Front Country & the Martha Bassett Band

Front Country and the Martha Bassett Band are coming to the Blue Ridge Music Center on Saturday August 25 at 7 p.m.!

In a wood-paneled country dive bar in the shadow of the San Francisco skyline, Front Country forged a sound bent on merging the musical past with the future. They fashioned their own take on roots music and indie folk, with a menagerie of musicians: a mandolinist with a degree in composition and classical guitar, a guitarist trained in rock and world music, a bassist equally versed in jazz and newgrass, a violinist with technique that could seamlessly hop between honky-tonk and electropop, and a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter with grit and soul. The result lies somewhere between indie folk and Americana, in a nether region they’ve come to embrace as their own.

Martha Bassett has been making music in North Carolina and beyond for over twenty years. With nine albums under her belt, she transcends genre in her artistry and spirit. Classically trained, Martha is blessed with a crystalline tone and sultry delivery. Her performances are known for their emotional honesty and visceral impact, making everyone in the room feel she’s singing directly to them. Her musical inspiration moves effortlessly through swing, jazz, folk, country, and rock guaranteeing playful variety at her live shows. Mixing originals with choice covers, she navigates sexy torch songs, rip-your-heart-out ballads, and slinky groove tunes with ease. Her band is rounded out with Sarah Howell (piano, percussion & vocals), Fiona Burdette (mandolin, cello & vocals), Alex Mckinney (dobro), Russell Kelly (electric guitar), and Pat Lawrence (bass).