saturday, January 11, 2025
10:00 am - 12:00 pm in the Turnage Theatre gallery
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm on the Palace Theatre Main Stage
Free Admission
Donations Appreciated
Mark your calendar for the 11th Annual Don Skinner Guitarfest on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at the Historic Turnage Theatre. While this is a “free admission” event, collected donations will help support continued aid to Western North Carolina residents impacted by the recent hurricane and flooding. Guitarfest is a very popular BCTMA event that features top guitar players, singers, and bands of Eastern North Carolina.
The day will kick off with a morning BCTMA “Open Acoustic Jam” session in the Turnage Gallery Room from 10:00 AM -12:00 PM. Four popular local bands will then perform on-stage in the Turnage Palace Theatre and Stage from 2:00 PM – 6:00PM.
Featured musicians include guitarist Ken Braddy and “CBR” making their first public performance at 2:00 PM. Popular local performer Earl Ragland and “The Ragtags” are featured in the second set starting at 3:00 PM. Joe Solano leads “Six Pack Band” on stage for a blues set starting at 4:00 PM. Pamela Cox and “Cathead Biscuit” are on-stage at 5:00 PM followed by an ensemble song by all the Guitarfest musicians. Allen Vick, on-air personality at Curtis Media Group and DJ at “Beach Boogie and Blues”, is the event MC.
The audience is invited to stay for the entire day or visit and listen as many times as they can while enjoying the charm of Little Washington. Guitarfest is named in memory of Don Skinner, a founding member of BCTMA and an outstanding guitarist.
This fun-filled family entertainment is sponsored by the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association and co-sponsored by the Beaufort County Arts Council / Arts of the Pamlico. The Turnage Theatre is located at 150 West Main Street, Washington NC
BCTMA Acoustic Jam
Musicians and audience are encouraged to attend.
CBR (Country, Blues, Rock)
These five experienced musicians have been featured with popular touring bands for many years. The band offers a mix of Country, Blues, Rock (hence CBR) and some Beach Music. They are making their first live performance together as a band for Guitarfest. Hailing from surrounding Eastern Carolina counties are Ken Braddy: guitar/vocals, Stewart Herring: guitar/vocals, Warren Flynn: bass/vocals, George Coghill: drums, and David Langley: harmonica/vocals.Earl Ragland & the Ragtags
This is the first Guitarfest appearance for this must-see Washington band. They draw large crowds wherever they appear because the band’s repertoire spans a wide range of popular musical genres that audiences love. Earl Ragland: guitar/vocals, Rob Monath: bass/vocals, Buck Brossman: percussion, Daviid Edwards: vocals, Hal Woolard: harmonica.Six Pack Band
A premier blues and rock band that has taken Eastern Carolina by storm in the last year. They have a passion for creating one off, live music that folks are moved by so that memories are made in that specific moment. Joe Solano: guitar/vocals, leads the group along with Jeff Shirley: guitar/vocals, Vidal Warren: lead vocals, Billy East: bass/vocals, and Mike Wiggs: drums/vocals.Cathead Biscuit
An “All Star Ensemble” of local talented musicians back together for their second Guitarfest performance. The Band features blues-driven rock music by Pamela Cox: lead vocals, Jeff Shirley: guitar/vocals, JB Mayes: guitar/vocals, Robert McGaughy: drums/vocals, and Jay Costello: bass. Look for lots of Chicago-style and Allman Brothers style blues