by James Cassara – As the singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter of Australia’s Men at Work, Colin Hay was responsible for several of the quirkiest pop hits of the early 1980s, a period that coincided with the emergence of MTV. A convergence of events helped propel the band to heightsContinue Reading
by James Cassara – Referencing Larry Campbell’s impressive resume is an easy task; after all he’s played with more BIG NAME musicians than has anyone of this era, and his studio and touring credentials reach deep and wide. Doing so without appearing to be awestruck and given to absurd levelsContinue Reading
Featuring Amy Black and Sarah Borges by James Cassara – Few recording venues are more synonymous with a specific sound than the legendary environs of Muscle Shoals Studios. Nestled in the hills of northern Alabama, situated just outside Sheffield (population 9039, 2014 Census) and the town seat of Colbert County,Continue Reading
by James Cassara – Multi-instrumentalist Bow Thayer might well define the modern day Renaissance man; an artist whose work exemplifies his past influences and present day state of mind in equal doses. As a songwriter Thayer is remarkably adept at extracting ideas from the music and the world around himContinue Reading
by James Cassara – Patrick Sweany describes himself as a musical omnivore, taking in as many styles as he can, swinging through blues, folk, soul, bluegrass, maybe some classic 50s rock, or a punk speedball, devouring every popular music sound of the last 70 years, and mixing them all togetherContinue Reading
Celebrating a Decade of Music and Community by James Cassara For nearly a decade Louise and Don Baker have been building community with their Mountain Spirit Coffeehouse series, all the while showcasing music by performers they know and genuinely admire. The list of such is impressive: Al Petteway and AmyContinue Reading
by James Cassara In late November of last year, when word began circulating that the Altamont Theater was closing down, it seemed an inevitable consequence of an already crowded club scene in Asheville. By my count there are nearly twenty venues located near downtown whose primary focus is on hostingContinue Reading
by James Cassara In many ways the history of The Orange Peel is closely intertwined with the resurgence of downtown Asheville and its national (and international) reputation as a mecca of the arts and entertainment scene. The winner of multiple honors and recognitions, including numerous Mountain Xpress “Best of WNC”Continue Reading
Stuart Duncan and Noam Pikelny in concert by James Cassara At the age of 33 Noam Pikelny has already amassed the sort of credentials typical of someone twice his age. The term prodigy is often cavalierly tossed around to the point that it begins to lose all meaning but PikelnyContinue Reading
