By Emma Castleberry
Bardo Arts Center presents Trailblazing Women of Country at the BAC Performance Hall stage on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. Miko Marks and Kristina Train will be joined by an all-female band to perform this tribute to country music legends Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. “The inception of the show was to honor and celebrate three women who changed the face of country music,” says Train. “It was important to find a group of musicians and singers who could come together and pay homage to their distinctive styles.”
Marks, who was recognized as CMT’s “Next Woman of Country” in 2022, has been commended by The Wall Street Journal, NPR and The New York Times for her innovative blend of country, blues and gospel music. A Nashville-based singer known for her emotional intensity, Train released her fourth studio album, Body Pressure, in October 2022.
Both Train, who hails from Savannah, GA, and Marks, who was raised in Flint, MI, grew up listening to the music of Cline, Lynn and Parton. “Not only did these three women influence me musically, they influenced me personally,” says Train. “They were able to say things out loud through their music that women only dared to think about. They often put their careers on the line by speaking their mind, causing their songs to be banned on local radio stations.”
While rich with emotion and meaning, the show is also playful and sure to entertain. “To be able to sing songs penned and sung by women who had such a remarkable imprint on my childhood is a full-circle moment for me which I will never forget,” says Marks.
The WCU Bardo Arts Center is located at 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee. Museum and Box Office hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information about programming and to purchase tickets, call 828.227.2787 or visit arts.wcu.edu/trailblazing-tickets.
