The show had a fine enough soundtrack, but if the producers had known about The Local Honeys, they probably would have used their music exclusively.

The Local Honeys is a Kentucky project to the bone. The band is a duo of violinist Montana Hobbs and guitarist Linda Jean Stokley, and their sound perfectly captures the lushness and melancholy of Appalachian culture.

Their most recent release, a 2022 self-titled effort, is packed with keening harmonies, wailing fiddle, and subtle and effective backing from electric instruments.

The largely acoustic album effortlessly struck a chord with this dyed-in-the-wool Southerner, and if you catch the band’s performance at Greenville’s Radio Room Jan 22, perhaps it will for you, as well.

The Local Honeys have the advantage of both being Southern and having studied Appalachian music in intense detail at Morehead State University; Hobbs and Stokley graduated in the early 2010s with degrees in traditional music.

“We’re deeply moved and inspired by this music, and the history that comes along with it,” says Hobbs, who plays banjo. “Somebody told us a long time ago that traditional music is dead. That’s always been something that we wrestled with because it’s not dead. It’s ever evolving. And we felt a responsibility to add our own pieces to it.”

Interestingly enough, Hobbs herself didn’t start out as a musician. She initially attended Morehead State to study veterinary medicine. But once she saw that she could get credit for a private banjo instruction class, she picked up the instrument and got hooked on old-time music thanks to the music scene surrounding her.

“I advanced pretty quickly because I had this community of people around me who were extremely encouraging and forthcoming with their knowledge,” she says. “I had incredible mentors, and there was no gatekeeping.”

That’s the spirit that Hobbs and Stokley have tried to carry forward as The Local Honeys, and their passion for that traditional Appalachian music will no doubt translate to the Radio Room audience.

“The music has to evolve,” Hobbs says. “It has to keep going. You have to share it.”

Want to go?

Who: The Local Honeys

When: Wednesday, Jan. 22

Where: Radio Room, 28 Liberty Lane, Greenville

Tickets and info: radioroomgreenville.com

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The funds will be used to support GCCA’s 12-month Brandon Fellowship program. Fellows receive studio space, mentorship, professional development and access to GCCA’s resources.

“We are honored to receive our first-ever grant from the National Endowment for the Arts,” said Jess Abbott, chief executive officer of GCCA. “This award is a testament to the impact of the Brandon Fellowship program and its role in fostering emerging talent from historically underrepresented communities. Receiving NEA funding validates the work we are doing at GCCA and elevates the visibility of our mission on a national level. This support allows us to expand opportunities for our Fellows and highlights the importance of investing in inclusive programs that strengthen the cultural fabric of our community. We are excited to continue making a difference with the support of such a renowned organization.”

For more information, visit artcentergreenville.org.

Meet the 2024-25 Brandon Fellows at Greenville Center for Creative Arts

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Kicking off at 7 p.m., the event will feature a screening of the complete film with composer John Williams’ Oscar-winning score performed live to the film.

GSO held a similar performance in May 2024 featuring “Star Wars: A New Hope.”

Tickets start at $29.50. For more information, visit bonsecourswellnessarena.com or ticketmaster.com.

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The exhibition is available virtually on the gallery’s website and through April 8 at The Anchorage restaurant at 586 Perry Ave.

For each of his works, Jensen works to strike a balance between exploration of accidental movements and planned technique and outcomes, said the gallery in a news release.

Art & Light will also host a ticketed artist meet and greet from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13. Admission is $20 per person and may be purchased online.

For more information, visit artandlightgallery.com.

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Young artists from across the county are recognized in the annual competition for their talents in classical music, dance, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice and writing. For the 2025 competition, nearly 11,000 students ages 15 to 18 submitted applications.

The six local winners include:

• William Armstrong — jazz/piano (previously recognized in 2023)
• Anna Cassell — visual arts
• Ronnie Elliott — jazz/guitar
• Mary B. Mays — visual arts
• Lillie Markel — creative writing
• Taylor Marie Robinson — voice

“The Fine Arts Center is proud to have six students receive this recognition for the second straight year. The YoungArts Award and YoungArts Award With Distinction are incredibly competitive honors,” said Vee Popat, director of The Fine Arts Center. “These awards reflect the dedication and hard work not only of our exceptional students, the mentorship they receive at the FAC, and the support from Greenville County Schools.”

The winners each received a monetary prize of $250. Cassell was also named a YoungArts Award Winner with Distinction and will be invited to participate in the National YoungArts Week this month. At the conference, her work will further be evaluated for cash awards up to $10,000.

Read more about the local 2025 YoungArts National Arts Competition winners.

