Michael Ismerio has dedicated his still young life to learning, performing, and calling square dances to traditional Appalachian music. After growing up in California, he moved to Portland, Oregon, home to a vibrant old time music and dance community. Becoming ever more immersed in Appalachian music, he finally made the move to Asheville, NC where he performs, calls dances and teaches fiddle.

Ben Nelson grew up in a family of old-time musicians from southwestern Virginia. He spent all the summers of his childhood traveling to fiddlers' conventions across the Southern Appalachians and Piedmont. He's played banjo and fiddle for the last 15 years and has studied kindred music traditions in Ireland and West Africa. Now a resident of western North Carolina, Ben teaches for a 5th-grade environmental education program, local affiliates of Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM), and at Warren Wilson College.

http://www.michaelismerio.com

This is our Fall Festival 2017 Kickoff Concert!

The Dusty Road Rangers play a mix of bluegrass, folk, old time, country and even a few Irish tunes. Influenced by the Doc Watson, Del McCoury, Old Crow Medicine Show and others, the band has developed unique arrangements to many popular songs as well as a few originals they wrote themselves.

This is the fifth year that the Dusty Road Rangers will be playing at the Folk School's annual Fall Festival. Band members hail from South Florida, Central Florida, Waynesville, North Carolina and Detroit, Michigan.

Joe Fariello – guitar; Mike Desztich – mandolin; Jim Robertson – fiddle; Melanie Robertson – banjo; Dan Niebs – bass.

Hoot and Holler are the sum of two parts: guitarist Mark Kilianski and fiddler Amy Alvey. Each are songwriters dedicated to honing their craft, both equally influenced by wordsmiths like Gillian Welch and Townes Van Zandt as they are to authentic mountain musicians like Roscoe Holcomb and Ola Belle Reed. After spending the better part of 2016 living in a camper van while playing shows across the country, they now call Asheville, North Carolina their home. 
 
Instrument swapping is common during a performance. Sometimes they don two guitars, other times switching to fiddle and banjo, all the while seamlessly blending their vocals as they sing songs infused with the vitality of the landscapes which they have traveled.
 
They have received scholarships to the Blackpot Camp as well as Augusta Heritage Center to study the stylistic nuance of Cajun and Appalachian music. When performing or teaching workshops, they strive to honor the ancient sounds of those who came before while bringing their own voice to the stage.

https://www.hootandhollermusic.com

The Clydes is music forged from grit with smokey vocals and soul twisting delivery which can best be described as Old Soul Americana. Their infectious stage presence, memory haunting songs and instrumental talent have delighted audiences from Georgia to Maine, from Minnesota to the UK.

http://clydesonfire.com

Diana and Perry from Tellico Plains, Tennessee perform an eclectic collection of songs and tunes ranging from traditional old-time, gospel, americana, bluegrass, folk and classic country.

Some of the instruments you’ll hear Faith Willin’ perform with include guitar, old-time banjo, bass, cello, fiddle, mandolin, mountain dulcimer and ukulele along with vocal harmonies.

www.faithwillin.com