High Lonesome Strings Jam

Saturday, April 20, 2024, 11 AM to 3 PM

The Music Barn

920 S. Chapman St

Greensboro, NC

High Lonesome Strings Monthly Event

Sunday, March 24, 2024 @ 2:30 PM

The Brewer’s Kettle

308 E. Mountain Street

Kernersville, NC

Featuring:

Donna Hughes

Donna Hughes has written north of 500 songs. She has released 6 albums, containing mostly original material. Nominated for Songwriter of the Year in 2024 for the SPBGMA Awards, her songs have been recorded & performed by Multiple Grammy Winner Alison Krauss & Union Station, Grammy Nominated Band-The Seldom Scene, Wyatt Rice’s solo Album (with Vocals by Dale Ann Bradley & Russell Moore), The Snyder Family, Kati Penn, Kim Robins, Linda Lay, Wilson Banjo Co., Amanda Cook, Darren Beachley, A.J. Lee & The Tuttles, Grass Country, Carlos & The Banditos, Nu-Blu & 200 Country Colgate Showdown Winner Heather Shelley, as well as Bria Kelly of The Voice/America’s Got Talent, Newtown, and various other Artists both well known & undiscovered, around the world.

Donna recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and an Award for her “Naomi Wise” Video at the Sunset Film Festival. She wrote the words & music for the Naomi Wise song, based on the life of a girl from her area, who died in 1808. The Video features Jenee Fleenor on Violin, who was awarded the CMA Musician of the Year for the last four years in a row (first female ever to win.)

In 2014, Donna was awarded the “Key” to the City of Trinity, (where she resides), from the late Thomasville City Councilman Jesse Hill, as a gift of honor for all of her accomplishments.

Donna’s songs have been written about every subject from being stuck at Walmart, to dogs on chains. She tries to balance life through song, from the spectrum of emotions life has to offer, from hilariously funny, to extremely sad. Donna has judged Songwriting Contests & conducted Songwriting Workshops around the nation.

Donna’s career received a huge boost, when the Late & Legendary Tony Rice, approached her about producing an album for her, which he did, entitled “Gaining Wisdom.

Her next CD after that, “Hellos, Goodbyes & Butterflies”, was produced by the Late & Extraordinary J.D. Crowe.

Both phenomenal men were staples of the Bluegrass, Acoustic & Americana Genres. It was an incredible opportunity of a lifetime, to get to work with both as Producers. Both opportunities opened many doors for Donna. Both of these captivating albums had amazing guests, such as Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, Rhonda Vincent, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sonya Isaacs, Carl Jackson, Alecia Nugent & more.

Donna’s more notable appearances have included private performances for Race Car Giant Richard Childress; opening for David Bromberg at B.B. King’s in NYC, playing the World Renowned Music Festival “Merlefest,” playing The Bear Trap in Wyoming, The Ossippee Festival in Maine, the PBS “Song of the Mountains” in Marion, VA, the PBS Program “Live from the Dennison Lodge” in Dubois, Wyoming, multiple performances at Bluebird Cafe & The Station Inn, both in Nashville, multiple times at Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta, opening for Marty Stuart at a Premier Dinner Club near Washington D.C. known as “The Birchmere.” Donna has opened for many Country Stars such as Ricky Skaggs at Dollywood, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush & Tony Rice on their solo Tours, Joe Diffie, Gene Watson, and numerous other popular, high profile venues.

Stay tuned, as Donna will continue to write songs & make records packed with original material.

Donna is an Award-Winning Realtor in North Carolina and enjoys spending her spare time on her Grandaddy’s 3rd Generation Farm with her Belgian Horses, her Bassett Hounds, Beagles, other rescue Animals, and painting Barn Quilts.

Check out Donna’s YouTube Video, The Corona Virus Beer Song featuring Donna and Hot Wax & the Splinters!

