High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday,  August 26, 2018 @ 2:30pm

Barber Park Amphitheatre
1500 Dans Road 
Greensboro NC

Featuring:

The Carolina Pinecones 

and

Southeast Express Bluegrass Band

The Carolina PineCones are a youth bluegrass band (ages 15-17) based in Raleigh, NC and mentored by band coach/bass player Jef Walter. Jessica Lang (guitar), Sam Stage (fiddle), Aidan Buehler (mandolin), Anthony DeCesaris (banjo), and mentor Jef Walter (bass) met through the summer bluegrass camps and year-round youth jams offered by PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, along with former and founding band members Carter Ramquist, Eliza Meyer, Natalie Mundorf, Jacob Day, and Emma Day.

The Carolina PineCones have performed all over the state, including at the IBMA Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival, the Live and Local Bluegrass Festival, Motorco Music Hall, Imurj, the Raleigh Times, Muddy Creek Music Hall, The Pour House, and many more venues. The Carolina PineCones play a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass, including original songs written by band members Jessie Lang and Sam Stage.

More than “just a youth band,” The Carolina PineCones are true youth ambassadors for bluegrass, sharing their passion for the music with audiences of all ages and demonstrating what the next generation of bluegrass musicians has to offer. The Carolina PineCones recently completed their first recording project, and are excited to release their debut album in summer 2018!

The bluegrass band Southeast Express was formed in the late 70’s by Mr. Leroy Gregory of Julian, NC.  Unfortunately, Mr. Gregory was injured in a rodeo accident in 1994 and later passed from those injuries.  Today we are proud to carry on the band in honor of Leroy and the music he loved.

The group is currently made up of the following members:  Jim Boren of Pleasant Garden, NC on dobro, guitar and vocals; Ray Coble of Julian, NC on the doghouse bass and vocals; Dale Giddens of Julian, NC on guitar and vocals; Joe Norris also of Julian, NC on the mandolin and vocals, and Jeff Wiseman of Reidsville, NC on banjo and vocals.

The band has recorded four projects – “Southeast Express”, “On Track”, and an all gospel CD, “Back to the Cross”, and their newest project “The Bluegrass Show”.

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High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 2:30 PM

Stonefield Cellars Winery

8220 NC Hwy 68 N

Stokesdale NC

Featuring:

Graham’s Number

Graham’s number is a North Carolina band that performs special events, corporate events, festivals and fundraisers. Their music includes folk, bluegrass, country, blues and rock. Our genre is Americana: a mix of blues, folk, country and bluegrass. The band is comprised of seasoned and accomplished musicians who are well known around the region.

Mark Roshelli (guitar) has performed bluegrass and traditional music for the past 30 years at some of the most prestigious music festivals in the US, including MerleFest, Bean Blossom, and IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) alongside such notables as Tut Taylor, Bobby Hicks, and New Vintage. More recently, he has expanded his musical interests to electric guitar and performs regularly in the R&B, blues, and rock & roll genres. He currently resides in Apex, North Carolina, where he works as a pharmaceutical account executive and enjoys camping, exercise, and spending time with family and friends.

Deborah Riley (vocals) is new to the music scene. She had a brief “career” singing Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head at the age of 5 with her grandfather’s jazz band. She returned to music in 2016 singing vocals in Lone Pilgrims. Currently she serves as the lead singer for Grahams Number. She enjoys singing all genres but especially R&B, rock and folk music. Deborah lives in Apex, North Carolina. She is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Her hobbies include travel, exercise and anything outdoors.

Tab Kearns (Dobro – the generic term for a wood-bodied, single cone resonator guitar) is known in both the central and eastern North Carolina bluegrass and country music scene. Born in Montgomery County, North Carolina, Tab was first exposed to bluegrass and old-timey music when he was in high school. He later began attending bluegrass festivals and jams when living in the Asheville, North Carolina, area.. After 26 years, Tab has played in numerous bands (bluegrass and country) and recorded with many local/regional bands. Tab brings his lap/slide guitar sounds to Grahams Number with both the Resophonic Guitar (Dobro) and the Weissenborn Guitar. Tab restores vintage cars in his spare time

Denise Hering (vocals and mandolin) was born and raised in North Carolina. She comes from a very musical family and had her public performance debut at the age of 4 singing Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone) at one of her father’s shows. Since then, Denise has sung publicly many times with her family, as a member of her church choir, and as a soloist. Denise started taking mandolin lessons from Jan in 1999 and was soon playing her mandolin as well as singing at many bluegrass jams, church functions, and the occasional gig with various performers. She currently resides in Garner, North Carolina, where she works as a cosmetologist and enjoys listening to and playing music, traveling, and spending time with family.

