Sun., Sep. 14, ’08 — Layah Jane | More info and reserve seats now! |
Twenty-six-year-old, Toronto-based, singer-songwriter Layah Jane is a hearty young musician with a mission. With soulful vocals and a poetic, articulate tongue, Layah's sound recalls Joni Mitchell, Rickie Lee Jones and Ani Difranco, with a resonance all her own. She plays guitar and piano. Winner of a number of Toronto music scene awareds, she defly weaves threads of folk and jazz, along with heartfelt lyrics and captivating charisma. Layah Jane is a spirited and natural performer who receives enthusiastic support wherever she plays. When she takes the stage we are transported to a place where emotion is raw, reflection is deep, and revolution is not only possible, but necessary.| Layah’s Web site |

Sun., Nov. 2, ’08 — Andrew McKnight
Since permanently leaving his corporate environmental engineering career in 1996, Andrew McKnight has traced a musical journey of nearly half a million miles of blue highways and small towns across the country, crafting his cinematic vignettes of Americans and their landscapes in music, poetry and prose in between 125 performances each year. Wherever McKnight takes the stage, audiences are at once spellbound and relaxed by his entertaining stories delivered with just the right touches of down home humor, causing one concertgoer to label him "equal parts Robert Frost, William Least Heat-Moon and Jeff Foxworthy!"| Andrew’s Web site |

Sun., Dec. 28 , ’08 — The Marc Yaxley Trio
A year-end house concert tradition! Their house concerts have been incomparably spontaneous and electric. You’re in for a lively and breathtaking evening of samba, bossa nova, swing, and straight-ahead jazz that will singe your ears and mind—and that’s a good thing! Each a virtuoso of their respective instruments, the trio will hold you on the edge of your seat with each new, improvised musical phrase. Marc, Patrick, and Cameron are all solid musicians independently. When they’re together, it’s magic.

Sun., Jul. 20, ’08 — Peggy Ratusz and Big Road
Asheville’s own—returned for her third house concert. She sang many new compositions with her acoustic trio Big Road, plus some of her old favorites. Peggy and Josh showed their musical creativity and performance skill, both vocally and, in Josh's case, on the harmonica. Duane was his usual magnificent, steady self on guitar. Another sell-out crowd enjoyed the evening. | Big Road’s MySpace page |

Sun., Jun. 1, ’08 House Concert 21 — Songsisters
This was a “best of” performance by 10 members of this rich group of Asheville-based songwriting women. Their compositions and performances ranged from polished to heartfelt. Some are seasoned performers, while for others it was their first or second time in front of an audience. The Songsisters were the original inspiration for our entire house concert series.

Fri., Apr. 18, ’08 House Concert 20 — Siobhán Quinn & Michael Bowers.
With a voice known alternatively as angel-like and a devilish, and agreed as one of the best voices on the folk and blues circuit, Siobhán Quinn joined with Michael Bowers, an exceptional singer-songwriter and performer who has the gift of lyric, spoken word, timing and a certain exuberance all wrapped up in one. Together, Siobhán and Michael produced folk, sizzling blues, intense Celtic ballads, and music that radiated love of this world with all its ups and downs. | Their Web site |

Fri., Feb. 29 , ’08 House Concert 19 — Jack Williams.
Jack Williams, a South Carolina-born artist, is recognized by the contemporary U.S. folk community as a singer/songwriter of national stature. He has toured the U.S. and Europe for the past 40-plus years, and is a featured performer on the Philadelphia and Kerrville main stages. His is music born at the meeting ground of the traditional and the contemporary – original Southern-American songwriting and performance at its best, drawing deeply from the eclectic well of our musical heritage. Jack’s fusion of guitar, voice and songs are loaded with delightful influences from a career in jazz, classical, rock, blues, country and folk. | Jack’s Web site |

Fri., Dec. 28 , ’07 House Concert 18 — The Marc Yaxley Trio
An encore performance of one of our most memorable house concerts ever! Their house concert in June ’06 was spontaneous and electric. You’re in for a lively and breathtaking evening of samba, bossa nova, swing, and straight-ahead jazz that will singe your ears and mind—and that’s a good thing! Each a virtuoso of their respective instruments, the trio will hold you on the edge of your seat with each new, improvised musical phrase. Marc, Patrick, and Cameron are all solid musicians independently. When they’re together, it’s magic.

Sat., Nov. 3, ’07 House Concert 17— Scott Ainslie.
Scott was a rare performer: a man who spoke about the Blues with the same compelling passion and authority that drives his musical performances. He brought the African and American roots, history, & soul of the music alive with a mesmerizing mix of abandon, care and intimacy. Scott played and spoke of the music he loves with passion and authority. Combining thirty years of scholarship with almost forty playing guitar, Ainslie entertains and educates in a most fascinating way. He lives in Vermont, and tours North America, performing 150-or-so gigs a year. | Scott’s Web site | Video |

Sat., July 21, ’07 House Concert 15 — Peggy Ratusz.
Asheville’s own—returned for her second house concert. This time, it was an intimate performance, as she sang many of her newest compositions with her trio, plus some of her old favorites. She’s inventive, versatilve, and has an expressive voice. Peggy honed her unique vocal stylings, fronting rhythm and blues, country, and blues bands in Austin, TX. She started out in jazz, moved to folk rock, has sung folk rock, country and Motown, and then found her soul music in blues. Her ability to interpret all kinds of music makes her stand out in the crowd, and her sultry blues sends shivers down your spine. | Peggy’s Web site |

Mar. 17, ’07 House Concert 12 — Pete Huttlinger. This was a tremendous night of guitar virtuosity and quick wit. If you looked away, you’d swear there were three people playing. Pete is a national finger style champion, who regularly performs all across the U.S. and internationally. What he can do with a 6-string guitar must be seen and heard to be believed. He had justcome off a performance at famed Carnegie Hall in New York, two weeks prior to the house concert. A past instructor at the Swannanoa Gathering, Pete graced us all with a memorable evening of musical artistry and humor. One of the audience members was the 600th person to attend one of our house concerts.
| Pete’s Web site |

Feb. 10, ’07 House Concert 11 — Craig Carothers
It’s fitting that Craig, who was our inaugural performer in this series (back in April of 2005), was the first to perform a repeat engagement. With no amplification, Craig’s booming voice and his guitar made for an evening of variety—sometimes poignant, sometimes raucously funny, always sheer pleasure to witness and savor. Several well-known recording artists have performed his tunes. Nobody does them like Craig. Craig has been the opening act or performed with more than a hundred national acts, ranging from Boz Skaggs, to Jethro Tull, Donovan, and Leo Kotke. | Craig’s Web site |

Dec. 27, ’06 House Concert 10 — David LaMotte
It was an escape from the frenetic holiday hubbub, into a soothing, yet stimulating evening of singing, guitar playing, and story telling by one of the most popular and prolific entertainers hailing from Western North Carolina. As normally occurs during any of his over 2,000 public performances, this one included everything from lyrically challenging, high-energy percussive songs in strange alternate guitar tunings to more traditional songs of home, hope and inspiration. | David’s Web site |

Mar. 3, ’06 House Concert 5 — Amy Rae Stupka and Richard Shulman
A sell-out within just 48 hours of the announcement! Amy Rae is a versatile singer and songwriter, and performs regularly all over WNC. Richard is a nationally known composer and keyboardist, who has played in Carnegie Hall and many other venues. They both perform solo and together with River Geurgarian and Tracy. Some folk, some jazz, some new age—all very soothing. About 50 attendees enjoyed a great evening.