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Master of the Steel-String and Blue Ridge Piano Man

"Master of the Steel-String," Wayne Henderson, and "Blue Ridge Piano Man," Jeff Little, open Music on the Square's winter concert series Friday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street, Jonesborough, by calling 423-753-1010 or Morrell Music, 118 W. Market St., Johnson City, by calling 423-929-1083. Seating is limited! Call for reservations now!

Music on the Square Winter Concert Series Begins

JONESBOROUGH – "Master of the Steel-String," Wayne Henderson, and "Blue Ridge Piano Man," Jeff Little, open Music on the Square's winter concert series Friday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center. Tickets are $ 15 and may be purchased at the Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street, Jonesborough, by calling 423-753-1010 or Morrell Music, 118 W. Market St., Johnson City, by calling 423-929-1083. Seating is limited! Call for reservations now!

Wayne Henderson's top-notch finger-picking is a source of great pleasure and pride to his friends, family and neighbors in Grayson County, Virginia; his guitar playing has also been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall, in three national tours of "Masters of the Steel-String Guitar," and in seven nations in Asia. In addition to his reputation as a guitarist, Henderson is a luthier of great renown. He is a recipient of a 1995 National Heritage Award presented by the National Endowment for the Arts. He produces about 20 instruments a year, mostly guitars; he is almost as well-known for the mandolins he has made. Doc Watson, a good friend who sometimes stops at Wayne's shop in Rugby, VA, to pick a few tunes, owns a Henderson mandolin. He said, "That Henderson mandolin is as good as any I've had my hands on. And that's saying a lot, because I've picked up some good ones."

Some of Henderson's instruments are intricately decorated but are most respected for their volume, tone and resonance. Blues guitarist John Cephas said that Wayne Henderson "is probably the most masterful guitar maker in this whole United States." There is a waiting list for Henderson's guitars made up of the "famous (and not-so-famous)."

Above and beyond his great talents as a musician and luthier, Wayne Henderson is known as a "friend to everyone" and shares his talents and knowledge unselfishly.

The Wayne C. Henderson Music Festival and Guitar Competition was established in 1995 to express appreciation for this "living legend." A portion of the proceeds from the Festival are placed into a scholarship fund to aid local young musicians in continuing their educations. (www.waynehenderson.org)

"Piano Man," Jeff Little, is a remarkable musician steeped in the tradition of his native Blue Ridge, yet also a virtuosic and eclectic innovator. His involvement with fiddle tunes, old time country and rockabilly dates to his growing up in Boone, North Carolina where his father owned a music shop. The shop was a regular gathering place for musicians who would just stop by to pick a few tunes. Beginning around the age of six, the young boy would regularly sit in with many of the musicians from the region, including the musician who set the national standard for picking fiddle tunes on the guitar: Doc Watson. These influences helped shape Little's approach to the piano, which is based on these deep musical traditions. But there is also an echo of more contemporary mountain tradition in the musician's performances.

Little's virtuosity stems from having started playing at the age of five and having played professionally since the age of 14. His lead solos, much influenced by the flat-pick guitar tradition, are breathtaking in their speed, precision and clarity. An astounding performer with a mouth-rack harmonica and vocals, he can also be a one man show. From fiddle tunes to rockabilly, Little has taken his these traditional roots to tour around the world including performances in Sri Lanka, Oman, France and Tanzania. Other performances include The Smithsonian Institute, National Public Radio, Folk Masters and The National Council for Traditional Arts "American Piano Masters." (www.jefflittle.net)

Last MOTS of the Summer Season

JONESBOROUGH – The Get Up Johns and Trey Hensley & Drivin' Force will close out the Music on the Square summer concert series Friday, September 28. The free evening of entertainment, sponsored by Century 21 Home Team Realtors, will begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in downtown Jonesborough's Courthouse Square.

Like the great brother groups of the '30s and '40s - the Delmores, the Louvins and the Stanleys - The Get Up Johns combine close tenor harmonies with skillful and polished musicianship.

Their impassioned brother duet sound developed from a shared affection for the profound beauty of two lonesome tenor voices in perfect harmony. Jake Hyer's West Virginian roots manifest in the sweet sadness of his fiddle and mandolin solos while Josh Wenck's innovative bass runs and array of Carter style guitar rhythms give this unpretentious and minimalist duo the range and energy of a full band.

Dressed in matching black suits their repertoire is composed largely of old-time and early country tunes, with an emphasis on songs recorded by the Louvin Brothers. Each show turns an unswerving spotlight on the experience of sin, salvation and heartbreak with Hyer playing the stone-faced straight man to Wenck's garrulous carnie barker. (www.getupjohns.com)

Most of Trey Hensley's collection of acoustic guitars are older than he is. He's obviously influenced by Tony Rice, but in his own style you'll also hear just as many traces of Merle Haggard's Roy Nichols; genre-smashing super-picker James Burton; bluegrass royalty Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs, and county stylists, Marty Stuart and Buck Owens. Despite his young age, he's already forged his own vocal styling. Whether singing his original songs, traditional bluegrass, honky-tonk or contemporary country, you'll hear some of his idols and influences around the edges, but more than anything, you'll hear Trey Hensley.

He's picked with Tom T. Hall, The Oak Ridge Boys, Steve Wariner and Rhonda Vincent. He's performed onstage with Marty Stuart, J.D. Crowe, Raymond Fairchild, Carl Jackson and Ricky Skaggs. He first stepped into the Grand Ole Opry's spotlight, performing on the hallowed Ryman stage in 2002 – at the age of 11, and even before that, onstage at the Carter Fold, the birthplace of country music. Just when you think you can't like him any more, you'll realize that the humility of this 16-year-old is every bit as impressive as his talent.

Hensley's band, Drivin' Force, consists of Jerry Keys on banjo; his wife, Susie Keys on bass; Jason Crawford on mandolin and Jeff Orr on slap-rhythm guitar. (www.treyhensley.com)

For more information about Music on the Square, call the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423-753-1010.