WTJU 91.1 FM

Multi-instrumentalist Danny Knicely and his VA Folklife apprentice on the mandolin, Jack Dunlap, will stop by the WTJU studios Thursday afternoon, October 15, at 4 pm for a visit to Folk & Beyond.  Later that evening they will be putting on a concert at The Front Porch in Charlottesville (details). Danny and Jack are currently touring behind their new album, Chop Shred & Split.

Each year, the Virginia Folklife Program pairs experienced master artists with eager learners in a variety of traditions, such as blacksmithing, bluegrass fiddling, salt making, and balalaika playing. Together these artists work to preserve and protect cultural art forms in a manner that is conscious of history and faithful to tradition. Danny Knicely is considered a master folk artist by his home state of Virginia. A prodigious musician and prolific songwriter, Danny is virtuosic on the mandolin and guitar. Apprentice Jack Dunlap began his apprenticeship as a musician of incredible depth. Still in his teens, Jack has a long list of contest winnings on both mandolin and guitar. He teaches both instruments in Winchester, VA, where he resides. He also plays with Buds Collective, one of the fastest rising acts in the bluegrass music scene. Through their apprenticeship, Danny and Jack have honed the intricacies of their “pyrotechnic” mandolin picking, explored new influences, and pushed the threshold of what’s possible on the mandolin.