30
The Pigeon River Messengers out of the Blue Ridge Mountains of WNC, play an eclectic blend of traditional folk, bluegrass, and Americana music. Their musical journey began when Lori and Zach met, fell in love, and began writing their own songs and performing them. Zach, who is originally from Knoxville and later moved to Nashville, is heavily influenced by a wide range of musical genres. From the high lonesome sounds of Bill Monroe to the funky syncopated rhythms of James Brown, Zach’s musical style reflects a unique blend of old & new. He has played with many Nashville and Asheville-based bands over the past ten years. Heiress to the lonesome sound of the Appalachian ballad, folk, and bluegrass tradition, Lori has come into her own style of carrying her family’s unique musical legacy. With a rich musical heritage, her family reigns from the Watauga and Caldwell counties of NC, and Johnson County, TN. Carrying with them the echoes of a 200-year-old dying culture where truth and fiction often collide into a beautiful tapestry of sound. Growing up the old “love” songs were woven into the foundations of her musical career. With her late uncle Bobby Mcmillon and her mother Marina Trivette traveling around the country to perform ballads, Lori was often in tow, quietly picking up on the tunes and stories being told. Her father Douglas Trivette who is also an accomplished guitar player and luthier influenced her love for bluegrass and old time. It’s unknown how far back the ballad singing tradition goes on either side of her family as everyone sings but she is at least a 4th generation Appalachian ballad singer. Joining Zach and Lori will be banjoist Jeremy Rilko. Rilko brings the heat with his five-string banjo and adds a unique element to any genre of music he plays.
