One of my favorite parts of this semester so far has been being a part of the Belmont University Bluegrass Ensemble! This ensemble has felt like home, and I am so honored to be surrounded by such great musicians. We have been working really hard for our fall concert, which is going to be live-streamed Sunday night (10/18) at 6 pm CST! You can find the live-stream here under Massey Concert Hall live streams about 20-30 minutes before the concert starts: http://www.belmont.edu/cmpa/music/events/live-stream.html
So thankful to be a part of this group, and can't wait for you all to see the concert! A huge thank you to our director Ryan Joseph for all of his hard work and encouragement.
So thankful to be a part of this group, and can't wait for you all to see the concert! A huge thank you to our director Ryan Joseph for all of his hard work and encouragement.
Merry early Christmas!
My roommate, Marissa Colter, and I thought we’d kick off the holiday season early before we left Belmont by recording a couple Christmas tunes! Although we’re both in bluegrass ensemble, this was the first time we really got to collaborate as a duet and it was super fun. The Deck the Halls arrangement is by Roberto Dalla Vecchia. We only got to practice this together a couple times before recording, but thought we’d give it a go. Enjoy!
My roommate, Marissa Colter, and I thought we’d kick off the holiday season early before we left Belmont by recording a couple Christmas tunes! Although we’re both in bluegrass ensemble, this was the first time we really got to collaborate as a duet and it was super fun. The Deck the Halls arrangement is by Roberto Dalla Vecchia. We only got to practice this together a couple times before recording, but thought we’d give it a go. Enjoy!
https://bluegrassfoundation.org/recipients-announced-for-2020-sally-ann-forrester-and-rick-lang-music-songwriter-scholarships
The IBMA Foundation, the charitable and academic arm of the International Bluegrass Music Association, has announced the 2020 recipients of their Sally Ann Forrester College Scholarship and Rick Lang Music Songwriter Scholarship.
These young students and musicians are the first class of scholars to receive these awards to further their study of bluegrass and traditional music forms in higher education. The Sally Ann Forrester College Scholarship is expressly directed to women in bluegrass, and is permanently endowed at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, through a major founding gift from Murphy Henry, prominent bluegrass educator and author of the first biography of female bluegrass artists, Pretty Good for a Girl: Women in Bluegrass (University of Illinois Press).
The recipients for this scholarship include:
This year’s recipient of the Rick Lang Scholarship is Heather Alley, a particularly promising young singer and songwriter from Dayton, OH who is a senior at Morehead State University. She plans to complete her degree at Morehead’s Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead in 2021. You can also hear her with band, Mountain Time.
The IBMA Foundation is deeply proud of these young women who represent the future of bluegrass music. You can support the work of the Foundation by making donations online.
https://bluegrasstoday.com/ibma-foundation-announces-2020-scholarship-recipients
The IBMA Foundation, the charitable and academic arm of the International Bluegrass Music Association, has announced the 2020 recipients of their Sally Ann Forrester College Scholarship and Rick Lang Music Songwriter Scholarship.
These young students and musicians are the first class of scholars to receive these awards to further their study of bluegrass and traditional music forms in higher education. The Sally Ann Forrester College Scholarship is expressly directed to women in bluegrass, and is permanently endowed at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, through a major founding gift from Murphy Henry, prominent bluegrass educator and author of the first biography of female bluegrass artists, Pretty Good for a Girl: Women in Bluegrass (University of Illinois Press).
The recipients for this scholarship include:
- Megan Cody, a guitarist, mandolinist, and vocalist from Parker, CO, is a freshman at the University of Colorado, Boulder, pursuing a Jazz Studies and Entrepreneurship Business degree. Megan performs and tours with the Cody Sisters band, and she is a mentor and teacher to young musicians around Colorado. Roots in bluegrass, folk, and jazz come together to define her musical style.
- Clara Guilmette, a banjo player from Portland, CT, is a freshman in the Music Education program at Central Connecticut State University. Clara fronts her own bluegrass band, Bend in the River, and plans on working as a choral director at the middle or high school level.
- Jessica Lang, a guitar and mandolin player from Wake Forest, NC, is a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. She will be majoring in Commercial Music, with guitar as her primary instrument, and is a part of Belmont’s Academic Honors Program. Jessica has performed and recorded with the Lang Sisters and the Carolina PineCones, and she hopes to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter, guitarist, or a composer for television and film.
