Mountain Home Recording Artist Unspoken Tradition is about new, original Bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere.

Omar Ruiz-Lopez (he/him) is a distinguished musician and educator currently based in Durham, NC, with a remarkable command over multiple instruments, including violin, viola, guitar, and mandolin. His roots lie in North Carolina, having been a part of the burgeoning Triangle music scene for 13 years until his move to Nashville in 2023 and back in 2025.

Since his time in Nashville, Omar has played and recorded with artists such as the GRAMMY-nominated band War and Treaty, Franklin Jonas, Lizzie No, Harper Grace and Langhorne Slim, and cowritten with songwriters such as Rachel Baiman and GRAMMY-nominated Melody Walker (Sierra Ferrell, American Dreaming). He is currently working on an EP with Willa Frank (Paper Wings) and a full-length album with Rachel Baiman producing.

Born in Panama and raised in Puerto Rico, Omar’s early exposure to traditional Caribbean folk songs, courtesy of his father, laid the foundation for his deep appreciation for music. Spanish is his first language, and it remains an integral part of his cultural identity.

Slippery Hill featuring Fiddlin’ Al McCanless specializes in Bluegrass and Folk music, performed by Chapel Hill, NC’s own Charles Pettee (guitar, mandolin, vocals) with his son Jackson Pettee (guitar, vocals), along with guests such as Al McCanless. Their repertoire is enhanced by original pieces composed by Charles during his tenure as a member of The Shady Grove Band and across his 30-year career as a professional musician. Charles has logged over 6,000 performances throughout the US, Canada, and Europe, and currently performs as a teaching artist in schools throughout the southeastern US,

Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. Formed in 2017, the band consists of Fred Kosak (guitar, mandolin), Alissa Wolf (fiddle), and Jeanette Adams (bass).

In Lloyd, Kentucky, on U.S. 23, there’s a sign on the Country Music Highway dedicated to renowned fiddler Jason Carter. It was placed there because of his other accomplishments—the Grammy awards, the worldwide tours, and the many other accolades he’s earned through his music. But for Carter, joining the legendary names honored on that stretch of highway just might mean the most. “There’s a certain sound that’s up there that you just don’t hear anywhere else,” he says. “I think that played a big part in how I sound today.”

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 Bluegrass 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.

A “nest of singing birds” was the name Cecil Sharp gave to the Sodom Laurel Community of Madison County, NC when he visited the area in 1916 to collect the ancient ballads that had survived there, being gently passed from hand to hand and knee to knee. Singers featured in this set are carrying on this rich tradition that goes back at least nine generations.

A leading interpreter of the fiddle, banjo, and song traditions from the Appalachian South, Joseph Decosimo has introduced audiences around the world to the beauty and vitality of the region’s music. A student of the last master traditional musicians in his home region of Tennessee, Joseph draws on a deep well of creativity and repertoire to create fresh sounds. His performances are inviting and nourishing, connecting audiences to the music’s transcendent beauty. Joseph performs in a trio with Cleek Schrey and Luke Richardson as well as the Bucking Mules. He also works outside of the traditional music world. His playing can be heard on recordings by fellow Durham, NC artists Hiss Golden Messenger, Wye Oak, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Elephant Micah, and others.

The Legacy Chorale is lead by its founder, Jared L. Payton. Based in the Fayetteville area its members draw from a wide range of North Carolina gospel traditions in creating the ensemble’s choral arrangements.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. Formed in 2017, the band consists of Fred Kosak (guitar, mandolin), Alissa Wolf (fiddle), and Jeanette Adams (bass).

Shinyribs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn- driven Memphis Soul, country twang, border music, big band swing, and roots-rock. The Austin-based nine-piece (sometimes 10-piece) supergroup is led by Kevin Russell, the charismatic frontman with colorful suits and extravagant shoes who continuously swaps out an electric guitar for a ukulele and never falls short of creating a cinematic experience with on- stage antics that often include him donning a light-up cloak or leading a conga line through the crowd.

Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, Town Mountain is the sum of all its vast and intricate influences — this bastion of alt-country rebellion and honky-tonk attitude pushed through the hardscrabble Southern Appalachian lens of its origin. “For us, it’s all about the interaction between the audience and the band — doing whatever we can onstage to facilitate that two-way street of energy and emotion,” says mandolinist Phil Barker. “Whether it’s a danceable groove or a particular lyric in a song, we’re projecting what we’re going through in our daily lives, and we feel that other people can attest to that, as well — it’s all about making that connection.” Amid a renewed sense of self is the group’s latest album, Lines in the Levee, a collage of sound and scope running the gamut of the musical spectrum in the same template of freedom and focus found in the round-robin fashion of the musical institution that is The Band — a solidarity also found in the incendiary live shows Town Mountain is now revered for from coast-to-coast, this devil-may-care gang of strings and swagger. “This is the sound we’ve been working towards since the inception of the band,” says guitarist Robert Greer. “We realized we needed to do what’s best for us. We’re being true to ourselves. It isn’t a departure, it’s an evolution — the gate is wide open right now.”

From his early days playing cover music behind chicken wire at a west side Jacksonville juke joint while still working at a lumberyard, to playing sold-out shows at some of the largest venues and music festivals in the world, JJ Grey has always delivered his soul-honest truths. Since his first album, Blackwater, back in 2001, Grey has been releasing deeply moving, masterfully written, funkified rock and front porch Southern soul music.

This Piedmont area a cappella group has been singing together since 1972. The group sings in the traditional jubilee style which dates back to the 19th century. Groups like the Fisk University Jubilee Singers brought the style to a broader audience.

The Gospel Jubilators opened PineCone’s 2024 Down Home Concert Season at the AJ Fletcher Theater. Chester Mayfield, Danny Massenburg, Don Adair, Fred Tyson and Fulton Waddell received a standing ovation from the sold out audience. “The guys enjoy what they do,” said bass singer Fred Tyson. “It’s been a rewarding experience.”

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Omar Ruiz-Lopez (he/him) is a distinguished musician and educator currently based in Durham, NC, with a remarkable command over multiple instruments, including violin, viola, guitar, and mandolin. His roots lie in North Carolina, having been a part of the burgeoning Triangle music scene for 13 years until his move to Nashville in 2023 and back in 2025.

Since his time in Nashville, Omar has played and recorded with artists such as the GRAMMY-nominated band War and Treaty, Franklin Jonas, Lizzie No, Harper Grace and Langhorne Slim, and cowritten with songwriters such as Rachel Baiman and GRAMMY-nominated Melody Walker (Sierra Ferrell, American Dreaming). He is currently working on an EP with Willa Frank (Paper Wings) and a full-length album with Rachel Baiman producing.

Born in Panama and raised in Puerto Rico, Omar’s early exposure to traditional Caribbean folk songs, courtesy of his father, laid the foundation for his deep appreciation for music. Spanish is his first language, and it remains an integral part of his cultural identity.

Jim Lauderdale is a Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and performer of Americana and Bluegrass. He’s a North Carolina favorite and longtime collaborator with the festival in Raleigh.

A string band with a big, expansive sound, Michigan’s Greensky Bluegrass rode their regional D.I.Y. roots to national success in the late 2000s after years of hard touring and a succession of finely crafted independent releases. Approaching classic Americana styles with an exploratory, progressive spirit, the group’s members claim to have come to bluegrass through the back door, citing rock influences as their gateway into more traditional acoustic styles. Through releases like 2014’s bluegrass chart-topping breakout If Sorrows Swim and 2016’s Shouted, Written Down & Quoted, Greensky Bluegrass have continued to fuse the energy of rock with the earthy spirit of string music. Following an outpouring of archival live releases, the group returned in early 2022 with the eclectic Stress Dreams.

Established in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Palmyra captures the collective spirit of three Virginia natives: Teddy Chipouras, Mānoa Bell, and Sasha Landon.

