Black Mountain gets the blues

Inaugural music festival takes center stage in downtown

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
July 14, 2024

Guitar riffs and soulful vocal performances filled the air in the Swannanoa Valley, July 12-14, as the inaugural Black Mountain Blues festival brought a diverse lineup of musicians to town.

The event, organized by the White Horse and LEAF and hosted by multiple local venues, featured dozens of shows and hundreds of artists.

The festival kicked off Friday afternoon, when the White Horse unveiled its newly remodeled listening room with an acoustic performance by Corey Harris.

The RailYard, Bush Farmhouse, The Grange, the Monte Vista Hotel, Town Pump and the Black Mountain Center for the Arts participated in the three-day festival, which featured concerts by Sugaray Rayford, Bob Margolin, Melody Angel and Mike Barnes.

LEAF artist-in-residence and 2024 International Blues Challenge finalist Melissa McKinney, one of the organizers of the event, welcomed 16-year-old singer-songwriter Kiersi Joli to the stage during her set.

The festival, sponsored by at least a dozen local businesses, ended Sunday night, as Pisgah Brewing Co. hosted an after-party.

See photos of the inaugural Black Mountain Blues festival in the gallery at the top of the page.