High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday, February 25, 2024 – 2:30 PM

Stonefield Cellars Winery
8220 NC Highway 68 N
Stokesdale, NC

Featuring:

NuHiWay

A little over twenty years ago, guitarist and vocalist, Joe Mahaffey, had a vision for a Bluegrass group that would bring Bluegrass Gospel Music to the Carolinas and beyond. He chose to name the group
NuHiWay from his desire to present the “new highway” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the masses through his beloved Bluegrass Music. Thus, NuHiWay was born. While sharing the Gospel in song and on stringed instruments still serves a primary purpose for the group, over the years the vision grew to include traditional Bluegrass, mixed with a little classic country performed Bluegrass-style. The band continues to play forty to fifty dates annually for churches, festivals, special events and other family friendly venues, while based in Olin, NC where Mahaffey resides. NuHiWay is not new to the High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association. The group has been a member of the Association since 2014 and is a member band. They have previously performed a number of times on the High Lonesome Strings stage at the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass annual events in downtown Raleigh, NC, at the Association’s annual Pickin’ In The Park festival, and for other Association events.

The core of NuHiWay has been consistent for at least ten years with Joe Mahaffey on guitar, award-winning mandolinist Tom Isenhour, and Jim Connell on upright bass. All three share in vocal duties, with Mahaffey primarily leading the way, Isenhour providing occasional lead and baritone, and Connell adding baritone and bass vocals. Combined, these three have more than 150 years of experience within the Bluegrass genre. Jim and Joe were original members with Blue Denim, a popular North Carolina-based band founded by the late RC Harris of Mooresville NC in 1972. Their Blue Denim resume is long, with three albums for Old Homestead Records, appearances at the Grand Old Opry House, Randy Wood’s Pickin’ Parlor, and The Station Inn in Nashville, TN, The Down Home in Johnson City, TN and major Bluegrass festivals across the United States, where Blue Denim often served as Mac Wiseman’s backup band. Tom Isenhour has a long and storied past in Bluegrass, winning award after award with his Monroe-style mandolin playing–sixteen world titles as a matter of fact—and has played with the late Garland Shuping, Tony Rice, and many others. He is both a friend and a wealth of Bluegrass historical information to NuHiWay, and to many others. Tom makes his home in Salisbury, NC, while Jim currently lives in Winston-Salem.

Rick Lowe joins the group on fiddle, high lead and tenor vocals. Rick also hails from Winston-Salem, NC. His Bluegrass roots run deep, beginning in the same era as Mahaffey, Connell and Isenhour, performing
with the popular Atlanta-based group Gritz. He has also played back-up for such legendary artists as Mac Wiseman, Josh Graves, Carl Story and Snuffy Jenkins. Locally, he has worked with Rockford Express, and the Sons of the South. In 2007, Rick played fiddle with the Deer Creek Boys at the world-famous Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax, VA, where the group took home the First Place Award among all the Bluegrass bands competing.

For this performance, banjoist and vocalist Michael Souther brings his award-winning banjo style and high lonesome vocals to NuHiWay. Michael is best known as the leader of the group Sons of the South, who were the 2015 First Place Bluegrass Band Award winners at the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention! The history of the group runs deep in Michael, since his father, the late Luther Souther was one of its founders and the bassist for many years. Michael has now taken up the mantle and continues that legacy. NuHiWay is both proud and excited to have him working with us, for this, and selected other events

High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday, January 28, 2024 – 2:30 PM

Circle M City
74 Cowboy Lane
Sanford, NC

 

Please bring a dessert or snack to share

Featuring:

GrassOmatics

The GrassOmatics are comprised of a talented group of musicians all living in the Raleigh, NC area, the GrassOmatics bring an entertaining blend of old-school bluegrass and country with modern twists along with forays into other genres in an unpredictable and exciting way. With a gifted vocalist and seasoned instrumentalists, you are sure to be entertained with an exciting style and unpredictable set list.

.Jessica Kirkland grew up in Fuquay- Varina, North Carolina with church singing and a love for country music as well as classic rock. A gifted vocalist, she has become a great interpreter of song with a style that is bluesy-passionate and down-home sincere and pitch perfect. Jessica is also proving to be a gifted songwriter.

Willem Lutter learned classical violin at an early age while growing up in Maryland. A jazz guitar major in college and teacher of guitar in the public school system, Will uses many different musical elements in his vibrant fiddling style and can be at home on a mountain porch or in a downtown jazz club.

