30 Days Out, September 2026 #1: Carrie Morrison, Datrian Johnson, Gov’t Mule, Rising Appalachia
For the first of my two September ‘26 installments of 30 Days Out, I’m featuring an all-locals lineup. Two are well-known locally and emerging as national talents. And two are major forces in music while happening to be from (or based) here. And it just so happens that I’ve interviewed ‘em all, sometimes multiple times. Let’s dig in.
Artist: Carrie Morrison
Venue: Grey Eagle Patio
Date: Sunday, Sep. 13, 5:30 p.m.
Door: $13.30
Singer, songwriter and pianist Carrie Morrison has been making music a long time, and she released her debut album Miles and Miles in 2018. (I interviewed her around that time.) Morrison was named #2 keyboardist in the annual Mountain Xpress poll, after coming in third for two years. (Look out, number one!) Her Balladeer album was released last year.
Artist: Datrian Johnson
Venue: White Horse
Date: Tuesday, Sep. 22, 7:30 p.m.
Door: $15 (pay what you can)
Locals have known about Datrian Johnson for a long while thanks to his time with The Fritz, Free Radio and other groups. In recent years he came to the notice of North Mississippi Allstars’ Luther Dickinson and New Mastersounds guitarist Eddie Roberts. The latter signed him to a management and record deal, and Appalachian Soul was released last year. I interviewed Johnson around the time of its release.
Artist: Gov’t Mule
Venue: Hellbender
Date: Friday, Sep. 25, 6 p.m.
Door: $70.29
To fans across the U.S. (and abroad) Warren Haynes is the former Allman Brothers Band guitarist and longtime leader of Gov’t Mule. To Asheville and WNC, he’s all that as well as a hometown hero. His long-running Christmas Jam fundraising concert is legendary, and his other philanthropic efforts include an all-star fundraiser to help the region post-Helene (held at Madison Square Garden because it holds lots of people). Gov’t Mule is helping usher in the inaugural season of Asheville new outdoor concert venue, Hellbender. Lots of Warren Haynes interviews right here. Ziggy Marley and a DJ set from Yola are also on the bill.
Artist: Rising Appalachia
Venue: Pisgah Brewing
Date: Saturday, Sep. 26, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sep. 27, 3 p.m.
Door: $40.83
Working at the activist end of the folk idiom, sisters Leah and Chloe lead Rising Appalachia. The group walks the talk, and has cultivated an ardent base of followers in the process. The group’s latest album is the soon-to-be-released (October 2) reflective collection Trade My Troubles. You can read all of my Rising Appalachia interviews here.
See you at the show!
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day for several years). The more than 5000 interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- some 40 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 30 Great Concept Albums is available now. Read even more about him here.