The Purple Onion

Nicholas Edward Williams
2025-06-26 19:30 - 21:30 UTC | The Purple Onion, 16 E Main St, Saluda, NC, 28773, United States
Host of the popular roots music history podcast American Songcatcher, Nicholas Edward Williams is a multi-instrumentalist and storyteller who is dedicated to “playing it forward” by preserving the songs and styles that have shaped our country: ragtime, Piedmont blues, traditional folk, old time and early country. Pulling from these great building blocks, Williams creates a sound that feels familiar, yet new.

Acoustic Roots w/ Kelly Jones and Peggy Ratusz
2025-06-28 20:00 - 22:00
Local faves Kelly Jones (guitar & vocals), praised as one of the best and most versatile players on the scene and 10 times best in Blues award winner Peggy Ratusz (singer songwriter & percussionist), combine their exceptional talents for an intimate early evening 2-set showcase of their favorite acoustic Blues, Classic Country and Pop Rock covers and originals. Expect to hear a heaping helping of Bonnie Raitt’s early classics as well as scaled down and evocative arrangements from the superb library of the late, great Piedmont guitarist and songwriter, Sean Costello. They call themselves Downtown Duo Delux, and together they’ve been seducing new and faithful fans for nearly two years.

Acoustic Roots w/ Kelly Jones and Peggy Ratutz
2025-06-28 20:00 - 22:00
Local faves Kelly Jones (guitar & vocals), praised as one of the best and most versatile players on the scene and 10 times best in Blues award winner Peggy Ratusz (singer songwriter & percussionist), combine their exceptional talents for an intimate early evening 2-set showcase of their favorite acoustic Blues, Classic Country and Pop Rock covers and originals. Expect to hear a heaping helping of Bonnie RaittÕs early classics as well as scaled down and evocative arrangements from the superb library of the late, great Piedmont guitarist and songwriter, Sean Costello. They call themselves Downtown Duo Delux, and together theyÕve been seducing new and faithful fans for nearly two years.

Brian Ashley Jones & Melanie Jean
2025-07-03 19:30 - 21:30
Based in Nashville, TN, Brian Ashley Jones and Melanie Jean are a Country and Blues duo who specialize in vocal harmony, lead guitar and bass guitar. Originally from Upstate South Carolina and a longtime resident of East Nashville, TN, Brian is a soulful singer, acclaimed guitarist, and versatile touring songwriter whose guitar-driven Blues and Country tunes have been featured in film, television and radio. Melanie Jean is an accomplished bassist, singer and flautist who has toured internationally with numerous recording artists.

Pythagoras
2025-07-05 20:00 - 22:00
Tradition meets innovation in Pythagoras Ñ a powerhouse bluegrass act delivering tight harmonies and ripping picking no matter the octave! Pythagoras began in a sweltering college dorm room tucked in the mountains of East Tennessee. Their roots in traditional bluegrass blended with a fresh, contemporary edge bring listeners across genres and generations to their shows. The band features an international lineup of talented musicians, all now calling Johnson City, Tennessee, home: Grant Dresnok on guitar, Gracie Grossman on fiddle, Gabriel Hebert on banjo, Joe Henson on mandolin, and Lexi Wagnitz on bass.

Admiral Radio
2025-07-10 19:30 - 21:30
Inspired by their 1941 wooden Admiral radio, this South Carolina- based husband and wife duo creates an Americana sound rooted in tradition that touches the heartstrings of the modern-day listener. With tight vocal harmonies, endearing storytelling and authentic energy, Becca and Coty hold a presence that is palpable and real, both on and off stage. Simply put, Becca and Coty aim to leave listeners better than they found them. With a personal sincerity and honest performance, you might shed a few tears and roll with laughter.

Angela Easterling & Brandon Turner
2025-07-17 19:30 - 21:30
A power house wife and husband duo, Angela Easterling and Brandon Turner are well known individually, but are pure Americana magic together. Angela brings a fire and clarity to their music with insightful lyrics and a wonderfully full voice. Coupled with Brandon pristine guitar playing, these two are exactly what youÕd want and expect from Americana. A little country, a little folk, a little alternative, and a whole lot of heart.

Dulci
2025-07-19 20:00 - 22:00
Dulci brings an ageless, classic style to pop music, with her smooth vocals and warm melodies. With her repertoire of original songs and updated covers, Dulci is where classic vocal beauty meets 60s pop nostalgia. Connecting with people and taking audiences to a happy place is at the center of every performance. DulciÕs vocals sound smooth and easy, while navigating intricate melodies and rhythms seamlessly. Striving to create meaningful, powerful music thatÕs also relatable, playful, and fun, Dulci’s mission as an artist is to create a more connected, happier, and healthier world through shared experiences.

