Sacred Soul and Bluegrass will feature revue style performances pairing traditional gospel artists from the Black church in Eastern North Carolina with bluegrass and old time musicians who carry on the string band gospel traditions of the Piedmont and Mountain regions.
The artists are all relatively unknown to the general public but are extraordinary. They are gifted, inspired and deeply devoted to their craft as a reflection of their faith. Faith, and the music that supports it, was what helped get many of the artists involved with this show through the pandemic.
The Cockman Family – This group from Western North Carolina brings two generations of musicians to the tradition. The band is steeped in the straight-ahead bluegrass and gospel sound and has been widely recognized for their musicianship.
The Glorifying Vines Sisters – Alice, Aubrey, Dorthy and Mattie have been singing as a group since the 1950s. They are well suited for this event as they frequently perform in secular venues including festivals, bars and concert halls. Their music is rooted in the quartet gospel style prevalent in Eastern North Carolina.
Faith and Harmony (pictured above) – A family group that features two sets of three sisters who also happen to first cousins. They grew up singing together in Greenville North Carolina and bring a show that bubbles over with spirit and soaring vocal harmonies.
Jim Watson & Mike Craver* – These two NC musicians have been playing together for nearly 50 years. In 1973 they were both in the Red Clay Ramblers. For this performance, Jim and Mike will be playing some classic Carter Family gospel tunes.
PineCone is partnering with the Music Maker Relief Foundation, the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh and the R.A. Fountain General Store in Fountain, NC to produce two performances of “Sacred Soul and Bluegrass.” There will be two* performances, one in Raleigh and one in Fountain, NC. The two shows are designed to inspire folks in two communities to get out and discover music that’s rooted in their respective communities.
This program is made possible by a Spark the Arts grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
*NOTE: Jim Watson & Mike Craver are only performing in the Raleigh show on June 16.