Rick Walton (bass), a native of Louisiana and son of a Methodist preacher, has been playing the string bass for more than 50 years. Rick has played bass and sung with numerous bands (folk, pop, and country), first during his four years in college in Louisiana, then during his seven years in the US Navy both in San Diego and Hawaii, and for 33 years while living in Oregon. After retiring in 2012 from a career in technical writing, Rick and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to North Carolina to be near their grandchildren. Rick has been playing at jam sessions in Raleigh, Carthage, Sanford, and Garner, and in 2014 Rick began playing with Fayetteville-based Cumberland County Line Bluegrass. Now Rick is both proud and excited to be associated with Grahams Number.

Pamela Rosoff (percussion) first picked up drumsticks in 2002, when she ended up being the only one in her class who could play a drum groove to the 007 theme song. Since then, she describes the drums as “that thing in life that brings you SO much joy… you can’t even put words to it”. Pamela joined the band in March 2018, and enjoys the variety of grooves and genres she gets to play, She works in Software Product Management, and enjoys her dogs, and this new trend of “high protein, low cal ice cream”.

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High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday, June 24, 2018 at 2:30 PM

 

Stonefield Cellars Winery

8220 NC Hwy 68 N

Stokesdale NC

 

Presenting our special guest:

We are a Bluegrass Band that is made up of 5 very unique and different musicians. Up until just about a year ago, we didn’t even know each other and now we spend most weekends performing together! Playng bluegrass for over 20 years, this is the 3rd Generation of Hotwax and the Splinters. We are a Traditional Bluegrass Band, first and foremost, but Clyde’s Originals will have you singing along in no time! The band name comes from an old timey way of extracting a splinter from your finger or toe.

Known as the “Firecracker” & jumpin’ from one side of the stage to the other is Clyde Lewis on the Lead Vocals & Mandolin, Lead Vocalist/Guitarist Ed Renn, Nathan Farlow on the Dobro/Vocals, and on the Doghouse Bass/Vocals is Jeff Rumsey. Our newest edition to the group, is “Award Winning” David Medlin on the 5 String Banjo! Hotwax and the Splinters has been picking for years now with band members changing over time, but always remaining an entertaining group! For those of you that LOVE Bluegrass, you’ll LOVE us! For those of you that don’t like bluegrass, you just ain’t seen us yet! We guarantee it.

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Pickin’ in the Park 2018 FREE Bluegrass Music Festival

Saturday,  May 19, 2018 – 10AM – 6PM

Hagan-Stone Park

5920 Hagan-Stone Park Road

Pleasant Garden NC 27313

High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association presents the 21th Annual Pickin’ in the Park Bluegrass Music Festival at the Clyde Davis Memorial Stage in Hagan-Stone Park. There is no charge to attend and the public is invited to bring a chair or picnic blanket and come share with us a day of music. Please visit the Picking in the Park page for more details.

This year’s headliner is Danny Paisley & Southern Grass:

 

Danny Paisley and The Southern Grass continue to be deeply rooted in tradition, but look to the future with enthusiasm and anticipation.

Since Danny’s father Bob Paisley (founder of Southern Grass) passed away in 2004, Danny Paisley and The Southern Grass have made their own niche in the bluegrass world. Their album, The Room Over Mine, earned accolades and significant chart action, and the song, “Don’t Throw Mama’s Flowers Away” won the 2009 IBMA Award for Song of the Year and the group has received several IBMA nominations for Emerging Artist of The Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year throughout the years. This year (2016), Danny finally won, deservedly so, the Male Vocalist of the Year award, a moment revered by his peers who gave him a standing ovation. Danny Paisley and The Southern Grass are a national and international touring band who frequently get invited for return engagements. Their list of notable festivals and events include: Rocky Grass, Grey Fox, Grass Valley, Del Fest, Wind Gap, Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival and more.