Palmyra straddles at least two musical worlds. They are, on one hand, a band from the South that plays traditional instruments and indeed once lived in the old-time locus of Floyd, Virginia. Comparisons to and a kinship with The Avett Brothers and even Old Crow Medicine Show are inevitable. On the other hand, Palmyra writes about grief, gender dysphoria and identity, and coming of age in songs that flirt with soul, post-rock, and even emo; the South, too, is the place of My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, Cat Power, and now, Palmyra.

Mountain Home Recording Artist Unspoken Tradition is about new, original Bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this North Carolina based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere.

Bluegrass visionaries Hank Smith (banjo) and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw’s (fiddle) innovative twist on traditional bluegrass music is a soulful brew flavored with classical, Motown, jazz, and pop influences.

Eliza Meyer is an “old soul,” singing and playing traditional string band, old time and classic country music reminiscent of Hazel and Alice, The Carter Family, and Tommy Jarrell. Influenced by traditional ballads of Madison County and the round peak music of Surry County, Eliza plays fiddle, banjo, guitar and autoharp.

Charly Lowry, a musical powerhouse from Pembroke, NC, is proud to be an Indigenous woman belonging to the Lumbee/Tuscarora Tribes. She is passionate about raising awareness around issues that plague underdeveloped, underserved, and marginalized communities.

Since her teenage years, Charly has established a career as a professional singer-songwriter with unique passion and voice.

While she may be familiar to some from her success as a semi-finalist on American Idol, she has maintained close ties to her Native American roots, culture, and music.

Earl White has been a mainstay in the old-time, folk and dance community for more 45 years. An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, Earl is one of few Black Americans preserving and playing Appalachian style old-time music. Old-time music was once an intricate part of Black communities and formed the foundation of American music of today. Earl has played in numerous old-time string bands, and he currently leads the Earl White String Band, which has emerged as a favored dance band for both square and contra dances. The band performs at festivals and instructional music camp throughout the US and abroad.

Cabin Creature, a folk duo from Raleigh comprised of Reese Mayfield and Silas Mann, focuses on traditional southeastern folk music with some modern influence.

Big Fat Gap is a Chapel Hill based bluegrass band that’s as much a group of friends as it is a formal band. They have what’s been described as a “revolving door” policy for band members who come and go as life allows. No mater the membership they’re energetic and fun. 

Dom Flemons “The American Songster” is a GRAMMY Award Winner with four GRAMMY nominations, Two-Time EMMY Nominee, International Acoustic Music Award Grand Prize Winner, and was a United States Artists Fellow. He is a musician based in the Chicago area and he is famously known as “The American Songster” since his repertoire covers over one hundred years of American roots music; including country, folk, bluegrass, Americana, and the blues. Flemons is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar, historian, actor, narrator, host, slam poet, record collector, podcaster, and the creator, host, and producer of the American Songster Radio Show which was created at WUNC-Chapel Hill and now airs on WSM in Nashville, TN. He is considered an expert player on the banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones. He is the Co-Founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and the Founder of American Songster Productions.

Chris Johnson & Freedom is a traditional Gospel band from Eastern North Carolina.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Carolina Bluegrass Band performs traditional and contemporary bluegrass, steeped in local tradition. The band debuted in November 2016, opening for the Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers in Memorial Hall.

An award-winning worship leader & vocalist.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Justin Osborne has been performing as ‘Susto’ since 2013, when he formed a collective of fellow musicians and artists in coastal Charleston, South Carolina. Now a bona fide emissary of alt rock and treasure to the indie crowd, a lifelong calling coupled with a cosmic push of serendipitous happenstance led to his latest venture: ‘Susto Stringband’ joined by Americana vocalist Clint Roberts, clawhammer banjoist Helena Rose, and upright bassist Joey Brown (now Holler Choir).

