Catawba College News Service

SALISBURY — The Jeff Little Trio will perform a free concert at Catawba College later this month.

The concert takes place in the Hedrick Little Theatre on Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. It is open to the public. The second set of the performance will include Catawba student special guests from their Popular Music Program.

Little is known throughout the United States, having performed on numerous national stages as well as internationally. He is also Catawba College’s music department chair, director of the music business program and artist in residence in popular music.

Instead of ticket sales, donations will be accepted to support the Catawba Music Department.

Little is from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He grew up in and around his family’s music shop and was influenced at an early age by a number of local musicians, including the late Doc Watson. With few exceptions, the piano does not play a prominent role in Americana or Appalachian music and is rarely the lead instrument. However, his music is one of those rare exceptions.

Little has been recognized as a critically-acclaimed musician and a music innovator. His two-handed style of playing is influenced by the mountain flat-picked guitar tradition.

He has been featured on National Public Radio and PBS. In 2014, Little was inducted into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame.

The Jeff Little Trio also includes Steve Lewis and Luke Little. Lewis is an award-winning guitar and banjo player from Todd. He has won many competitions and is known throughout the entertainment circuit for his five-string banjo and flat picking on guitar. He has performed at the Walnut Valley Nationals, the Galax Old Time Fiddlers Convention, Renofest, Merelfest and the Wayne Henderson Guitar Competition. Lewis is also a two-time national champion on the banjo.

Luke Little is a young and talented mandolin player whose musicianship and style expand well beyond his years. He started on the mandolin at age 15 and has won many competition ribbons, including first place at the Ashe Fiddlers Convention in 2018.

The trio has played at The Smithsonian Institution, the National Folk Festival, American Piano Masters, The Barns of Wolf Trap, and many theaters, performing arts centers and festivals.