The Cultural Foundation of Harrison County and the Barbara B. Highland Fund for the Arts, in partnership with The Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center, are bringing a live recording of the globally broadcast radio show Mountain Stage with Kathy Mattea to downtown Clarksburg on Sunday, Aug. 27 at the historic Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center.

 

For nearly 40 years, Mountain Stage has been the home of live music on public radio. Produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting, hosted by Kathy Mattea, and distributed by NPR Music, each two-hour episode of Mountain Stage can be heard every week on more than 280 stations across America and around the world via NPR Music. Recorded in front of a live audience, Mountain Stage features performances from seasoned legends and emerging stars in genres ranging from folk, blues, and country to indie rock, synth pop, world music, alternative, and beyond.

 

"We are absolutely thrilled to bring Mountain Stage to Harrison County, fulfilling a long-held goal for The Cultural Foundation," said Andy Walker, president of The Cultural Foundation of Harrison County. "Mountain Stage has become an institution, broadcasting live music from the Mountain State all across America and the world. The Foundation is honored to welcome the show to the historic Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center for the very first time."

 

The Sunday, Aug. 27 live show at the Robinson Grand will feature Tony Trischka’s EarlJam, the Jason Carter Band, The Watson Twins, and more.

 

Tony Trischka is considered the consummate banjo artist and perhaps the most influential banjo player in the roots music world. For more than 50 years, his stylings have inspired a whole generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians with the many voices he has brought to the instrument. Tony will be honoring the music of Earl Scruggs, pioneer of the three-finger banjo style and one of the most important musicians in bluegrass, or arguably in any genre.

 

Jason Carter is a Grammy-award-winning fiddler from Ashland, Ky. True to those Kentucky roots, Carter continues to pour all he has back into bluegrass. For thirty years, he has been the fiddle player for the Del McCoury Band – the most awarded group in bluegrass history. He’s won three Grammy awards, including 2018’s “Best Bluegreass Album” with the Travelin’ McCourys, of which he is a founding member. And he’s taken home five IBMAs for “Fiddle Player of the Year,” a staggering number that isn’t quite so crazy once you realize just how many bluegrass greats have turned to Carter for collaboration.

 

Long before their entwined voices took them around the world – first as harmony singers for Jenny Lewis, then as leaders of their own critically-acclaimed band – The Watson Twins grew up in the American South. They sang in the church choir. They listened to gospel classics and country standards. Those sounds became part of their musical foundation, connecting the siblings to their Kentucky hometown even after they relocated to Los Angeles and, years later, settled in Nashville.

 

“Having Mountain Stage at the Robinson Grand is a dream come true,” said Jason A. Young, program manager at The Robinson Grand. “We are thankful that they agreed to visit our incredible venue and that The Cultural Foundation agreed to support their visit.”

 

The Cultural Foundation of Harrison County, established in 1972, strives to foster an arts-rich environment and to encourage the development and appreciation of all art forms, while also promoting the growth of artistic, cultural, and economic development.

 

The Barbara B. Highland Fund for the Arts provides funds to The Cultural Foundation of Harrison County, for the engagement of fine arts presentations of a national scope in Harrison County, WV. The generous provision of this endowment by longtime resident and patron of the arts, the late Barbara Brennan Highland, is indeed a reflection of her fine character, personality, and love for her community.

Tickets for Mountain Stage with Kathy Mattea start at only $35. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, June 9 at 10:00 a.m.

All tickets can be purchased online at tickets.therobinsongrand.com or by calling the Robinson Grand ticketing center at (855) 773-6283.

 

Editor's Note: Submitted photo of Trischka.