Poet, performer, visual artist and rock-and-roll icon Patti Smith joins us on this week’s encore broadcast of Mountain Stage.
Here she performs “People Have The Power,” the driving anthem co-written with her husband Fred “Sonic” Smith, a native of Lincoln County, W.Va. who was posthumously inducted into the WV Music Hall of Fame the evening prior to this performance in 2018.
Patti Smith & Family- "People Have The Power" Live On Mountain Stage
Recorded in 2018
Smith performs the song with a band that includes her longtime collaborator and guitarist Lenny Kaye, her son Jackson Smith on guitar, daughter Jesse Paris-Smith on piano, along with Mountain Stage Band members Ammed Solomon on drums and Steve Hill on bass.
You can hear Patti Smith & Family’s entire performance, plus sets from Van William, Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore feat. Lucy & Brigid Moore, Robbie Fulks, and a special Tribute to Little Jimmy Dickens featuring Tim O’Brien, Charlie McCoy, and more, on this week’s encore episode of Mountain Stage.
Credit Brian Blauser/ Mountain Stage
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From Left to Right: Tim O’Brien, Jupie Little (of The Carpenter Ants), Robbie Fulks, Mollie O’Brien, Brigid and Lucy Moore, Lenny Kaye and Jesse Paris-Smith.
We’re getting back into the swing with live shows again, so you should sign up for our email updates to be among the first to know our on-sale schedule so you can plan your trip to #AlmostHeaven.
This week’s episode of Mountain Stage with Larry Groce is a special edition with favorites chosen by some of our staff, band and crew. We asked members of our team here at Mountain Stage to reflect on some of their favorite performances from the past year’s worth of shows, and we used their feedback to curate this week’s special episode.
A near universal favorite among our team was the February, 2018 appearance by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Patti Smith, along with her daughter Jesse, son Jackson, and legendary producer and guitarist Lenny Kaye, who were joined by Mountain Stage Band members Steve Hill on bass and Ammed Solomon on drums. With the election finally in our rear-view mirror, we thought “People Have The Power” was a fitting choice to represent this week’s show as our Song of the Week.
See the entire playlist, including songs by The Wood Brothers, Joan Osborne, The Mountain Goats, Ranky Tanky, Kat Edmonson and much more, and find out where you can listen on an NPR station near you.
Credit Brian Blauser/ Mountain Stage / mountain stage
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mountain stage
From South Carolina, Ranky Tanky left a lasting impression on our staff and crew, who chose favorites from 2018 for this week’s special broadcast.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Patti Smith and her family returned to West Virginia in February 2018 to accept the posthumous induction of her husband Fred “Sonic” Smith into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.
While he came to fame in Detroit, Fred Smith was born in Lincoln County, W.V. He was a guitarist with influential punk band MC5 and he would marry Patti Smith in 1980.
Patti is a poet, visual artist, singer and songwriter, and National Book Award winning author. Along with her son Jackson on guitar, daughter Jesse Paris-Smith on piano, and longtime collaborator Lenny Kaye on guitar, the band runs through some of her most well-known songs and collaborations with her husband, including the protest anthem “People Have The Power.”
The two would collaborate throughout their relationship. In 1986, Patti and Fred co-wrote the song that opens this set, “Paths That Cross,” in response to the AIDS epidemic that impacted many of their friends.
Introducing the anthem "Because the Night," Smith says, "Fred and I met in 1976 in Detroit, but because I lived in New York we were fated to have a long distance relationship for a while. I co-wrote this song with Bruce Springsteen, but the words were for Fred."
Mountain Stage Band members Steve Hill, bass, and Ammed Solomon, drums, accompany Patti and her family for this performance.
This Sunday you can watch along live as Mountain Stage hosts a sold-out show at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV featuring Patti Smith & Family, Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore, Van William, Robbie Fulks and a special tribute to Little Jimmy Dickens featuring Tim O’Brien, Charlie McCoy and Friends.
Thanks to our partners at VuHaus and the WVPB Video Production department, we are offering a free live video web-stream. Just come back to this post, log on to VuHaus.com, or visit MountainStage.org at 7pm EDT to watch along.
The rundown looks like this: Robbie Fulks, a special performance by Charlie McCoy, Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore featuring Lucy & Brigid Moore, Van William, Tribute to Little Jimmy Dickens, then Patti Smith & Family.
This service is possible in part because of support from our audience, the members of WVPB and our Mountain Stage Members. Thank you.