Billy Powell, from Apex, North Carolina, learned guitar at an early age and later mandolin. Since earning a degree in music education, he’s been involved with many bands in different genres as well as teaching private lessons and leading worship music. Recent band affiliations include Cuttin’ Grass and Five Piece Bucket.

Phillip Dewar, from Apex, NC learned guitar at an early age and picked up the bass soon afterward. Having been involved in several regional bands and regular church worship music, he’s versatile and dependable in laying down a good bass foundation for the GrassOmatics.

Barney Rogers is a longtime bluegrass icon in the central North Carolina area. Being a first rate banjo player and award winning songwriter, his distinctive style and talents help make the GrassOmatics a cohesive unit that can take on driving traditional bluegrass as well as other musical genres.

High Lonesome Strings Christmas Party

Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 6pm

 

Mt Hope United Church of Christ
2400 Mt Hope Church Road
Whitsett, NC

Featuring:

North Carolina’s None of the Above Bluegrass-based acoustic everything has been playing music in the triad area for well over twenty-five years. There are many acts performing and recording bluegrass / acoustic music but very few bands.  Unconcerned about who is out front, they work towards the goal of creating and performing the best music possible and they create something special and out of the ordinary that is greater than the sum of its individual parts. That is what NOTA has achieved by working with traditional bluegrass instrumentation. The band has developed a unique sound that includes elements and material from a variety of styles including Bluegrass, Americana, Alternative Country, Folk, Rock and their own original material. NOTA’s musical style maintains its traditional roots while drawing on each member’s interpretation and contribution to arrangements. Ultimately, this produces a sound that gives meaning to their name: None of the Above.

NOTA currently has 6 recording projects available: …all points in between; Make a Note; Illusions; Calvary and Turn the Page and most recently Scarecrows & Devils. We have also been featured on four compilation CDs over the past years, most notably the “Our State Down Home In North Carolina” CD.  NOTA members are:

Tim Sands – vocals & guitar.  Drawing his love for all things acoustic from his dad – Tim started playing at a young age . . . He hasn’t gotten much better, but has always had sense enough to surround himself with excellent musicians. Tim loves the concept of ‘a band’ and enjoys his role as the ‘Chief Nit-Picker’ (sometimes probably a little too much). He revels in arrangement and lives for the times when a sound in his head comes out through the band. He writes much of NOTA’s original material and lives in one of the relatively flat spots between Pinnacle and Pilot Mtn., NC.

Jon Cornatzer – vocals & banjo/guitar. Jon comes to NOTA as a seasoned professional and multi-instrumentalist from years on the road. He makes his home in Clemmons, NC. Jon easily shares duties on lead and harmony vocals, while providing a succinct, dynamic sound and creative leap on the banjo. The ability to migrate between traditional and progressive bluegrass styles, highlights Jon’s expertise and musicianship, while adding a signature element to the established sound of None Of The Above.

Lee Cecil – Dobro. Lee has been playing musical instruments since he was six years old. He’s played many instruments over the years including flute, saxophone and trumpet and also picked up the guitar. He also played guitar and keyboards in a few garage rock bands. In his 20s, he became interested in the highland bagpipes and joined the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders, which at that time was an active competition band playing all over the world.  After 10 years or so of travel, he put the pipes away. He started playing Dobro around 2007, and that has been his main musical interest since then.  He joined None of the Above in 2012 after hearing them play at a local church service.

Jason Bodenhamer – vocals & mandolin. From Westfield, NC, Jason adds a solid mandolin playing style that fits well with the group. He picked up his first string instrument, the guitar, in 1995 and later moved over to the banjo. He also plays violin, dobro, bass, mandolin and piano/organ. He has also played with many local groups in the area, most notably Sunrise Shadow. Jason is a versatile singer, provides great harmony vocals and writes great original material for the band.

 Tim Harrison – vocals & bass. Tim provides the fundamental support for the band with his solid bass playing and tremendous sense of rhythm. He lives in Yadkinville, NC and got his musical start with the piano and brass instruments at an early age. With his dad’s influence, he began playing bluegrass at age 18 and has never turned back. He has a solid bass-baritone voice that helps blend the vocals for three or four-part harmony. Tim is also the resident sound engineer and technical director for the Willingham Theater at the Yadkin Arts Council. For more info visit http://www.yadkinarts.org.