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.





Mountain Xpress Article

Pony up! Community rallies for White Horse Black Mountain
by Rebecca Sulock
in Vol. 16 / Iss. 37
on 04/07/2010

Pony up, says Don Talley. It's time to help White Horse Black Mountain stay in business.

The venue and listening room opened in Black Mountain in 2008. Singer Kim Hughes and music-industry vet Bob Hinkle renovated a former car dealership right in the heart of downtown, and it fast became a popular place to convene and appreciate great music — and despite its infancy, has already scored acts like Adrian Legg, Cyril Neville, Jack Clement, Beausoleil and more.

But times have been tough, says Talley, a longtime music supporter and founder of online blog and newsletter Black Mountain Music Scene. "Starting a new business is a strain, and it usually takes three years to get a business going successfully." White Horse has been struggling since last fall, and a series of snowstorms and cancellations put a further strain on operations.

After they held a benefit show for WNCW in November, Talley asked Hughes and Hinkle if he could hold a benefit for them. The owners were reluctant, he says.

"They admitted that their needs were great, but were hopeful that business would pick up and that they wouldn't have to ask help in such a direct way. The eternal optimists, Bob and Kim felt that they had some great shows booked, and with a little luck things, would turn around in December and January." Weather hurt those plans — as it has hurt many local businesses, with snowstorms seeming to strike with regularity on the weekends, typically a boom time.

Talley decided to move ahead with his plans for a benefit, especially after he saw the effort and concern White Horse's owners put into holding three Help Haiti Heal benefit shows for earthquake relief. He found local musicians quick to offer their services.

"I liken it to an old-fashioned 'barn raising' where people in the community came together to help their neighbors with a specific need. ... The same community spirit was exhibited in urban areas in the '60s with the 'rent parties,' where folks came over to play music and a hat was passed around to collect money to pay rent to keep someone from being evicted," Talley says.