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Old Crow Medicine Show w. Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers

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NEW DATE: AUGUST 30, 2025

GATES 5:00pm; SHOW 6:00pm

Old Crow Medicine Show began in late September of 1998 when a monkey wrench gang of old-time string band musicians, most of us still in our teens, left Ithaca, New York to cross the Canadian border and play our way to the Pacific. We brought our pawnshop fiddles and banjos, guitars and washboards to downtown street corners across Ontario, to paper mill towns above Lake Superior, farmers markets in Manitoba, Indian reservations in South Dakota, and out to the streets of Vancouver and Victoria, Seattle and Portland. Along the way, we discovered a unique country sound both old and new, foreign and familiar. We knew we had captured something special.

As we celebrate 25 years of making live music together, Old Crow Medicine Show has established itself as America’s most beloved Old-Time String Band and one of Nashville’s most revered musical torchbearers. Our travels have included concerts in a dozen foreign countries, as well as across the United States where we’ve delighted audiences from the Hollywood Bowl to Telluride, Bonnaroo and the Newport Folk Festival to Jazz Fest. Our signature song “Wagon Wheel” is one of the most widely sung folk songs in history and was recently certified by RIAA as one of the top five country singles of all time. Our influence has been felt across the Americana music genre from the Lumineers to Mumford & Sons. We continue to explore sounds both old and new, foreign and familiar, and keep bringing audiences to their feet night after night. The journey that began in a Volvo Station Wagon at the Canadian border in the fall of 1998 continues to unfold in ways unimaginable. Our exploration of the continent’s heritage in song keeps on producing. Until that vein is tapped we’ll probably just keep on digging. And that’ll likely take a good long while.

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The Blue Ridge Mountains wind through eight states over a stretch of 615 miles. In Virginia, they overlook Franklin County south of Roanoke. Back in the day, bootleggers would refer to the area as “The Moonshine Capital of the World” due to its perfect placement to export contraband. These days, the textile mills of Rocky Mount and other once cozy-towns have shut down, leaving minimal opportunity and a lot of hopelessness. At the bottom of the Southwest Virginia foothills half-a-mile from the nearest neighbor, Colby Helms resides in an “underground house” built by his late father. He hunts and takes care of his mom. He also pens the kind of raw and real country music that cuts to the bone. At 12-years-old, Colby endured the loss of his dad due to cancer. Beset by sadness and loneliness, he turned to music. He taught himself guitar, banjo, and mandolin by watching local performers and YouTube videos. He amassed a growing record collection, combing through the stacks at flea markets and browsing eBay. Joined by his band The Virginia Creepers, he cut his teeth with countless gigs around the area. He also shared a series of arresting D.I.Y. performance videos on YouTube, including “Smoke and Flames.” With starkly honest songwriting and a sharp angular twang to his vocals, he struck a dynamic balance between country storytelling, blue grass energy, and blues power. After signing to Photo Finish Records, he introduces himself with a series of 2023 singles and his forthcoming debut album.

For more information about live events at The Coves Ampitheater, please visit our FAQs page on the Coves' website.

Nestled within the breathtaking landscape of Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, The Coves is a private residential community that lives in harmony with the area’s natural beauty. With aesthetics reminiscent of a private natural park, residents enjoy stunning lake views, modern amenities, and a vision of a community built on sustainability, culture, and preservation. Visit us at www.covesatsml.com.

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Old Crow Medicine Show w. Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers
  • 301 Ivy Lane
  • Union Hall, VA 24176
  • to
  • Coves Amphitheater at Smith Mountain Lake
  • ADVANCED: Field $42.50, Gold Seating $75.50