Changes are coming to the Birthplace of Country Music's summer concert programming in Wise, Va. The RTE 23 Music Festival will be held Aug. 30, on the campus of the University of Virginia's College at Wise. This one-day music event will replace the Concert Series at Big Glades organized by Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion and coinciding with Bristol's Border Bash concert series, which runs from May through August on the first and third Fridays.
"We have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the town of Wise and UVA-Wise hosting this concert series over the past five years," says Leah Ross, BCM's executive director. "It's exciting to see the reach of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion in our surrounding region – and RTE 23 is another great way to take this music beyond Bristol."
Four acts have been selected for RTE 23 including The David Mayfield Parade, Sol Driven Train, Jarekus Singleton and Derek Hoke.
"We really wanted some sonic diversity," says RTE 23 Festival Director David Stallard. "We were excited to confirm Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion alumni David Mayfield and Sol Driven Train very quickly. Then the job became rounding out the bill. Singleton is an amazing guitar player, in the vein of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Muddy Waters. Derek Hoke is another festival alum – the real deal when it comes to vintage rockabilly."
RTE 23 Music Festival will be free of charge and open to the public. Hours for the event have yet to be determined.
For more information about RTE 23 Music Festival, visit www.BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org or call 423-573-1927.
Birthplace of Country Music is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating Bristol, TN/VA as the Birthplace of Country Music. BCM inspires new generations with authentic music experiences that honor Bristol's vital role in recorded music history – the home of the Bristol Sessions, whose music continues to inspire the artists of today.
The David Mayfield Parade
If you've seen David Mayfield perform with The Avett Brothers or Mumford & Sons at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion or Bonnaroo, then you've caught his charisma, heart and comedy, and you're likely to come back for more. Conscious of being not just a musician, but also an entertainer, Mayfield certainly makes an impression. The strength of his songwriting and musicianship, combined with his charm and personality, keep audiences coming back again and again.
Sol Driven Train
Sol Driven Train's music weaves through genres like images in a Tom Robbins paragraph. The band's sonic schizophrenia reflects songwriting influences like John Prine and Paul Simon, Afro Caribbean rhythmic explorations and funky New Orleans-style brass into earnest songs of life, love, loss and long johns. The versatile five-piece band, based in Charleston, S.C., features rotating lead vocalists, and multi-instrumental talent spread across horns, strings and percussion. Combining rich varieties of American pop and folk music into their own port-town sound, Sol Driven Train has carved out a unique musical identity within the burgeoning roots music scene.
Jarekus Singleton
29-year-old Jackson, Miss., award-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Jarekus Singleton is one of the brightest, most exciting young stars on the blues scene today. His cutting-edge, streetwise music – melding contemporary and traditional blues with rock energy and hip-hop wordplay – turns audiences of all ages into devoted fans. With his blazing guitar licks and strong, soulful voice, Singleton brings his up-to-the-minute take on the blues to every song he writes and performs.
Derek Hoke
Born in Brunswick, Ga., Derek Hoke is a self-taught guitarist, composer, singer and loner. Hoke's first love was the theatrics of KISS, but when his grandfather showed him country music's roots, Hoke started down a different path. Hoke's music is not your dad's country or your granddad's country, but the REAL country. Touring for three years with Ricky Skaggs, Hoke is a musician whose experiences unfold in his music and come alive on the stage.