With Danny Paisley on guitar Southern Grass continues the family tradition adding Danny’s son Ryan Paisley on mandolin, the next generation of up and coming pickers. Southern Grass welcomes back TJ Lundy (after a brief hiatus) as the band’s fiddler. TJ Lundy is a highly respected fiddler bridging the gap between old time fiddling and bluegrass music. TJ is a warehouse of fiddle tunes! Mark Delaney (formerly with Randy Waller and the Country Gentlemen and Darren Beachley & Legends of the Potomac) is on the banjo. Eric Troutman (from Gratz, PA) plays bass. He started picking at the age of 9 when his grandfather gave him a mandolin. As a member of The Southern Grass, Eric is not only known for his driving bass playing but also for his fine lead and tenor singing.

Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass play powerful, unadorned, and intense traditional bluegrass. There is no hybrid or genre-bending music here. Their combination of instrumentation and vocals convey the energy and emotion of classic bluegrass and country music. Danny’s lead vocals will captivate your senses, so much so that many prominent musicians, including Alison Krauss, have considered Danny as one of their favorite singers. His voice combines powerful range and soulful blues with a sound like no one else in bluegrass today.

Danny grew up listening to the music his father Bob played and enjoyed hearing – the sounds of classic bluegrass like Red Allen, Mac Martin, Bill Monroe, the Stanley’s, Reno and Smiley, and the Osborne’s, as well as old time mountain music and traditional country music. Once you hear Danny sing, it comes as no surprise that he lists George Jones and Vern Gosdin as major influences in his singing.

Danny Paisley, born in Landenberg, PA in 1959, inherited the love and talent of this music and is proud to continue the family tradition. Gathering fans at each event, Danny Paisley and The Southern Grass, look forward with renewed energy as they bring their unique sound to audiences near and far.

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High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday, April 22, 2018 @ 2:30 PM

Cabaret Room, Triad Stage

232 S Elm Street

Greensboro, NC

 

Featuring:

Damascus Ridge

Damascus Ridge is a bluegrass gospel band based in central North Carolina. We formed in 2008 and have played engagements at a wide variety of local and regional events, festivals, community & church gatherings, private events and other functions. We have been honored to share our music with new and old friends in many places in the past few years

Frank King – Guitar & Vocals
Frank has been playing guitar and singing since his early teen years. He has played in several gospel and bluegrass bands and has a passion for spreading the Word of God with music, hoping to touch the hearts of many. In addition to singing, Frank has written numerous songs used in our concerts. Frank lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife, Dianna.

Greg Taylor – Bass & Vocals
Greg’s varied musical background is evident in his creative style on the bass. Greg also brings tenor and baritone vocals and leads the front line on stage. With his gift for vocal and musical arrangement, he invents some of those unique sounds we strive for. Greg and Annette live in Apex NC, with sons Cameron and Nicholas.

Joe Pessolano – Mandolin, Dobro & Vocals
Joe started early playing bluegrass. Probably best known for his excellent mandolin work, he is now adding dobro to some of our selections. Joe also sings tenor/lead vocals, helps craft our arrangements and is our sound guru. Joe and Ashley with their son & daughter Camden & Elizabeth live near Angier, NC.

John Dudley – Banjo, Guitar & Vocals
John began learning bluegrass in his early teens. He plays banjo & guitar and adds baritone harmony to the group. John is happy to be sharing the gospel through music. John and his wife, Julia, live in Zebulon, NC.

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High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday, March 25, 2018 @ 2:30 PM

Cabaret Room

Triad Stage

232 S. Elm Street

Greensboro, NC

Featuring:

Hazy Ridge

Hazy Ridge Bluegrass Band is a local bluegrass band from Clemmons, NC that was established in 2014. They are crowd favorites wherever they play, delivering their own heartfelt style of Bluegrass music. They also perform original material, Bluegrass Gospel and Classic Country with Bluegrass flair. Members, Vince Myers, Dawn Myers, Reagan Hudson, Bryan Bogenberger and George Cutchins were all born and raised in NC, and though they do not all share the same hometown, they all share a love of Bluegrass music and love sharing it with their audiences! Everyone in the band loves music and any opportunity they get to play and sing. They play at local restaurants, dance halls, festivals, fiddler’s conventions, parties and Churches.

