John Ellison and The Carpenter Ants to perform at Big Draft Brewing, Carnegie Hall

By RealWV Staff,

GREENBRIER COUNTY, W.Va. – Lewisburg’s Carnegie Hall continues their Ivy Terrace Concert Series on Thursday, Aug. 10 with John Ellison and The Carpenter Ants.

The free outdoor concert will take place on Carnegie Hall’s Ivy Terrace as attendees watch from the expansive lawn in front of New River Community and Technical College. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket and pack a picnic to enjoy live music. All Ivy Terrace concerts are open to the public, and alcohol free. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. In the case of inclement weather, the show will be moved inside.

On Saturday, Aug. 12 Ellison and The Carpenter Ants will take the stage at Big Draft Brewing in White Sulphur Springs. The show is suitable for all ages, and admission is free. Doors open at 7 p.m.

The Carpenter Ants perform the John Ellison classic “West Virginia State of Mind” at Taylor Books in Charleston on June 16. Video by Matthew Young, RealWV.

John “Some Kind of Wonderful” Ellison was born in Montgomery, WV on the banks of the Kanawha River and grew up in the mining town of Landgraff in McDowell County. In 1959, he quit his job and bought a one-way ticket to Rochester, New York.

Eight years later, he formed The Soul Brothers Six. The group’s first release was “Some Kind of Wonderful,” written by Ellison. The song has since been covered by more than 75 artists and is known
throughout the world. In 1974, Grand Funk Railroad’s version reached the No. 3 spot in the nation. Other notable artists who have covered the song include Buddy Guy, Huey Lewis and the News, and, most recently, Rod Stewart. Ellison was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

Ellison will be joined by The Carpenter Ants. Even the best bands come and go, but The Carpenter Ants have been around – with virtually the same line up – for more than 16 years. Having evolved into West Virginia’s premier rhythm & blues group, the band has unearthed a wealth of classic and forgotten American music. First and foremost, regardless of the occasion, the band never fails to have a good time. And, after more than 2,000 performances, the members still like and respect each other – and you can feel it in their music.

The group’s current release, the Don Dixon-produced “Tearin’ Down The House,” is a harmony ‘n’ rhythm-rich two-disc celebration of American music with guests including Paul Thorn and Shemekia Copeland.