This special free community event will celebrate MECC’s 50th year of serving the region. Students, alumni, faculty, staff, retirees, and the public are invited to attend. Food and beverage vendors will be on site, along with a beer garden provided by the Town of Big Stone Gap. VFP of Duffield, a communications shelter manufacturer in the Southwest Virginia region, is the major sponsor for this event. The event will begin under the tent on MECC’s campus at 6 p.m., with If Birds Could Fly scheduled to perform at 7 p.m., followed by Darrell Scott at 8 p.m.
Award winning and successful touring Nashville songwriter, the multi-talented Scott brings a brand-new trio. Darrell’s best-known songs include “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”, “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive” and “Long Time Gone” – all hits familiar to music fans. Besides touring solo and with his bands for more than 25 years, Scott has opened and been a member of Zac Brown Band and Robert Plant’s Band Of Joy. It’s not unusual for Darrell to plug in, but he’s never had a band devoted to playing his music in this way. This newly formed trio consists of Bryn Davies on bass and Jeff Sipe on drums. Bryn is a talented bassist and long time collaborator with Darrell. She has also toured with Peter Rowan, Tony Rice, and Guy Clark. Jeff Sipe brings a new and exciting interpretation to Darrell’s music. Sipe, who lives in Brevard North Carolina is known to many as a founding member of Aquarium Rescue Unit and has toured with Jimmy Herring, Warren Haynes and Trey Anastasio.
If Birds Could Fly is a band for people that like real country music. They are not a product of the over produced contemporary country scene. Instead, they represent the kind of soul-driven authentic country music that drives a genre. The lead vocals, provided by Brittany Carter, are in a class all of their own. Their music presents a mixture of classic country sounds and top-of-the-class female lead vocals.
Approximately 600 covered seats will be available for this event. Attendees may also bring lawn chairs if preferred. Attendees are restricted from bringing food and drink to the venue. No firearms are allowed on campus.
For more information on MECC’s 50th anniversary, please visit www.mecc.edu/mecc50.
