Beats, Brews & Buddies

Country-rocker Adam Rutledge is soaring to new heights with the release of his EP, Runway, which stands out with its “distinctive hybrid of country and rock, catchy guitar intros and lyrical depth” (Sports & Entertainment Nashville/Bob Paxman).

Now 26, Christian was raised in the small town of Huddleston, Va and grew up spending his time around Smith Mountain Lake. Growing up, his life wasn’t always easy. With an alcoholic father, and an enabling mother of that drinking problem it was tough, but music found him at a young age. Picking up the guitar at the age of 11, then later getting professional vocal coaching from while participating in Staunton River High School Choir.

Tyler Godsey, who is deaf, in 2017 founded 5 Points Music Sanctuary, a 501.c3 non-profit, in an old former church at the corner of Maple and Jefferson, under the mantra of sound and vibrations being ‘the core of all I've found that's good in people.’ …in October, he launched the "Chasing the Light" initiative, to bring awareness and support to Usher Syndrome, an untreatable genetic disorder that includes deafness and leads to blindness. Both of Godsey's children have been diagnosed with Usher 1B. The goal of the Chasing the Light program is to give two families the opportunity to see the Northern Lights in early 2020. Tyler Godsey's building of a professional life around the untreatable medical diagnosis of his two children is both heroic and heartwarming, and sets an example for all parents.

Carolan spent her twenties touring up and down the east coast and sharing the stage with artists like Martina McBride, Aaron Tippin and many others. She currently writes and performs original music for her management deal and sits in with pop and rock bands to help pay the bills. It was after her daughter was born when she decided to finally follow her heart. She wrote her first album. Since then, she has been creating original indie pop and rock music to be used in sync licensing and performing on the east coast as part of Shanolan. She has had her songs placed in shows like Riverdale, Teen Mom, and an upcoming feature film on HBO Max.

Born and raised in Martinsville, VA, Andy has been playing music for most of his life. His obsession began at a very young age while watching Elvis movies with his mom. After seeing “the King” do his thing on TV, Andy decided that he wanted to do THAT!

He began to dabble with guitar and drums when his cousin started taking lessons at a local music store. Andy would go over to her house and beg her to show him what she had learned at her lessons. After learning a few things, he begged his parents for an electric guitar of his own so he could begin pursuing his rockstar dreams. His father came home one day with an old Washburn acoustic guitar, and told Andy if he learned to play that, he would buy him an electric guitar. So that’s exactly what he did!

Andy was a “self taught” musician until joining band in 6th grade. That decision would change his life forever. He started playing the trumpet, but ultimately ended up pulling double duty between percussion and baritone throughout the remainder of his school career. He was an active member of all ensembles offered, (marching band, jazz band, concert band, indoor drumline, and even winter guard) with a heavy focus on the marching side of things. To this day, Andy is still heavily involved in the marching arts, serving as Percussion Director at Bassett High School in Bassett, VA; and Drumline Director at High Point University in High Point, NC. He has served as a consultant, arranger, and clinician for numerous schools and programs in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Shortly after high school, Andy met Roanoke musician, Jeremy Price, and joined Jeremy’s group “Plastic Musik” in 2003. In 2006, the group landed a 9 week residency at Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL. In 2008, the group relocated to Las Vegas and became the number one booked act on the college circuit in 2009, toured the country extensively, performed numerous NBA halftime shows, toured Mexico, performed at the 2008 European All- Star Game in Paris, and made several appearances on local and national TV.

While living in Las Vegas with the “Plastic Musik” crew, Andy began cutting his Rock n’ Roll teeth in a band called “One Loud Secret.” The band was a power-pop quartet consisting of Jeremy Price on guitar, Leilani Dibble on vocals, Dave Mcgraw on drums, and Andy playing bass. The band enjoyed some success on the Vegas circuit, but more importantly taught Andy how to be a member of a hard working, constantly evolving, rock band.

After moving back to Martinsville in 2011, Andy began looking for ways to make money that still allowed him to do what he loves. He began playing solo acoustic shows at local bars, which eventually led to the formation of the Andy Burnette Trio. Today the trio is a staple in the local music scene, consistently performing over 125 shows a year. Andy continues to do solo shows, and occasionally can be scene with his duo partner, Jake Earles, as the “Andy & Jake Show.”

Andy currently resides in Fieldale, VA with his fiancé, Ashley Perkins, his 9 year old daughter Amelia, and his dog Jackson.

Brian Mesko was born into a family of musicians, and raised in Little Rock, AR, Mesko began piano lessons at age 8, moving to guitar at age 10.  By 12 he was playing drums, and he picked up the bass at age 14.

As a teen Brian was gigging professionally, and even played drums on a short tour in Turkey at age 18.  While still in high school he studied Jazz Theory & Ensemble at UALR under Michael Carenbauer (who studied under Pat Metheny at Berklee).  Taking these credits on to MTSU, Brian completed a bachelor’s degree in Recording Industry. Mesko lived in the Nashville area from 1997 – 2005 and played with such international jazz greats as Les McCann, Tony Monaco, Dr. Lonnie Smith, John Jorgensen and Jeff Coffin.

