Annual “Music of the Mountains” Scheduled

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will hold its 9th annual "Music of the Mountains" celebration Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21. Over the years, this event has grown to span an entire weekend, with performances of traditional music in neighboring communities, including an entire day of free music at the Sugarlands Visitor Center on April 20th.

The three-day event begins with a concert of Celtic music by Four Leaf Peat on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in Townsend, Tenn. General admission is $5.

"Music of the Mountains" continues on Saturday with a series of free performances of old-time mountain music during the day at the park's Sugarlands Visitor Center. Six programs are planned from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (see schedule below). This year the park will welcome back Knoxville musician Matt Morelock to the stage with his friend, fiddler Ferd Moyse of the Hackensaw Boys. The duo will play two sets at 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Back again for the first time in several years will be a free performance on Saturday night in the city of Gatlinburg. Steve Brown and Hurricane Ridge will play their blend of old-time and modern bluegrass on the plaza outside of the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies on Saturday evening from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

The Sunday afternoon program at the Smoky Mountain Visitor Center in Cosby, Tenn, will feature traditional Appalachian religious music with an old fashioned community sing along from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. General admission is $4.

"We've been offering Music of the Mountains since 2005 to celebrate old time music and to educate our visitors about the instruments, playing styles, and history behind the tunes," Supervisory Park Ranger, Kent Cave said. "The partnerships with our neighbors in Cosby, Gatlinburg and Townsend allow us to paint a more complete picture of the various types of music played here in the southern mountains."

The schedule of events:

April 19th - Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, Townsend 
Admission: $ 5
7 pm - Celtic Music by "Four Leaf Peat"

April 20th - Sugarlands Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Admission is free
10 am- Lost Mill String Band
11 am - Boogertown Gap Band
12 pm - Brien Fain
1 pm - Tony Thomas
 2 pm - Matt Morelock and Ferd Moyse
3 pm - Matt Morelock and Ferd Moyse
4 pm - Mountain Strings

April 20th- Plaza at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Gatlinburg 
Admission is Free
7- 8:30pm - Steve Brown and Hurricane Ridge

April 21st - Smoky Mountain Visitor Center, Cosby
Admission: $4
2pm-4pm - "Heritage, Harps and Hymns" - traditional offerings from Cocke County


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies