Beaufort County Traditional Music Association

Beaufort County Traditional Music Association presents their 14th Annual BoCO Traditional Music Festival- Back to the Roots- at the Turnage Theatre Gallery in Washington on Saturday, April 12, from 10 AM-5:00 PM. Admission is free for this family fun event, and donations are appreciated. Donations help support BCTMA activities to promote traditional music.

The festival opens with a BoCO Festival Open Jam. It is open for all acoustic string musicians and features BCTMA jammers. This takes place 10:00 AM – noon.  Then there is a lunch break and sound set up for the afternoon performances.  You can enjoy lunch at one of the many delicious restaurants in downtown Washington, and stroll the beautiful waterfront boardwalk.

Exciting traditional music fills the afternoon line up.  You can drop in to hear your favorite band, or stay the entire afternoon and enjoy all of these fine traditional bands.

2:00 PM - Brother Tim & The Sister Wives

This band is from Wilmington and enjoys singing 3-part harmonies while playing traditional instruments such as ukelele, fiddle, guitar and banjo. It is composed of Melanie and Tim Litchfield and Karen Calloway. Many of the songs that they play are part of the new cannon of folk music. They also play some original folk songs that grow from their immersion in traditional music and love of nature.  They are a unique band who plays modern traditional folk music led by female vocals. While their favorite venue is the kitchen table, they have performed different types of music for over ten years.  They enjoy the music of Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown, and other traditional bands.  Their blend of vocal harmonies yields a very enjoyable sound.

3:00 PM - Mac McRoy & The South Point Bluegrass Band

This group focuses on traditional, bluegrass and gospel music. Their energetic style of playing contributes to their toe tapping performance. These veteran musicians have been influenced by the Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin, and Flatt & Scruggs.  Band members include Steve Clark, who sings baritone and plays bass.  Jordan Sanderlin plays mandolin and Mitch Mitchel plays banjo. Mary McRoy sings high harmony and Mac McRoy plays guitar, sings, and writes the original songs.  They currently are booked at Fountain General Store, and at several local churches and private venues.  Mac will be taping a segment for “Song of the Mountains” this spring.

4:00 PM - Yonder

LaNelle Davis came to traditional music through dance and rhythm.  Her bass playing reflects the driving rhythm of clogging and the square dance. She has toured and recorded with many bands, including Big Medicine and Tommy Edwards.

Steven Fraleigh is a steady presence in the bluegrass scene.  A two-time winner at the Galax Va. Fiddlers Convention, he is a multi-instrumentalist and has led or played with many bands including Swift Creek, The Grass Cats, and most recently, Barn Dance.

Rick Lafleur is a much sought after banjo player and song writer, having had an eight-year career with The Grass Cats. His song, “The Mountains, My Baby, and Me”, co-written with Russell Johnson, remained at number one on the Bluegrass Unlimited National Bluegrass Survey Chart for three months. He describes his driving banjo style as traditional modern.

Guitarist Billy Willis began playing music at seventeen.  His bluegrass band, The Wahoo Review, recorded and played bluegrass festivals along the East Coast for many years. He played with Patchwork with radio host, Tim Woodall for nearly 20 years. He has played as a studio musician and joined the R&B/Top 40 band, The Shades, as lead guitarist. These talented musicians excel at a wide variety of music, and are an excellent finale to the BCTMA 14th Annual BoCO Traditional Music Festival.

Raffle

Throughout the day, BCTMA raffle tickets will be sold for $10.00 a ticket.  Drawing will be held at the end of the festival at 5:00 PM. Items being raffled include:

1st Prize

2nd Prize