Haunted Like Human + Couldn’t Be Happiers
Mythology evokes images of gods, titans, demons, and beasts of every kind. Yet, it’s the spark of humanity that keeps us telling and retelling myths. It’s these stories of seduction, inheritance, and hubris that Nashville-based folk duo Haunted Like Human rekindle in the 14 songs on their third album American Mythology. Since the release of 2021’s Tall Tales & Fables, Dale Chapman and Cody Clark have been refining their sound rather than departing from it. With a background in poetry and prose, Dale Chapman’s granular focus on language is simpatico with Cody Clark’s background in classical guitar, where each note carries its own weight. The result is a shapely set of songs that borrow from universal lore in order to reveal intimate truths. The pair prove they write songs like novelists write their books, using careful detail and well-shaped characters to tell even the heaviest of stories. Whatever the topic, the songs shine with restrained arrangements and entwined harmonies. This duo tells stories so well that there’s no need to cloak them with heavy-handed production or vocal processing. Instead, Haunted Like Human lets the humanity shine through.
Evan Blackerby & The Bandwagon w/ The Ghosts Of Liberty
EVAN BLACKERBY & THE BANDWAGON NC FOLK FESTIVAL 2025 “NOT YOUR AVERAGE FOLK CONTEST” WINNER Evan Blackerby has something to say. With his rollicking full band, “the Bandwagon,” he has been relentless in working to cultivate his own musical voice and sound – a sound that can only be described as alt-bluesy Americana, folkish-rock-esque singer-songwriter. Over the past few years with his band, he has found a sweet spot where unpolished honesty can still create a groove. The Bandwagon includes Brett Morgan Thompson on guitar, Lelan James Estes on bass, Ralph Butcher on drums and percussion, and Michael Van Patter on keys. Blackerby’s debut full-length, full-band album “Hop on the Bandwagon (https://open.spotify.com/album/2Y50b9cUMVdCYLC0DSt0YM?si=Sb57C46IR8OZIZkmp_kgsw)” was released in January 2025 (recorded in Winston-Salem, North Carolina by Doug Williams / Electro Magnetic Recorders and mastered by Grant Livesay / 68 Sound). As a part of the Evan Blackerby Trio, he won the North Carolina Folk Festival’s 2025 “Not Your Average Folk Contest” and the Bandwagon performed on the main stage. Also in 2025, he performed with the trio as guests on The Martha Bassett Show in Elkin, NC and as a part of the Emerging Artist Series hosted by Greensboro’s Flat Iron. After writing songs for decades, in 2022 Blackerby turned forty-one years old and lost his job. Deciding he was tired of waiting around for someone to stumble upon his songs and decide they were good enough, he personally declared himself to be a full-time musician and sought to fill his entire schedule with music. He has since played over 750 shows. While Blackerby continues to evolve sonically and as a songwriter, his incessant commitment to bringing people together through music has never shifted. He still has more to say. Also, THE GHOSTS OF LIBERTY Americana folk-rock act based in the foothills of North Carolina- The Ghosts of Liberty comprises husband & wife duo Emma Millard (Lead Vocals, Keyboard) and Tyler Millard (Vocals, Guitar). They bring together their combined influences of roots, blues, rock and soul, delivering a truly original package that could only be born of two people living and working under the same roof. Tyler discovered his passion for music while losing his vision to RP, a degenerative retinal disease- and Emma comes from a background in multi-genre vocal performance, beginning with classical training at an early age. Ty’s steady and cool nature balance Em’s gutsy emotionality, and together they are a musical force. They have been playing and writing music together for over a decade, and through many of life’s challenges have maintained a deep and abiding appreciation for how music and love can truly overcome any obstacle. Emma and Tyler currently reside in Oak Ridge North Carolina with their two ambitious toddlers who are eager to join the band as soon as their attention spans will allow.
