Music abounds in the region around the Blue Ridge Music Center. The area is well known for its bluegrass, old-time, folk, Americana, and gospel music. See the links below to find out about music venues and jams nearby.
Please Note: many venues and jams have altered hours or are on hiatus at this time due to Covid19. Please check with the venues for their current hours.
Every Friday night, WBRF 98.1 FM hosts Blue Ridge Backroads at the historic Rex Theater, a live old-time and bluegrass radio show broadcast to a five-state area and over the internet. Owned and operated by the City of Galax, the 475-seat theater continues to expand its offerings with vintage movie nights, concerts, and plays. Designated landmark on The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, The Rex remains the jewel in the crown of the City of Galax.
Originally known as simply as The Earle, the theater was built in 1938 by Earl Q. Benbow and Percy A. Boone. The theater is the home of the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall with exhibits and artifacts honoring many of the giants of Surry County old-time music scene, such as fiddler Tommy Jarrell and banjo picker Paul Sutphin. Merry-Go-Round, the second longest-running live radio broadcast in America, is held in the theater each Saturday from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and broadcast live on WPAQ 740 AM. The theater also offers jam sessions and a concert series sponsored by the Surry Arts Council.
The Floyd Country Store plays a central role in this mountain community as a supplier of all sorts of sundries and community meeting place, where folks would gather round the wood stove to exchange stories and the local gossip. The Floyd Country Store is a renowned spot to experience authentic Appalachian music, from concerts and jams to classes and dances. The store also features an old-fashioned soda fountain and restaurant.
With a small stage, and plywood dance floor, and photos of friends and relations covering the walls, the Alleghany Jubilee is a hub for the traditional music and dance of its namesake county and surrounding mountain counties. Here you will see a variety of mountain dance styles, such as buck dancing, flatfooting, and the snappy mountain two step. The Jubilee, as it is known in Sparta, hosts weekly events year-round, including jam sessions and dances.
The Yadkin Cultural Arts Center is a location for creativity, arts, and community in Yadkin County. It is a privately owned facility, open to the public six days a week. The center was created to provide a home for the arts and a gathering place for the community. The facility houses the Wellborn Gallery, The Third Branch Cafe, the Willingham Theater, as well as a number of artists studios. The Willingham Theater is equipped with a state-of-the-art sound and light system, seats 193 patrons, and a year-round concert schedule. The Blue Ridge Music Center partners with Yadkin Arts Council to host the Sounds of the Mountains concert series each January in the Willingham Theater.
The Reeves Theater and Café is nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and in the heart of the Yadkin Valley wine region. The art deco theater was renovated in 2013, and features a state-of-the-art live music venue and cafe. It is also home to The Martha Bassett Show, a live series featuring emerging national artists, fresh local faces, and the music of Bassett, a longtime singer,
guitarist, and songwriter.
The mission of the Fairview Ruritan is to create a better understanding between people and make the area a better place to live and work through volunteer service. In support of that mission, the group raises funds by hosting monthly bluegrass music concerts.
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6-9 p.m. | Crouse House Pickers | Crouse House, 60 Cherry St., Sparta, NC |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6-8 p.m. | Old-time jam | Briarpatch Mountain Cafe, 117 S. Main St., Galax, VA |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30-9 p.m. | Old-time Mountain Music Jam | Historic 1908 Courthouse, 107 E. Main St., Independence, VA |
| 7:30-10 p.m. | Beer & Banjos Weekly Old Time Jam | White Elephant Beer Company, 225 Market St., Mount Airy, NC |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7-9 p.m. | Crooked Road Jam | Fries Community Center Theater, 316 W. Main St., Fries, VA |
| 7-9 p.m. | Jam | The Earle Theatre, 142 North Main St., Mount Airy, NC |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Noon-4 p.m. | Bluegrass Jam (May-October) | Blue Ridge Music Center, 700 Foothills Road or milepost 213 Blue Ridge Parkway, Galax, VA |
| 7-10 p.m. | Jam | Willis Gap Community Center, 144 The Hollow Road, Ararat, VA |
| 7-10 p.m. | Bluegrass Jam | Lambsburg Community Center, 130 Learning Lane, Lambsburg, VA |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Noon-4 p.m. | Old-time Jam (May-October) | Blue Ridge Music Center, 700 Foothills Road or milepost 213 Blue Ridge Parkway, Galax, VA |
| 1:30-3:30 p.m. | Old-time Jam | The Floyd Country Store, 206 S. Locust St., Floyd, VA |
| 4-6 p.m. | Bluegrass Jam | The Floyd Country Store, 206 S. Locust St., Floyd, VA |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6-8 p.m. | Line Dancing Lessons | Alleghany Jubilee, 25 N. Main St., Sparta, NC |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7-10 p.m., $5 admission | Hillbilly Hoedown with Ernest & The Rise and Shine Band | Alleghany Jubilee, 25 N. Main St., Sparta, NC |
| 6-8 p.m. | Tuesday Tunes Songwriters Night | The Floyd Country Store, 206 S. Locust St., Floyd, VA |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m., $5 admission | Blue Ridge Backroads | The Rex Theater, 113 E Grayson St., Galax, VA |
| 6:30-10:30 p.m., $5 admission | Friday Night Jamboree | The Floyd Country Store, 206 S. Locust St., Floyd, VA |
| Time | Performer | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Noon-3 p.m. | Americana Afternoon | The Floyd Country Store, 206 S. Locust St., Floyd, VA |
| 5-6 p.m. | Old-Time Dance Lessons | The Floyd Country Store, 206 S. Locust St., Floyd, VA |
| 11 a.m.- 1:30 p.m., $6 admission | WPAQ's Merry Go Round | The Historic Earle Theatre, 142 N. Main Street, Mount Airy, NC |
| 7-10 p.m., $7 admission | Saturday Night Concert & Dance | Alleghany Jubilee, 25 N. Main St,, Sparta, NC |
