Mountain parade for mountain band

Courtesy: Mountainlovers.com

Photo from the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

Jackson County is hosting a “Welcome Home Parade” for the local band, Mountain Faith which was a big hit this year on America’s Got Talent.

The parade is tomorrow, Sept. 10, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Sylva and end with a performance by Mountain Faith at Bridge Park.

The local bluegrass group regularly performs at festivals like “Greening Up The Mountains” and “Concerts on the Creek,” among other charity and church events. According to their website, the band was formed in 2000 at a service station near Cowee Mountain. Sam, Summer and Brayden McMahan would rehearse songs between serving customers. What started as a family gig has grown to include two more members, Luke Dotson and Cory Piatt. This year their album “Blue” was nominated for the Bluegrass Album of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music for America (SPBMA).

“This band has been a very important part of the fabric of our community for many years,” Julie Spiro, executive director for the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, said over the phone.

The Smoky Mountain High School (SMHS) Marching Band, SMHS cheerleaders and the Triple Threat Dancers will also be in the parade, according to information on the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.

Mountain Faith will mingle with fans and have CDs and other merchandise to sell.

The parade, said Spiro, is all about welcoming back our hometown band.

“These are really great folks and they deserve a wonderful welcome home, and we hope to give them that tomorrow night,” Spiro said.

Mountain Faith made it to the semifinals on NBC’s primetime show, “America’s Got Talent,” before being eliminated on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

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