The twang of banjos and the buzz of power tools have filled the Kinston home of luthier Marvin Walker for nearly 30 years. The fruits of his labor are stringed works of art that he often gives away to lucky — and usually unsuspecting — musicians.
bluegrass
A Circle Unbroken in Newton
Bluegrass musicians love the simple beauty of Old St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Newton. On Christmas Eve, the 200-year-old wooden chapel fills with the sweet sounds of strings and the joy of the season.
City Portrait: Brevard
Pisgah National Forest is the ideal amphitheater for nature’s music. But come summer, the historic hamlet next door erupts in symphonies as gorgeous as waterfalls, and old-time jams as rousing as mountain trails.
Music is Never Far Away in Downtown Shelby
Bluegrass and country music played prominent roles in this Foothills city’s past. Now, thanks to two legendary native sons, the signature sounds are taking center stage in its future.
Jug Tucker Band: Bluegrass at the Beach
Jug Tucker draws inspiration from both sides of our state.
The Avett Brothers
There were two boys, Scott and Seth Avett, in Concord. And then there were THE AVETT BROTHERS. This is the story of the in-between — how the band that sounds like where it’s from got from here to the world.
Remembering Doc Watson
As an infant growing up in Watauga County, Arthel Lane Watson lost his sight. As a teenager, he picked up a guitar and created a sound. Now, that sound and that guitar and that blind man are forever linked in one name that will live as long as music is played: Doc.
North Carolina’s Sound
Chatham County musician Tommy Edwards knows the tune of his home state by heart.
Literary Harmony
With the release of his 10th novel, Wilmington writer Clyde Edgerton shows us that everything in life has a rhythm.