This week’s Song of the Week comes from Martinsburg, W.Va’s Christian Lopez, recorded in Morgantown with WVU Arts & Entertainment.
Lopez was inspired to write “Steel On The Water” after entertaining 5,000 sailors aboard a United States aircraft carrier from Pearl Harbor to San Diego. The song appears on Lopez’ 2017 album Red Arrow.
"With the sea in his blood and tears in his eyes/ May the ocean rock you to sleep tonight."
You can hear Lopez’ entire set, plus performances from Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors, Andrew Combs, Lost Bayou Ramblers and Peter Mulvey, on this week’s episode of Mountain Stage with Larry Groce. Find a station in your area or tune in Saturday evening at 8pm on the statewide radio network of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Credit Brian Blauser/ Mountain Stage
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Drew Holcomb, Peter Mulvey, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Andrew Combs and Christian Lopez appear on this week’s episode of Mountain Stage.
Mountain Stage with Larry Groce will kick off its 36th season of live performance radio with two January live events just announced.
On Sunday, January 20 the show returns to Morgantown, WV as guests of WVU Arts & Entertainment. Featured musical performers confirmed so far include Gregory Alan Isakov, Mandolin Orange and Elysian Fields.
Colorado-based Gregory Alan Isakov is a beloved voice in the modern realm of indie-folk musicians. Currently wrapping up the United States portion of the album release tour before spending the rest of 2018 in Europe, Isakov will be appearing January 20 in Morgantown with songs from his new album Evening Machines.
Mandolin Orange will release “Tides of a Teardop” on February 1. They appear on Mountain Stage in Morgantown, WV Sun. Jan. 20.
Brand-new music is in store for North Carolina roots duo Mandolin Orange. Tides of a Teardrop, due Feb. 1, is the latest collection from singer-songwriter Andrew Marlin and multi-instrumentalist Emily Frantz, who will appear for the fourth time on Mountain Stage January 20. NPR Music recently premiered the first single, “Time We Made Time” noting Mandolin Orange has “mastered a largely acoustic sound that exudes gentle elegance.” Shortly after their January 20 appearance on Mountain Stage the band will kick off their alum-release tour on February 1.
Just wrapping up a tour of Europe, Elysian Fields has built a cult-following with their dense, layered ambiance, evident in their new album Pink Air. The band describes Pink Air as a “post-apocalyptic rock & roll joyride.” Read up on the band’s history, dating back to their 1995 inception, on their website, and watch their newest video below.
Mountain Stage returns to our home-venue of the Culture Center Theater on the state capitol grounds here in Charleston, W.Va. on Sunday, January 27. Two of roots music’s most beloved groups, both with brand new music to exhibit, will join us as Greensky Bluegrass and Donna the Buffalo return to Mountain Stage.
Credit Courtesey of the Artist
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Greensky Bluegrass will bring their progressive sound, made on acoustic instruments, to Mountain Stage Jan. 27 in Charleston, W.Va.
Greensky Bluegrass have carved out a name for themselves with their instrumental prowess, limitless improvisation and colorful, poignant songwriting, as evidenced on their latest, Shouted, Written Down & Quoted.
Due for release on Friday, November 9, Dance In the Street is the latest collection from Donna the Buffalo. The band got with legendary producer and engineer Rob Fraboni, known for his work with Bob Dylan, The Band, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt, to record in El Paso, TX at Sonic Ranch. https://vimeo.com/288662040″>Watch a “Making Of” video for Dance In the Street and make plans to join us January 27 in Charleston as the band returns to Mountain Stage.
Tickets for January 27 are available now to Mountain Stage Members who make a recurring gift of $10/month or more and receive first dibs at tickets for our Culture Center shows. Choose a level and sign-up here, and once your membership is processed, you’ll get an e-mail with your code to purchase your tickets early, at the member discounted price of just $15.
Tickets will be available to the public online, by phone at 877.987.6487, or locally at Taylor Books in Downtown Charleston starting Friday, November 9.
Mountain Stage w/ Larry Groce has been named a Best WV Attraction in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards by USA Today.
The ten attractions that received the most votes are below. Thank you to everyone who voted, shared and voted again for Mountain Stage. We’re pleased to be ranked among such great company. Whether you’re from near or far, we encourage you to come see a live show sometime- we have seven shows on sale now-and it’s always fun to start with our partners at Wild, Wonderful West Virginia and The Charleston West Virginia CVB for help planning your trip.
The top ten winners in Best WV Attraction are as follows:
Update: Voting has officially closed in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards and we thank all of you who continued voting for Mountain Stage as “Best WV Attraction.”
The results are due on Friday January 19, so keep an eye here at wvpublic.org, and be sure to follow Mountain Stage on social media, for more updates. No matter the results, we know and recognize all the incredible things our state has to offer, and we are proud to be nominated among such beautiful and historic attractions and locations.