Vince Myers grew up in his dad’s guitar case, figuratively speaking. He has had a love of music from as far back as he can recall. Growing up, his dad, Roger Myers, played in a few bands and Vince went with him everywhere he played. Vince took up the banjo when he was 18 and has played in several bands over the years, including Tommy Drifter and the Lost Travelers and County Line Daredevils. He has always wanted a band of his own, so in February 2014, he and his wife, Dawn Myers began Hazy Ridge Bluegrass Band, where he plays the banjo and helps out on vocals. He and Dawn started looking for others to join the band and even though the road has been a little rocky, they didn’t give up and have been playing ever since. Vince says he is looking forward to what is in store for the band in the future.

Dawn Myers has lived all her life in Clemmons, North Carolina on her Grandfather’s old home place. Dawn developed her love of music, sitting in her mother’s lap. She would sit and listen to her Mother and Aunt singing together and making that beautiful family harmony. At age 13, Dawn began singing in church with her Mom and has sung in the choir and other church groups for over 28 years. Dawn mostly sang Southern Gospel music, but has always had a love for Country music. She liked Bluegrass music, but when she met Vince, she not only fell in love with him, she also fell in love with Bluegrass music too. She was given the chance to sing with the Howell Osborne Band and sang with them for six months. Then she and her husband Vince decided to form Hazy Ridge Bluegrass Band. They have been singing together ever since. You will hear Dawn helping out on vocals and harmonies in the band. She loves every opportunity to sing and is excited to see what the future holds for Hazy Ridge!!

Reagan Hudson, singer, songwriter and guitarist, grew up on a farm in Vale, North Carolina. He still resides in Vale, where he owns a cattle farm. Reagan has been playing Bluegrass and Gospel music for over twenty nine years. He has written many songs, made several recordings and has played with many bands throughout his career like: Homegrown Bluegrass, Golden Valley Crusaders, Timber Ridge Band, and the Bluegrass Gospel Tones. Reagan currently is playing guitar and singing with Hazy Ridge Bluegrass Band. He also keeps the band and audiences laughing with his jokes and tales.

Bryan Bogenberger, a Winston-Salem based multi genre mandolinist has been performing live across the southeast for the last decade. Although dabbling in jazz, rock, classical and Americana, his heart remains true to writing and playing bluegrass mandolin. Bryan has shared the stage with many national acts including Mountain Heart, Donna the Buffalo, Larry Keel, Ten Years After, Acoustic Syndicate, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, John Michael Carroll, The Carter Brothers, Yarn, the New Familiars, Possum Jenkins, Love Canon, and Crystal Bright. Bryan’s crowning musical achievement was being asked by the Winston Salem Symphony to perform for a private dinner for virtuoso mandolinist Chris Thile while Chris was in town playing his concerto with the Winston-Salem Symphony. Currently Bryan is performing with three bands. His long time Band of eight years Wyndy Trail Travelers, Justin Crisman, and his new favorite project with Hazy Ridge Bluegrass Band. Bryan’s influences include Sam Bush, the Del McCoury Band, Drew Emmitt, Miles Davis, Bill Monroe, Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Bob Marley, Ricky Skaggs, and Bob Dylan.

George Cutchins is the newest member of Hazy Ridge Bluegrass Band. He plays upright bass and helps out on vocals. He hails from Sandy Ridge NC where he has his own farm. He has been playing Bluegrass all his life and has played with many Bluegrass bands like Bobby Atkins and the Countrymen, Paula Dellenback and Fox River, Don Smith and the Foggy River Boys and Out of Bounds Bluegrass. Dawn met George through a booking Hazy Ridge had at a monthly meeting for the Sandy Ridge Bluegrass Association. Through this he found out Hazy Ridge was in need of a bass player. He agreed to help them out all he could. Five months later and he is a full time member of the band!

