Juste Music Celebrates 1st Year Under New Management

It's hard to believe it's been a year since Charles Anderson took over the Juste Music Store in Norton, Virginia. But when arriving for my 4 PM fiddle lesson on Monday, signs around the store talking about the month-long celebration reminded me that it indeed has been a year.

I was able to sit down with the young owner of the the only full-service music store in this area of the Crooked Road, and discuss how he ended up owning a musics store, what the first anniversary celebration was all about, and what was on-tap for the the future for his growing business.

As it turned out, as a long-time employee at Juste Music, previous owner, Charles Carter gave him the news on a Friday in late July that they would be closing the store, and if he wanted to continue to be employed, he would need to buy the store.

And by the way, he needed a decision by Monday. The rest, is as we say, is history.

As a part-time music and business student at the University of Virginia at Wise, Charles decided it was either start looking for a job, or put his business training to work, and give the fledgling shop a try.

The Customer Appreciation celebration begins on September 1st, and will include live music, drawings, and great in-store discounts on instruments, amplifiers, and accessories. There will be a store-wide 10% discount on all products and as much as 25% on selected products.

Anthony and Samm Keys will kick off the entertainment  on Saturday, September 6th and an open mic jam on the last weekend wraps up the celebration at the end of the month. Mis'ry Creek and Orthophonic Joy winner, Corbin Hayslett will all perform during the month.

Of course, Corbin, and Chris Rose from Mis'ry Creek are part of the instruction staff at Juste Music, and along with Matt Bowman (keyboard, guitar and drums), and Chris Woodward (guitar) will be available during the month to discuss your instructional needs.

Chris Rose is a well-known guitarists in the Wise County area, and is on staff at the UVA Wise as well as the Music program at Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.

Chris Rose is one of the finer guitar instructors in this area. He can teach you bluegrass licks in one minute, and Van Halen licks the next.

Corbin Hayslett is a member of the Bluegrass program at UVA Wise, and teaches all of the instruments in the accoustical concern ie.. Three-finger and clawhammer banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and upright bass.

Shop Manager, Mackenzie Carter is an excellent Bass Guitarist, and teaches as well.

If you have a band and would like to get a slot to perform during the celebration, be sure to contact the staff at Juste Music for a time and date.

I discussed the future of Juste Music with Charles, and he indicated that the business has specialized in the past as a guitar players music store, he is looking to expand his acoustical products, and provide high school band accessories.

With his Norton location being less than a mile off of the Country Music Highway, and Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, The Crooked Road, it was time for Juste Music to become a stop where musicians can shop for Mountain Music, Old-Time, and Bluegrass needs as well.

Although the live entertainment schedule is not set in concrete at this juncture, be sure to check in with the Juste Music website at http://www.justemusic.com/ and take a minute to like their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/justemusicnortonva

Juste Music is located at 511 Park Avenue SW in Norton, Virginia and can be reached by phone for all of your needs at 276-679-7529.

While you are on Facebook to like the Juste Music Page, be sure to slip over and like the our page at https://www.facebook.com/soundsofthemountains

One Holiday...Two Big Festivals

It doesn't matter if you're into Bluegrass Music, or love Old-Time, the Labor Day Weekend festivals on The Crooked Road have good music lined up for everyone.

With the end of summer coming, it's time to get out and take in some of these festivals, and what better place to start your long weekend than with The Albert Hash Memorial Festival in Grayson County Virginia.

The Albert Hash Memorial Festival is held in honor of legendary fiddle maker Albert Hash, and promotes the preservation of traditional mountain music, dance, crafts, and instrument making.

The festival gets underway on Saturday, August 30, 2014 at the Grayson Highlands State Park in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia with the gates opening at 10 AM.

The lineup for the Henderson Stage is packed for every one's taste in music beginning with The White Top Mountain Band, The Crooked Road Ramblers, Big Country Bluegrass, Wayne Henderson, and much more.

There's camping, crafts and just about everything for a family outing that includes some of the best music in the country. And you won't break the bank with the $10 Dollar admission,and three bucks to park you car.

You can find all of the information on this event at the festivals website at Albert Hash Memorial Festival.

On Sunday afternoon, it's the Papa Joe Smiddy Mountain Music Festival on the Amphitheater Stage at Natural Tunnels State Park near Duffield, Virginia. The music starts at 5PM, and also has a packed lineup with music for everyone.

The Town Branch Bluegrass Band will kickoff the music with Pappa Joe Smiddy and Reedy Creek, The ETSU Old-Time Pride Band, The ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band and finishing up with Dale Jett and Hello Stranger.

The Town Branch Bluegrass Band is the winner of the annual Pickin in the Park competition, and is a dynamite local bluegrass band who will provide a set of traditional bluegrass cover tunes added to some of the groups original music.

