Larry & Joe at the Blue Ridge Music Center

Larry & Joe were destined to make music together. As a duo, they perform a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, guitar, maracas, and whatever else they decide to throw in the van. Their program features a distinct blend of musical inheritances and traditions as well as storytelling about the ways that music and social movements coalesce. Larry Bellorín grew up in Punta de Mata in the state of Monagas, Venezuela. Playing professionally by the age of 11, he went on to accompany countless Venezuelan musical luminaries. Joe Troop is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter hailing originally from Winston-Salem, N.C. The founder of Grammy-nominated string band Che Apalache, his music is deeply inspired by his decade living in Buenos Aires and traveling throughout Latin America.

Shay Martin Lovette, a singer-songwriter from Boone, N.C., opens the show. Growing up in Wilkes County, he brings his admiration for rich musical traditions of his home region to craft originals like “Parkway Bound.” In 2019, Lovette and his backing band won the band competition at MerleFest.

Tickets are $20 for adults, children 12 and younger free of charge.