Friends of the Blue Ridge will host “Blue Ridge Holler” on Nov. 21 at the Wortham Center in Asheville, featuring a lineup of up-and-coming musicians and seasoned artists, as part of Friends’ ongoing commitment to help North Carolina communities rebuild from Hurricane Helene.
Hosted by master fiddler and multi-talented Josh Goforth, the concert features:
- Songwriter, speaker and author David Lamotte, who has performed more than 3,500 concerts and released 13 full-length CDs of primarily original music, touring in all of the 50 states and on five of the seven continents.
- Carolina Detour, an exceptionally talented group of young musicians who have a passion for creating captivating melodies and weaving heartfelt lyrics.
- Newfound Gap, an old-time Junior Appalachian Musician band composed of four siblings from Henderson, North Carolina.
- Pythagoras, formed at East Tennessee State University and rooted in traditional bluegrass blended with a fresh, contemporary edge.
All proceeds will go toward Friends’ continued work rebuilding western North Carolina parks and recreational facilities destroyed by Hurricane Helene.
Friends launched Blue Ridge Holler in November 2024 with a 10-day series of concerts throughout Virginia’s Roanoke Valley. Funds raised from the series helped rebuild community assets aligned with Friends’ mission of celebrating the Blue Ridge region's unique culture, natural beauty, and quality of life:
$20,000 to Buncombe County Parks and Recreation to restore public parks and playgrounds in Asheville.
$5,000 to Camp Dickenson in Fries, Virginia, to rebuild a boat ramp, trails and zip line.
$10,000 to Sam Brown Park in Sparta, North Carolina, to install a new handicap-accessible bridge.
Tickets are $18 each, or family four-pack for $50. Friends thanks Mast General for sponsoring this benefit concert.