Asheville News

Steve Martin joins Steep Canyon Rangers for some music in Brevard; Is Martin moving to the mountains?

Jason Sandford September 15, 2008

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Loyal reader arratik shot me a note this morning from a family member who went down to Brevard over the weekend for a little music festival and spotted a celebrity — Steve Martin. I had no idea the dude could play.

And get this — the rumor mill has it that the comedian is building a house in Transylvania or Jackson counties. What better way to introduce himself to the local community. So we’ll have to add him to the Ashvegas Celebrity Hot List.

Here’s the note arratik forwarded:

We went to the Mountain Song Festival yesterday in Brevard and got a big surprise. We saw The Steep Canyon Rangers, Cherryholmes, Tim O’Brien, and The Sam Bush Band. Halfway through The Steep Canyon Rangers 2nd set, the bass player left the stage while the other 4 did an a cappella song.

When he came back on, he said that he had run into some guy wandering around backstage who said he played a little banjo and then asked the audience if we would like to hear him. He waved at the guy who came out with a big grin and very white hair carrying his banjo. It was Steve Martin, and the place practically exploded. I haven’t heard so much noise from an audience in ages. He did several songs with them including a couple he said were on a CD that he has coming out soon.

This festival is a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County. Woody Platt is one of the Steep Canyon Rangers and his Dad is an architect there who is one of the main sponsers of the festival.

Thanks for the info, arratik!

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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4 Comments

RadioLongAgo September 15, 2008

Seems like he played banjo a bit on the old "Let’s Get Small" album in the late 70’s…I took it to the radio station the other night for some "insertion" betwixt the oldies and quickly found out most bits were not fit for human broadcast…but a good album…

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bb September 15, 2008

You didn’t know he could play?? You must be too young to remember him onstage with the bunny ears, white suit and banjo doing Foggy Mountain Breakdown.

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Zipperhead September 15, 2008

He already lives in the mountains near Brevard. Where have you been.

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Ami Worthen September 15, 2008

Steve Martin also plays the ukulele!

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