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Reese is an interdisciplinary artist based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With the residency, Reese will run an open studio in Furman’s Roe Art Building throughout the spring semester where he will develop a body of work with the help of Furman students, faculty and community members. 

For his project, Reese plans to explore food insecurity in the Upstate and the impact of consumer capitalism on low-income communities. He will create artwork using data from the Greenville County Food Insecurity Index, local partnerships and community engagement. 

Artists residency programs

His public exhibition, “Daily Bread,” will be on display at the Thompson Art Gallery starting Feb. 17 until March 28. The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Furman University Department of Art’s 2025 True Inspiration Artist-in-Residence was started in 2016 as part of The Furman Advantage. The program awards one residency each academic year to emerging and professional artists and designers. 

To learn more about the program, visit furman.edu/academics/art/facilities-resources/true-inspiration-artist-in-residence.

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The orchestra will perform John Williams’ score live while the entire 2004 film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen.

Performances are scheduled at 1 and 7 p.m. Jan. 11, and 2 p.m. Jan. 12. A limited number of tickets are still available.

This latest screening follows sold-out performances of the first two films in the “Harry Potter” series in 2023 and 2024.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” directed by Alfonso Cuaron, centers on the third year at Hogwarts for teenage wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his best friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint). The year begins badly when Harry learns that Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped Azkaban prison and is supposedly bent on murdering Harry.

A swarm of nasty Dementors is sent to protect the school. Meanwhile, a mysterious new teacher helps Harry learn to defend himself but he may have a secret tie to the fugitive.

Bringing in new audiences

The score will be conducted by American conductor Bruce Kiesling.

Live performances of music with film — referred to as film concerts — have become a prominent feature on the schedule of almost every large- and medium-sized orchestra in the United States. They’re a relatively recent orchestral innovation: 20 years ago, few orchestras offered film concerts.

Film concerts often bring new audiences to the concert hall. Williams’ music scores, with soaring melodies and brassy themes for full orchestra, are among the most popular for film concerts.

The Harry Potter Film Concert series has been seen by more than 3 million fans worldwide since 2016, according to producer Warner Bros. Discovery.

Want to go?

What: Greenville Symphony Orchestra: “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”

When: Jan. 11-12

Where: Peace Center

Tickets: $55-$100

Info: 864-467-3000 or peacecenter.org

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But in addition to a solo acoustic set from Hedgepath, this show features Upstate acoustic guitar dynamo Jacob Johnson and award-winning English guitarist Richard Smith, whose elegant and passionate finger-style acoustic playing has brought him worldwide acclaim.

“I’m very excited to be included,” Hedgepath said, before adding with a laugh, “and also very thankful to be going on first.”

The Guitar Extravaganza show sounds like something that Hedgepath himself might have organized, but he gives full credit to Smiley’s On The Roxx for the idea.

“(Owners) Heather (Frechette) and Todd (Zillmer) came up with it,” Hedgepath said. “I think it’s cool that what they’re trying to do; they’re making an effort to bring in some different events and ticketed shows in combination with a great meal experience. I like seeing that in general, and I hope that they do that more.”

Each guitarist will play an individual set. Hedgepath, whose day job is music director at the Triune Mercy Center, said he has a feeling there will be some collaborations, especially since he and Johnson have played together many times over the years.

“I play on Tuesday nights at Smiley’s,” Hedgepath said, “and Jacob will actually sneak up onstage and play the early set with me. And when he comes out and plays with me, we just play Willie Nelson and old jazz tunes. He’s got a great catalog of those Tin Pan Alley songs, things that you don’t normally hear or get to play.”

Hedgepath sounds a bit more intimidated talking about headliner Richard Smith. Hedgepath had actually already seen a viral video Smith released on YouTube before this gig was announced, a dazzling performance of the classic Scott Joplin tune “The Entertainer” that has garnered 16 million views.

I saw the video of him but I didn’t put it together,” Hedgepath said. “And then I realized, ‘Oh, it’s that guy. So I’m really looking forward to seeing him. This is going to be great.”

Hedgepath waited a beat before repeating, “I’m glad I’m going on first.”

Want to go?

What: Guitar Extravaganza, featuring Richard Smith, Jacob Johnson and Charles Hedgepath

When: Jan. 10

Where: Smiley’s On The Roxx

Tickets and info: smileysroxx.com

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If you read this column regularly, you probably won’t be surprised that the subject today is “Upstate band releases new album.” But what might shock you is the name of the band that released it: Greenville’s own Hot as a Pepper.

So is Hot as a Pepper making the move to its own original material over the covers that light crowds on fire?

“Some people don’t want to hear Hot as a Pepper songs,” Hoyt adds with a laugh. “They want to hear the Commodores.”

