Appalachian songs, stories, and the music that shaped country music will be showcased in Folk Songs of Appalachia – Deep Roots & Common Threads, featuring Janet McGarry and band in a single-mic performance at Victoria Playhouse on September 5 at 7:30 pm and September 6 at 2 pm.

This concert is an intimate musical journey into the heart of a sound that shaped generations. From the pioneering recordings of the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers in the late 1920sto the enduring influence heard in artists like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris, this show traces the powerful lineage of Appalachian song.

Led by Island bluegrass artist Janet McGarry, whose travels through the rural mountain communities of Appalachia bring authenticity to the stage, the performance blends music, storytelling, and personal reflection. Presented with a four-piece acoustic band gathered around a single condenser microphone, the show recreates the warmth and immediacy of those earliest recordings.

Along the way, Deep Roots & Common Threads reveals the shared musical heritage linking Appalachia to Atlantic Canada—uncovering the Irish, Scottish, and Acadian influences that shape the songs still recognized in our kitchens, community halls, and dance floors today.

Marking nearly a century since Ralph Peer first carried a recording machine into the mountains, and following landmark moments such as the O Brother, Where Art Thou? revival and the legacy of Will the Circle Be Unbroken, this program offers a reflection on music that continues to connect us.

For tickets, visit victoriaplayhouse.com/events/folk-songs-of-appalachia.