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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass


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RockyGrass 2025 lineup includes The Infamous Stringdusters, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Sam Bush, Del McCoury Band, Rhonda Vincent, Mason Via, and many more

The 53rd annual RockyGrass Festival 2025 is set for July 25-27. Very limited tickets and camping are still available! Located in Lyons, Colorado, RockyGrass is traditional bluegrass at its finest. Red rock cliffs and ottonwoods peer down over the property as the North St. Vrain River flows through the festival grounds just feet from the main stage.

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Volunteers are still needed! Join the awesome community of volunteers! Work three shifts in exchange for your Festival pass. 

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Mason Via’s newest release is destined to be a hit

You heard it here folks: North Carolina native Mason Via’s latest single and music video are destined to be hits. I dare you not to tap your fingers and your toes once you start listening to the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter’s “There Goes Another One,” released by Mountain Fever Group.

Via returned home to the foothills of his native state for his newest music video, in which he asked FOX8’s Chad Tucker to play the high sheriff, a nod to the classic “Smokie and the Bandit.” 

A Stokes County native, Via has performed on some of the biggest stages and recently stepped away from the legendary group “Old Crow Medicine Show” to go out on his own.  

His recently self-titled album captures Via’s unique musical style, songwriting and voice.  

Check out the full video on Mountain Fever Music Group’s YouTube page.


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Nine reasons not to miss Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival over Memorial Day Weekend

Rooster Walk 9 Music and Arts Festival, set for May 25-28 near Martinsville, Virginia, is a week away, the weather forecast is offering blue skies and temps in the 70s and I’d like to suggest you forego that annual Memorial Day trip to the beach with the masses. Instead head to the verdant foothills of southwest Virginia to relax and take advantage of some amazing musical and outdoor offerings. Continue reading


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New ways to ring in the new year in North Carolina, Virginia

On New Year’s Eve, more than a million people will gather in New York City’s Times Square to watch a crystal ball drop and more than 100,000 people are expected to gather in Nashville’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park to watch the musical note drop. But if big crowds aren’t your idea of a party, here’s some musical alternatives to ring in the new year:

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The King Bees bring the blues to Green Heron Ale House on Saturday, July 22

The first time my husband and I tried to find the Green Heron Ale House, I’ll admit it, we got lost. Tucked away in the bowels of rural Stokes County, North Carolina, just outside of Danbury, the rustic brew pub and live music joint is located in the shadow of Hanging Rock State Park on the banks of the meandering Dan River. And while it’s not easy to find, it is worth the trip.

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On Huffington Post: Mason Via is headed ‘Up, Up, Up’ to perform at FloydFest for the first time

This story also appeared on The Huffington Post here.
Mason Via is transcending musical genres with his unique brand of what has been described as Appalachian funky folk, soulful acoustic, rhythm and bluesgrass and groovy Americana.  His debut album, “Up, Up, Up,” is an eclectic mix of Appalachian string instrumentation, world percussion and soulful vocals mixed with powerful songwriting.
But it’s his country roots that come through the loudest and clearest when he hits the stage. No surprise really when you learn that the Danbury, North Carolina, native grew up in the shadow of Hanging Rock State Park in rural Stokes County on the banks of the Dan River.
“Living in correspondence with nature is one of the main points of my music,” Via, pronounced like “sky,” explains on a new micro-documentary, “Back to the Rock,” on his website.

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Yarn performs at Rooster Walk 6


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On Huffington Post: Ancient Tones – New Sounds Festival makes it debut Sept. 25-27 on storied grounds in Union Grove, N.C.

Ancient Tones – New Sounds Festival is making its debut Sept. 25-27 in Union Grove, North Carolina, with a stellar lineup of Americana, Celtic, bluegrass and old-time mountain music artists including The Horse Flies, Scythian, Yarn, Mountain Heart, Blu Bop, The Fighting Jamesons, Big Fat Gap, Hard Cider, Whiskey of the Damned, Brynmor, The GoodFellers, The Brown Liquor Pickers and Mason Via and Friends.

“I want to put a focus on the the common musical thread that runs through the roots of each of those genres,” says Robert Gabb, festival founder, organizer and musician. “All of these bands were purposely chosen. The premise is tracing the lineage between all this music; tracing the footsteps of the first Celtic settlers which translated into old-time mountain music and then bluegrass and then Americana.”

The culmination of what Gabb, who originally hails from Wales, describes as a cultural heritage festival will come Saturday night when his Irish band heads up a mashup of musicians. “We want to get people out of their seats and dancing.”

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