During his recent solo album release show at 185 King St. in Brevard, singer-songwriter Graham Sharp was not only surrounded by a murderers’ row of bluegrass musicians; he was encapsulated by time and place itself — of people, purpose and passion. 

There will be a special concert in memory of late Haywood County banjo great Steve Sutton from 2-6 p.m. Sunday, June 8, at the Lake Junaluska Conference Center. 

Much like their sorrowful, purposeful melodies, the members of The Last Revel contain this thick thread of self, and of place, when it comes to the underlying trait in the sounds and scope of their intent, onstage and in the studio — survival mode. 

The sheer beauty and fundamental foundation of bluegrass music resides in one simple truth about the tones, textures and talents within the “high, lonesome sound” — its timelessness. 

The “An Appalachian Evening” series will continue with a performance by Balsam Range at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville. 

A community jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 

Rising singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alma Russ will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville. 

Barry Bales has 15 Grammy Awards and 23 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) honors, including four IBMA “Bass Player of the Year” trophies. But, today, Bales is trying to get all of his farm chores done before an afternoon rainstorm rolls in. 

When it comes to bluegrass banjo, you’d be hard-pressed to find as vivacious and voracious a picker-n-grinner than Kyle Tuttle. 

Editor’s Note: Since first rolling into Haywood County in August 2012 to start work as the arts and entertainment editor for The Smoky Mountain News, Garret K. Woodward has been extensively documenting banjo players around our backyard.