“…her right thumb plunks the bass part while her forefinger upstrokes notes and chords, leaving the other three fingers unused. A banjo technique, it’s also used by acoustic blues guitarists. Her fingers are long and strong – Robert Johnson hands – in jarring contrast to the waif they’re attached to. The walking bass line sounds like a hammer striking piano keys in perfect meter, while the fills are dynamic flurries – like cluster bombs. I haven’t heard a young guitarist this dexterous and ass-kicking in eons.” – Michael Simmons, L.A Weekly

The Loblollies are a youth band that formed out of PineCone’s summer bluegrass camps and monthly youth jams. The Raleigh area band features Alanabeth Duncan (banjo), August Sanchez (guitar), Hattie Casper (guitar), Isabelle Parker (fiddle) and Jorja Cornwell (mandolin). The band is mentored by bass player Jef Walter and fiddler Sam Stage. The band plays traditional and contemporary bluegrass and are sought after as performers at local events.

A “nest of singing birds” was the name Cecil Sharp gave to the Sodom Laurel Community of Madison County, NC when he visited the area in 1916 to collect the ancient ballads that had survived there, being gently passed from hand to hand and knee to knee. Singers featured in this set are carrying on this rich tradition that goes back at least nine generations.

This Piedmont area a cappella group has been singing together since 1972. The group sings in the traditional jubilee style which dates back to the 19th century. Groups like the Fisk University Jubilee Singers brought the style to a broader audience.

The Gospel Jubilators opened PineCone’s 2024 Down Home Concert Season at the AJ Fletcher Theater. Chester Mayfield, Danny Massenburg, Don Adair, Fred Tyson and Fulton Waddell received a standing ovation from the sold out audience. “The guys enjoy what they do,” said bass singer Fred Tyson. “It’s been a rewarding experience.”

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Flat-picking bluegrass from the Piedmont.

Tray Wellington Band sets include broad, thoroughly composed new acoustic instrumentals that are cerebral and intentional but also accessible and fun.

Balsam Range is a PineCone favorite. The band is Dr. Marc Pruett (banjo); Alan Bibey ( Mandolin, vocals) Tim Surrett (bass, dobro, baritone and lead vocals); and Caleb Smith (guitar, lead & baritone vocals). The original members are all acoustic musicians and singers from Western North Carolina. Their name comes from the spot in Haywood County where the Great Smoky Mountains meet the Blue Ridge, the Great Balsam Range.

Led by the lyrical craftsmanship of singer, guitarist, and songwriter Clint Roberts, the distinctly Appalachian, old-time sound of Asheville’s Holler Choir combines haunting harmonies, stirring string compositions, and heart-wrenching ballads, yet hardly conforms to a stereotypical genre. Call it a confluence of old-time, Americana, and bluegrass, but, by its own exceptional design, the sound and atmosphere of Holler Choir are singular. Robert’s wordcraft and explosive vocal range is met with the dulcet clawhammer banjo plucking of long-time collaborator Helena Rose and the sturdy timekeeping of upright bassist Norbert McGettigan. With a rotating cast of gifted musicians featured on Holler Choir’s recordings and electrifying live performances, it’s no wonder they are the band to watch in 2023.

Traditional Bluegrass Brother duet from Siler City, NC featuring Tony & Gary Williamson

“…her right thumb plunks the bass part while her forefinger upstrokes notes and chords, leaving the other three fingers unused. A banjo technique, it’s also used by acoustic blues guitarists. Her fingers are long and strong – Robert Johnson hands – in jarring contrast to the waif they’re attached to. The walking bass line sounds like a hammer striking piano keys in perfect meter, while the fills are dynamic flurries – like cluster bombs. I haven’t heard a young guitarist this dexterous and ass-kicking in eons.” – Michael Simmons, L.A Weekly

Brimming with cracked-open honesty and electrified twang, BELIEVER cements North Carolina’s Blue Cactus as a leading force in modern country and roots music.

Charly Lowry, a musical powerhouse from Pembroke, NC, is proud to be an Indigenous woman belonging to the Lumbee/Tuscarora Tribes. She is passionate about raising awareness around issues that plague underdeveloped, underserved, and marginalized communities.

Since her teenage years, Charly has established a career as a professional singer-songwriter with unique passion and voice.

While she may be familiar to some from her success as a semi-finalist on American Idol, she has maintained close ties to her Native American roots, culture, and music.

