A! Magazine for the Arts

Sam Bush Band performs during the opening weekend of January Jams.

Sam Bush Band performs during the opening weekend of January Jams.

January Jams is on stage in Abingdon

December 26, 2018

Abingdon Music Experience presents the seventh annual January Jams at Barter Theatre, Abingdon, Virginia. The music series runs three weekends during January.

The Abingdon Music Experience strives to build a quality of place by connecting the community through innovative and high-quality events that attract, entertain and enrich diverse audiences, promoting and increasing local tourism and Abingdon as an artistic and cultural destination.

Concerts start at 8 p.m., and prices vary for each concert. Call Barter Theatre’s box office at 276-628-3991 or visit www.bartertheatre.com to purchase tickets.

January Jams opens Jan. 11 with Béla Fleck and Abigail Washington. Fleck is a 15-time Grammy Award winner who has taken the banjo across multiple genres, and Abigail Washburn a singer-songwriter and clawhammer banjo player who re-radicalized it by combining it with Far East culture and sounds. They perform pieces from their Grammy-winning self-titled debut as well as their new record, “Echo in the Valley.” Fleck & Washington have one eye on using the banjo to showcase America’s rich heritage and the other pulling the noble instrument from its most familiar arena into new and realms. Tickets range from $55-$65.

Sam Bush Band plays Jan. 12. The Father of Newgrass and King of Telluride has long since established himself as roots royalty, revered for his solo and sideman work, which includes time with Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett and Béla Fleck. But instead of kicking back and soaking up honors such as an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award and Grammys and International Bluegrass Music Association trophies, Bush still strives to create something new. Tickets are $39-$49.

The Rev. Shawn Amos takes to the stage Jan. 18. From West Coast clubs, to Deep South joints, to European festivals, to YouTube, to the podcast universe, the Reverend Shawn Amos’ message of joyful blues is reaching an ever-increasing flock. His distinctive blend of black roots music, R & B, and stripped down rock n’ roll brings a bracing, soul-deep musical experience to audiences starved for authenticity and connection. Seattle songsters Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons open the concert. Tickets are $18-$22.

Tameca Jones sings Jan. 19. She made a name for herself as the “Queen of Austin Soul,” with her tasteful and vibrant interpretations of a diverse list of artists that include Tina Turner, Nirvana, Elton John, Jimi Hendrix and more. The Austin Chronicle called her interpretations “sonic pretzels” that “juxtapose(s) crunchy jaggedness with her infectious, honeyed voice.” Tickets are $15-$18.

An Evening with Drew and Ellie Holcomb is on stage Jan. 25. Drew and Ellie Holcomb are a husband and wife Americana duo from Nashville, Tennessee. The couple toured with Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors until Ellie left the group for a solo career as a Christian singer. This concert is a special engagement allowing the couple to collaborate again. Tickets are $29-$39.

The concert series concludes Jan. 26 with Dustbowl Revival. Dustbowl Revival is an Americana soul band with eight full-time members who mash the sounds of New Orleans funk, bluegrass, soul, pre-war blues, and roots music, into a genre-hopping, time-bending dance party. Tickets range from $25 to $30.

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