Danielle Howle
2025-07-24 19:30 - 21:30
A lifelong artist and natural storyteller, Howle has lived a million lives in one, releasing well over a dozen studio albums in a four-decade career that has traversed genres, styles, and cultures, encompassing everything from country-swamp-blues and jazz to folk, southern rock, indie, and Americana Ð all while endlessly exploring the depths of the human condition. SheÕs opened for legends like Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt. This talented musician is a show you donÕt want to miss.

Old Sap
2025-07-26 20:00 - 22:00
ÒPoet from Chicago, rambled out to Montana, cut a banjo from a tamarack, strings across the country, foot like a freight train, voice rushing down over lush Appalachia, sings a thrush tune through the rush hour and into your long-forgotten prairie dreams.Ó In a live setting, Old Sap often performs as a stripped-down folk trio. The banjo sets the groove while the electric guitar and fiddle swarm and swoon around it. Next comes the stomp of the foot, like a freight train crossing an old steel bridge. Harmonies streak across the sky, prayers sent up millennia ago now swooping into the modern day. In a direct and energetic style, Old Sap stretches out a blanket and beckons listeners to lay down their troubles, lose their shoes, and dance around in the grass. It’s more sound than people expect from a few simple elementsÑa sound thatÕs surprising, familiar, modern and timeless all at once. Folk. Folk Rock. Americana.

Clay Ross
2025-07-31 19:30 - 21:30
Two-time GRAMMY¨ winner Clay Ross, founder of the chart-topping Gullah group Ranky Tanky and of the newly GRAMMY¨-nominated American Patchwork Quartet (Best Folk Album, 2025), steps into ÒsoloÓ mode, but heÕs not alone. For one night only at The Purple Onion, Clay shares the stage with his favorite new collaborator: his 10-year-old daughter, violinist and vocalist Isla Ross. Expect an intimate, joy-filled set where jazz standards swing into front-porch folk and classical gems, all threaded together by the easy banter of a father-daughter duo discovering the magic of music in real time. Bring the whole crew. Whether youÕre a long-time Ranky Tanky fan or catching APQÕs rising buzz, this family performance will leave you smiling long after the last note.

Sister Ivy
2025-08-02 20:00 - 22:00
Sister Ivy weaves sultry soul, jazz-infused groove, and indie-folk poetry into a sound thatÕs at once ethereal and grounded. Fronted by AshevilleÕs Rachel Waterhouse, the band blends hauntingly emotive vocals with layered instrumentation and unexpected harmonic turns. Their songs dive deepÑbridging the mundane and magicalÑwith themes of longing, identity, and transformation. Often described as Òdreamy soul-psych,Ó Sister IvyÕs sound is both experimental and deeply felt, offering a rich listening experience that lingers long after the last note.

A Tale Of Two
2025-08-07 19:30 - 21:30
This storytelling Americana blues duo blends the sultry jazz vocals of Stephanie Adlington with the swampy guitar stylings of Aaron Lessard. Known for their Southern-Gothic charm and cinematic flair, A Tale of Two crafts vivid, intimate tales of love, loss, and longing. Their vintage-inspired sound bridges folk, blues, and roots traditions, earning them a spotlight at AmericanaFest and acclaim as Òblues arias with soul, intrigue and power.Ó Their dynamic chemistry on stage captivates audiences, creating a live show that feels as timeless as it is emotionally raw.

Random Animals
2025-08-09 20:00 - 22:00
Random Animals is an Asheville, North Carolina based Indie-Soul quartet. A product of years of collaborations among the tight-knit quartet Ð most of whose members play in other bands in town (including The Get Right Band, Supatight and the Diamond River Band) Ð Random AnimalsÕ unique sound is defined by dreamy vocal harmonies, a driving rhythm section, thoughtful lyrics, and guitar arrangements that are tight yet melodic. Weaving together elements of indie-rock, funk, r&b, jazz and soul music, Random Animals puts on a dynamic show thatÕs aimed to please a diverse audience.

Zoe and Cloyd
2025-08-14 19:30 - 21:30
Klezgrass. This one word may best describe the vast musical world of Asheville, NC duo Zoe & Cloyd. Springing from rich and complementary traditions, the artistic stylings of fiddler/vocalist Natalya Zoe Weinstein and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist John Cloyd Miller fit together in a harmonic dovetail. Zoe & Cloyd delight audiences with soaring harmonies and heartfelt songwriting, seamlessly combining original bluegrass, klezmer, old-time and folk with sincerity and zeal.

