For the Fourth of July holiday, the Mountain Stage Band joined forces with the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra for a celebration of American and Appalachian music. The group performed four shows over four days in four WV cities: First in Clarksburg, then to Wheeling, followed by Canaan Valley and Weirton.
The Mountain Stage Band features our host and artistic director Larry Groce on vocals, our wonderful singer Julie Adams, band leader/guitarist/harmonica player Ron Sowell, pianist Bob Thompson, electric guitarist Michael Lipton (and Executive Director of the WV Music Hall of Fame), bassist Steve Hill and drummer/percussionist Ammed Solomon. The following is the band's set-list which they performed under the direction of maestro André Raphel Smith featuring string arrangements by WV Symphony Principle Viola Sandra Armstrong Groce, also of the Montclaire String Quartet.
"Simple Song (Mountain Stage Theme)"- written and performed by Larry Groce.
"The Cuckoo" Traditional arranged by Groce.
"Coal Tatoo" written by Billy Edd Wheeler and performed by Ron Sowell.
"Crazy Horse Blues," written and performed by Bob Thompson.
"In the Wilderness," written and performed by Larry Groce.
"Paradise Park," written by Larry Groce and Webb Wilder, performed by Larry Groce.
"I Know I'm Home," written by Ron Sowell and Al Smith and performed by Ron Sowell.
"Stella Can Bake," written and performed by Julie Adams.
"Let the Good Times Roll," written by Louis Jordon, performed by the Mountain Stage Band and Wheeling Symphony.
The song "I Know I'm Home" is available on a compilation of WV Songs produced by Ron Sowell called "The Road Home," which is available online through Tamarack, one of Mountain Stage's major underwriters.
Visit Tamarack and check out "The Road Home" here.
Thanks to all who came out to the Symphony concerts. I know that the band enjoyed singing and playing for you.