Roots Concert Series with Whitetop Mountain Band

1290 Richmond Avenue,Staunton VA 24401

21 August, 2022

Description

Each year, we welcome artist from across Virginia that represents the origins of the music we know and love today. For our third 2022 concert, we are hosting Whitetop Mountain Band. Bringing a legacy of old-time sounds to the stage, the Whitetop Mountain Band is an award-winning family ensemble that has long-time traditional roots in Whitetop, Virginia, an area rich in old-time music tradition. The band’s members have been essential to preserving the Whitetop region’s style of old-time fiddling and banjo picking. These legendary musicians serve as teachers of the style while entertaining audiences with fiddle/banjo instrumentals, powerful solos, and harmony vocals on blues, classic country, honky-tonk, traditional bluegrass numbers, old-timey ballads, originals, and four-part mountain gospel songs. The group has played numerous festivals, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, National Folklife Festival, World Music Institute in New York City, and Carter Family Festival. In 2012 the Virginia Senate issued a proclamation recognizing the band’s contributions to the music of Southwest Virginia. Band members include Emily Spencer, clawhammer banjo and vocals; Martha Spencer, guitar, fiddle, vocals, and dance; Kilby Spencer, fiddle; Debbie Bramer, bass, vocals, and dance; and Ersel Fletcher, vocals, guitar, and dance. Tickets are $12 per person, $60 for a reserved table, and free to Annual Passholders.