- Anne Jarrell, a banjo and trumpet player from Charlotte, NC, will be a senior this fall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jarrell is a science major and performs with the Carolina Bluegrass Band at UNC. In addition to continuing to play the banjo, her goal is to conduct research in the field of plant biology at her own lab.
- Bailey Stephenson, a banjo and guitar player from Wheeling, WV, is a senior English major at West Liberty University in Liberty, WV, who plans a career in library science working to collect, preserve and share rare literature, particularly lesser-known authors of the Appalachian region. Bailey enjoys writing about bluegrass as well as performing in bands and entering competitions.
This year’s recipient of the Rick Lang Scholarship is Heather Alley, a particularly promising young singer and songwriter from Dayton, OH who is a senior at Morehead State University. She plans to complete her degree at Morehead’s Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead in 2021. You can also hear her with band, Mountain Time.
The IBMA Foundation is deeply proud of these young women who represent the future of bluegrass music. You can support the work of the Foundation by making donations online.
https://bluegrasstoday.com/ibma-foundation-announces-2020-scholarship-recipients
Well, I never thought that someone would build me a mandolin, but that's just how far Larry Nixon's support over the years has gone! Larry is such a prominent part of the bluegrass community in Raleigh, and he goes out of his way to encourage and support other musicians. I feel so lucky to have had such great music mentors in Raleigh over the years, and seeing Larry at jams, IBMA, and PineCone events has always been a pleasure. Today I received the mandolin Larry built for me (while social distancing of course), and it is absolutely beautiful! I've attached some pictures of the mandolin and The Lang Sisters playing some songs with Nixon, Blevins, and Gage at RDU's Salute to Bluegrass from a few years ago. What a wonderful glimpse of the Raleigh bluegrass scene before I head off to Nashville! I am so grateful to have grown up in this wonderful roots music community. PineCone - Piedmont Council of Traditional Music
http://www.nixonblevinsandgage.com
http://www.nixonblevinsandgage.com
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July 26, 2020 - This week would have been the Swannanoa Gathering Contemporary Folk/Guitar week in Asheville, NC! I posted what I would have done for the open mic. For my Contemporary Folk/Guitar Week open mic, I decided to arrange "Goodbye is All We Have" by Alison Krauss into a DADGAD guitar arrangement, as I have been exploring fingerstyle guitar and open tunings recently.
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March 08, 2020 - For International Women's Day, I wanted to post my recent cover of Frozen II's, "All Is Found", written by one of my favorite female songwriters and composers, Kristen-Anderson Lopez. Her works and lyrics inspire me to keep pursuing my passion for music and composing in hopes that I can write music about my own life, as well as music for movies and television to make a story come alive. This was my last Broadway Night as a senior in high school, and it was very special to me to perform a song from a movie and a songwriter that has made such a great impact on my life!
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Raleigh based singer/songwriter Jessie Lang borrows from Americana and bluegrass traditions to create a fresh acoustic sound and original music all her own. An award winning multi-instrumentalist, she was named an endorsing artist for Preston Thompson Guitars at age 16 and enjoys a wide variety of music including classical and jazz. Performing throughout the southeast, she has appeared on PBS Song of the Mountains TV series, MerleFest, Tosco Music Party and other notable venues. Her digital music has been featured in Carolina Country magazine and the NC Arts Council recently selected her for inclusion in their directory of Traditional Millennial Artists. She plans to relocate in fall 2020 to attend Belmont University and study music full-time.
Her original song “Broken” (co-written with Rick Lang) was selected for the 2019 IBMA Songwriter Showcase. Actively involved in the IBMA Songwriting Mentoring Program, she describes the benefit of this experience in the IBMA Songwriter Newsletter below:
| ibma_september_2019_songwriters_newsletter__excerpt_.pdf |
Jessie is also an active member of the NSAI (Raleigh Chapter), NC Songwriters Co-op and has performed at various Celebration of NC Songwriting Showcases.
I will be performing in the PineCone Music of the Carolinas Series.
SAVE THE DATE!