After moving to central Virginia in 2005, Brian has been privileged to work with such jazz artists as Robert Jospe, Butch Taylor, Dane Alderson, John D’earth, Bobby Read, Charles Owens, Jonah Kane-West, Liz Barnes, any many more.

Brian formed The Rootdowns organ trio with members of Butcher Brown, DJ Williams Projekt, The Big Payback, and Skydog, and they released their debut album, "Songs With Friends" in 2013.  In 2015 he started The Danktet, an instrumental trio whose collective influences create a unique blend of jazz, funk, rock, pop, reggae, blues, and R&B. With Australian native Dane Alderson of the Yellow Jackets on bass, and multi-instrumentalist and visual artist Forrest Young on drums, they released their first album, "One Thing Right" in 2016.

Aside from his own original projects, Brian has since joined several local projects, playing guitar and/or bass with the Robert Jospe Express, Lenny Marcus, Terry Brown Ascension Project, The Ambassador, Mojo Parker, Melissa and the Growlers, The Meskos Electric Revue, Jstop Latin Soul and Andrew Winn.

Brian currently resides with his wife and son in Roanoke, VA working as a session player, performer, and guitar professor/ensemble director at the University of Lynchburg.

Tim Martin started his solo career at the ripe age of 16 playing every Friday and Saturday evening at a restaurant called the Olde Tinker Mill Inn. It was a formal dining area upstairs with a pizza and beer meeting place downstairs. He would play for the diners upstairs during dinner then move downstairs for the later, livelier crowd. Building a song list of artists such as James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, CSN&Y, Eagles, and originals he developed his style. Getting paid 15 dollars a night and free pizza seemed like a good deal to the teenaged Tim. What this job did was help him learn how to be comfortable and entertaining on stage and find what kind of tunes worked with different audiences.

42 years later he is still going strong as ever. Tim has played and still works in clubs, resorts, festivals, concerts, and private functions across southwest Virginia such as The Hotel Roanoke, Wintergreen Resort, Primeland Resort, Snowshow, Greenbrier, Homestead and more. He plays local Roanoke clubs such as The Quarter, Awful Arthurs, Annie Moore’s Tavern, Brambleton Deli and more. He has shared the stage and opened for artist such as Savoy Brown, Vern Gosdin, Jonathan Edwards, Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Little River Band, Southern Culture on The Skids and more. He has released two albums over the years. Real Life Dreamers in 1992 with his duo partner Mark Wilbourn and Wishes in 2000, both all original songs written by Tim.

Joshua was born in raised in the Roanoke Valley. He was surrounded by music at a very early age, as his father played guitar and sang and so did several uncles and cousins. During his senior year, Joshua was awarded the Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Award, for guitar performance. It was during his 8th grade year of school that he became very serious about playing guitar and decided to start a band. This band, Gypsy Joe, quickly became a popular act in the booming Roanoke County music scene of the time, and won 3 consecutive, Roanoke County Battle of the Bands competitions. The band went on to record 2 albums and enjoy some regional success.

In 2002, Gypsy Joe disbanded and Joshua joined local hard rock band, Frotter, and in 2005, Joshua was awarded “Best Lead Guitarist” at the New York International Music Festival (A music festival featuring over 300 bands from around the world), while performing with Frotter. In March of 2016, Joshua found himself with an opportunity to perform again:, this time joining The Low Low Chariot as the new lead guitarist. Joshua Has been performing with this group ever since. The group has recorded one album, Believer, in Nashville, and is working on the material that will become the follow-up album.

Energetic. Versatile. Unbelievable. A modern take on Appalachian Rhythm & Blues. The Jared Stout Band is an alt-country powerhouse based out of Southwestern, VA. These FloydFest 22 "On-The-Rise" runner-ups deliver their own style of Appalachian rhythm and blues by bringing energetic and soulful originals to the stage, with a show you don’t wanna miss!

Did you enjoy this season of Beats, Brews, and Buddies? We sure did! And to wrap it up we are giving you access to our live show at Spot on Kirk. Special thanks to our guests: Corey Hunley, JD Sutphin, and Dylan Dent. Enjoy our last episode of 2022, Singer/songwriters in a round Christmas special! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. See you in 2023 for Season Two!

Bryan “Harvest Blaque” Hancock is a hip-hop/slam poetry artist, writer, comedian, and host of the eight year poetry show Soul Sessions Roanoke. He is also a Hip-Hop history and music technology teacher for the Jefferson Center and has an artistic residency for Carillon Robert Keeley Healing Arts, where he use creative writing and hip-hop as a pedagogy to help in areas of grief and loss and adolescents in psychiatric care. He is a part of the legendary Big Lick Conspiracy improv comedy troupe, and an all around artist who is passionate about evolving and telling my story through music and poetry.