Rising Stars and Current Masters Featured in Season 5 of David Holt’s State of Music

In the fifth season of the PBS series David Holt’s State of Music, host David Holt shares tunes and stories with outstanding performers of American folk, bluegrass, and country music. The season comprises six 30-minute episodes and will be fed via satellite to PBS member stations beginning May 1. Check local listings for air dates.

Filmed entirely on location in North Carolina and Tennessee, David Holt's State of Music features music and interviews with emerging young performers as well as veteran masters.

A four-time Grammy winner himself, David Holt toured with the late Doc Watson for fourteen years. He says “The traditional music of this region is a treasure we’re privileged to share. Whether it’s bluegrass, gospel, a string band, or the blues, the artists we feature are performing at the very highest level. Some are young; some are older but deserve greater recognition. We help raise awareness of these artists by presenting them to the PBS audience nationwide.”  

The series showcases the musical heritage and scenic beauty of Southern Appalachia while introducing viewers to bluegrass, roots music, blues, new acoustic, and gospel music genres. Season 5 features Keb’ Mo’, Zoe & Cloyd, John McCutcheon, Muriel Anderson, Lakota John Locklear, Tray Wellington, and Rob Ickes with Trey Hensley. 

The first four seasons featured Rhiannon Giddens, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Molly Tuttle, Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton, April Verch, Joe Newberry, Wayne Henderson and Jeff Little, the Kruger Brothers, Dom Flemons, Amythyst Kiah, Alice Gerrard, Rayna Gellert, Laurelyn Dossett, the St. John AME Zion Unity Choir, Josh Goforth, the Branchettes, Bryan Sutton, Mipso, Balsam Range, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Della Mae, Darin and Brooke Aldridge with John Cowan, Taj Mahal; Presley Barker, Cane Mill Road band, the Burnett Sisters with Willow Dillon, and Josh Goforth and Zeb Holt playing with host David in a look back at his 50-year career in folk music. 

The series premiered on North Carolina Public Television (UNC-TV) in 2015. It airs in more than 90% percent of PBS markets nationally.

The Will & Deni McIntyre Foundation is the prime fundraising entity for David Holt's State of Music. It is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit established in 2009 to raise the profile of the arts and educational organizations through the creation of videos, books and photography for websites and related media.

To find out when you can see David Holt’s State of Music, check your local PBS station’s schedule. The series can also be streamed anytime on iTunes, Amazon Prime, or (for PBS Passport members) at PBS.org.

Season 5 Interviews and Locations:

• Episode 1: Keb’ Mo’ filmed at Innisfree Farm in Hendersonville, NC
• Episode 2: Zoe and Cloyd filmed at Timber Hall in Leicester, NC
• Episode 3: John McCutcheon filmed at Perelandra Studios in Asheville, NC
• Episode 4: Muriel Anderson filmed at Pinebrook Manor in Hendersonville, NC
• Episode 5: Lakota John and Tray Wellington filmed at Timber Hall in Asheville, NC; Johnson City, TN; and Fairview, NC
• Episode 6: Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley filmed at Jeter Mountain Farm in Hendersonville, NC

To learn more about David Holt’s State of Music, follow the show on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

About David Holt:

Early in his career, David Holt hosted the UNC-TV/PBS series Folkways that took viewers through the Southern mountains visiting traditional craftsmen and musicians. He also served as host of The Nashville Network’s Fire on the Mountain, Celebration Express, and American Music Shop. He was a frequent guest on Hee Haw, Nashville Now, and The Grand Ole Opry. David was cast as a musician in the popular Coen Brothers film O Brother Where Art Thou. He has hosted Riverwalk Jazz for Public Radio International and Great Scenic Railway Journeys on public television. In 2002, David and Doc Watson won two Grammy Awards for Best Traditional Folk Recording for Legacy, a three-CD collection of songs and stories reflecting Doc Watson’s li fe in music. Doc and David toured together from 1998 until Doc’s death in 2012. More information can be found at davidholt.com.