David Holt's State of Music

Join David on a visit to a Blue Ridge Mountain farm where the Steep Canyon Rangers perform and share stories about the band’s history and life on the road touring with comedian Steve Martin.

David meets bluegrass legend Alice Gerrard, fiddler Rayna Gellert, and singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett at a 19th-century cotton mill to play traditional mill songs and share stories.

David goes to Rugby, Virginia, to play tunes with Wayne Henderson and Jeff Little. Jeff talks about the piano as a bluegrass instrument and Wayne takes David inside his guitar-making workshop.

David introduces viewers to new young talents in this episode featuring powerhouse vocalist Amythyst Kiah and original songs with close harmonies from the band Mipso.

David travels to the mountains of Wilkes County, NC to share tunes and stories with Jens and Uwe Kruger and bass player Joel Landsberg. The Kruger first came to North Carolina for Merlfest but found such a welcome for their unique brand of bluegrass that they are now permanent residents.

David checks in with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver and gets some stories from Doyle’s years on the road then he visits the St. John AME Zion Church in Kinston, North Carolina, where the Unity Choir performs.

David shares tunes and stories with Dom Flemons, founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, at an old general store in rural North Carolina.

The season finale, recorded live onstage at the WCU Bardo Arts Center of Western Carolina University, features Rhiannon Giddens, Dirk Powell, Jason Sypher, Balsam Range, Josh Goforth, and The Branchettes.