Sunday, May 10, 2020 - 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Presented in partnership with North Carolina Museum of History (Daniels Auditiorium)
https://pinecone.org/events/jessie-lang
I am so excited to finally share part of my product for my senior capstone project on music therapy and the lack of state licensure of music therapy in NC! This project has been a joy and privilege to complete this year- I have volunteered with the Wake Forest Abilities Choir, observed music therapy with multiple populations at Queens University of Charlotte and in the Chapel Hill school system. I have also been writing articles and reaching out to publications for the advocacy efforts needed to occur before lobbying with state legislators. I want to thank my wonderful mentor Martine Bullard, a music therapist and co-chair of the NC MT Task Force (who are leading the efforts to have music therapy licensed by the state of NC) for all of her help and guidance during this process. State licensure is very important and needs to occur to protect patients, help with insurance coverage, and greatly help music therapists with job opportunities. If you want to read one of my articles, it has been published in the Wake Weekly! Feel free to share with musicians and medical/healthcare professionals who may be interested- the word needs to get out to help this wonderful profession become licensed.
https://wakeweekly.com/stories/its-time-to-take-music-therapy-seriously,204179?
https://wakeweekly.com/stories/its-time-to-take-music-therapy-seriously,204179?
I have had such a wonderful time working with the Wake Forest Abilities Choir this year! I am so grateful to have the chance to work with this amazing choir, who never fail to bring joy to all! Last week was their winter concert. We had a blast and I enjoyed playing my guitar for two of their favorites, Mele Kalikimaka and Do You Want to Build a Snowman. Thank you so much to Kasie Renee for letting me work with the choir! Can't wait to work again with them next year!
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https://files.nc.gov/ncarts/docs/MTA_Directory.pdf
Chloe and Jessie are honored to be featured (page 55) in the North Carolina MILLENNIAL TRADITIONAL ARTISTS DIRECTORY.
The Millennial Traditional Artists (MTA) Directory documents next-generation artists working within traditional genres and cultures found across the state of North Carolina.
This directory is the outcome of a three-year initiative by the Folklife Program of the North Carolina Arts Council to identify, serve, and promote the needs of traditional artists at the early stages of their careers.
Young Professional’s Symposium at the NC Music Educator’s Conference! My experience at the YPS this November was amazing, and really renewed my interest in teaching music, whether as a private music teacher or possibly teaching Appalachian culture and music someday. It was super fun to meet other people my age who have an interest in changing lives through music, just like it has impacted our lives.
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A Celebration of NC Songwriting!
Hosted by The Wake Forest Listening Room, Magnolia Roots Music Lounge and Kirk Ridge. Sunday (10/27) from 1-4 PM
We all had such a wonderful time performing at the Magnolia Roots Music Lounge for the Celebration of NC Songwriting in the Round this past Sunday! Thomas Edwards, Carrie Marshall, Kirk Ridge, Bobb Head and I had fun sharing the stories behind our songs and connecting with each other.
Tommy Edwards
Tommy Edwards is lead singer and guitarist for The Bluegrass Experience, one of the Southeast's most respected traditional music groups. Having performed professionally for over 35 years, Edwards was twice named World Champion Bluegrass Guitarist and has recorded or performed live with an array of bluegrass greats. He has recorded multiple albums with The Bluegrass Experience as well as several solo discs and is the host of Life 103.1's "Bluegrass Saturday Night". Edwards currently plays solo gigs and with his group Carolina Lightnin'.
www.facebook.com/bluegrass.experience
Jessie Lang
Jessie borrows from the folk, gospel, and bluegrass traditions to create original music all her own. With sister Chloe, she formed the award-winning The Lang Sisters duet and band, performing throughout the southeast. Jessie has been selected as the Tar Heel of the Week by the Raleigh N&O, has appeared on the PBS Song of the Mountain series, and has performed at MerleFest. Jessie’s version of Wayfaring Stranger was featured in Carolina Country magazine’s Digital Music selection, September 2018.
www.jessielangmusic.com
Carrie Marshall
An award-winning songwriter and featured artist with the North Carolina Arts Council, Carrie’s original songs create a unique, signature sound that’s sophisticated yet accessible. In 2010 she won singer/songwriter of the year from the NC Songwriter Co-op and in 2012, she was named North Carolina’s Top Charlotte Vocalist by the Carolina Entertainment Network. In 2015, Carrie moved to Raleigh, NC, to become the music director, songwriting instructor, vocal coach, and company member at Moonlight Stage Company.