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Sounding like Diamond, however, required months of work.

“My voice is naturally similar to his,” Fradiani said, “but I had to do a lot of vocal training, especially in my lower register, and I listened for weeks to the way he says certain words and how he phrases songs.

“That was important because I think people go to the show really wanting to hear Neil Diamond songs sung as close to him as possible,” he added.

Fradiani, the 2015 winner of “American Idol,” leads a cast of almost two dozen in the national tour of “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical,” headed to the Peace Center Jan. 14-19.

The biographical musical traces the sometimes-tumultuous life of Diamond while delivering decades of the singer’s hits, such as “Sweet Caroline,” “America,” “Love on the Rocks,” “Solitary Man,” “Song Sung Blue,” “You Don’t’ Bring Me Flowers,” “I Am … I Said,” “Kentucky Woman” and, of course, the title song.

Fradiani played the role of Diamond in the Broadway incarnation of “A Beautiful Noise” for more than a year before embarking on the national tour in September.

It’s a role he passionately pursued when he heard in 2021 that the musical was being developed.

‘Perfect for me’

“I knew it would be perfect for me,” Fradiani said, speaking by phone from a recent tour stop in Washington, D.C. “My dad loved Neil Diamond, and I grew up on his music.”

Fradiani performed as Diamond in an unrelated cabaret show at Fort Worth’s Casa Manana theater and sent a tape of it to the Broadway show’s producers and Neil Diamond’s wife.

Before he knew it, Fradiani was in the Broadway show — first as the understudy for the role of Neil Diamond, then as an alternate, then as the star.

“It’s taken over my life in a great way,” said Fradiani, who performs the demanding role eight times a week on tour. Fradiani plays Diamond during the decades of his career. Another actor plays Diamond in retirement.

A favorite moment for Fradiani is when the audience joins in a singalong of “Sweet Caroline.”

“For the first time, the lights go up and I can really see the audience, and the genuine joy on people’s faces is so real,” he said. “I see an older couple holding hands and little kids singing, too. There’s something wonderful about that moment. It’s amazing to see and it happens every night.”

Want to go?

What: “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical”

When: Jan. 14-19

Where: Peace Center

Tickets: $50-$125

Info: 864-467-3000 or peacecenter.org

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The exhibition, which features works by artist Glory Day Loflin and painter Bella Wattles, will be on display virtually on the gallery’s website and in person at 16 Aiken St. in Greenville through Feb. 1.

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Drawing inspiration from two relatives who were sent as away during their teen years to stay in a home for unwed mothers, Hendrix set out to give readers a look into these places while adding a supernatural twist.

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Among the most significant arts events of the year was a major changing of the guard at the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Lee Mills began his tenure in September as conductor and music director of the orchestra with triumphant performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Mills succeeded Edvard Tchivzhel, the charismatic leader of the orchestra for almost a quarter of a century — a notably long tenure for an American orchestral conductor.

Meanwhile, Bing Vick, longtime artistic director and conductor of the Greenville Chorale, began his final full season leading the 160-voice choral ensemble. Vick concludes his tenure in September 2025, marking his 45th year conducting the chorale.

In July, the Greenville arts community mourned the death of Christian Elser, 53, an iconoclastic arts leader who with his then-wife Jenna Tamisiea created Glow Lyric Theatre in 2009. Glow was known for staging bold, daring productions of opera and musical theater that grappled with contemporary social and political issues. Elser, Glow’s executive director, died July 20 at Duke University Hospital after a long battle with a rare lung disease. It’s uncertain whether Glow will be revived.

Throughout 2024, the Peace Center’s Broadway Series continued to bring world-class musical theater to the Upstate. Greenville has long punched above its weight with Broadway tours. The same blockbuster musicals that play at the Peace Center also tour to Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and other major metropolitan areas.

The 2024-25 Broadway Series opened in September to packed houses with Disney’s ever-popular “The Lion King.” In October, “& Juliet” raised the rafters with a story that imagines what might have happened if Shakespeare’s Juliet had not died but lived to enjoy a life set to a pop-rock soundtrack. The theatrical dazzle continues in 2025, with eight musicals, including “Hamilton” and “Moulin Rouge,” scheduled at the Peace Center in the next eight months.

Record-breakers

Centre Stage enjoyed record-breaking ticket sales for “Legally Blonde” and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”With 22 actors on stage, plus two dogs, “Legally Blonde” spotlighted one of the largest casts ever for the theater. The theater’s second Fringe Festival, with fringe plays performed in the span of several weeks, proved an artistic and box office success.

