Virginia musical group Furnace Mountain Band will play a free concert in Hancock’s Kirkwood Park on Sunday, July 16 at 2 p.m. Hancock Arts Council is sponsoring the musical event.
The region situated between the Appalachian hills of West Virginia and the culturally diverse and ever-changing Washington, D.C., metropolitan area is known for producing musicians who transcend generic categories.
Furnace Mountain Band deftly takes traditional music styles in new directions. Named for a mountain near where all the members grew up, the band consists of some of the most innovative and gifted musicians in Virginia.
Furnace Mountain consists of Aimee Curl on bass and vocals, Dave Van Deventer on fiddle and vocals, and Morgan Morrison on guitar, octave mando, and vocals. The band creates music that is at times lively and raucous, with spirited fiddle melodies weaving in and around the powerful rhythms of the bass and bouzouki, and other times poignant and poetic, with sublime vocal harmonies beautifully interpreting some of the oldest songs ever written.
Furnace Mountain Band has performed throughout the world, from the Yangtze River in China to the banks of the Shenandoah River, where they are the host band of Watermelon Pickers’ Festival.
Furnace Mountain Band plays music from the American Appalachian traditions, as well as original compositions, and songs penned by their favorite song-writing friends.
Sinclair Hamilton of the Arts Council said, “Last year’s concert was magical and rousing good fun as well. Not to be missed.”