Born and Bred Concert Series returns to Robinson Grand

Jun. 28—CLARKSBURG — The Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center will welcome the return of The Born and Bred Concert Series on Sept. 9.

Created by Brendan Gallagher and debuted as a music festival in Grafton, The Born & Bred Concert Series, in its new concert series form, will produce multiple shows a year featuring talented musicians and performing artists that have been shaped by the Mountain State.

The Sept. 9 show is the second to include radio personality and musician, "Appalachian Soul Man," Aristotle Jones as the host! Jones is also the curator of the concert series, and with his involvement, The Born & Bred Concert Series has elevated into a variety show-type of production with a similar tone to the radio show Jones hosts, "Sounds Good to Me with Aristotle Jones."

"What Aristotle is creating for us here is a Mountain Stage-esque style show," Robinson Grand Program Manager Jason A. Young said. "We are elaborating and elevating the production values above standard concert levels."

John Inghram is scheduled to headline the Sept. 9 "Sounds of the Southern Mountains" edition.

Born and raised in Charleston, Inghram was steeped in the historic music of the region. His mother's side of the family were church musicians, and he was exposed to bluegrass, country, gospel, and old-time music as a kid. But for Inghram, it is neither the past nor the future that piques his interest.

On his self-titled debut album, the accomplished bass player seizes the present moment to step into the spotlight as a front man. With a collection of 60s and 70s psychedelic rock tunes, Inghram sets modern experiences to vintage sounds, allowing his listeners to feel time as circular in nature, hitting on the right now with both nostalgia and innovation.

Joining Inghram on the grand stage will be the Lords of Lester, a high-energy jamgrass band centered around the songwriting of band leader Jamie Lester, who combines folk influences with country, bluegrass, and klezmer. Lester is originally from Oceana, West Virginia, a small mining town in Wyoming County. He is more widely known for his visual art, specializing in bronze monument sculpture and fine artwork. Lester's award-winning bronze sculptures have been shown in galleries in West Virginia, Maryland, Arizona, New York and Massachusetts. Lester is also the founder of the Love Hope Center for the Arts in Fayetteville, West Virginia and is the definition of a true renaissance man from West Virginia.

Inghram and the Lords of Lester will be joined on Sept. 9 by Corduroy Brown. The 2023 winner of the Best Album Award from the Appalachian Arts Association, Corduroy Brown is a feel good, poppy, rock performer from Huntington. The music uses sounds from the 90s and 2000s, and a focus on self-worth. In February 2021, Brown danced with death in a Morgantown, ICU due to a rare reaction to COVID-19 called MIS-A. After being revived and placed on life support, he made a full recovery. Being faced with mortality reset his perspective. Now themes of mental wellness and willingness to live life to the fullest are prevalent in his music.

"This is going to be a huge night with huge talent," Young said. "A great follow-up to the first two shows in the new series at the Robinson Grand."

Tickets start at $17 and go on sale Friday, June 30 at 10:00 a.m. All tickets can be purchased online at tickets.therobinsongrand.com or by calling the Robinson Grand ticketing center at 855-773-6283. The Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center is located at 444 W. Pike St. in Clarksburg.