Pennington Gap, VA – The Jeff Little Trio is an award-winning piano driven trio from the mountains of North Carolina. Jeff Little continues an often hidden tradition of piano playing in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A remarkable exception in Appalachian music, Jeff has developed a distinctive two-handed style, influenced by mountain flatpicked-guitar. His breathtaking speed, precision, and clarity breathe new life into musical heritage. Appearing alongside Jeff will be his longtime collaborator, Steve Lewis, and his son, Luke Little.
The Pro-Art Association welcomes the Jeff Little Trio for two performances this October. The Trio will play on Friday, October 29th at 7:30 PM at Lee Theatre in Pennington Gap, and on Saturday, October 30th at 7:30 PM at Park Avenue Theater in Norton.
Jeff Little has not only been recognized as a critically acclaimed musician, but also a true innovator in acoustic music. National Public Radio described him as, “a remarkable musician, steeped in the tradition of his native Blue Ridge, yet also a virtuosic and eclectic innovator.”
Steve Lewis is an award-winning guitar and banjo player from Todd, North Carolina and is one of the most respected acoustic musicians in the country. He is well known for his flatpicking on guitar and his mastery of the five-string banjo. Lewis has won numerous championships for his guitar and banjo playing; including the Walnut Valley Nationals, Merlefest, the Galax Old Time Fiddlers Convention, Renofest and the Wayne Henderson Guitar Competition. He is also a two-time national banjo champion and remains an in-demand guitar and banjo teacher dedicated to sharing his love of music with the next generation.
Luke Little is a young and talented mandolin and guitar player whose musicianship and style expand well beyond his years. Luke’s performances include the National Folk Festival, PBS Song of the Mountains, The Richmond Folk Festival and The Moss Center for the Performing Arts at Virginia Tech.
The Jeff Little Trio stays busy traveling the country performing concerts with an energy and dedication to their music that is evident at every show. Performances include The Smithsonian Institution, The National Folk Festival, American Piano Masters, and scores of festivals, performing arts centers, and music venues across the country. Jeff has been featured on National Public Radio and PBS many times and has also taken his music around the world for the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs performing in Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Oman, France and Tanzania. In 2014, Jeff was inducted into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame.
General admission tickets are $10 at the door for both performances, and all students are free to attend. Pro-Art season tickets will be honored for these performances. Season tickets can be purchased at www.proartva.org, in person at any show, or by calling 276-376-4520. To help reduce the spread of Covid-19, Pro-Art requests patrons to wear a mask for the duration of the performance.
Pro-Art partners with a variety of venues, therefore individuals with mobility issues are encouraged to call or email the Pro-Art office to make arrangements for parking. For evolving conditions related to the global pandemic, inclement weather, or similar unforeseen circumstances, patrons are encouraged to visit proartva.org or call 276-376-4520 for up-to-date information.
Pro-Art’s mission is to promote the arts and expand accessibility to cultural experiences for residents and students in Wise, Lee, and Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton. For more information about planned performances, please visit proartva.org. You can find the Pro-Art Association on social media @ProArtVA.
Pro-Art is supported in part by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the Slemp Foundation, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, and Mountain Empire Community College. If you have any questions, please visit proartva.org, call the office at (276) 376-4520, or send an email to pro-art@uvawise.edu.
###