Song of the Mountains officially debuted in July 2005.
Eighty-four shows later, the monthly live concert and nationally syndicated public broadcasting series is about to start its sixth season.
Set for Jan. 15 at the Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Va., the show will feature bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley as the headliner.
Contemporary bluegrass’ Darrell Webb Band, along with new band The Blu-Js and comedian Phil Campbell, fill out the typically strong Song of the Mountains lineup.
“This will be the first time that Ralph Stanley has done Song of the Mountains,” said Tim White, executive director and host of Song of the Mountains. “Ralph is a living legend, and that’s always special.”
Call it a fitting pairing, Stanley kicking off the show’s sixth season.
“I think it’s great,” White said. “He’s homegrown. He sings that high lonesome sound. He’s a member of the Grand Ole Opry.”
Who knows, perhaps some day folks will think of Song of the Mountains as the Mountain Empire’s Opry.
Look at the show’s history. Through five seasons, such luminaries as Country Music Hall of Fame member Tom T. Hall, pistol hot bluegrasser Rhonda Vincent and hippie-grass band the Goose Creek Symphony have appeared on Song of the Mountains.
“We’re spreading the gospel of bluegrass, old-time, Americana, Celtic and gospel music,” White said.
Check out the coming season. Artists booked thus far include country’s Kathy Mattea, western’s Riders in the Sky and bluegrass’ Mark Newton.
Toss in the show’s usual mix of local and regional acts, and perhaps all of the above in part explains why tapings of Song of the Mountains reach the country via more than 170 public broadcasting affiliates.
“We’re in Los Angeles, San Francisco, parts of Canada, Florida,” White said. “We’re all over. We’re reaching over 62 million people per year in about 23 million households.”
Phenomenal.
“We have such a well-polished and well-produced show,” White said. “We’ve always had a high quality of music featured. Joe Ellis, he’s the executive producer for the show, had the vision for the TV show.”
Now, through the years, White has navigated the entertainment industry in multitudes of capacities.
The Roanoke, Va., native started as a musician yet has also booked and promoted shows, painted the country music mural on State Street in downtown Bristol, co-founded the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance and the Appalachian Cultural Music Association, worked as a disc jockey and so on.
However.
“When I started picking banjo back in 1975, I never imagined anything like Song of the Mountains and to this degree,” White said. “This is the biggest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
There’s more. Goals for Song of the Mountains include syndication via each and every public broadcasting outlet and affiliate, and continued technical and show improvements, along with ever-stronger lineups.
Taken together, the forecast for 2010 appears bright and sunny for Song of the Mountains.
“You need to wear your sunglasses,” White said. “It’ll be comfortable conditions and with some hot nights.”
TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at features@bristolnews.com.
IF YOU GO
What: Song of the Mountains
Who: Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, the Darrell Webb Band, The Blu-Js and Phil Campbell
When: Jan. 15, 7 p.m.
Where: Lincoln Theatre, 117 E. Main St., Marion, Va.
Admission: $25
Info: (276) 783-6093
Web: www.songofthemountains.org
And: www.drralphstanley.com
Also: www.appalachianculturalmusic.org
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