WNC live music best bets: Marty Stuart, Blackberry Smoke, Wilderado

Marty Stuart understands the history of country music and his place in that history was cemented when he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2021.“It is something to grow into and it is the ultimate honor in Country Music,” he said in an email interview. “To be part of the same space as Jimmie Rogers, Johnny Cash, George Jones, and Connie Smith is profound.”

But Stuart doesn’t simply want to be a part of that history. He wants to teach others, too.

To do so, Stuart will soon open Marty Stuart’s Congress of Country Music in Philadelphia, Mississippi. According to its website, it will be the largest private collection of country music artifacts in the world and “will celebrate the rich cultural heritage of country music through live musical performance and educational programming.”

“It’s a place that preserves promotes and furthers the heart soul and spirit of authentic country music,” Stuart said, adding that will be “an outpost for young people to go and learn about the culture.”

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Along with raising money for this museum and performing arts center, Stuart is still on the road to perform. Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will play at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at The Grey Eagle’s outdoor space, The Outpost. This venue is located at 521 Amboy Road in Asheville and is where The Grey Eagle is now hosting larger shows.

Stuart is known for songs like “Hillbilly Rock,” “Little Things,” “Tempted” and “This One’s Going to Hurt You (For A Long, Long Time).” He has been nominated for and won several Grammys and Country Music Association honors during his career, which began in his teens when he toured as a member of Lester Flatts’ band.

The group recently finished a tour in Europe, his first time headlining a tour there in more than a decade.

“The reception has been phenomenal,” he emailed, while the tour was still going on. “It’s been great to revisit some places and take the music into places we’ve never gone before. It’s been a great adventure.”

Stuart is also ready to release new music. “We have three albums ready to be released and they will start appearing next year,” he said. “Then we will hit the road again.”

Smoke rising in Black Mountain

Blackberry Smoke may have just wrapped up a successful summer tour with Jamey Johnson, but the band isn’t stopping that momentum.

Instead, the Atlanta-based Southern rockers are back on the road and have a local stop with a 9 p.m. show on Sept. 24 at Silverados in Black Mountain.

The five-piece band, led by vocalist and guitarist Charlie Starr, released a full-length album, “You Hear Georgia,” in 2021 and a seven-song EP, “Stoned,” in 2022.

The group has released multiple albums that have topped the country and Americana album charts.

Wilderado to rock Grey Eagle

Indie rockers Wilderado, which is made up of Maxim Rainer (lead vocals, guitar), Tyler Wimpee (guitar, vocals), and Justin Kila (drums), has gained a steady following since beginning in 2015.

Since then, the Tulsa-based trio has toured with a wide range of acts like 1975, Band of Horses, Mt Joy, Lindsey Buckingham, and Christine McVie and played at big festivals such as Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Bottlerock.

The group will perform for the first time in Asheville at 9 p.m. on Sept. 23 at The Grey Eagle. The openers will be Trash Panda and Pocket Strange.  The group released its debut last October after several years of playing live and recording an EP and singles. It had a top 10 hit on the Alternative Rock charts with its song, “Head Right.”

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: WNC live music best bets: Wilderado, Marty Stuart, Blackberry Smoke