Beans and Banjos and Java (Brothers)

The Java Brothers return to Beans and Banjos in April after a too-long absence. The Java Brothers grew out of Radford’s Monday night jam, a Crooked Road affiliated event that convenes at The River City Grill. Ralph Berrier, the jam’s founder, is the band’s fiddler and the author of If Trouble Don’t Kill Me, the story of his bluegrass playing, World War II fighting grandfather and great uncle. Chris Burgoyne plays mandolin; Doug Capobianco plays the doghouse bass and Wayne Frye plays guitar. Bill Adams plays steel guitars and resonator guitars. Everybody sings. Regular banjo player Joe Abercrombie can’t make the show, so George Smith will be sitting in. The Java Brothers have become Radford’s house band, but they’ve played dances, festivals, brew pubs, and church services all over Southwest Virginia.  A typical Java Brothers set might feature songs from Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, the Seldom Scene, the Country Gentlemen and the Monkees. They might even throw in one or two they made up themselves.

Fort Vause will open the show with bluegrass and bluegrass flavored blues, ballads, gospel, novelty and show tunes. Fort Vause will be in its bluegrass power trio configuration, featuring George Smith, who played banjo in the Appalachian Music Masters concert series and on recordings with Jack Hinshelwood and Buddy Pendleton. Jeff Wilcke plays guitar and mandolin. Tim Thornton plays bass. Everybody sings, sometimes all at once.

Along with the music, we’ll have beans, cornbread and desserts – dinner and a show Shawsville style.

Supper and music begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 in the Dr. George R. Smith Community Center inside Shawsville’s Meadowbrook Center. It’s at 267 Alleghany Spring Road, at the corner of Alleghany Spring and U.S. 460.

This Evening of Beans and Banjos raises money for the LINC Letter and its LINC webpage. We hope each person who comes will donate $5 or more.

April’s event will be the last Beans and Banjos until fall, so be sure from come by for a dose of Beans and Banjos that’ll carry you through the summer.

As always, Beans and Banjos follows granny rules: No drinking; no smoking; no cussing; no spitting on the floor. Y’all come on out for supper. Stay to dance or sing along – or just sit there and pat your foot.

Tags: blue grass, blue ridge, bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, Crooked Road, east mont, fiddle, fort vause, george smith, If Trouble Don't Kill Me, java brothers, meadowbrook, music, Ralph Berrier