The Blue Ridge Music Center is excited to host a special evening of Bluegrass and Beyond representing the Americana music traditions of both Virginia and North Carolina when The Steel Wheels and Chatham County Line take the stage of its outdoor amphitheater for a double bill on Saturday, August 27 at 7 p.m. The Music Center is located at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just south of Galax and 30 minutes from Sparta and Mount Airy, N.C.
Making music together since 2005, the Steel Wheels have long been at home in the creative space between tradition and innovation, influenced by the familiar sounds of the Virginia mountains where the band was formed, but always moving forward with their rootsy brand of Americana.
With the 2010 release of Red Wing, the Steel Wheels quickly staked their claim as independent upstarts in the burgeoning Americana scene. The group followed up this release with three more self-produced albums in the next five years before joining forces with producer Sam Kassirer for Wild as We Came Here (2017) and Over the Trees (2019).
The Steel Wheels have responded to the isolation and loss caused by the pandemic by connecting with their audience in new ways. In 2020, the musicians turned their creative powers to crafting songs for individuals. Produced in the band’s home studios, the Everyone a Song, Vols. 1 and 2 albums are part of an ongoing project to collect the personal experiences of fans and forge them into songs. An accompanying podcast, We Made You a Song, explores the stories behind these songs, and the writing process itself. While each song was commissioned to honor a specific relationship or event—a birth, a wedding, a memory of home—the emotions evoked are universal.
Band members include Trent Wagler (guitar, banjo, lead vocals), Jay Lapp (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Eric Brubaker (vocals, fiddle), and Kevin Garcia (drums, percussion, keys).
Kicking off the show is Chatham County Line. Embracing the heart-worn songwriting and rough-hewn voice of leader Dave Wilson, the band has graced stages across the United States, as well as Europe, Scandinavia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
With eight studio albums of original material, Chatham County Line has a sound all their own and a live show to match. Songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist Wilson pulls tunes out of an ether that is inspired by a shelf-bending collection of vinyl records from the 1920s to the 2020s. One listen to their all-covers release, Sharing the Covers (2019), will give you an idea of those inspirations, with songs from the likes of Wilco, Beck, John Lennon, Tom Petty, and John Hartford.
With the recording of the 2020 release Strange Fascination on Yep Roc Records, the band decided to push its sound a bit more into the modern world and embrace the use of drums both in the studio and on stage.
Chatham County Line includes Wilson (acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica), John Teer (mandolin, fiddle), Greg Readling (standup bass, pedal steel), and Dan Hall (drums).
The concert is sponsored by W.L.A. Trucking.
Tickets are $35 for adults, $20 for children 12 and younger. 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. Admission to the amphitheater begins at 5:45 p.m.
The Galax Smokehouse will offer barbecue, home-style sides, and beverages for purchase during the concert.
Steel Wheels + Chatham County Line
When: 7 p.m., Saturday, August 27
Where: Blue Ridge Music Center, milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Galax, Va.
Tickets: $35 adults, $20 children 12 and younger. Available at BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org.
Additional information: Call (866) 308-2773, ext. 212
