The Earl Scruggs Center brings exceptional live music to the heart of Cleveland County with the announcement of this year’s Center Stage Concert Series lineup. This outstanding slate of award winning artists features multiple GRAMMY winners and nominees, IBMA and Americana recognized artists, and showcases the diversity and far-reaching impact of American traditional music.
The Center Stage Concert Series includes six shows running from March 23 to August 10, with performances by Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, Bill and The Belles, Jake Blount, Andrew Finn Magill Jazz Quartet, The Barefoot Movement, and Mark and Maggie O’Connor. Tickets may be purchased for individual shows and a limited number of season passes for the entire series are available, with preferred seating as an add-on option.
Center Stage Concert Series shows take place in the Great Hall at the Earl Scruggs Center, a beautiful 100-seat venue that gives music fans the opportunity to experience outstanding performances in an intimate and comfortable setting. Doors to the Great Hall open 30 minutes prior to show time and a cash bar will be available. Located in beautiful Shelby, NC, the Earl Scruggs Center is surrounded by a variety of restaurants and shops. Concert attendees are encouraged to arrive early to explore the Earl Scruggs Center’s exhibits and the uptown Shelby area.
To purchase Center Stage season passes or individual show tickets visit www.earlscruggs.org/events or call 704.487.6233. Earl Scruggs Center hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 am – 4 pm with extended hours on Wednesdays until 6 pm.
2023 Concerts:
Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
Thursday, March 23, 6:00 pm, Ticket Price: $30
Take a 15-time International Bluegrass Music Association Dobro Player of the Year and a Tennessee born guitar prodigy called “Nashville’s hottest young player” by Acoustic Guitar magazine, and you have Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, a powerhouse acoustic duo that electrifies the acoustic music scene around the world. Known for their white-hot picking and world class musicianship, as well as their soulful stone country vocals, the GRAMMY® nominated duo cleverly and uniquely melds bluegrass, country, blues, rock, jam grass, and string band music of all kinds to create a signature blend of music that defies restrictions of genre.
Bill & The Belles
Thursday, April 13, 6:00 pm, Ticket Price: $25
Bill and The Belles, a string band from Johnson City, Tennessee, combine expert musicianship and unique vocals to create a spirited sound that blends the past with the present. By putting their own spin on the music of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, the group delights with their candid songwriting, energetic stage presence, and pop sensibilities.
Jake Blount
Thursday, May 25, 6:00 pm, Ticket Price: $25
A powerfully gifted musician and a scholar of Black American music, Jake Blount speaks ardently about the African roots of the banjo and the subtle, yet profound ways African Americans have shaped and defined the amorphous categories of roots music and Americana. As an award-winning performer of spirituals, blues, and string band repertoire, Blount has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Newport Folk Festival, and many other venues across the country and internationally.
Andrew Finn Magill Jazz Quartet
Thursday, June 22, 6:00 pm, Ticket Price: $25
North Carolina violinist/fiddler Andrew Finn Magill is a Fulbright Fellow, a South Arts Emerging Traditional Artist, a North Carolina Arts Council Fellow, an All- Ireland Fiddle finalist, and a Ropeadope Records recording artist. He has been featured on MTV-U, PBS, and multiple times on NPR. His 2016 album, Roots, debuted at number #46 on the folk DJ charts and he has released six albums since. His new jazz project, The Polaris Project, synthesizes Magill’s years living and working as a musician in Ireland, Malawi, Ghana, Brazil and the Southern U.S and the band features world class and Grammy-winning musicians.
The Barefoot Movement
Thursday, July 20, 6:00 pm, Ticket Price: $30
Acclaimed Americana group The Barefoot Movement has carved out an indelible space in the acoustic scene since their 2011 debut album, Footwork. Their sound is invigorating, infused with a captivating honesty that transports audiences to a place of complete enthrallment. Their performances heartfelt, energetic, and downhome, The Barefoot Movement has been heralded by CMT Edge as one of the most promising bands on the bluegrass scene.
Mark & Maggie O’Connor
Thursday, August 10, 6:00 pm Ticket Price: $30
Mark O’Connor began his creative journey at the feet of American fiddle legend Benny Thomasson and the iconic French jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli. Throughout his award-winning career, he has melded these influences into a new American classical music. Mark and his wife and duo partner, Maggie, have existed in an uninterrupted musical collaboration since the day they met in 2014. Mining a huge body of repertoire that has made its impact on American music, the selected tunes and arrangements by O’Connor represent stylistic importance, pedagogical value and have timeless appeal.
Earl Scruggs Center hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm with extended hours on Wednesdays until 6:00 pm.
