MORGANTOWN — Mountaineer Week, which kicks off Friday at WVU, will get a little more musical this year.
In addition to staples of the festivities, such as Saturday’s Mountain Music Concert (at 6 p.m. in the Gluck Theater) and fiddle contest (at 7:30 p.m. in the Gluck), organizer Sonja Wilson said there will be a few new firsts.
For instance, “Mountaineer Idol” will host an elimination round at 7 p.m. Friday in the Mountainlair food court.
“We’ve never done that before,” she said. “Members of the Hillbilly Gypsies will be judges.”
Then, at 9:30 p.m. the group will perform a concert.
“We’re hoping people will stick around to check it out, because the craft fair goes until 8 p.m. and the Country Vittles Dinner Buffet is from 5-7 p.m.”
The “Mountaineer Idol” finale will close out the week from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 28 in the Mountainlair Ballroom.
And there will be plenty to do, and listen to, in the mean time.
Another first: The College of Creative Arts scheduled a performance to coincide with Mountaineer Week.
The International Bluegrass Music Association’s most awarded Male Vocalist of the Year, Russell Moore, will play with his band IIIrd Tyme Out at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre. The show is part of the Canady Chamber Series.
“Mountaineer Week is all about celebrating music and culture that comes from right here in Appalachia,” said Travis Stimeling, associate professor of musicology and director of the WVU Bluegrass and Old-Time bands. “Bluegrass is homegrown, more or less and this is high quality performance in our own back yard.”
His students, including those who play in the bands, will also have the chance to attend a master class in songwriting/arranging for string band and a bluegrass vocals workshop earlier in the day Tuesday, put on by Moore and the band.
“They’re pretty nervous to sing and play for him,” he said. “It’s great to be able to expose them to such a high caliber performer very early in their development and help nudge them in the right direction. And, as a fan, I’m just excited to hear him play.”
Another popular act, based here in Morgantown, will take the stage Oct. 27 at Evansdale Crossing. The Davisson Brothers Band will play from 6-8 p.m. and there will also be Appalachian food and drink available at Panini Pete’s.
The group — made up of singer-guitarist brothers Chris and Donnie Davisson, bassist Rus Repert and drummer Aaron Regester — has been lauded by Rolling Stone as one of “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know.”
Shirley Stewart Burns, a songwriter and historian from Wyoming County, will host a CD signing from 5-7 p.m. Saturday in the second floor hallway of the Mountainlair.
Musical acts will also perform as part of other Mountaineer Week events.
Dina Hornbaker, a solo artist from Charleston will play during the Country Vittles Dinner Buffet, set for 5-7 p.m. Friday at Hatfields in the Mountainlair.
Wilson said the North Fork String Band, which fuses bluegrass and pop, will play as part of the Pepperoni Roll Contest, set for 1-3 p.m. Sunday in the Mountainlair.
And area musicians Chris Haddox and John Posey and will perform bluegrass tunes at the Harvest Fest Tailgate from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Erickson Alumni Center, new this year.
“We have a ton of stuff happening,” Wilson said. “As usual, it’s going to be an exciting, jam-packed week.”
- To find a full schedule of Mountaineer Week events, visit https://mountaineerweek.wvu.edu/.
