Closing the concert on Friday will be Hank, Pattie & the Current, bringing their signature soulgrass sound to the stage. Having recently released their fourth album, Rise Above, Hank, Pattie & the Current have had a full slate of concerts across North Carolina and Virginia, and stop by Boone as a part of their summer tour. Bluegrass juggernauts Hank Smith and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw put their own unique spin on old school bluegrass by infusing elements of Latin and Jazz music. With innovative arrangements, pitch-perfect harmonies, and stunning artistry, this band knows how to deliver a captivating performance.
Their song “County Line” exemplifies the kind of energy and showmanship that is the hallmark of this band. Pattie chops away at the fiddle creating a percussive urgency to the song, while also providing lead vocals with a beautifully rich tone and just the right amount of pleading twang. Meanwhile, Hank picks away at the banjo with masterful precision, accentuating just the right notes to create a magnificent melodic style. Their all-star band, the Currents, comprised of Jonah Freedman on bass, Billie Feather on guitar, and Robert Thornhill on mandolin, completes this five-piece band, and join in creating a unique composition with layered instrumental and vocal melodies. At the end of “County Line” Pattie insightfully declares, “You couldn’t draw a line around me.” The truth hits home for listeners who would have trouble putting this band into the box of any one specific musical genre, but can simply appreciate the raw beauty in each performance.
Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be given to both of these groups is their passion for sharing their love for traditional bluegrass music with future generations. Hank and Pattie are both dedicated music educators who are enthusiastic about teaching their students the mechanics of bluegrass, but also the feeling and emotion that must go into it as well. Likewise, members of Cane Mill Road, though still young, are active in preserving the rich history of bluegrass music. Purcell and Lewis are active in the Junior Appalachian Musicians Program, and Wellington and Bosworth also participate as mentors in various music programs, camps, and workshops.
The Summer Concerts at the Jones House are free and open to the public. Concerts are held every Friday in June, July, and August, starting at 5:00 p.m., and they are held rain or shine. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets to enjoy the music from the Jones House lawn. Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the Jones House property, if patrons are of legal age and bring their own beverages. No open containers are allowed beyond the Jones House property. Friendly pets are permitted on leash.
The 2019 Summer Concerts at the Jones House sponsors include the Downtown Boone Development Association, Mast General Store, Burton Moomaw Acupuncture, MPrints, Melanie’s, Stick Boy Bread Co, and Rosemary Horowitz/Jerry Hyman.