A national media outlet has nominated Mountain Stage for its Readers’ Choice Award and you can help.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Mountain Stage with Larry Groce, heard weekly on more than 200 NPR stations around the country, is nominated for “Best WV Attraction” in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
The contest runs through Monday, January 15 and you can cast one vote daily.
“Our audience has always been, and will always be, an essential part of what we do at Mountain Stage,” said the show’s host and co-founder Larry Groce. “The state is filled with great attractions, so we’d love it if you would take this opportunity to help play a different role, by helping us get to the top of the leader board!”
Credit Courtesey of the Artist
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John Oats brings his Good Road Band to Mountain Stage in Morgantown, WV Sunday Januar 14.
Mountain Stage kicks off its 35th season in Morgantown, WV Sunday, January 14 at the WVU Creative Arts Center. Ticket holders will take part in a live music experience that will be heard across the country via our NPR stations and world wide via the Mountain Stage Podcast. You can also watch select performances via VuHaus.com and sample full sets at NPR Music.
Last year Larry Groce was named a “Southerner of the Year” by Southern Living Magazine, and you can listen to highlights from the program’s 34th season here.
Mountain Stage with Larry Groce will begin it’s 35th season of live performance radio This Sunday, January 14 at the WVU Creative Arts Center in Morgantown, WV. Larry will welcome John Oates, of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo Hall and Oates, with songs from his upcoming roots release “Arkansas.” Audience members will also be treated to a performance from Tyminski, the latest modern-country effort from long time Allison Krauss & Union Station vocalist and guitarist Dan Tyminski. His album “Southern Gothic” is out now.
Credit Courtesey of the Artist
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Lilly Hiatt makes her second appearance on Mountain Stage this Sunday in Morgantown, WV.
Also on the bill are Nashville based Alt-Americana songwriter Lilly Hiatt, whose latest, “Trinity Lane,” landed on several “Best of” year-end lists, and banjo wild-man Danny Barnes will be there to help you reimagine the possibilities of the instrument. Finally, we’ll be treated to a tale from WV Storyteller and Liars Contest champion Bil Lepp.
Tickets are available online, by phone at 304.293.SHOW, or at the CAC Box Office. Tickets are $27-39, and only $10 for students. More info via WVU Arts & Entertainment.
Don’t forget you can vote daily for Mountain Stage as “Best WV Attraction” in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards by USA Today.
Mountain Stage Members make a recurring financial gift to Mountain Stage and receive exclusive, seven days of online pre-sale access to all Culture Center Shows. Find out how to become a Mountain Stage Member here.
On Sunday, January 14 Larry Groce will welcome back John Oates to Mountain Stage as the show travels to Morgantown, WV to kick-off its historic 35th season of live performance radio. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo Hall and Oates, John Oates has been releasing solo material since 1999. In April 2017 he released his memoir “Change of Seasons.”
Now Oates is prepping for the release of “Arkansas” his latest album of roots and Americana music, due in early-2018. Originally inspired by the music and legacy of the legendary Mississippi John Hurt, the project grew to encompass other artists and styles that represent the dawn of American popular music. Oates crafted a number of original songs for the Arkansas album; selections actually inspired by the process of digging deep into the sonic soil of authentic roots music. “Arkansas” is available for pre-order now.
Oates will be joined by The Good Road Band when he appears January 14, along with already announced guests Tyminski, the latest modern country-effort from Dan Tyminski, Nashville based songwriter Lilly Hiatt, whose latest “Trinity Lane” was produced by Michael Trent of Shovels & Rope, plus a special performance from West Virginia’s beloved storyteller Bil Lepp.
Tickets are available now online and by phone 304.293.SHOW.
Credit Courtesey of the Artist
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Richie and Rosie have released two albums as a duo, but many musical miles preceded their collaboration.
On Sunday, January 21 Mountain Stage returns to the Culture Center Theater in Charleston to welcome award-winning bluegrass group Dailey & Vincent, plus IBMA Guitar Player of the Year Molly Tuttle, honky-tonk revivalists The Sweetback Sisters, and seasoned Americana group Western Centuries. Just confirmed to appear is the acoustic roots duo Richie and Rosie. Comprised of Rosie Newton-who was touring with The Mammals before she graduated high school- and Richie Stearns-whose endless discography includes three Natalie Merchant records, multiple collaborations with Jim Lauderdale and Donna The Buffalo, and Carrie Rodriguez- recently released their second full-length record, “Nowhere in Time.”
Advance tickets for January 21 are available online, by phone at 877.987.6487, or locally at Taylor Books, downtown Charleston.
Sign up for our e-mail newsletter for periodic live show updates, and follow us behind the scenes on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can also catch some of our favorite video performances at VuHaus.com.
