Appalachian Visions Series Presents Bluegrass Legends

Enjoy the music of the southern highlands as Mountain State University's acclaimed Appalachian Visions series presents its annual free bluegrass concert on Saturday, May 6, at 7pm at Tamarack. This year, local favorites The Lillys will welcome two special guests: banjo legend Bill Keith and renowned fiddler Buddy Griffin.

The Lillys are Jennifer Lilly, who is the granddaughter of Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee Everett Lilly Sr., and Dr. Everett Alan Lilly, director of the social work program at Mountain State University and a longtime professional bluegrass musician.

Bill Keith is internationally recognized for inventing the "chromatic" approach to bluegrass banjo playing and achieved wide acclaim when he performed and recorded with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys. Keith has toured and recorded with many big names in bluegrass, including Tony Rice, David Grisman and Richard Greene. This will be his first visit to Beckley. Buddy Griffin, who is already familiar to those who attended last year's festival, is widely known in bluegrass music for his fiddle playing with the likes of Bill Monroe, Jim and Jesse, Mother Maybelle Carter and a host of others. The group will be joined by vocalist Melissa Toney with Shane Ingram on bass.

According to Everett Lilly, "We are fortunate to have two of the greats in bluegrass music to perform with us in Beckley. Bluegrass fans will have a rare treat in store for them when these two masters take the stage.