UNC Asheville's Concerts on the Quad Series Continues June 20;
The Biscuit Burners Take Center Stage

UNC Asheville’s 23rd annual Concerts on the Quad summer music series continues at 7 p.m. Monday, June 20, as The Biscuit Burners take center stage. This group of young, talented musicians will perform their own unique version of toe-tapping traditional old time and bluegrass music. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be held on UNC Asheville’s Quad.

Based in Asheville, the four-piece Biscuit Burners have taken home top prizes from the International Bluegrass Music Association, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the Mountain State Fair and the National Dobro Competition. Their self-proclaimed “Fiery Mountain Music” layers intricate picking and melodious vocals in the old family duet style of classic country music. Founded in 2003, the band features Shannon Whitworth on clawhammer banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals; Mary Lucey on acoustic bass and vocals; Bill Cardine on resophonic guitar and vocals; and Dan Beltz on acoustic guitar.

“The band has managed, to my ears anyway, to come up with their own arrestingly captivating sound – a sound that includes the old-time feel of the mountains but incorporates many of the elements of hard-driving bluegrass as well,” said Dave Higgs of Nashville Public Radio and the nationally syndicated program “Bluegrass Breakdown. “Their powerful and heartfelt vocal, beautiful harmonies and blistering picking make for the perfect backdrop to some killer originals.”

Patrons who wish to come to campus early, can get a sneak peek at traditional handcrafts. Potter Ken Sedberry will conduct a pottery demonstration from 6-7 p.m. in the Highsmith University Union Gallery, which is located on the lower level of the building. His talk is held in conjunction with “The Ariel Perspective: Recent Works by Ariel Contemporary Craft Cooperative,” an art exhibition featuring some 50 works by the member artists of the Ariel Contemporary Craft Cooperative, on view in Highsmith Gallery through August 31.

Concerts on the Quad is fun for the entire family. The public is invited to bring picnics, blankets and lawn chairs. Sorry, no pets allowed. With nearly 3,000 people attending each concert, lawn-chair seating will be separate from blanket seating in order to preserve sight lines; please look for signage when arriving on the Quad. Café a la Quad will sell hamburger and hotdogs, sandwiches, wraps, fruit, snacks, beverages, desserts and hand-dipped ice cream from 6-8 p.m.

In case of rain, the concerts will be held in Lipinsky Auditorium. No food will be served at the rain location. Location decisions will be made at 5 p.m. the day of the show. Patrons may call 828/232-5000 after 5:15 p.m. to hear a recorded announcement on line three about the location of that evening’s performance.

For more information about the series, call UNC Asheville’s Special Events Box Office at 828/232-5000 or visit the Concerts on the Quad Web site at www.unca.edu/summerquad/.

Media Contacts:

• Barbara Halton-Subkis, UNC Asheville Cultural & Special Events Director, 828/251-6674

• Jill Yarnall, UNC Asheville Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526