Missy Raines & Allegheny will perform as part of the Deep Roots, Many Voices: Summer Outdoor Concert Series at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 29, in the Blue Ridge Music Center’s outdoor amphitheater on the Blue Ridge Parkway just south of Galax, Va. None of the Above will open the show.
Raines is a bluegrass trailblazer. Her passion for varying musical genres has taken her on a long and adventurous journey and has led to numerous lauded collaborations in the realms of Americana, country, and folk.
Raines is one of The First Ladies of Bluegrass — an elite group of women who were the first in their categories to win Instrument of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). She has been awarded Bass Player of the Year by IBMA 10 times to date, making her the most awarded musician in the category.
A West Virginia native, Raines began touring professionally as a teenager and has performed and recorded with bluegrass legends such as Josh Graves, Kenny Baker, and Jesse McReynolds. She spent several years touring with the Americana/jazz-tinged ensemble, The New Hip, and was a member of the bluegrass supergroup Helen Highwater Stringband along with Mike Compton, David Grier, and Shad Cobb.
Allegheny, her touring band, is named for the region of West Virginia where Raines grew up. The members are some of the brightest young stars in bluegrass today with Ben Garnett on guitar, Eli Gilbert on banjo, Ellie Hakanson on fiddle, and Tristan Scroggins on mandolin.
With a cultivated sound that is traditional and hard driving at its core, Missy Raines & Allegheny celebrate both the history and evolution of the “high, lonesome sound,” walking the fine line between respect and rebellion.
None of the Above is a five-piece acoustic band based in central North Carolina. Working with traditional bluegrass instrumentation, band members Tim Sands (guitar, vocals), Tim Harrison (bass, vocals), Jason Bodenhamer (mandolin, vocals), Jon Cornatzer (banjo, vocals), and Lee Cecil (dobro) create a unique sound that blends elements from a variety of styles including bluegrass, Americana, alternative country, and their own original material. None of the Above maintains its traditional roots, while drawing on each member’s interpretation and contribution to arrangements, ultimately producing a sound that gives meaning to their name.
Tickets are $25 for adults. Children 12 and younger are admitted free of charge. Advance tickets are available at BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org. Tickets can be purchased on the evening of the show at the admission gates.
Parking opens at 5:15 p.m. and is free. The gates open at 5:45 p.m. The concert begins at 7 p.m.
