Mountains of Music Homecoming: Seldom Scene, Olen & Frances Gardner, Cox & Company & Loose Strings
Venue: Downtown Christiansburg, Christiansburg
Organizations: Cox & Company, Loose Strings, Mountains of Music Homecoming, Olen & Frances Gardner, Seldom Scene
Date: Saturday, June 18, 2016
Time: 3:00 - 8:00 PM
Event Types: Music
Cost:

Description:
The Montgomery Museum & Lewis Miller Regional Art Center presents the Mountains of Music Homecoming event featuring Seldom Scene, Olen & Frances Gardner, Cox & Company and Loose Strings in concert on Saturday, June 18, 2016 in downtown Christiansburg, VA.

Main Street will be closed down for a full day of bluegrass and old time music as part of the Mountains of Music Homecoming Festival.

Over 40 years since they began playing together at weekly jam sessions in founder Ben Eldridge’s Bethesda, Maryland basement, The Seldom Scene have become one of the single greatest contributors to the progression of bluegrass while setting a new standard and attracting new audiences to the genre.

Their legendary weekly DC-area residencies included bluegrass versions of country music, rock, and even classical pop. The band's popularity soon forced them to play more than once a week, but they continued to maintain their image as being seldom seen, and on several of their early album covers were photographed with the stage lights on only their feet, or with their backs to the camera. The Seldom Scene have performed at the White House many times, and continue to tour year-round and members of the original Seldom Scene lineup have been inducted in International Bluegrass Music Association’s Hall of Fame.

On January 15, 2016 after the announcement of Ben Eldridge's retirement from the band, Rickie Simpkins became the newest member of Seldom Scene. Other current band members include Lou Reid, Dudley Connell, Fred Travers and Ronnie Simpkins – Rickie’s brother.

Links:

• http://www.seldomscene.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/seldomscene
• https://www.twitter.com/_SeldomScene

Olen & Frances Gardner are old-time, bluegrass and gospel musicians from Riner, VA.

Olen started playing music very young and partnered with Dell Reeves in the early 50s, performed with Doc Watson in 1971 and recorded with Charlie Monroe in 1974 and performed with him for three years.

Olen and Frances Gardner married in 1975 and according to Olen, have been “playing together pretty much ever since.” They began studio recording in 1976 and have maintained a semi-professional career throughout the years, including several national park service contracts.

Together Olen & Frances recorded an LP in 1976 which was used on "Voice of America" Radio and Radio Free Europe for several years. Thanks to recent Crooked Road promotions, Frances has radio fans in California, and Olen has banjo fans in Australia. They are also receiving radio play in New Zealand.

Cox & Company is a traditional and contemporary bluegrass band based out of Southwest Virginia.

Frontman Joey Cox grew up in Pulaski County, Virginia, and was inspired at an early age to learn banjo and play bluegrass music. Shortly after graduating high school, he would spend the next 8 years on the road as a professional musician with bands that include BlueRidge, The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band, Lou Reid & Carolina, and the most well known Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/company.cox/

The Loose Strings Band (LSB) is an all girls band, consisting of five members from Galax, VA a part of the heart of Appalachia. They were once known as a youth band and have now crossed over into the adult league and placed 8th in the adult competition at the 80th Galax Fiddlers Convention.

They band has been together for almost a decade playing at bluegrass convention, weddings, benefits, churches, reunions and festivals. They are known in the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond for their nice blend of tight vocal harmonies and sweet rhythms.

Links:

• http://www.theloosestringsband.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/TheLooseStringsBand
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo0-1C3FfsbQal76FcyYXsA
• https://www.instagram.com/theloosestringsband/

Advance tickets are $12 purchased May 31, 2016 or before. Tickets purchased after and at the gate are $15. To purchase tickets online, visit: http://www.etix.com/ticket/p/2685194/.

Additionally meet author Michael Abraham and artist Leslie Roberts Gregg who will be there with their book “Keepers of the Tradition” along with some of the individuals featured in the book. Star Country 94.9 will also be on hand with their bus and radio personalities.

Gates open at 2 pm. Music begins at 3 pm.

This is an outdoor concert so bring your own chairs.

In the event of rain, the concert will be moved into the Baptist Church on Main Street in downtown Christiansburg, VA.

The Crooked Road’s Mountains of Music Homecoming is an annual nine-day, region-wide celebration of the communities in Southwest Virginia – their traditional music, and all their many cultural and natural assets. The event includes Crooked Road marquee concerts in over 20 communities and many dozens of cultural experiences throughout the region.

For more information, visit: http://mtnsofmusic.com/ or http://montgomerymuseum.org/.