Boonerang Bands

BY MOSS BRENNAN

Friday, June 16

Ashley Heath and Her Heathens (5:30 p.m.)

Ashley Heath and Her Heathens Boonerang back to the place where it all started for a Friday night festival performance! A Western NC native who found her way to Appalachian State University, Ashley Heath’s music career can really trace its nascence to her time at college when she wrote her first song. The early days consisted of interning at local music festivals, working as a barista, and performing for dimes at bars; but hard work and persistence paid off for Heath. Accompanied by her band of ‘Heathens,’ Heath has gone on to win the Merlefest Band Competition, release a pair of worthy albums, perform a headliner show at the Appalachian Theatre, and become a legitimate name in the regional music scene.

Will Easter and The Nomads (6:30 p.m.)

A Stokes County, NC native who has made Boone his home over the last several years, Will Easter perhaps gigs harder than anyone else here in the High Country. Will Easter plays authentic, good-for-the-soul, rural folk-Americana music. A skilled singer-songwriter, Will writes the types of songs that are catchy on an artistic level and relatable on a human level. With a love for music and an undaunted work ethic, Will has become a staple in venues, clubs, bars, and festivals across the region from the mountains to the coast.

Larry Keel Experience (7:30 p.m.)

With a style that could only be born in Appalachia, The Larry Keel Experience makes its way to Boone to light up the Friday night festival stage at Boonerang. Larry Keel is an award-winning guitarist and singer-songwriter, known for his innovative style of flatpicking. While rooted in the rich heritage of Appalachian folk and bluegrass, Keel has pushed the boundaries of traditional mountain music by exploring the fringes of the genre, developing his trademark “experimental folk.”