If you haven't been able to catch the kids from the ETSU music programs, this is a unique place to catch both bands in one spot.

Dale Jett and Oscar Harris provide some of the old Carter Family favorites along with new material from the present.

Tickets are $10 in advance, and $15 at the gate. Be sure to visit the Papa Joe Smiddy website for all of the information, and locations where you can purchase tickets in advance.

It's Labor Day weekend, fall is in the air, and it's an opportunity for you to hear some of the finest music on the planet. Let's get out and support all of this local talent that you can only find on The Crooked Road!

The "Orthophonic Joy" Of Corbin Hayslett

I remember a cold Saturday October morning last fall when I showed up for the early entertainment at the Home Craft Days in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. I wanted to catch my newly found 19 year-old Banjo teacher when he took the stage under the smaller of the two entertainment tents at the festival.

There he was. Corbin Hayslett, looking like a pack mule and carrying one each, guitar, fiddle, mandolin and two banjos(a resonator and clawhammer), ready for his 10:30 AM set. Did I say, he was only 19 years old?

Mid-way through his set, I remember saying to Joey O'Quinn, who was the MC for the tent, how does one person get all of the talent, and mortals like us spend a lifetime trying to find it? I could see this kid was special, and I was going to take Scruggs-Style banjo lessons from him.

For weeks, The FaceBook Page for The Birth of Country Music Museum in Bristol had encouraged Musicians from all around the world to enter The Orthophonic Joy Music Contest by submitting a recording of an original song from the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions.

The winner of the grand prize would go to Nashville and perform his, or her song on the album set to commemorate the 1927 Sessions. You can read all about the lineup for the album by visiting http://www.cybergrass.com/node/3876 .

I was able to sit down with Corbin a couple of days after the announcement at the 10th Annual Mountain Music School, and get to better know this talented youngster.

Corbin is from Brookneal, Virginia, south of Lynchburg and seemed to be born into music. His mother was a concert pianist and his dad was a big fan of Bluegrass, and Old Time Mountain Music. His dad pushed the Old Time, and when he plays, you can tell how much he loves the history, and the music of Appalachia.

He got his first banjo for Christmas in 2003, and was able to train with Mike Seeger and Jim Lloyd. He studied fiddle under Jim Robertson, and Old Time training from Charley Bradner. When he reached the 10th grade he studied under Woody McKenzie.

I asked Corbin which instrument was his favorite, and answered all of them, but he said it all depended on what kind of mood he was in when he decided to play. He indicated his favorite style of music included Doc Watson because of it's clean lines.

As a student at The University of Virginia at Wise, Corbin is in his Senior year. He is majoring in History, and Appalachian Studies. He plans to move on after graduating, to Appalachia State in Boone, North Carolina to get his Masters Degree Appalachian Studies, and History.

Corbin Hayslett has a big dream. He wants to perform on the stage at The Grand Ole Opry. He has already made it to Nashville and will be on Orthohnic Joy with the likes of Marty Stuart, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Dolly Parton and more.

If you listen to Corbin's rendition of "Darlin Cory" you will have to agree, that spot on the stage at the Opry is waiting, and soon to follow.

The Empty Bottle String Band Releases Travelin Man CD

The one big thing that is apparent when you are exposed to life in Appalachia, is how much young people here, are exposed to the music that was made in these mountains hundreds of years ago.

It is almost a birthright that is enacted on back porches all along the Crooked Road. The Empty Bottle String Band is a product of this inheritance and their new album, Travelin Man is a reflection of the spirit  that lives only in the mountains of rural Appalachia..

If you close your eyes while listening to Ramblin Man, your mind can conjure up images of Dock Boggs, The Skillet Lickers, and The Carter Family. When you open your eyes and take a look at the kids that are performing these tunes, you can see why we continue to have this music available in 2014.

The Empty Bottle String band gives you thirteen toe-tapping cuts on their new album which includes fresh music you can dance to, as well as, ballads that will take your mind back to a battlefront during the Civil War.

From left to right in the picture, lets start with Tyler Hughes, who hails from right her in Big Stone Gap, Kristal Harman from the Ozark Mountains, Band Manager, Stephanie Jeter, and Ryan Nickerson from Chesapeake, Virginia.

All four are students of the East Tennesee State University, and all are part of the Old-Time Music program. Tyler plays Claw Hammer Banjo and Uke, Kristal guitar, Stephanie, autoharp, and bass with Ryan on fiddle, and mandolin.

Tyler, Kristal and Stephanie all provide various vocals on this album.

You can find out more information about The Empty Bottle String Band, their schedule on the groups  FaceBook Page, While you are checking out the band, you can listen to some of the tracks on Ramblin Man.