Alum Ridge Boys and Ashlee

Alum Ridge Boys and Ashlee

classic bluegrass and country
Floyd, Virginia

Mining the fertile common ground between bluegrass, early country music, and traditional mountain music, The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee are one of Virginia’s torchbearers of the old time sound. Featuring the classic quintet of fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass, the band comprises five masterful musicians and singers who have immersed themselves in the dance music traditions of the Blue Ridge region and developed a deeply rooted old time and bluegrass sound.

Anya Hinkle

Anya Hinkle

Ashville, NC
Americana

Anya Hinkle is a distinguished American singer-songwriter whose music captivates with its blend of Appalachian roots and contemporary folk influences. Known for her soul-stirring voice and evocative songwriting, Anya has carved out a significant niche in the Americana and folk music scenes. With a career that spans more than a decade, her artistry reflects a deep appreciation for tradition while pushing the boundaries of the genre.

Danny Knicely, Cesar Garabini, and Fernanda Bravo

Danny Knicely, Cesar Garabini, and Fernanda Bravo

Appalachian and Brazilian traditions
Virginia and Brazil

If there’s one thing you can count on at the Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage, it is the presence of multi-instrumentalist and musical genius Danny Knicely. You can also be sure he’ll be up to something new. Danny has the uncanny ability to thrive in and elevate most any musical situation, and often melds the Appalachian folk music of his youth with the expansive types of music he has encountered in the diverse cultural communities of the U.S. and the world.

The Legendary Ingramettes

The Legendary Ingramettes

Gospel
Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia, has long been celebrated as a “Gospel town” for its legacy of vibrant Black gospel groups and choirs. Among the city’s generations of countless groups, the Legendary Ingramettes have become widely considered the city’s “First Family of Gospel,” uplifting audiences for more than six decades while becoming beloved cultural icons in the community. Music is one of many forms of ministry they have practiced, and the one they are most famous for.

Lonesome River Band

Lonesome River Band

Bluegrass
Meadows of Dan, Virginia

From the mid-1970s through early 1990s, bluegrass experienced a musical evolution. The high lonesome mountain vocals and deep country sound of first-generation bluegrass bands were augmented by a rock and roll energy and attitude. Bands like J.D. Crowe & the New South, Boone Creek, and, of course, the Lonesome River Band were key in creating this new sound.

No BS! Brass Band

No BS! Brass Band

Brass Band
Richmond, Virginia

While most people associate funk-infused brass bands with New Orleans, the No BS! Brass Band has soundly put Richmond on the genre’s map. Founders Reggie Pace and Lance Koehler formed this 11-piece powerhouse band in which nearly every member has had conservatory training, holding various degrees in music. In putting together the compositions and arrangements, the “b.s.” has been stripped to give the audience something solid, unique, organic, real, and powerful.

Rodney Stith

Rodney Stith

Classic Soul
Petersburg, Virginia

Born and raised in nearby Petersburg, Virginia, Rodney Stith has quickly become one of Virginia’s most beloved classic soul and R&B artists. Petersburg has traditionally been better known for gospel music than soul or R&B, although local Petersburg record shop owner Ben Allen recorded several local doo-wop and R&B groups in the late 1950s for his Nu-Kat Record label, including The Velvatones, The Five Roses and, most prominently,  the Continental Five. Still, the musical heartbeat of Petersburg’s African American community remained in the church.