You can also tune in Saturday evening at 8pm EDT to The West Virginia Channel to watch the 2018 West Virginia Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. This year’s inductees include Hasil Adkins, Frank Hutchison, Ann Magnuson, The Morris Brothers, Fred “Sonic” Smith and Michael W. Smith. Performers include Patti Smith, Tim O’Brien, Southern Culture On the Skids as well as the living inductees.
Advance tickets for February 11 have sold out as of Wednesday January 31. Patti Smith and Family will be performing Saturday February 10 at the WV Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, with many others including Southern Culture On the Skids, Jerry Douglas and more. Tickets and more information can be found here.
Original Post: Mountain Stage is pleased to announce that Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Patti Smith & Her Band featuring Jackson and Jesse Paris Smith, will appear on Mountain Stage Sunday February 11 at the Culture Center Theater.
The best-selling author, photographer, rocker and activist will be in town to accept the induction of her late-husband, Lincoln County-born Fred “Sonic” Smith (1949-1994), into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame the previous night.
Also appearing on February 11 are Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore featuring Lucy and Brigid Moore, singer-songwriter Van William, plus a special Tribute to Little Jimmy Dickens featuring WV Music Hall of Famers Tim O’Brien, Charlie McCoy and friends. Tickets are available now online, by phone at 877.987.6487 or locally at Taylor Books in Downtown, Charleston.
The WV Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Saturday February 10 at the Culture Center and is a can’t-miss night of unexpected surprises and collaborations. Learn more about this year’s inductees and purchase tickets online or at Taylor Books in downtown Charleston.
MORE LIVE SHOW NEWS:
Our Spring calendar is filling out and tickets are already moving fast. We have three exciting shows planned for March, all at the Culture Center Theater in our hometown of Charleston, WV . Visit our Live Show Schedule for the complete line-ups and ticket info.
Credit Reese Moore
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Charleston, SC based “gullah” group Ranky Tanky will appear on Mountain Stage Sunday March 18. Tickets are on sale now.
On Sunday March 4 we welcome back Grammy winning WV-native Kathy Mattea to be our special guest-host with featured performances by Seamus Egan Project and, just announced, The Mulligan Brothers. This Mobile, Alabama group has a rich roots rock sound that has built plenty of steam with each of their three albums, the latest of which is “Live from The Netherlands.”
Sunday March 18 is shaping up nicely with a variety of styles, including Tal National from West Africa and Welsh traditional group Calan. We’ve just announced that fusion group Ranky Tanky, recently featured on All Things Considered, and one of our favorite songwriters, Amy Rigby, have been added to the bill.
On Sunday March 25 we wager there won’t be a greater collection of Americana music’s finest anywhere in the country that compares to our Mountain Stage line-up in Charleston, WV. We’ve just added two of the country’s most highly regarded songwriters, James McMurtry and John Moreland, to the bill that already features Lee Ann Womack, Inara George and The Low Anthem. All of these artists have fantastic new works to explore, and we can’t wait to hear them live.
Credit Mary Keating Bruton
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Tickets for all March shows are only $20 in Advance, available online, by phone at 877.987,6487 or locally at Taylor Books.
Milwaukee’s Dead Horses join us April 15 for Mountain Stage in Charleston, WV.
We’ve added Milwaukee’s emerging roots band Dead Horses to the show Sunday April 15, alongside M. Ward and The Sea, The Sea. Dead Horses third album “My Mother the Moon!” is due out soon, capitalizing on their recognition in 2017 for “Best Album,” “Best Americana/Bluegrass Artist,” & “Best Female Vocalist” in the 2017 Wisconsin Area Music Industry awards.
AND ONE MORE SHOW:
Kim Richey will appear on Mountain Stage in support of her new album “Edgeland,” due March 30.
Finally, we’re announcing another Spring show on Sunday, April 22 at the Culture Center Theater as we welcome Nashville-based songwriting great Kim Richey, and San Fran’s pure rock and roller Chuck Prophet. Richey released a new single, “Whistle On Occasion”, as a preview to her upcoming release “Edgeland” due March 30. You won’t be surprised to learn the single features Prophet.
Tickets for this event will be on sale to members online starting Friday, January 26, and via all outlets on Friday, February 1 at 10a.m. Members check your e-mail for your code.
Mountain Stage Members make a recurring gift to Mountain Stage of $10/month or more, and receive seven days of exclusive online pre-sale access to all Culture Center Shows. Find out how to become a member here.
