Blue Ridge Thunder Performs in Monterey Saturday July 10

July 7, 2021

 

The Highland County Arts Council is presenting a performance Saturday by Blue Ridge Thunder.  The band is from the Shenandoah Valley and got started about three years ago. Tim Lansberry is a singer and guitar player in the group.

“We have a mix of bluegrass, gospel, some of the old traditional standard bluegrass songs,” says Lansberry.    “We have some more progressive contemporary bluegrass songs thrown in there, but mainly a lot of the traditional stuff.  So, we’re kind of a mix of a little bit of everything really.”

And why do they play?

“For fun,” says Lansberry.  “Definitely not for the money.  We make tens of dollars doing this.  But it’s mainly for the fun.  We’ve all been given a God given talent, we use it.  We play churches, we play lawn parties, festivals and private events.  We just have a really good time.  I’ve been in several bands over the years, this band we’re all really close, not only as band mates but on a personal level too.  We go out to eat together and things like that.  We all click, we all get along and just have a really good time with one another.”

You can learn more about Blue Ridge Thunder and see videos of some performances on their Facebook page.  I asked what the band hopes the audience will remember about their performance.

“That they had a good time,” says Lansberry.  “They heard something that they enjoy, something one of us do may touch them in their own personal life or send a message.  A lot of times with the gospel songs people come up and say ‘I really needed to hear that today’ or one of the songs we do puts a smile on somebody’s face.  That’s the main thing.  That’s why you’re there.    We want to have fun, we want the audience to have fun and if they’re not having fun, we’re not having fun.  We try to have a good time and we hope they do too.  That’s what it’s about.”

Blue Ridge Thunder performs Saturday, July 10, at 5 pm at The Highland Center pavilion.  The show is sponsored by the Highland County Arts Council.  Donations will be accepted to benefit the Arts Council.  Remember to bring a chair.

BBQ chicken prepared by the Monterey Lions Club will be available at the show.  The cost is $5.00 a half.

The Highland County Arts Council is a supporter of Allegheny Mountain Radio.

Story By

Bonnie Ralston

Bonnie Ralston is the Assistant Station Coordinator at WVLS and a Highland County news reporter. She began volunteering at Allegheny Mountain Radio in the fall of 2005. In 2006 she became an AMR employee and worked in Bath County for eight years as the WCHG Station Coordinator and then as the news reporter there. She began working in radio while in college and has stayed connected to radio, in one way or another, for more than thirty years. She grew up in Staunton, Virginia, while spending a lot of time on her family’s farm in Deerfield, Virginia. She enjoys spending time outside, watching old TV shows and movies and tending to her chickens.
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