Photo by Sarah Jones Decker
Jonah Riddle and the Carolina Express Set to Perform at LEAF Festival
Brothers Jonah and Grayson Riddle are set to perform at the 43rd annual LEAF festival this fall in Black Mountain, and can’t wait to share their bluegrass music with festival-goers. The duo will be performing on the Roots family stage at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, October 23, alongside other local musicians and renowned artists from across the nation. The LEAF festival runs October 20–23 and will host an array of artists, performers and vendors.
Jonah, 16, and Grayson, 11, are natives of Burnsville and have played music across the mountains at events like the Blue Ridge BBQ festival and Maggie Valley’s Plottfest. The brothers delight listeners of all ages with their traditional bluegrass tunes and familiar ballads that encourage everyone to sing along.
“For two years we have dreamed of playing our traditional bluegrass music at LEAF,” says Jonah. “It brings many cultures and genres together and we are so proud to be able to participate in this unique festival.”
The brothers got their start playing every Sunday at their church. Jonah plays the banjo, guitar and upright bass. Grayson plays both guitar and upright bass. They both sing, and have been honored with several awards for their performances.
“We hope that the audience at LEAF will enjoy listening to our music as much as we enjoying making it,” says Jonah.
The LEAF festival is held annually on the site of the old Black Mountain College. The festival is funded by LEAF Community Arts, a nonprofit organization established to enrich a sense of community through art, music and performance. Tickets are tier-based and are available for purchase at theleaf.org.
