The Reason for the Benefit

Why is it important to keep places like White Horse Black Mountain alive and well?

White Horse Black Mountain makes a difference in the lives of people.

The venue has been a huge asset for the people of Black Mountain and the surrounding areas of Western North Carolina. The venue has been praised by musicians, audience members, and members of the community for it's quality peformances and it's warm and welcoming spirit.

But it goes beyond that. White Horse Black Mountain has demonstrated that it truly cares about people and desires to make a difference in the lives of people; locally, regionally, and around the world.

During early March, White Horse Black Mountain held it's 2nd Help Haiti Heal Benefit event. Asheville resident and friend of White Horse, Lorin Mallorie, was in Haiti at the time and helped arrange and remote Skype broadcast of Haitian musicians who once again had a stage to share their lives and music with the world. Their performance was shown live on the huge screen at White Horse and White Horse arranged to have the performance webcast live ..... so that anyone in the world could see and hear the voices and music of Haiti.

Lorin Mallorie describes the impact of that event as follows:

On Saturday evening we stage a "live" concert via satellite call to White Horse Black Mountain, which is hosting a Haiti benefit. James Vergenau (aka Rebel) of the Haitian reggae band Yizra'el sings an original tune called "Mother Nature"; Jagat accompanies him on the hand drums. The smaller venues here are still closed for reconstruction, and it's Rebel's first performance since the quake two months ago.

They tell me the White Horse audience was in tears. But what stays with me from that night in Kenscoff is the look in Rebel's eyes, alive and inspired to once again be playing the music he loves — this time for a little town in far off America.





Appalachia Song

Appalachia Song
www.graybeardgraphics.com/appbio.htm




From Irving Berlin to the Carter Family, Appalachia Song takes you on a musical journey through generations of great American music in an enjoyable and informative way.
A versatile and talented group of performers who bring the diverse music of not only the mountains, but America itself, to life. Sharing over one hundred and twenty years of combined experience performing a broad variety of music, This group is unique in it's warm vocal harmonies, it's solid delivery of instrumentals, and it's wealth of songs

Kirk Randleman - Beginning with playing “Little Brown Jug” on the ukulele at age 9, Kirk has played music ever since. He discovered bluegrass music upon returning to Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, N.C. after a stint in the Army. A muliti-instrumentalist, Kirk plays the mandolin, autoharp, banjo and guitar. During the past thirty seven years, Kirk has played in many groups in many places. He has been associated with renowned fiddler, Dr. Mack Snoderly, in the Reel Band, with Flave Hart and in Doc Snoderly’s Painless Band, a group that included Laura Boosinger, fiddler Tom Brantly, banjoist Bill Rasnick and Craig on bass.and the Reel Band. He played at the 1982 Worlds’ Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee with the Colly Swamp Review. In April 2007, Kirk performed at the World Folkdance Festival in Palma, Spain as a member of the Buncombe Turnpike providing accompaniment for the Bailey Mountain Cloggers from Mars Hill College. Other groups Kirk has played with include: The Hornpipers, with fiddlers Doc Snoderly and the great Tommy Hunter; The Bear Wallow Gap; The Legal Grass; Bluegrass Anonymous; Steel Rail; The Bluegrass Five; and several others. In his “day job”, Kirk serves as a Child Welfare Attorney with the North Carolina Department of Justice in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Angelina Giampocaro Spencer - When she got chills performing with Appalachia for the first time at the renowned Folk Festival 2007, she realized it didn’t matter what type of music as long as she was singing! This is Angelina’s first experience with mountain music. Musical theater is Angelina’s forte. Among her favorite roles have been Mother Abbess in “Sound of Music”, Nettie Fowler in “Carousel”, and Reverend Mother in “Nunsense.” Whether it is being honored as Actress of the Year for her role in Asheville Community Theater as Mama Rose in “Gypsy” or singing on an Atlanta Billy Graham Crusade and in Atlanta’s Robert Shaw Chorale or singing for the past 12 years in Asheville’s Midday Musicals and for hundreds of weddings, singing has been one of the great joys of Angelina’s life. The greatest joys in her life are her husband of 24 years and her sons, Corporal Emmanuel of the USMC and Clarke, a student at UNCA. Angelina’s days are spent as a Program Consultant with NC DHHS/DSS in Foster Care Licensing.

Craig Bannerman – Craig was first bitten by the music bug when he attended 1960’s jam sessions of mountain pickers in Asheville NC. He began playing guitar then switched to electric bass while playing with Blackhawk Bluegrass during college. Over the years he continued to play with many award winning bluegrass and old time bands including Blackhawk Bluegrass, Crooked Pine, 107 String Band, Don Pedi Band, The Painless Band, Mungo Kelly and Graybeard Ramblers . Craig found that his music could best be expressed through playing the stand-up bass. His skills include tasteful arrangements, creating graphic artwork and adding production skills to the mix as well as solid rhythm and bass to the bands sound. The Appalachia experience has allowed Craig to re-unite in a band with Kirk after some 20 years and explore different types and styles of music that keep diversity and the joy of creating sound at the forefront. Craig currently supports his music habit by serving as Deputy Chief for the Black Mountain Fire Department..