FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge is thrilled to host the first-ever Blue Ridge Jamboree, presenting “Doc Watson at 100” that features author and music scholar Dr. Ted Olson and music by T. Michael Coleman, Jack Lawrence, Wayne Henderson and Jack Hinshelwood.
The Blue Ridge Jamboree will be FRIENDS’ first major fundraising event since 2019 and include performances at Roanoke’s Jefferson Center on Nov. 5 and Asheville’s Wortham Center on March 25.
“Part of our mission is celebrating the cultural uniqueness and environmental beauty of the Blue Ridge region,” said executive director Julie Whalen. “Our vision for the Blue Ridge Jamboree is to create an annual event featuring our Blue Ridge musical heritage, with multiple shows throughout our region where FRIENDS chapters are located.”
“Doc Watson at 100” celebrates the life and legacy of Doc Watson by those who performed with Watson and were profoundly influenced by his music. This includes T. Michael Coleman and Jack Lawrence, who performed, recorded and toured with Watson longer than any other musicians with whom he worked. Joining Coleman and Lawrence are fellow guitarists Wayne Henderson and Jack Hinshelwood, who were both heavily impacted by Watson’s music through his many recordings and performances. Henderson counted Watson as a close friend, especially in his later years when he enjoyed visiting Henderson in his guitar-making shop in Rugby, Va.
A separate, pre-concert dinner will feature a talk led by host East Tennessee State University Appalachian Studies professor Ted Olson on the legacy of Doc Watson followed by stories shared by the artists who knew Doc as a friend and fellow performer. The audience will also be encouraged to share their stories of Doc and the impact he had on them.
Tickets for the Jefferson Center concert on Nov. 5 range $40 to $65. A 10 percent discount is available on purchases through Sept. 21 (promo code: friends). Ticket information for the March 25 concert in Asheville will be announced later this year.
FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge is a nonprofit, volunteer and membership organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the Blue Ridge region. More information at blueridgefriends.org.
