BLACKSBURG – Finger-pickin’ good music is on the way to the Lyric Theatre.
The Jack Hinshelwood Trio, featuring the award-winning lead man, accompanied by twin talents in mandolinist Scott Freeman and bass player Sam West will take the recently updated stage at the dazzling venue in downtown Blacksburg featuring a sparkling auditorium, plush new seating and a superb sound system.
Opening the exciting evening will be the dynamic duo of Ashley Watkins and Andrew Small, a talented team which combines superb vocals and top-notch instrumentals with Ashley on guitar and Andrew on mandolin. Ashley, director of the Floyd County Junior Appalachian Musicians (FJAM) and Andrew is also an award-winning fiddle player with a close association to the Crooked Road Music Heritage Association. Both are music instructors, Ashley a noted luthier who repairs instruments.
They have recorded as a duet and as part of the band “Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee.” Andrew is also an established song writer with several awards to his credit.
They have been acclaimed for close harmony and a wonderful dynamic vocal blend.
The show is set for Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m., presented by the Montgomery Museum of Art and History, as part of its mission to provide a variety of exhibits and events showcasing history that is a part of the New River Valley and surrounding region.
Hinshelwood, meanwhile, notes he is not only excited to perform at the historic Lyric but happy to be there with Freeman and West.
“I really enjoy working with both of them and it is always fun to play for an audience as part of the trio and certainly we are looking forward to playing at the Lyric. The new look is so impressive.”
Freeman’s ease on the mandolin smoothly transitions from swift, hot licks to perfectly placed gentle harmony, inviting the audience to enjoy being a part of the tune right along with him. West, meanwhile, complements his two picking partners with runs of steady bass notes, ensuring a professional background for every performance.
Hinshelwood, with a local background in the Riner-Christiansburg area, has risen to become a world traveler and a multi-instrumentalist. From the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in Washington, D.C., to the prestigious Knoxville, Tennessee, World’s Fair Guitar Championship, he has delighted his fans with a wide range of skills.
Guitar (the Wayne Henderson championship, among others), fiddle (Galax Old Time Fiddlers Convention two-time champion), skill on the harmonica and outstanding vocal work make him a crowd pleaser. Across the nation and beyond, including a stint as leader of the renowned Crooked Road Musical Heritage organization, he not only conducts music workshops but is also a noted historian.
The group features traditional and old-time music, a salute to the Appalachian regional heritage as well as blues, western swing style, ballads and popular songs. Expect to hear some humor mixed in during the show.
“The music is the focus,” he says, “but we also make it a point to share some laughs with our audience.”
Hinshelwood is recognized as one of the guiding forces in the acclaimed “Doc at 100” tribute to the late legendary guitarist and singer Arthel “Doc” Watson. Hinshelwood performed along with Doc’s former partners Jack Lawrence and T. Michael Coleman. Also in the program were Wayne Henderson and musician/historian Dr. Ted Olson. That effort was nominated for “Event of the Year” in 2023 by the International Bluegrass Music Association.
Make plans now to get tickets for the upcoming Lyric performance, likely destined to be one of the Events of the Year for 2026.
Information is available at Montgomery Museum.org/HinshelwoodTrio, or contact the museum at 540-382-5644, located at 4 E. Main St., Christiansburg.
