11/21/2009
WFWM 91.9fm, Public Radio from Frostburg State University, invites you to an evening of old-time mountain bluegrass music, featuring performances by Short Mountain String Band, Highland Grass, and Black Diamond. The concert will take place at the Bottling Works located on Main St. in Romney, WV at 7PM on Saturday, November 21, 2009.

The concert, which is being held as a benefit for the local public radio station, will bring together three of the area’s finest old-time and bluegrass bands.

Short Mountain String Band from Hampshire County, West Virginia, plays traditional Appalachian style music that might have been heard at square dances over 100 years ago. Anchored by the exceptional fiddling of Dakota Hobbie, the group also features Dakota’s father Pete Hobbie playing banjo in the claw- hammer style on one that he made himself. Christi Hicks plays mandolin while guitarist Steve Ritz provides a steady rhythm. All members have been known to bring occasional singing to the mix but instrumental tunes are the rule.

Highland Grass, a West Virginia-based band, is well known around the Appalachian Mountain region and neighboring states for their hard driving, high energy, traditional style Bluegrass and Bluegrass Gospel music. Highland Grass is an acoustic five-piece band featuring Joe Winebrenner, guitar, Homer Beeman, fiddle, Joe Winebrenner, Jr., banjo, Janet Winebrenner, bass and Donna Winebrenner, vocals.

Black Diamond is a western Maryland-based bluegrass band that features Nick Blough on guitar, Donnie Gibson on banjo, Tom Wilson on mandolin and Bob Boyce on bass. The group performs bluegrass and gospel tunes, including a number of original songs. Black Diamond performs every Tuesday evening at the Queen City Creamery on Harrison St. in Cumberland, MD.

The Bottling Works is a former Coca Cola bottling facility located at 426 E. Main St. in Romney, WV that was acquired by the Loy Foundation in 1998. The Loy Foundation, also known as the Hampshire County Historical and Arts Museum, is a non-profit organization that resulted from the will of A. Clinton Loy in 1997. The Bottling Works has been in active use for performances and events as well as a wide array of community activities. The facility also hosts many private celebrations—wedding receptions, milestone birthdays, and retirement parties. With support from the local community and the Hampshire Arts Council, the Bottling Works is being developed into a community cultural center.

WFWM Public Radio is a listener-supported public radio station that broadcasts at 91.9 FM in Frostburg and 96.3 FM in Oakland, Maryland. WFWM Public Radio is an affiliate member of National Public Radio and features a variety of quality music, news and cultural programming. Their website is www.wfwm.org. For additional information, call WFWM Public Radio at 301-687-4143.