This time of year, you can't skip a rock in the North Carolina mountains without accidentally hitting a musician or music venue. The region is chock full of bluegrass nights and music festivals, front porch bands and big name acts.
If you've ever felt a little lost trying to pick between them, then you're in luck. The new book Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina makes it easy to discover the best in North Carolina mountain music.
It starts by breaking the state's western side into six distinct regions. Within each, it emphasizes local flavor. You can learn about the best music hubs; find maps and driving directions; and read profiles of prominent musicians from the area, like Doc Watson and Nina Simone. The guide even has a companion CD that cross references with the book, so you can connect more than twenty tunes to the areas where they originated.
Written by documentarian and folklorist Fred C. Fussell, Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina is the product of a new collaboration between The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership and North Carolina Arts Council. The two organizations have launched an initiative that shares a name with the book--Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina--to promote traditional music from the Tar Heel State.