The Blue Ridge Music Center presents Larry Bellorin and Joe Troop live in concert in our spacious outdoor amphitheater at the base of Fisher Peak on The Blue Ridge Parkway, near Galax, VA, Mount Airy, NC and Sparta, NC.
Larry & Joe were destined to make music together. Based in the Triangle area of North Carolina, Joe Troop and Larry Bellorin are versatile multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters on a mission to show that music has no borders. As a duo, they perform a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, guitar, maracas, and whatever else they decide to throw in the van. Their program features a distinct blend of musical inheritances and traditions as well as storytelling about the ways that music and social movements coalesce
Bellorín grew up in Punta de Mata in the state of Monagas, Venezuela. By age six, he became a shoe shiner and built a faithful clientele by singing as he polished, taking requests for the popular Vallenatos of the day. He eventually caught the attention of a local music educator who invited him to study at the city’s premiere music school. Playing professionally by the age of 11, he went on to accompany countless Venezuelan musical luminaries. In 2012, he left Venezuela for the United States when his home country began to collapse, and new political realities threatened Larry and his family’s lives.
Troop is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter hailing originally from Winston-Salem, N.C. The founder of Grammy-nominated string band Che Apalache, his music is deeply inspired by his decade living in Buenos Aires and traveling throughout Latin America. The pandemic unexpectedly landed him back in North Carolina and forced Che Apalache into hiatus. Troop’s music reflects his time spent living abroad as well as his upbringing in the North Carolina Piedmont. Now based in Durham, he leads various ensembles which play his original music.
https://www.larryandjoe.com/
Shay Martin Lovette is a Boone, N.C.-based songwriter and musician. Growing up in nearby Wilkes County, he brings his admiration for rich musical traditions of his home region to craft regionally based originals like “Parkway Bound.” In 2019, Lovette and his backing band won the band competition at MerleFest.
https://www.shaymartinlovette.com/