The Gone Ghosts, Crenshaw Pentecostal, and Nathan James Hall
All Y’all Country Allstars Potluck w/ Laura Jane Vincent
ALL Y’ALL COUNTRY ALLSTARS playing all your favorite outlaw & classic country hits! This event is a POTLUCK! Bring your favorite dish to share! Dinner @ 6pm, Show @ 7pm
Lilly Hiatt w/ TBA
The last few years have been a little hazy for Lilly Hiatt, who finds herself searching for answers on her striking new album, Forever. Recorded at home with her husband, Coley Hinson who produced and played most of the instruments, Forever grapples with growth and change, escape and anxiety , self-loathing and self-love. The songs are intensely vulnerable, full of diaristic snapshots and deeply personal ruminations, but they’re also broad invitations to find yourself in their unflinching emotional excavations. The result is a raw , unvarnished work of love and trust that walks the line between alt-rock muscle and singer/songwriter sensitivity , a bold, guitar-driven exploration of maturity and adulthood from an artist who wants you to know you’re not alone, no matter how lost you may feel. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Tennessee, Hiatt first earned buzz with a pair of early solo records before breaking out with 2017’s T rinity Lane, which helped earn dates with the likes of John Prine, Margo Price, Drive-By T ruckers, and Hiss Golden Messenger in addition to festival slots from Pilgrimage to Luck Reunion. NPR called the album “courageous andaffecting,” while Rolling Stone hailed it as “the most cohesive and declarative statement of the young songwriter’s career .” Hiatt returned in 2020 with the similarly well-received Walking Proof, and in 2021 with Lately , which The Boston Herald said showcased her “knackfor plainspoken, poetic lyrics” and Uncut proclaimed “captivating.”
Thanksgiving Eve Jam w/ Carri Smithey Band, Josh King and more…
This will be a gathering of friends and musicians from the triad and triangle celebrating our love for each other and our love for music with a headlining set from Carri Smithey Band. You never know who is going to show up to play so get your tickets now! Tickets are only $10!
Amythyst Kiah w/ King M Dot
Produced by Butch Walker (Taylor Swift, Green Day, Weezer) and recorded at his Nashville studio, Amythyst Kiah’s new album Still + Bright explores the vast expanse of her inner world: her deep-rooted affinity for Eastern philosophies and spiritual traditions, a near-mystical connection with the natural world, the life lessons learned in her formative years as a self-described “anime-nerd mall goth.” In dreaming up the backdrop to her revelatory storytelling, Kiah and Walker arrived at a darkly cinematic and exhilarating twist on the rootsy alt-rock of her 2021 breakthrough album Wary + Strange—an LP that landed on Rolling Stone’s list of the 25 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2021 and drew acclaim from major outlets like Pitchfork. With its sonic palette encompassing everything from fuzzed-out guitars and industrial-leaning beats to gilded pedal steel and Kiah’s exquisitely graceful banjo work, Still + Bright fully affirms her as an artist of both daring originality and uncompromising depth. “One of Americana’s great up-and-coming secrets.”— Rolling Stone “She really is important in reminding people that there is a great tradition of African-American, old-time musicians. I love that she sings in this really rich low vocal range, just straight from the chest, resonant.” — NPR “Her razor-sharp guitar picking alone guarantees her a place among masters, but it’s her deep-hued voice that can change on a dime from brushed steel to melted toffee that commands attention.” — The New York Times w/ Emerging Artist King M Dot King M Dot is Acoustic Soul Rap artist in Greensboro,NC. While playing the acoustic/electric guitar, he mixes in rapping, spoken word and soul singing rhythmic music. He pulls from and fuses a multitude of different genres, giving a very unique and eclectic sound.
Sparrow Smith and the Resonant Rogues + Clover-Lynn Hillbilly Gothic
Sparrow Smith, a multi-instrumentalist based in Marshall, NC, is well loved for her evocative songwriting, tasteful banjo playing, epic accordion chops, and striking outfits. A longtime member and leader of multiple bands (most notably Resonant Rogues) with Keith Josiah Smith, her husband and collaborator, Sparrow is stepping out under her own name with a new album of Appalachian originals. Her journey into old time started in her late teens with freight trains and Tommy Jarrell tapes, and her musical taste is also inspired by a lifelong love of dance. When not on tour, Sparrow can be found in the North Carolina mountains where she teaches Women’s Basic Carpentry and is building her own house from scratch.
BOB FLEMING & CAMBRIA IRON CO. JACOB DANIELSEN – MOORE, AND CLIFF B WORSHAM
Dark Turn Of Mind: A Haunted Americana Show w/ Colin Cutler
Dark Turn of Mind: A Haunted Americana Tour In celebration of the dark turn of the seasons, Halloween, and the Day of the Dead, Asheville-based bands The Moon & You and Hannah Kaminer, alongside drummer Ross Montsinger, have put together a special night of live music. Dark Turn of Mind: A Haunted Americana Tour features haunting, ghostly, foreboding, and in some cases humorous songs that are part of the dark lifeblood of the folk, country, and Americana traditions. This show features favorites by Gillian Welch, Lefty Frizzell, Nina Simone, Johnny Cash, and more, along with originals by band members Ryan Furstenberg, Melissa Hyman, and Hannah Kaminer.