www.carriemarshall.net
Kirk Ridge
Kirk Ridge’s songs have been featured on NPR’s Car Talk and Belfast’s Celtic Roots Radio. His lyrics have been published in American Songwriter Magazine and he has written music for Cary Playwrights Forum productions. Kirk has performed on major stages across the state with his full band and hosts the weekly “Pass The Hat” live music radio show on WHUP. He is the Durham Arts Council’s performance director for Durham CenterFest and produces songwriters stages at Festival for the Eno and the Carrboro Music Festival.
www.kirkridgemusic.com
Bobb Head (bass)
A popular multi-instrumentalist, Bobb has performed on Prairie Home Companion with Joe Newberry and Big Medicine. He has played with many groups, including the Stillhouse Bottom Band, Big Medicine, Dueling Shoes (a percussive dance ensemble), and the Deep Phat Friars (an irreverent southern-fried contra band). Before moving to North Carolina, he played with the Privy Tippers in Tucson and, before that, with the Self-Righteous Brothers in Houston.
www.bobbhead.com
International Bluegrass Music Association Festival 2019
So much fun recording/live streaming a couple of songs with my gorgeous Preston Thompson 00-14 EIA "Sunburst" Guitar at The Ozark Music Shoppe booth! This was a great wrap to my performances at IBMA- it was an awesome week! I appreciate the photos taken by Raul Reynoso of Shubb Capos.
International Bluegrass Music Association Festival 2019
One of the top highlights of IBMA was showcasing the song "Broken" (co-wrote with Rick Lang) at the songwriter showcase on Thursday of IBMA! Getting the chance to be able to share a bit of my story and bring peace and joy to people through this song means the world to me. A huge thank you to Rick Lang for his guidance and support (and helping me get a 15 minute song idea to 5 minutes), to Troy Engle for his gorgeous accompaniment work and being willing to perform with us, and to Stephen and Jana Dolakova Mougin of Dark Shadows Recording for recording a beautiful demo and for their continued support. I feel like the luckiest gal in the world right now, and it makes my heart so happy to share this video with you. You can read about my songwriting mentoring experience on the IBMA September 2019 Songwriters Newsletter web link: https://mailchi.mp/ibma.org/january-ibma-songwriter-committee-newsletter-774043?e=[UNIQID]
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Tosco Music Party September 2019
Such an honor to perform at Tosco Music Party this September! Beautiful venue and wonderful audience; can't wait to return.
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Swannanoa Gathering Guitar/Contemporary Folk Week 2019
Performing one of my original songs with International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion and Award Winning Singer/Songwriter, Christie Lenée, was the highlight of my Swannanoa Gathering Guitar/Contemporary Folk week.
Enjoy flatpicking one of Roberto Dalla Vecchia's tunes. Roberto is a champion guitar player known for flatpicking with Italian Gusto.
Excited to be invited to perform for the September 14th Tosco Music Party- https://toscomusic.org/events
Tosco Music Mission Statement: TO PRESENT A WIDE VARIETY OF MUSIC THROUGH PERFORMANCES AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS; FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AMONG LISTENERS AND PERFORMERS; AND CONNECT PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR MUSICIANS TO SHARE AND INSPIRE ONE ANOTHER.
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Honored by NC Arts Council for inclusion in the Millennial Traditional Artists Directory, 2019- Link to the UNC 91.5 Public Radio interview Millennial Artists Are Keeping North Carolina’s Cultural Traditions Alive: http://www.tinyurl.com/y372zyll |
After years of searching for just the right guitar, I found the perfect fit with Preston Thompson custom made guitars. They are of incredible quality, craftsmanship and awesome sound.
Thank you to Preston Thompson, Christine Funk, and the whole Thompson team!
http://pktguitars.com/acoustic-guitars/team/jessie-lang/
Quotes:
“One of my very favorite Co-writers Jessie Lang (The Lang Sisters) who has been performing with The Carolina Pinecones. They showcased at IBMA in Raleigh NC this year and are a “treat to the ear”. The first song Jessie and I wrote together “Tell Me A Story” is featured on a new recording project they just released. Hope you get a chance to hear it! Jessie is one of our music’s young rising stars.” Rick Lang, IBMA Songwriter Committee, Chair & IBMA Songwriter Mentor Program (2018)
“With big hearts and a lot of talent, this duo carries the traditional music of North Carolina into the 21st Century” Eno River Association presents 37th annual Festival for the Eno. Saturday, July 2nd at the River Stage (2016)
“These talented sisters serve up a fresh take on Wayfaring Stranger, this old gospel favorite about crossing over to the eternal land. It’s one of 11 tunes on their album, “Coming Home.” Its other offerings include their poignant, original “Frost on the Ground.” Carolina Country Magazine September 2018
Chloe and I are so excited to be featured in the opening of New Faces of Tradition: Documenting North Carolina’s Young Artists, sponsored by Duke Arts and The Folklife Program of the North Carolina Arts Council.
