Steer wrestling, a practice credited to legendary cowboy and rodeo star Bill Pickett, usually involves leaping onto a steer from the back of a specially trained horse. At the Madison

Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to

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A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

Heading west? Make sure you’re in tune with the music traditions of the North Carolina mountains. In 29 counties from Rockingham to Cherokee, from Ashe on down to Cleveland, banjos,

Eastern

Madison County Championship Rodeo

Heading west? Make sure you’re in tune with the music traditions of the North Carolina mountains. In 29 counties from Rockingham to Cherokee, from Ashe on down to Cleveland, banjos,

Food

Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

Heading west? Make sure you’re in tune with the music traditions of the North Carolina mountains. In 29 counties from Rockingham to Cherokee, from Ashe on down to Cleveland, banjos,

Arts

Traveling Musical Trails

The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina preserves the songs and sounds of the western part of our state.

by Katie Fennell

Heading west? Make sure you’re in tune with the music traditions of the North Carolina mountains. In 29 counties from Rockingham to Cherokee, from Ashe on down to Cleveland, banjos, fiddles, and voices combine to form a melodic patchwork of people and places. This is where the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina (BRMT) wind through our Foothills and mountains. In their 2013 book, Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina, Fred C. Fussell and Steve Kruger provide a guide — plus a 26-track CD of traditional tunes — to the artists, festivals, concerts, jam sessions, and dances along the BRMT route, preserving and promoting the music that has thrived in our western counties for generations. Music is a part of life here in North Carolina, and the BRMT project helps ensure that it will remain so for years to come.