PRESS RELEASE 23
June 2005

Be part of our live studio audience

Song of the Mountains Concerts July 22 & 23
to be Taped for Later Broadcast on PBS

MARION , Va. - Enjoy the great music that originated here in our own region as part of a live studio audience July 22 & 23 at The Lincoln Theatre in Marion .

Song of the Mountains, a concert series featuring old-time and bluegrass music, will feature back-to-back blockbuster shows in July, both to be taped for later broadcast on Blue Ridge PBS. The shows will air on WBRA-TV in Roanoke , WSBN-TV in Norton, and WMSY-TV in Marion . Additionally, the National Educational Telecommunications Association has agreed to distribute Song of the Mountains to its more than 90 PBS member stations nationwide.

Audience members and their enthusiasm for the region's music will be integral to the success of the broadcasts.

Song of the Mountains, which premiered May 7, showcases the region's best musical talents, incorporating both traditional and contemporary performance styles. The series is funded by The Ellis Foundation, The Bank of Marion and BurWil Construction, with additional support provided by WMEV-FM94! and WGOC AM 640.

The shows will be hosted by WGOC radio personality Tim White.

Bands scheduled to perform July 22 are the Lonesome River Band, Fescue, Celtic Air, Twin Springs, Trey Hensley & Driving Force, No Speed Limit and Mac Puckett & the Good Company Band.

The July 23 lineup features the ETSU Bluegrass Band, Appalachian Trail , the McPeak Brothers, The Booher Family, Fire in the Kitchen, and VW Boys & Robby Spencer.

Shows begin at 7 p.m. each night. Tickets are $20, general admission seating, for each show. Seating begins 45 minutes prior to showtime.

For more information, to request a program calendar of events, or to purchase Song of the Mountains tickets by VISA or MasterCard, call The Lincoln Theatre Box Office at (276) 783-6093. Pending availability, tickets may also be purchased at the door. The Box Office is open 10-1 and 2-5 Monday through Friday, and three hours prior to showtime day of show.

The Lincoln Theatre, a 500-seat theatre in Marion , Va. , re-opened in May 2004 following a $1.8 million renovation. Originally built in 1929, the theatre is on the National Register of Historic Places, has been designated a Virginia Historic Landmark, and is one of only three existing Mayan Revival-style theatres in America .

Once known as the "finest showplace in Southwest Virginia ," the Lincoln has been restored to its former grandeur, now fully accentuated by state-of-the-art computerized sound and lighting systems. Murals depicting American and local history line the concert hall. Both a presenting organization and a programming facility, The Lincoln Theatre is dedicated to providing quality educational and entertainment offerings for Smyth County and Southwest Virginia .