A recap of Tim Moon’s first showcase; second one Nov. 21

ASHEBORO — October brings cooler temperatures, leaf color and Tim Moon’s annual music recital. 

Tim and his teenage son Nolan show-cased many of their students in a 3-hour recital in the Sunset Theatre on Friday night, Oct. 17. It was the first of two separate showcases. The second is set for Friday, Nov. 21, also at Sunset Theatre in downtown Asheboro. The event begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

From youth to seniors, beginners to seasoned students, the evening highlighted their efforts on a menagerie of stringed instruments. The elder Moon served as master of ceremonies and accompanied his students on acoustic guitar. 

Nolan served as utility man of the evening, switching from banjo to guitar to bass to drums, backing his own pupils. 

Both Moons are employed as musical instructors at Evans Music Center on South Fayetteville Street in Asheboro.

The night of mostly acoustic music began with the Moons showcasing a four-song set. They were accompanied by young student Arthur Hayes on guitar, who switched to pick mandolin for the last number. Tunes played were: “Nine Pound Hammer,” “Clinch Mountain Backstep,” “Blackberry Blossom” and “Salt Creek.”

Tim mentioned how both Arthur and his brother, Alexander, had earned music scholarships through the High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association. HLS is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting those who want to discover and share bluegrass music and other forms of traditional music.

Next up were longtime students and McArthur siblings Emma on fiddle and vocals and her brother Jack on acoustic guitar, who joined the instructors. Emma opened with a medley of instrumentals, “Swallowtail Jig,” “Blackberry Blossom” and “East Tennessee Blues” featuring Jack on guitar work on the latter tune. Then Emma belted out a minor tune, “Working on a Railroad,” and concluded with an Alison Krauss song, “Oh, Atlanta” with Jack adding tasteful guitar breaks.

“Emma’s been with me for 17 years,” Tim Moon said. “She started with me when she was 5.”

It was then time for Nolan’s students, Derek and Dax Armstrong, on mandolin and guitar respectively. They took the stage to perform a trio of gospel songs: “What A Friend,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “Lowest Valley.” They were followed by Lisa Taylor, who picked “Country Roads” on the banjo.

Then it was time for the Cooper family to perform. Neal played guitar on “Boil Them Cabbage Down.” Then came his big sisters, Abigail on fiddle and Liz on mandolin, performing “Unclouded Day” and “Faded Love.”

In keeping with the family theme, the McGaugh twins, Tynleigh and Taylor, performed separately. Tynleigh, who just started lessons in August, played guitar on two tunes and was followed by Taylor playing two numbers on the piano.

Randall Cornelison and granddaughter Kaleigh Archer then played two songs and David Bailey, Nolan’s student, picked banjo and made his singing debut on 

“Prayer Bells from Heaven” and then played “Fireball Mail.”

Then it was time for the Asheboro Hybrid School to take over the stage. Students Meade Ainsworth, Layla Williams, Joseph Goad, Bethany Cagle, Everly West, Adera Futrell, David Futrell, Daniel Futrell, and Sabrina and Stella Hulmquist played six songs with Tim including “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Wagon Wheel,” and “Amazing Grace.” Meade was featured on several vocals including “Tennessee Whiskey.”

Next came Kinslee Tabon on drums followed by Kaiden Swaim on guitar playing “I’ll Fly Away” and “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Liam Tysinger then picked guitar and belted out “Freeborn Man” and “A Country Boy Can Survive.” His mom joined him to harmonize on the hymn, “I Can’t Even Walk Without Holding His Hand.”

Eight-year-old Ezra Woods showed his versatility by playing guitar and vocals on “Revelation Song” and then performed a drum solo. He was followed by Cameron Erickson playing guitar and singing, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” Christian Bowman, age 10, came next and performed a couple of Johnny Cash songs, “Folsom Prison Blues” and “I Walk the Line.”

Jaydon DeNamur performed three numbers including “God of Wonders.” He was followed by the banjo picking of Brayden Cesaro and the mandolin work of Teresa Freeman on three popular tunes: “Foggy Mountain Breakdown,” “Ballad of Jed Clampett” and “Dueling Banjos.”

Madelyn Teague then picked electric guitar on “I Saw the Light” and “House of the Rising Sun.” Tobyn Beshears was joined by his grandfather to perform a couple of songs including the Eagles hit, “Hotel California.”

Tobyn then moved to the drums to play the classic tune, “Wipe Out.”

Greg Abernathy picked guitar on “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Windy and Warm.” 0 Santos, an honor student and three-sport athlete, performed three songs on the guitar. Then Andrew Rouse played guitar on “Blue Ridge Cabin Home” and “Isn’t She Lovely.”

Joe Weaver played “There Is A Time” and “Salt Creek” on guitar. George Bowman ended the evening of music by picking three tunes on the five-string banjo: “Cherokee Shuffle,” “Gold Rush” and “Shucking the Corn.”