Listening to good music under blue skies is a great way to spend a weekday evening. At Yee-Haw Brewing this Wednesday, Sept. 10, EmiSunshine and Jon Stickley Trio delivered fresh and genre-blending sounds to a full house. Every outside table was full of people tapping their feet to the lively show.
Although summer is almost over, WDVX Summer Nights continues to highlight authentic Americana and Bluegrass artists. Yee-Haw Brewing Co. hosted the live radio show on Sept. 10, the fifth event of the concert series. While the artists perform, the show airs live on WDVX, bringing together a community of listeners in person and over the radio.
Susan Young from WDVX has witnessed how events such as the Summer Nights Series bring together all ages and has created a new tradition among families and friends.
“It’s wonderful to be in a place that’s very family-friendly,” Young said. “It’s great music and great visibility. People come [to] hang out in such a relaxed way … I just love to see all ages be able to come together and enjoy it.”
Kicking off the night was EmiSunshine, the 21-year-old singer who got started in music at age four and has already made a name for herself in Americana by releasing over ten albums. Born and raised in East Tennessee, EmiSunshine is a true local talent.
With a bright voice and rhythmic guitar, her music carries an authentic Americana sound, mixing country and Bluegrass to craft a smooth and soulful feel. Accompanied on stage by two guitarists and a drummer, EmiSunshine also played the guitar, showing her impressive skill as both a singer and musician.
Known for her narrative lyricism, she sang about lost loves and life experiences. Her performance highlighted her latest record, “Miss Demeanor,” a formidable 26-song album released in June.
“Cold Hard Ground,” which EmiSunshine referred to as one of her murder songs, spins the tale of a broken heart and dead love. She also covered Tom Petty’s “Honey Bee.” Similar to EmiSunshine, long-time musician Petty combined elements of rock, country, Americana and more in his music. Her cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” was met with many audience members joining in.
EmiSunshine’s dynamic vocals, combined with her strumming guitar, are irresistible. “Don’t Worry About Me,” another track from “Miss Demeanor,” has a country-rock sound that emphasizes the artist’s vocal range heard in her booming voice and rougher edge.
Next on the stage, Jon Stickley Trio delivered a brilliant instrumental experience. The trio consists of Jon Stickley on flat-pick guitar, Lyndsay Pruett on violin and Hunter Deacon on drums.
Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, the group’s sound is based on traditional Bluegrass but bleeds into folk-punk and jazz. Their most recent album, “Meantime’s Up,” digs into the jazz sound and highlights the individual talents of the members with skillful instrumental interludes.
Hearing the trio live, it is a remarkable display of flat-pick guitar blending beautifully with strings and percussion.
Deacon on drums drives the beat. Pruett’s talent on the violin is compelling, moving from fast-paced fiddle-playing to gorgeous melodies. Stickley’s strumming rounds out the sound, adding depth and dynamics to the songs. The flat-pick guitar takes on a voice of its own, often weaving between leading the song and complementing the other musicians.
The harmony between the three instruments is palpable. One moment they’re all blending seamlessly, and the next a chord, note or beat purposefully stands out.
Surrounded by the chatter and laughter of the crowd, both artists created a lovely atmosphere, complementing the beautiful sunset and temperate conditions of the night.