This photo exhibit will be on display through June 30th in Gallery 235 at the Rubenstein Arts Center at Duke University, 2020 Campus Dr., Durham, NC 27705.
A huge thank you to photographer, Rachel Jessen, for providing her talents and time to work with us!
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I am so excited about being featured in The Women of Bluegrass January 2019 edition of The Bluegrass Standard magazine. Journalist, Emerald Butler, did a fantastic write-up about my passion for bluegrass/roots music - click picture below.
It was a delightful evening of fine music at the Celebration of North Carolina Songwriters event with wonderful original songs by Alice Gerrard (Tatiana Hargreaves played fiddle with Alice), Tommy Edwards, Jessica Lang, and Kirk Ridge (FLTR) at The Blue Note Grill. The four singer-songwriters played to a full and appreciative audience.
#prestonthompsonguitars #pktguitars #bluechippicks #shubbcapos #daddario #daddariostrings #bluenotegrill
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11/13 Performed with The Carolina PineCones at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh to help celebrate PineCone and the other recipients of the 2018 Raleigh Medal of Arts!
I had the wonderful opportunity to play background roots and gospel music for a church youth missions fundraiser dinner. On Saturday I was able to shadow a music therapist, working with a bell choir, and with Alzheimer's and Dementia patients. It was such a joy to be able to use music to heal and to see the effects that music can have on those who need it most!
#prestonthompsonguitars #pktguitars #bluechippicks #shubbcapos #daddario
#daddariostrings
11/16 Performed at Lorraine's Coffee House with The Carolina PineCones.
Although I absolutely love my bluegrass, singer-songwriter, and folk music, jazz music also holds a special place in my heart! I have absolutely loved playing in my school jazz band for three years, and I'm so excited to have had my first performance of this school year with the varsity jazz band! Playing great jazz music with great people makes my heart so happy!
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I had such a great time at the IBMA Songwriter Track with Rick Lang, Jerry Salley, and Sherrill Blackman!
So excited to share this audio file with you from our new CD. I had the privilege of co-writing Tell Me a Story with one of my good friends, the prolific songwriter, Rick Lang last year. You may have seen previous videos or live performances of this song with The Carolina PineCones, but I am so proud of how this song came out on our first CD! A big thank you to the band for the beautiful instrumentation, to Jef Walter for the countless hours he spent on getting the mix just right for this song, to Jason Beverly for the wonderful photos on the album, and to Landon Elmore for the beautiful design!
#prestonthompsonguitars #pktguitars #shubbcapos
Here are a couple of songs I wrote, Second Chance and Through the Glass, which I performed at the Neck of the Woods series (July 2018)
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I'm so excited and honored to have been named The Tar Heel of the Week by The News & Observer! Thank you to Christa Gala for featuring my story. There have been so many people who have helped me on my musical journey (especially my sister Chloe Lang), but the article had to be kept short. Hope to see you all at IBMA. You can read the article at this link:
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Read Jessie's essay here on Carolina Country:
www.carolinacountry.com/carolina-stories/joyful-times-at-summer-music-camp
I'm so excited to upload my first video playing my new custom Preston Thompson guitar (short scale, 00, 14-fret)! I am so blessed and honored to be one of their endorsing artists, and I am so grateful to the whole team at Preston Thompson Guitars for building my dream guitar! Song starts at 2:37. http://pktguitars.com
The Carolina PineCones - band photo by Jason Beverly, Side of The Road Photography
On Saturday (5/19), my other band, The Carolina PineCones, took 2nd Place in the bluegrass band contest at the Got to Be NC Festival!
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Tell Me A Story by Jessica Lang (co-written with Rick Lang)
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Dalton Living Magazine | January/February 2017 | 29
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