At 7 p.m. on Friday, June 28, Wyatt Espalin will amaze the crowd gathered at the square in Hayesville with his songs and stories.
By Victoria Ewing Ware
Guest Writer
At 7 p.m. on Friday, June 28, Clay County Communities Revitalization Association welcomes back favorite local, Wyatt Espalin to the historic courthouse gazebo.
As a youngster, Wyatt Espalin began appearing on the music barn stage his grandfather built on the campground where he grew up. He and his brother Matt performed as “The Fiddling Brothers” until Matt retired his fiddle after high school. Wyatt, armed with a fiddle, guitar and a desire to write songs, continued to pursue his music career with the acclaimed Americana duo, Trees Leave. Next came a sabbatical on the Ocoee River working as a river guide, caring for his ailing granddaddy and penning songs for his debut solo album.
In 2024, Wyatt Espalin shakes things up with his debut full-length album. Due for release in fall 2024, the newest collection of songs features his band, the Riverstones with special guest, Amy Ray of Indigo Girls. After returning to his roots and the rustic campground where he was raised he found a setting that would inspire “Diamonback,” a collection of mysterious songs released in 2020 that gave his audience a bird’s eye view of an artist rediscovering himself. Well, this fiddler/singer and champion clogger went on to win the First Annual New Song Songwriting Contest at North Carolina’s popular L.E.A.F. festival. He has also spent the last few years sharing the stage opening for some of his songwriting idols Indigo Girls, Jennifer Knapp, Kevn Kinney, Chely Wright, Michelle Malone, Shawn Mullins and Patty Loveless, to name a few.
We’ll be treated to a solo Wyatt performing haunting, intimate songs juxtaposed with hilarious stories he’ll share between songs, creating a beautiful tension.
This concert is the fourth of eight concerts scheduled for the 2024 CCCRA Friday Summer Concert Series. Also plan on joining CCCRA July 5, and 26 then Aug. 9 and 16. CCCRA’s free concerts are made possible through sponsorships from private individuals, businesses and organizations and from donations to the red bucket on concert nights. CCCRA is grateful for the support of three key community sponsors this year: Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: Jodi Sullivan, Highway 69 Storage and The Richard Kelley Group - RE/MAX Town & Country,
This week, Hayesville Q will roll in the food truck filled with their delicious beef brisket and chopped pork to tickle your tastebuds. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 532 will continue their fundraiser for veterans selling yummy hot dogs and popcorn. Local brews, wine and cider are available from Hayesville’s own Laughing Dogs Brewing.
Free transportation between the square and area parking lots is available on Historic Hayesville Inc.’s version of mass transit, the Red Rider.
Bring family and friends and lawn chairs or blankets, then find your favorite place on the Beal Center grounds. Food and beverage service starts at 6 p.m. and music at 7 p.m.
If we must make the difficult decision to cancel and/or reschedule any of our Friday night concerts due to weather, an announcement will be made on the CCCRA website events page (cccra-nc.org/cccra-events) and the CCCRA Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cccranc).