Fountain Express

GrassStreet Headlines Weekend of Music in Fountain
GrassStreet brings its "bluegrass drive with style" to Fountain General Store this coming Saturday night for a show and concert of traditional and original music.

Bluegrass press has been generous in praising this quintet from piedmont and eastern North Carolina. "Exceptional talent," Bluegrass Now said. The Good-Tyme Bluegrass Show says to expect from GrassStreet "stunning originals graced with fine crafted musicianship" in both their "recorded music and live performances."

Like many of the bands that play Fountain, GrassStreet features a family component, the father/son duo of Wayne and David Kinton. A native of Henderson, Wayne is guitarist and bandleader; his son David, who plays upright bass, is a recent graduate of UNC-CH, where he was active in the jazz studies program and played with the university's jazz band and jazz combos.

Mandolinist for the band, Joe Martin, of Kinston, also plays banjo and guitar. He is an active session musician, having performed on over 25 CD projects.

On banjo is Barney Rogers, who plays three finger, Earl Scruggs style. A Cary resident, Rogers has recorded two solo CDs, including Pig Pickin Picks, with his friend Jerry Hart, who owns Ole Time BBQ in Raleigh.

Kevin Thompkins, a native of Richmond who lives in Franklin County, plays dobro. He also writes some of the band's songs and sings.

GrassStreet is a derivative of the band Swift Run, which began playing bluegrass in the 1980s. GrassStreet is a popular festival attraction; they have released two CDs. We have their CD Better Times in stock at R.A. Fountain.

GrassStreet's Jan 14 concert begins at 7:30. Reserved seats are $10; general admission is $7.

---

On Thursday night, Greenville artist Steve Creech brings his sextette to Fountain for a night of jazz standards from the 1940s-60s. Creech, who plays guitar, is joined in the band by Les Sutorious on trumpet; Fred Moyer on tenor sax; Keith Dobbins on bass; and Larry Seigler on drums. Carol-Ann Tucker is featured vocalist.

The Steve Creech Sextette's January 12 show begins at 7:30. Reserved seats are $7; general admission is $5.

---

On Friday Night, Elm City's Chet Nichols returns for a concert of original roots rock and alt-country songs. Nichols, who has released two CDs (Somewhere Out There and Local Vocal Session), has been called "an east Carolina Springsteen" for his gritty narrative songs derived from the tobacco and cotton belts rather than the rust belt lives that Springsteen chronicles.

Nichols' January 13 concert begins at 7:30. Reserved seats are $5; general admission is $3.

---

Melody Brown returns to Fountain General Store for a free concert of Christian folk and original songs on Sunday afternoon. Brown, who lives in Zebulon, has recently released her first CD, A Voice for Him.

Brown's January 15 concert begins at 3:00.

R.A. Fountain, General Store and Internet Café, is located in downtown Fountain, at the intersection of US 258 and NC 222. Its family atmosphere does not permit smoking; alcohol is not served.

For further information, phone 252-749-3228 or visit our home page.

GrassStreet
Listen to GrassStreet perform "Better Times," a Wayne Kinton composition.

Melody Brown
photo of Melody Brown at R.A. Fountain
Hear Melody sing "I Grew Up Cherished."

Chet Nichols at R.A. Fountain photo
Hear Chet Nichols sing "Valentine."

What You're Reading:
This is the web version of our weekly news release emailed to about a dozen area newspapers. The primary contents of each issue of the Fountain Express comes from that news release.

If you or anyone you know would like to be added to our weekly email list, send us a note at fountainexpress@rafountain.com and indicate the address(s) to which you want the Fountain Express emailed. Contact that same address to remove yourself from our list, with "unsubscribe" as either text or subject of your email.

Fountain Express emails will never contain attachments. We won't sell or share our subscription list. And unless there's something really big to report, you shouldn't hear from us but once a week.

Winter Hours
Thursday 5-10
Friday & Saturday noon-10
Sunday 1-5
or by appointment, by calling 252-749-7974

Live music Thursday - Sunday. Friday and Saturday nights are booked through May, with entertainers coming to Fountain from Manitoba, Tennessee, Virginia, New York, and England, as well as all parts of North Carolina. For details, visit our "upcoming events" page.