Following the American Civil War, a group of freed people fled violence and bought land in Western North Carolina. In the summer of 1873, these people formed a Black communal society they named “The Kingdom of the Happy Land.” A new novel tells a story set in the kingdom, both in the past and in the present day. It’s titled, “Happy Land.” Host Mason Adams spoke with its author, Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
Live Show News: The Devil Makes Three, Si Kahn, Over the Rhine and More Coming to Mountain Stage
Share this Article
Mountain Stage looks towards Spring as we finalize our upcoming shows in April and May. Browse our entire live-show schedule for details and more links, and be sure to purchase early before the show sells out, like our April 14 event with Matt Nathanson, Stephen Kellogg, Carbon Leaf and others.
On Sunday, April 7 Mountain Stage returns to Athens, OH on the campus of Ohio University thanks to our hosts at OU Performing Arts. We’ve completed the line-up with the addition of two Ohio-based artists, Over the Rhine and Adam Remnant, who join The Lone Bellow, Scott Mulvahill and Anna Tivel when we record at Memorial Auditorium.
Over the Rhine have been coming to Mountain Stage since 1993, and will return this time with songs from their newly released project titled Love & Revelation. The 11-songs on Love & Revelation were recorded in Culver City, CA and showcase the pair’s timeless songcraft and understated yet soulful delivery.
Ohio’s Adam Remnant will appear on Mountain Stage April 7 in Athens.
Adam Remnant, a founding member and principal songwriter in the alt-roots group Southeast Engine, has struck out on his own with a solo album, Sourwood, recorded in his home studio of Athens, Ohio.
Si Kahn is preparing to celebrate his 75th Birthday and Mountain Stage will welcome him on April 28 in Morgantown, W.Va.
On April 28 Mountain Stage returns to the Lyle B. Clay Concert Theatre in Morgantown’s Creative Arts Center with our partners at WVU Arts & Entertainment. Just added to the line-up is folk musician, activist and composer Si Kahn, who will be performing on the show in celebration of his 75th birthday, along with European bluegrass group The Looping Brothers. Their latest collaboration will be released in March, a follow-up to their 2013 release Aragon Mill: The Bluegrass Sessions. In 2017, Kahn was acknowledged by the International Folk Alliance with their “Spirit of Folk Award.”
Also joining the April 28 bill in Morgantown will be Nashville-based songwriter and singer Sean McConnell, whose new album, Secondhand Smoke, was released last month. McConnell has a long career at a relatively young age, since the 34-year-old started releasing his own music at age 15. Sean earned his first no. 1 single on country charts as a co-writer in early 2018 with breakout artist Brett Young’s delivery of “Mercy.” The video for his song “Here We Go” was recently featured in NPR Music and World Café’s monthly web feature “Heavy Rotation.”
Tickets for April 28 in Morgantown are reserved seating, available online or by calling 304.293.SHOW.
More news below the next video.
The Devil Makes Three return to Mountain Stage in Charleston, WV Sunday, May 12.
The Devil Makes Three’s new release, Chains Are Broken, was recorded at Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, TX with producer Ted Hutt (Gaslight Anthem, Dropkick Murphys). It’s the band’s sixth full-length record and first since 2013, and May 12 will mark the band’s second appearance on Mountain Stage.
The Devil Makes Three join the line-up on Sunday, May 12 along with The David Bromberg Quintet, one-man-psych-rock band The Suitcase Junket, folk-music icon Eliza Gilkyson and Ireland’s Jarlath Henderson. Tickets are available now online and at Taylor Books in downtown Charleston.
The 2025 USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships, presented by Spilman Thomas & Battle, are planned for May 19 to 26.
This year’s event includes the debut of the Under-23 (U-23) Women’...
Dozens of union workers and community members gathered outside Charleston’s main post office to voice opposition to federal job cuts Thursday afternoon.
For generations, Skeenies Hot Dogs in Sissonville, West Virginia, was known for serving some of the best slaw dogs around. The restaurant closed in 2018 — but still comes alive for the annual Skeenies Tribute Sale. Folkways reporter Zack Harold has this story.