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High Lonesome Strings Monthly Meeting

Sunday, February 25, 2017 – 2:30 PM

Note: Jamming and fellowship starts at 2:30 and the featured band will perform starting at 4pm

 

Stonefield Cellars Winery
8220 NC Hwy 68 N
Stokesdale NC

 

Featuring:

Cuttin’ Grass

Cuttin’ Grass is a Bluegrass Band playing Traditional, Contemporary and Gospel music. They honor the roots of the music and those that have pioneered the growth of the Bluegrass genre thru the years. They offer an energetic, artistic and heart- felt authenticity to the songs they perform.

Wally McKay – Lead Guitar and Vocals – Wally started learning to play music at the age of 6 with his Dad and Uncles. He was learning songs that his family members had played at different events, whether it was a family reunion, social event or at Bluegrass festivals. He began by learning to play the mandolin at age 6 and the guitar at a very young age of 9 and has continued with the guitar as the instrument of choice playing music with other musicians at various events. He moved to Wilmington NC in 1991 and played mandolin, guitar and vocals for religious friends (aka “The Batts Family”) and with members of churches. He moved back to Durham in 2005 and played lead guitar and lead vocals for the groups “Freedom Travelers” and “Crossroads Bluegrass Gospel”. He founded “Cuttin’ Grass” in 2016 where he plays lead guitar and lead vocals. Wally grew up in Roxboro, NC and now makes his home in Durham NC.

Amos Rozier – Guitar, Harmonica and Vocals – Amos, originally from down east near Lumberton NC, has made Durham NC his home for the past 28 years. Like countless other musicians he got his early musical experience in the church choir in the 60’s and 70’s. In 1978 while still living in Lumberton, he co-founded the Country Rock group “Borderline” of which he was guitarist and lead vocalist thru the mid 80’s. From the mid 80’s thru 1988 he was original member of variety & beach music group “Scottfree” as lead vocalist and played the guitar, harp and percussion. In 1998 Amos got involved with the music program at Freedom Baptist Church of which he is currently music director and has played and sang with Gospel groups such as “Redemption”, “Deliverance” and Bluegrass Gospel groups “Crossroads”, “Carolina Country Bluegrass”, among others. In 2007 & 2008 he played guitar and mandolin with an all original music group “Justice Street”. Amos was a member of the variety, beach, country and R&B group “Stur Krazy” out of Durham form 2003 to 2013 where he played guitar, harp, percussion and was lead vocalist

Billy Powell – Mandolin and Vocals – Billy who, plays mandolin in the group, began playing guitar at an early age. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from UNC Greensboro while studying classical guitar, where he also started playing mandolin. Having played and sung with several local bands in the Raleigh and Greensboro, NC area over the years in country, rock and bluegrass genres, he also plays lead guitar in his church band, where he served as instrumental director for a number of years. He teaches private lessons and writes music.

Doug Meade – Banjo and Vocals – Doug was drawn into Bluegrass Music and the banjo, due primarily to growing up 5 miles from Ralph Stanley’s home. He started playing banjo at age 20 and has established several bands on his own and has been a member of many more (Lonesome Pine Bluegrass, Sourwood Mountain Band, Big T and The Twisted Grass Entourage). Doug has developed a style of his own on the banjo with key components from the notable greats like Earl Scruggs, JD Crowe and Don Reno. Doug also sings lead and harmony vocals. Doug has established himself as a hard driving banjo player, but can also feel the music and play what is being sung. He grew up in Southeast Virginia, and now makes his home in Apex, NC.

Steve Moore – Bass and Vocals: Steve was introduced to music at an early age. His Dad played the guitar and was a lead singer giving Steve a lot of experience singing the harmony parts. He began playing the Bass at age 12, since his Dad needed a Bass player in his local band, and has maintained it as his instrument of choice all his life. Steve provides both lead and harmony vocals to the band. Steve grew up in Smithfield, NC and now makes his home in McGee’s Cross Roads, NC.

Will Lutter – While growing up in Bethesda, MD, outside of Washington, Willem Lutter began violin lessons at age 8 and guitar at age 13. He studied music at the University of Rochester in New York and education at UNC. His performing experience ranges from symphony orchestra to 18 piece jazz band to country and bluegrass. He currently lives in Raleigh with his wife and teaches guitar and music theory at Green Hope High School in Cary.

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