Earl White has been a mainstay in the old-time, folk and dance community for more 45 years. An original and founding member of the famed Green Grass Cloggers, Earl is one of few Black Americans preserving and playing Appalachian style old-time music. Old-time music was once an intricate part of Black communities and formed the foundation of American music of today. Earl has played in numerous old-time string bands, and he currently leads the Earl White String Band, which has emerged as a favored dance band for both square and contra dances. The band performs at festivals and instructional music camp throughout the US and abroad.

Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. Formed in 2017, the band consists of Fred Kosak (guitar, mandolin), Alissa Wolf (fiddle), and Jeanette Adams (bass).

Bluegrass visionaries Hank Smith (banjo) and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw’s (fiddle) innovative twist on traditional bluegrass music is a soulful brew flavored with classical, Motown, jazz, and pop influences.

Progressive North Carolinian R&B artist with an askew mix of gospel, soul, funk, and hip-hop.

Kingdom United Voices is a contemporary gospel ensemble from North Carolina.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Kingdom United Voices is a contemporary gospel ensemble from North Carolina.

PineCone is proud to present this artist in collaboration with the North Carolina Folklife Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Justin Osborne has been performing as ‘Susto’ since 2013, when he formed a collective of fellow musicians and artists in coastal Charleston, South Carolina. Now a bona fide emissary of alt rock and treasure to the indie crowd, a lifelong calling coupled with a cosmic push of serendipitous happenstance led to his latest venture: ‘Susto Stringband’ joined by Americana vocalist Clint Roberts, clawhammer banjoist Helena Rose, and upright bassist Joey Brown (now Holler Choir).

A leading interpreter of the fiddle, banjo, and song traditions from the Appalachian South, Joseph Decosimo has introduced audiences around the world to the beauty and vitality of the region’s music. A student of the last master traditional musicians in his home region of Tennessee, Joseph draws on a deep well of creativity and repertoire to create fresh sounds. His performances are inviting and nourishing, connecting audiences to the music’s transcendent beauty. Joseph performs in a trio with Cleek Schrey and Luke Richardson as well as the Bucking Mules. He also works outside of the traditional music world. His playing can be heard on recordings by fellow Durham, NC artists Hiss Golden Messenger, Wye Oak, Jake Xerxes Fussell, Elephant Micah, and others.

Dom Flemons “The American Songster” is a GRAMMY Award Winner with four GRAMMY nominations, Two-Time EMMY Nominee, International Acoustic Music Award Grand Prize Winner, and was a United States Artists Fellow. He is a musician based in the Chicago area and he is famously known as “The American Songster” since his repertoire covers over one hundred years of American roots music; including country, folk, bluegrass, Americana, and the blues. Flemons is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar, historian, actor, narrator, host, slam poet, record collector, podcaster, and the creator, host, and producer of the American Songster Radio Show which was created at WUNC-Chapel Hill and now airs on WSM in Nashville, TN. He is considered an expert player on the banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones. He is the Co-Founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and the Founder of American Songster Productions.

Big Fat Gap is a Chapel Hill based bluegrass band that’s as much a group of friends as it is a formal band. They have what’s been described as a “revolving door” policy for band members who come and go as life allows. No mater the membership they’re energetic and fun. 

Tray Wellington Band sets include broad, thoroughly composed new acoustic instrumentals that are cerebral and intentional but also accessible and fun.

A “nest of singing birds” was the name Cecil Sharp gave to the Sodom Laurel Community of Madison County, NC when he visited the area in 1916 to collect the ancient ballads that had survived there, being gently passed from hand to hand and knee to knee. Singers featured in this set are carrying on this rich tradition that goes back at least nine generations.

The Gravy Boys hail from Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina and perform Acoustic Americana music that draws deep from the well of our country’s diverse musical heritage. Their high energy shows feature heartfelt vocal harmonies, boot-stomping rhythms, lively stage banter, and honest musicianship.

The Gravy Boys are story tellers who spin their tales through tight, brother-duet vocals over a vintage acoustic backdrop. They take classic American themes and bring them into the present day, with an authentic passion that resonates with all who listen.