Kristen Ford and Rachael Sage
2025-08-16 20:00 - 22:00
This powerhouse duo delivers an evening of bold, genre-blending performance and captivating songwriting. Kristen Ford commands the stage with high-energy, loop-driven indie rock infused with Americana spirit and raw emotional grit. Rachael Sage, an award-winning singer-songwriter, offers a rich tapestry of folk-pop melodies, classical undertones, and poetic lyrics that have drawn comparisons to Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco. Together, they create a dynamic musical experienceÑfierce, heartfelt, and unforgettably original..

Cowboy Judy
2025-08-21 19:30 - 21:30
Female fronted super group, Cowboy Judy (formally Sweet Claudette,) is the bringing together of worlds, in the best of ways. Singing an upbeat hybrid of country and motown, you would be hard pressed to find another group as gifted with their harmonies and charisma as you have here. Boasting the talents of Amanda Ann Platt, Amber Sankaran, Dulci Ellenberger, and Melissa Hyman, Cowboy Judy plays an eclectic mix of soulful country, rocking motown, and vibrant originals. Coupled with the charm and energy of these self proclaimed Òsongbirds,Ó this is a group that will not only grab you with their fluid harmornies, but also with their engaging showwomanship.

The Moon and You
2025-08-23 20:00 - 22:00
At its core, The Moon and You is a charismatic husband-and-wife team. Melissa Hyman plays cello, Ryan Furstenberg plays guitar and banjo, and both sing in Òvoices that sound like they were made for one anotherÓ (Bill DeYoung, Connect Savannah). But whatever you might assume based on their gorgeous vocal blend and heartfelt lyrics, this ainÕt your basic folk duo. With a rotating cast of talented friends to add unexpected instrumentation to their lineup, The Moon and You never plays the same show twice. This ever-evolving, expandable and collapsible model leaves the band constantly reinventing itself in ways both surprising and satisfying.

Asheville Junction
2025-08-28 19:30 - 21:30
Asheville Junction is a bluegrass/Americana band from the high country of North Carolina. Their lively, entertaining shows feature hot fiddlin’, vocals, harmonies and much more. Folks find themselves singing, clapping, and toe-tappin’ along to the music. Asheville Junction formed when mother-daughter duo Tierra and Maria Raiti moved to Asheville and joined up with long-time local musicians Brad Pope on upright bass, Tim Comstock on mandolin and Ken Sager on dobro.

Get Right Band
2025-08-30 20:00 - 22:00
The Get Right Band is a psychedelic indie rock power trio from Asheville, NC. They are a band focused on following their muses to honest self-expression, to whatever excites them and pushes them into unexplored territory. Proudly carrying the torch for a long line of genre-bending power trios from Cream to The Jimi Hendrix Experience to The Police. ItÕs the space between the notes, the rawness and the maneuverability, that makes a power trio, well, so damn powerful. The Get Right Band has tight and diverse jams along with a distinctive, intellectual – but accessible – worldview.

Wes Collins
2025-09-04 19:30 - 21:30
Wes Collins is a fingerstyle guitarist and award-winning songwriter whose intricate playing and insightful lyrics draw listeners in from the first note. Winner of the Kerrville New Folk competition and a North Carolina Arts Council Songwriting Fellowship, Collins brings depth, warmth, and humility to the stage. His music dances between folk, Americana, and soft rock, often compared to Bruce Cockburn and David Wilcox. With a quiet presence and clever, poetic phrasing, he creates songs that feel like long-overdue conversationsÑpersonal, profound, and resonant.

Joel Timmons
2025-09-06 20:00 - 22:00
Joel Timmons, co-founder of the genre-bending band Sol Driven Train, brings a soulful, rootsy presence to his solo performances. Blending coastal Americana, folk-rock, and island rhythms, Joel crafts songs that radiate warmth, wanderlust, and heartfelt introspection. His solo work showcases rich storytelling and intricate guitar work, shaped by years of touring and a deep love of musical exploration. Whether heÕs strumming a sun-soaked groove or delivering a quiet lyrical revelation, Joel Timmons invites you into a world where melodies wander and stories stick with you.

Coddle Creek
2025-09-13 20:00 - 22:00
Rooted in North Carolina tradition, Coddle Creek delivers a fresh take on bluegrass with a mix of high-energy picking, heartfelt harmonies, and a spirit that keeps audiences coming back for more. Known for their engaging stage presence and seamless blend of classic and contemporary influences, the band brings the joy of mountain music to every performance. Whether it’s a fiery fiddle tune or a soulful ballad, Coddle Creek captures the sound of Carolina’s musical heritage while carving their own path forward.

