BLUEGRASS legend Stompin’ Dave is back on stage this week bringing The Whitetop Mountaineers all the way from Virgina, USA to Dorchester Arts Centre tomorrow night.

The Whitetop Mountaineers is made up of the young duo, Martha Spencer and Jackson Cunningham. They both live in Whitetop, Virginia and their shows feature old time country duet singing, up-tempo old instrumentals as well as high energy Appalachian dancing.

Jackson and Martha have played concerts, festivals, workshops and dances throughout the United States, UK, Ireland and Australia including Merlefest, Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and The National Folk Festival.

Their shows feature old time country duet singing, up-tempo old time fiddle, clawhammer banjo, bluegrass mandolin and guitar instrumentals as well as high energy Appalachian dancing.

Dave said: “It’s really exciting to be promoting and appearing with touring performers from the USA for the first time, so the concerts I’ve arranged with the Whitetop Mountaineers are sure to be very special events.

“It’s a pleasure to support travelling, up and coming traditional musicians who come from an area whose music has inspired me so much.”

Martha Spencer has won competitions on banjo, fiddle and vocals having started playing and singing at a young age. Her parents are the leaders of the Whitetop Mountain Band and are well known and respected musicians and teachers of old time music.

Jackson grew up in southern Oregon also in a musical family. Since moving to Virginia, he has drawn much attention for his powerful traditional playing and high lonesome singing. He plays mandolin, harmonica, clawhammer banjo as well as singing lead and harmony parts.

An exciting late edition to the gig is teenage banjo whiz Edward Bennett who performed an impromptu set with Stompin Dave at last week’s Cornish Bluegrass Festival.

It was a hit with the packed festival audience, who were enjoying a three-day music festival which included an array of the best bluegrass acts from the UK plus artists from the USA.

Edward, from Penzance, was youth banjo champion at the prestigious Clifftop Festival, Viriginia and the Morehead old-time festival in Kentucky last year. Tomorrow’s gig starts at 8pm and tickets are £12 in advance, £15 on the door. Call the arts centre on 01305 266926 or Dorchester TIC on 01305 267992.