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Founded 05-05-05

Watauga Arts Council Announces Schedule for 16th Annual Concerts on the Lawn

Story by David Brewer

As the weather finally begins to perk up and tourists begin to seek salvation in the High Country’s cooler temperatures, the Watauga Arts Council will again seek music lovers of all ages to come and enjoy the 16th Annual Concerts on the Lawn live music series at the Jones House in downtown Boone. The free concerts will take place each Friday from June 6 to September 26 at 5:30 p.m.

As with the last two seasons, several shows will feature opening acts in addition to the main headliners. According to folklorist and concerts coordinator Mark Freed, some shows will also serve as co-bills and feature two whole hours of music.

As has been the tradition, bluegrass and old-time figure heavily into the Arts Council’s offerings, but Freed is again determined to broaden the series horizons with a greater variety of artists. In addition to more traditional stringband shows, the Jones House will host shows featuring blues, Americana, Dixieland jazz and rock.

Freed is also aiming to get folks out of their lawn chairs and onto their feet with a special dance night in August with the Elkville Stringband. The folklorist is planning to move the concert proceedings to the rear of the Jones House, where there is plenty of room for square dancing. The show will also likely feature a clogging performance to inspire any potential flat-footed wallflowers in attendance.

The biggest and most exciting musical developments for the 2008 Concerts on the Lawn Series include multiple shows focusing on talented singer-songwriters, as well as a fiddlers’ competition mini-series. Winners of the three fiddle competitions at the Jones House will compete in the final competition at the Daniel Boone Days festival at Horn in the West on Saturday, September 6.

For more info on the 2008 Concerts on the Lawn series, call the Arts Council at 828-264-1789.

2008 Concerts on the Lawn Schedule

A mixture of familiar faces, talented newcomers and exciting new events make up the schedule for the 16th Annual Concerts on the Lawn series. In addition to giving the series a slight musical makeover in the way of greater variety, concert coordinator Mark Freed is adding a fiddle competition mini-series, as well as three special singer-songwriter nights.

6/6 Worthless Son-In-Laws

6/13 Lisa Baldwin & Dave Haney/Buck & Nelson

6/20 Songwriter Showcase #1 with Monica Woodard/Nathan Taylor/Crys Mathews

6/27 Blue Note Dixieland Jazz Band/Fiddlers’ Competition #1

7/4 Jones House Centennial Celebration with Watauga Community Band/Steve and Ruth Smith/Beech Mountain Echoes

7/11 The Neighbors/Fiddlers’ Competition #2

7/18 The King Bees Duo

7/25 Lazybirds/Sugar Grove Sweet Talkers

8/1 Songwriter Showcase #2 with Jeff & Benares/Melissa Reaves

8/8 Amantha Mill/Fiddlers’ Competition #3

8/15 Southern Accent/Surefire

8/22 Echo Park/Jessica Presnell

8/29 Dance night with Elkville String Band and more performers TBA

9/5 Barbershop Quartet Showcase/Forget-Me-Nots

9/12 Harris Brothers

9/19 Songwriter Showcase #3 with Deborah Jean Sheets/Shay Lovette/Jay Brown

9/26 Brian Yerman