Trevor McKenzie & Jackson Cunningham Debut Artist Series First “Local Night @AppTheatre” Concert is Thursday, Jan. 12

Trevor McKenzie & Jackson Cunningham Debut Artist Series
First “Local Night @AppTheatre” Concert is Thursday, Jan. 12

BOONE, NC – “Local Night @AppTheatre” is the newest initiative at the historic landmark on
King Street in Boone. The series is specifically designed to showcase the talents of High Country
musicians for whom the venue was restored and renovated.

First up in concert are the popular duo of Trevor McKenzie and Jackson Cunningham, who
will take to the Doc Watson Stage at the Appalachian Theatre at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January
12. Tickets are only $10 for adults and $7 for students and are available online now, at the lobby
box office during scheduled hours, and one hour prior to curtain.

Trevor said this event will mark his App Theatre debut as a featured artist in concert with his
friend and musical partner Jackson. They both appeared previously as part of “An Evening of
Appalachian Murder Ballads” produced by Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music and Carolina
Ramble Productions in October 2022.

Trevor McKenzie is a historian and musician based in western North Carolina. He is the
Director of the Center for Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University, where he teaches
about regional history, folklore, and music. He has performed with regional groups including
Nobody’s Business, The Little Stony Nighthawks, and the Elkville String Band. He is the author
of “Otto Wood, the Bandit: The Freighthopping Thief, Bootlegger, and Convicted Murderer
behind the Appalachian Ballads,” available through UNC Press. McKenzie is a member of
SouthArts’ Emerging Traditional Artists cohort and the recipient of an NC Arts Council
apprenticeship to study regional fiddle traditions with master fiddler and banjo player Paul
Brown.

Jackson Cunningham is a luthier and musician steeped in the traditions of his home in
Grayson County, Virginia. Cunningham learned his skills as an instrument builder from neighbors,
such as the late Audrey Hash Hamm, and continues these traditions through his own
Cunningham Handmade Instruments. Jackson’s skills as rhythm guitarist, mandolin player, and
singer are noted both regionally and abroad, with performances and tours at folk festivals and
venues across the United States, Europe, and Australia. He is the leader of the string band
Nobody’s Business and performs as part of the duo The Whitetop Mountaineers.

Speaking on behalf of the duo, McKenzie said, “We are thrilled to appear on the Doc Watson
Stage at the App Theatre and are forever grateful to this local legend from Deep Gap for
introducing the world to Mountain Music and traditional cultures of the Appalachian region. It
will be an honor just to be there on the stage named for Doc.”

McKenzie added that he is especially pleased with the renewed focus on local music at the
Appalachian Theatre as an audience draw for High Country artists. “As a historian,” he said, “it’s
so nice to see an old space find a new purpose.”

The “Local Night @AppTheatre” series is co-presented by the Appalachian Theatre and Joe
Shannon’s Mountain Home Music and is scheduled for select Thursday evenings in January,
February, and March 2023. Each performance features local artists with area student groups as
opening acts whenever possible. The next event is slated for January 26 and features The Page
Brothers performing a tribute concert titled, “A Django Reinhardt Birthday Celebration.”
All tickets for this concert are reserved seating at a price of $10 for adults and $7 for students
plus taxes and fees. Please note that events, days, dates, times, performers, and prices are
subject to change without notice. Follow @AppTheatre on Facebook and Instagram for up-to the minute event updates throughout the winter season. For tickets and more information on all events, or to join the theatre’s eblast list and purchase memberships, please visit the ATHC
website at www.apptheatre.org.

About the Appalachian Theatre
The mission of the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country is to revitalize and sustain this historic community
touchstone as a quality home for diverse artists and audiences with a special focus on programs that celebrate our
distinctive Appalachian heritage and enhance our capacity to serve as an economic catalyst for Boone and the High
Country. Once a gorgeous 999-seat Art Deco movie house, the building closed in 2007 and sat empty and gutted
for years. On October 14, 2019, the Appalachian Theatre reopened its doors after a $10 million renovation that
brought the distinctive Art Deco details back to this historic theatre and created a new 629-seat, state-of-the-art,
acoustically pristine venue for live concerts, films, plays, and dance performances. The historic Appalachian Theatre
has entertained regional audiences in the heart of downtown Boone, North Carolina since 1938.
www.apptheatre.org