPs led to a contract with venerable folk label Rounder Records, for whom the band recorded She Waits for Night with producer Dirk Powell, and Waterloo, Tennessee, produced by Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones. Uncle Earl's albums, combined with the group's infectious live shows, garnered favorable reviews from the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Mojo, No Depression, The New Yorker, and Relix.

The Dixie Bee-Liners are Brandi Hart (vocals, rhythm guitar, Nashville guitar, fiddle, mountain dulcimer), Buddy Woodward (mandolin, guitar, banjo, bass, drums), Rachel Renee Johnson (vocals, fiddle), Jeremy Darrow (double bass), and new band members Casey Henry (banjo) and Robin Davis (lead guitar, mandolin, vocals). The band has appeared live on BBC Radio Scotland, NPR, and radio playlists across the country and world-wide, including regular rotation on Sirius and XM satellite radio. The group's self-titled album was nominated this year for the Just Plain Folks Award for Best Bluegrass Album of the Year. The group spent nine consecutive weeks atop the RMR Bluegrass chart and two consecutive months in the Top Ten of both Bluegrass Unlimited charts.

The Bee-Liners have been saving back a special bonus track for this tour. For the time being, the track will only be available to American Revival concertgoers who participate in the band's "Textual Activity" promotion. Fans should bring their cell phones to shows (in silent mode, please!) for a chance to win the track "She Plays Like a Girl," plus a limited-edition free gift. Their newest album, Susanville, will be released on Nov. 3; it can be pre-ordered online through Amazon.

Already well-known across the country from playing such prestigious events as MerleFest, Telluride Bluegrass, the Grand Ole Opry and Prairie Home Companion, this program brings these exceptional musicians together for the first time for an amazing evening of new and old American music.

Presented in partnership with NCSU Center Stage.

Artists' websites:
Uncle Earl
Sierra Hull & Highway 111
Dixie Bee-Liners

Map of Stewart Theatre and parking decks