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2015 Bluegrass in Raleigh: Past, Present, & Future

Monday, September 21, 2015 @ 7:00 pm
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In celebration of the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass week in Raleigh, come be part of a wide ranging discussion, including time for questions and answers, about many facets of bluegrass music among a diverse array of people with firsthand knowledge and experience! A distinguished panel of musicians and music historians will discuss the history of bluegrass in Raleigh: where it’s been, where it is now, and where it’s headed. The panel, moderated by banjoist and composer Hank Smith, will include: Charles Pennell, John Teer, Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw, Tommy Edwards, Dell Tims, and Justin Robinson. (Photos, top row from left: John Teer seated in chair – black & white; Hank Smith with banjo; Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw with fiddle, photo credit F/Stop Grooves; Tommy Edwards with guitar, photo credit Scott Sharpe during IBMA’s 2014 World of Bluegrass; bottom row from left: Justin Robinson in garb, seated in chair, photo credit D.L. Anderson; Charles Pennell, photo credit Chuck Samuels; Dell Tims with bass)

After the panel, anyone interested in continuing the conversation is invited to ramble on to Crank Arm Brewing, located at 319 W. Davie Street in downtown Raleigh!

About the panelists:

Pennell, who recently retired as principal cataloger for the NCSU Libraries, was a recipient of IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 2013 owing to his efforts to create an online “Bluegrass Discography” database of bluegrass music recordings. The site has been live since 1996, and Pennell and a cadre of friends and colleagues have maintained it ever since. It is a go-to resource for longtime bluegrass fans and people just discovering the genre.

Teer is a member of Raleigh’s own Chatham County Line. He is a triple threat, playing mandolin, fiddle, and singing. The NC native started learning the Suzuki method for the violin from his mom when he was 3 years old, and he bought his first guitar as a teen. He got hooked on bluegrass after high school after he heard an early Sam Bush record and John Hartford’s Morning Bugle, among others. He and longtime friend Chandler Holt met Dave Wilson and Greg Readling through the local music community, and Chatham County Line was born.

Kinlaw is a versatile musician with a tremendous talent for fiddle and classical violin. She also has a passion for educating young fiddlers. She is certified in the Mark O’Connor American Violin Method, and she has studied with both Bobby Hicks and O’Connor. She has toured the East coast of the U.S. and played abroad, and she has made special guest appearances with Don Helms, Bobby Osbourne, and Charlie Daniels. She has two private studios in NC and is frequently invited to teach both fiddle and classical workshops throughout the U.S. She is currently a member of multiple ensembles, including bluegrass and Americana projects the Lynda & Pattie duo and The Kickin Grass Band, and The Morning After in Raleigh.

Edwards has been performing bluegrass for more than 45 years. As co-founder and guitar player for The Bluegrass Experience, he has twice been named the champion bluegrass guitar player at Fiddler’s Grove. He has recorded or performed live with an array of bluegrass greats, including Jimmy Martin, Bobby Hicks, Peter Rowan, Jack Lawrence, and more. He has recorded four albums with The Bluegrass Experience and as many solo discs. He still performs with The Bluegrass Experience, as well as the trio Carolina Lightnin, and occasionally in other configurations. In addition to his music, Edwards is a bluegrass deejay for Life 103.1 WLHC’s weekly  Bluegrass Saturday Nights.

Dell Tims has more than 30 years of experience in the bluegrass and country music scenes in NC. Currently, she is a bass player with The Tims Bluegrass Band, which has been performing for more than 15 years, and she also plays with Samantha Casey & the Bluegrass Jam.

Robinson was a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and earned a Grammy while he was with them; he left the Drops to pursue opportunities to write and perform his own music, and to study forestry. Currently, he performs with his band The Mary Annettes, a collective of multi-instrumentalists who bring to the stage the magical intersection of their varied musical backgrounds.

Smith’s duo project with Lindsey Tims is one of the IBMA’s official Bluegrass Ramble showcase acts during this year’s World of Bluegrass. Smith performs with many area ensembles; teaches banjo, guitar, and mandolin at The Raleigh Music Academy; and hosts the weekly Beer & Banjos concerts on Tuesday nights at Tir na nOg in downtown Raleigh.

We’re excited to partner with NC State for this event!

The auditorium is accessible for people who use wheelchairs, and there are two wheelchairs on-site for people who need them. Drop off can be done right outside the door to the library, and there are several designated parking spaces right in front of the library, too. Please contact Jamie Katz Court (PineCone) by phone at 919-664-8333 or by e-mail at communications -at- pinecone.org or Marian Fragola (NCSU Libraries) by phone at 919-513-3481 or by e-mail at mfragol -at- ncsu.edu  if you have additional questions or if you would like to request any other accommodations.

Details

Date:
Monday, September 21, 2015
Time:
7:00 pm

Venue

James B. Hunt Jr. Library Auditorium
1070 Partners Way
Raleigh,27606
Phone
919-515-7110
View Venue Website
Additional Venue Information