John McEuen
January Jams returns to the Gilliam Stage at Barter Theatre, Abingdon, Virginia. Shows are at 7 p.m., and tickets are $24.
On Jan. 3, The Wildmans, a brother-sister-led band from Floyd, Virginia, bring a fresh twist to Appalachian mountain music with a deep-rooted foundation in bluegrass and old-time traditions. Elisha Wildman, a mandolin and guitar virtuoso, and Berklee College of Music graduate, has claimed multiple first-place awards at prestigious fiddler’s conventions like Galax and Mount Airy. His sister, Aila Wildman, an accomplished fiddler and vocalist, won the coveted Best All-Around Performer award at Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention and is also a Berklee student. Together, they have performed on stages across the U.S., sharing bills with renowned artists such as Béla Fleck, Sierra Hull and Billy Strings. The Wildmans’ performances, marked by haunting vocals and a spirit of musical exploration, captivate audiences with a blend of classical precision, folk storytelling and adventurous improvisation, making them an unmissable act on the Americana and bluegrass scene.
Jessica Lea Mayfield takes to the stage Jan. 4. She is an Ohio-born singer-songwriter known for her haunting voice and introspective blend of folk and grunge. Rising to fame with her debut album “With Blasphemy So Heartfelt,” she’s built a reputation for raw, emotionally charged music that explores themes of love, loneliness and self-discovery. Known for her unconventional approach, Mayfield has captivated audiences with her deeply personal lyrics and unique sound, establishing herself as a distinctive voice in indie music.
Formed in 2019, ¡Tumbao! has wasted no time in capturing the hearts and ears of audiences wherever they perform. They perform Jan. 10. From legendary venues along the United States east coast to festivals that celebrate the very essence of world music, this ensemble’s popularity is skyrocketing. The band’s stage presence, musicianship and energy create an atmosphere that is impossible to resist. More than heart-pounding rhythms and irresistible melodies, the band provides a cultural journey that celebrates the rich traditions and diverse heritage of Latin America.
By blending musical elements from different regions, ¡Tumbao! creates a multicultural experience that unites people from all walks of life. A high-energy Latin Fusion ensemble that will transport you to the vibrant streets of Latin America and beyond. Composed of nine seasoned musicians from diverse genres and backgrounds, this group combines their talents to create a sound that defies categorization. With members hailing from all corners of the musical spectrum, ¡Tumbao! blends the rhythms of salsa, the groove of funk, indigenous beats of cumbia, the electrifying power of Latin-rock, the smoothness of R&B, the psychedelic Amazonian beats, and the soul-stirring touch of brass.
Lou Hazel performs Jan. 11. Hazel, born in Olean, New York, traded his family’s traditional hunting ways for the path of an artist, journeying across the country and navigating deep personal struggles before finding peace in Durham, North Carolina. Known for his raw, Prine-like storytelling, Hazel’s music captures longing, loss and nostalgia with humor and honesty. His art—whether songwriting, illustration, or photography — flows from an unfiltered place, capturing the spirit of his subjects in fresh, heartfelt ways. Emerging from recent challenges with renewed energy, he brings a bold new light to his evocative folk tales and creative work.
Kashus Culpepper performs Jan. 17. Alabama-born country crooner Culpepper encompasses the sound of the South. A student and reverent purveyor of Southern music – country, soul, blues, folk and rock — Culpepper’s husky, sandpaper growl bellows like a freight train over self-penned stories that are as raw and real as they are haunting. Finding his voice in church as young as 5 years old, it wasn’t until 2020’s global pandemic that Culpepper went from listener to performer, picking up a guitar and learning cover songs to play at barrack bonfires in Rota, Spain, during his deployment with the Navy. Covers soon became originals, and once he landed home on U.S. shores, Culpepper played dive bars up and down the Mississippi Gulf Coast, making a name for himself with the fresh-yet-reminiscent sound that oozes from his very being.
Crashing into prominence now, Culpepper has already sold-out headline club shows throughout the South despite never formally releasing a single song, also opening shows nationwide for sound pioneers like Charles Wesley Godwin, Charley Crockett and Needtobreathe. With Nashville taking notice, Culpepper found a musical home at Big Loud Records, and just dropped his first career single “After Me?” MusicRow hails Culpepper as “thoroughly gripping,” and with the promise of more music on the way in 2024, The Tennessean predicts how one of their 10 Nashville artists you need to know for 2024’s “forthcoming material could offer ... significant acclaim.”
The Deslondes perform Jan. 18. The Deslondes bring a soulful, genre-blending sound that feels like a downhome reunion, mixing classic country, blues, jazz and rockabilly with New Orleans grit. Celebrating over 15 years of friendship and music, the band’s new album, “Roll It Out,” revives old favorites and fresh originals, capturing the raw energy and deep camaraderie that have defined their journey. With harmonies that feel like family and songs that tell the stories of roads traveled and lessons learned, the Deslondes invite audiences to experience a live show brimming with spirit, reflection and joy.
East Nash Grass takes to the stage Jan. 24. East Nash Grass is one of the hottest young bands in bluegrass, picking up this year’s International Bluegrass Music Association award for Best New Artist and stacked with IBMA Best Instrumentalist winners: Grand Master Fiddle champion and AMA Instrumentalist of the year nominee Maddie Denton, Cory Walker (banjo), and Harry Clark (mandolin). Put them alongside charismatic frontman James Kee and bassist Jeff Partin (Rhonda Vincent, etc.) and you’ve got a powerhouse leader of the next generation in bluegrass excellence.
WSLR in Fogartyville calls them “a balance of undeniably hard-driving bluegrass alongside surprisingly introspective songwriting and earnest narration.”
They are far more than a group of impressive instrumental technicians. As a group that came together organically via set after set on Nashville’s East Side, playing tiny stages for the love of it between tours backing bigger acts, they have a hard-forged bond that’s reflected in their stage chemistry.
As they work on the follow up to 2023’s “Last Chance To Win” — look for a release in the spring of 2025 — they now find themselves one of the most in-demand groups in Americana, fanning out well beyond the traditional bluegrass spots.
John McEuen & The Circle Band perform Jan. 25. McEuen brings with him 45+ years of worldwide performing with his banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin. Often referred to as ‘the String Wizard,’ he weaves stories of his travels and family life (he has raised seven kids), taking audiences through where his musical path has taken him. A founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1966, McEuen instigated the 1972 classic “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” album, (inducted into the Library of Congress as “one of America’s most important recordings”).
He has earned Emmy nominations, Grammy Awards, CMA acclaim, The Western Heritage Award and many other accolades. Proud to be an integral part of the first American band to go to Russia, his love of performing is evident when during his shows he takes us ‘behind the curtain’ of the music world that so many of us know of only as listeners and shows us how we have all been a part of it, more than we may know. McEuen’s XM radio show, Acoustic Traveller, is in its sixth year, and his new Americana Music Show is on Syndicatednews.net.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit bartertheatre.com or call 276-628-3991.