Greenville Theatre’s staging of the thriller “Dial M for Murder” was an audience favorite. Its recently completed “Anastasia,” meanwhile, is likely one of the theater’s top-selling shows of all time. The latter show was particularly ambitious, with dozens of lavish costumes designed and created in-house.

The Warehouse Theatre burnished its reputation for edgy and thought-provoking fare in 2024 with big hits such as Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins” and Stefano Massini’s “The Lehman Trilogy,” the latter featuring tour-de-force performances by Thomas Azar, Matt Reece and Christopher Joel Onken.

The South Carolina Children’s Theatre brought in new patrons with its ambitious production of “The SpongeBob Musical,” with a big cast that included Carter Allen, Adell Ehrhorn, Mitchell Smith and Javy Pagan.

The Mauldin Theatre Company, led by Kristofer Parker, staged ambitious and well-received musicals such as “A Chorus Line” and “Sweeney Todd.”

Will Ragland’s Mill Town Players performed to more than 25,000 patrons in Pelzer, featuring musicals, comedies and concerts. The company offered its most ambitious summer musical to date with “Bonnie & Clyde,” spotlighting 21 local actors and eight onstage musicians.

Clemson’s Brooks Center for the Performing Arts offered a variety of entertainment, including a sold-out performance of the biographical musical “The Cher Show.” The center’s acclaimed Utsey Series, meanwhile, continued to host admission-free performances of world-class chamber music.

Arts groups finished the year strong with seasonal offerings. International Ballet sold out three performances of “The Nutcracker” at the Peace Center, inspiring the ballet company to schedule four performances of the popular ballet next year. Carolina Ballet Theatre also enjoyed strong ticket sales for its Greenville-centered “Nutcracker.” A near-capacity audience attended the Greenville Chorale’s Dec. 14 performance of Handel’s “Messiah” at Furman University’s McAlister Auditorium.

Other Upstate community theaters, arts groups and university theaters reported strong attendance and notable artistic accomplishments in 2024.

With the considerable disruptions of the pandemic now a distant memory, Greenville arts groups are optimistic and poised to build on their successes in 2025.

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2024 was a year of ups and downs for the local music scene, and a lot of those ups and downs were chronicled here in the “Upstate Beat” column.

Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers graced the pages of the Greenville Journal to talk about the legendary group’s retirement tour. Local acoustic guitar wizard Jacob Johnson recorded a fresh new take on The Allman Brothers Band’s classic instrumental “Jessica” that featured Willie Nelson’s harmonica player, Mickey Raphael.

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‘The Nightingale’ by Kristin Hannah

‘Edge of Collapse’ by Kyla Stone

I really got into post-apocalyptic books at one point this year. Kyla Stone’s “Edge of Collapse” series had me engrossed with good, complex characters and dialogue and scenarios that aren’t too far out of the range of possibilities of what could happen.

— Sherry Jackson, vice president, content and digital, Community Journals

‘Planet Walker’ by John Francis

‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ by Zora Neale Hurston

My book club selects a classic each year, and this year we read “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” a book I somehow missed as a student. I became captivated by the vivid language and by Janie’s compelling inner dialogue as she created a fulfilling life amid difficult circumstances. Published in 1937, the themes of independence and self-determination still resonate today. I am not an audiobook person (yet), but I did listen to part of this book on a long drive, and actress Ruby Dee’s masterful narration took the story to new heights.

— Leigh Savage, executive editor, TOWN and atHome magazines

‘The Defining Decade’ by Meg Jay

Oh, 20s. Volatile, formative, anxiety producing 20s. This book is a must for anyone who is close too, deep in, or just past their twentysomething years. Highlighting real life twentysomethings and their personal trials and tribulations, this book is eerily relatable, in the absolute best ways. I left this read with applicable tools to tackle the woes of careers and jobs, money and relationships, and finding little parts of myself along the way.

— Marissa McClain, executive assistant and account manager, Community Journals

‘Rabid: A Cultural History of the World’s Most Diabolical Virus’ by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy

‘Theo of Golden’ by Allen Levi

‘The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America’ by Coleman Hughes

‘When Cicadas Cry’ by Caroline Cleveland

The Seven and Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

I originally bought this book on whim. A murder mystery with a gorgeous cover? Im sold. I did not intend to love this book to a point of suggesting It to anyone who will listen. An interesting spin on the usual who-done-it, the reader lives the same day over and over, and each day wakes up as a different person. I loved trying to solve this mystery through the eyes of everyone involved, as well as the creativity behind experiencing each person’s personal strife. Overall, I found this different and interesting and will be reading the rest of what Stuart Turton has to offer.
— Anna Walker, graphic designer, Community Journals

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