Highway 52
2025-09-18 19:30 - 21:30
Highway 52 is an acoustic Blues and Americana group that includes four seasoned, local musicians. Playing Blues and Americana favorites, as well as some more eclectic covers and originals, the band knows how to get a room thumping and singing along. Band members are Bill Loftus on guitar/harmonica/vocals; Mike ‘Country’ Carver, guitar/vocals; Paul McIntire, electric violin; and Lauren Bandy, standup and electric bass.

Lonesome Road Band
2025-09-20 20:00 - 22:00
The Lonesome Road Band regularly travels as a three piece group, featuring banjo, guitar, and bass. In a nutshell, the band plays country and folk, but that wonderfully rustic country that walks you down a dirt road, with a pleasant breeze tickling your face, while the grasshoppers chirp. Founded back in 1995, the band has gone through a few changes in members, but has never lost its heart and soul – thanks in abundance to its founder Larry Keith. The charming yet stark fervency of The Lonesome Road Band’s music instantly takes audiences back to a time where songs told the world of man’s great love and great sorrows. Huddled around a vintage mic, the group would be right at home next to the Soggy Bottom Boys in “O Brother Where Art Thou.”

Local Boys
2025-09-25 19:30 - 21:30
Rooted in nearly two decades of camaraderie, The Local Boys bring bluegrass and Americana to life with warmth and energy. Emerging from Maryland and now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, this seasoned ensemble—anchored by John Aaron’s guitar and vocals, Steven Davidson’s mandolin and harmony, Jake Joines’s dobro, and Jesse Chattin’s upright bass—draws on over 80 years of combined stage experience. Their debut album, Stories, unfolds narratives rich with character, humor, and heart, carried on tight musicianship and soulful storytelling. With performances at MerleFest and other festivals, they blend tradition and innovation in a way that welcomes every listener.

Redbud
2025-09-27 20:00 - 22:00
Redbud honors traditional bluegrass while blending original tunes with stunning harmonies, hauntingly catchy melodies, and rhythms that will have you tapping your feet. This group of young musicians brings a fresh energy to the genre, with Lucas Ward’s steady guitar, Griffin Decker’s melodic mandolin, Addy Quinn’s vibrant fiddle, Dayne Watson’s banjo picking, and Chase Arden’s driving bass. Together, they create a sound that is both timeless and new, captivating audiences with everything from lively fiddle tunes to heartfelt ballads.

Shlomo Franklin
2025-10-02 19:30 - 21:30
Shlomo Franklin blends folk, country, and rock into music that is raw, soulful, and deeply moving. Raised on a farm in New York, his journey from quiet beginnings to the stage infuses every song with honesty, grit, and heart. His tender yet powerful voice carries lyrics that cut straight to the core, weaving stories of resilience, longing, and hope. Franklin’s songwriting reflects both his rural roots and a fearless spirit, creating music that feels personal yet universal. Whether delivering an intimate ballad that lingers like a whispered confession or a driving anthem that fills the room with energy, his performances draw listeners in with authenticity and leave them captivated long after the final note.

Will Willis
2025-10-04 20:00 - 22:00
Will Willis brings a genre-blurring fusion of folk-rock, blues, and funk to the Appalachian music scene. A nomadic upbringing traversed landscapes from California to Montana and the Carolina coast before he rooted himself in Boone, North Carolina. Guided by the craftsmanship he inherited from his father, Willis channels storytelling, heart, and grit into songs that explore addiction, relationships, and the quest for meaning—always with a resilient spark of hope. His latest EP, Digital Movement, streaming since May 2024, offers a fresh musical chapter rich in emotional depth and creative momentum. Whether through collaborative arrangements or solo storytelling, Willis’s music welcomes listeners into a soulful, evolving journey.

Brody Schenk
2025-10-09 19:30 - 21:30
Born in Rochester, NY, and now rooted in East Nashville, Brody Schenk channels the soul of old blues and classic rock through the voice of a wise-beyond-his-years troubadour. A gifted guitarist and storyteller, he blends heartfelt lyrics with dynamic guitar work, honoring traditions of artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Neil Young, and the Grateful Dead. His songs feel both timeless and deeply personal—raw, honest, and brimming with youthful intensity. Whether he’s fingers working the frets or delivering a stirring lyric, Brody’s music draws listeners into a world that’s authentic, richly textured, and impossible to ignore.
