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.





The Twilite Broadcasters

The Twilite Broadcasters
http://twilitebroadcasters.com/


Adam Tanner and Mark Jackson are The Twilite Broadcasters. Having come together in Weaverville, NC in late 2008, the duo continues the tradition of two part harmony vocals with acoustic instrument accompaniment once common in the southern United States. The fundamental components of lead and harmony vocal in tandem with guitar and mandolin are the seminal sounds that set the stage for a variety of American musical styles, including country, bluegrass, and rock n' roll. Adam and Mark bring new shadings to material ranging from folk ballads and parlor songs to early country music.

Their music is heavily influenced by The Monroe Brothers,The Louvin Brothers,The Delmore Bothers,The Stanley Brothers,Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys,The Bailes Brothers,The Blue Sky Boys,Mac and Bob,Martin and Hobbes,The Everly Brothers,Red Allen and Frank Wakefield The Lilly Brothers,The Whitstein Brothers ,Buck Owens and Don Rich among others.

Adam Tanner has been playing Mandolin, Guitar and fiddle and singing some of Southern Appalachia's best known and most obscure songs since he was 15 years old.
Adam's membership in the Crooked Jades, a California based progressive string band band marked the beginning of his career as a performing and recording Acoustic musician. During 2003,04 and 05, the Crooked Jades, with Adam on fiddle, mandolin and acoustic lap guitar, toured folk festivals and clubs throughout the US, UK and Germany and participated in the the recording Worlds on Fire.In December 2006, Adam parted ways with the Crooked Jades and embarked on a solo career focusing on early country blues vocal and instrumental styles. During this time, he completed work on the cd Sure as You're Born.

In June 2007, Adam was called upon to fill in for Kip Beacco with The Hunger Mountain Boys in 2008, he played a variety of dates with the band in the U.S. and U.K.

Mark Jackson began performing and recording in Americana and rock bands in Tennessee and Georgia through out the late 1990's/2000's while he continued to explore early country music and learn material.

He later worked for Appalshop, the acclaimed Appalachian arts and media organization, where he had the opportunity to take in a number of well known old-time musicians from eastern Kentucky.

Before moving to Asheville, he worked for a performing arts presenter in Ohio that featured national touring artists in genres ranging from Celtic and Jazz to American Roots music. In late 2008, Mark and Adam Tanner began singing early country music duets and exploring the wealth of early country music adaptable to the close harmony/duet style.